My horse does this thing called "Jiggin" were the horse is really hot and prancy when going down the trail, how can i stop this, i really like trails but dont enjoy them anymore with my horse because of this new bad habit he has developed. Please help me!!
How do you stop "Jiggin"
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Sounds like you may be tensing and anticipating which will just worsen the problem. Make sure to stay relaxed and work through the problem while trying to keep frustration out of the picture.
What is your normal routine with trail riding?
What is your normal routine with trail riding?
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Do you ride with other people?
Does he jig from the moment you get on?
Do you ride in an arena ever? If so, does he jig as well?
Do you walk? Trot? Canter? Gallop? Jump?
What do you do when he starts to act up?
Does he jig from the moment you get on?
Do you ride in an arena ever? If so, does he jig as well?
Do you walk? Trot? Canter? Gallop? Jump?
What do you do when he starts to act up?
Do you ride with other people? Yes usually just with my mom on her mare
Does he jig from the moment you get on? most of the time yea
Do you ride in an arena ever? If so, does he jig as well? Yea i do barrels and most cow events and i have to have someone lead me into the arena and then he just starts to pop up
Do you walk? Trot? Canter? Gallop? Jump? i usually just walk and trot unless im with some friend who wanna race
What do you do when he starts to act up? most of the time i ask him to move into a trot and then i make him wait for a minute
is that good
Does he jig from the moment you get on? most of the time yea
Do you ride in an arena ever? If so, does he jig as well? Yea i do barrels and most cow events and i have to have someone lead me into the arena and then he just starts to pop up
Do you walk? Trot? Canter? Gallop? Jump? i usually just walk and trot unless im with some friend who wanna race
What do you do when he starts to act up? most of the time i ask him to move into a trot and then i make him wait for a minute
is that good
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Barrels, cows, racing friends -- These are all things that can hype a horse up fairly easily. When you ride, don't make it stressful for the horse. You want your horse to be able to walk nice and free and long, but still be able to snap back up for speed if you need it. When your horse starts to get tense and jig, keep yourself calm and collected and keep his feet moving, but give him a place and try and get his mind on you. Try some half halts and start asking him to bend, circle and pay attention to your leg rather than just let him trot forward. If you can, try and get him to come back down to a walk rather than pushing him forward into a trot.
It's going to take a bit of patience, but let your horse realize that everytime you ride, it's not going to be a race. Try and let him relax and losen up and calm himself so he can focus on you, not which direction he's going to take off in.
It's going to take a bit of patience, but let your horse realize that everytime you ride, it's not going to be a race. Try and let him relax and losen up and calm himself so he can focus on you, not which direction he's going to take off in.
yea ive tried bending and circleing but that hypes him up bad like i was bending well trying to and he ended up bucking hard, I have tried so much i have even considered getting a new horse for trails but i just brush that thought away, I bought him at an auction and when we brought him home we would almost run when he was walking, just because he always had to run when his old wranglers would ride him, i have tried everything please i really dont want my horse to be only an arena horse and i need help,
Dove i will try what u have suggested again but i dont know if it will work
Dove i will try what u have suggested again but i dont know if it will work
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Hey there Buddy it sounds like you have a very forward moving horse! If you really want a good trail horse you are going to have to do some hard yards first. Your going to have to learn patience too, if your not patient neither will your horse be. The reason I have started my post like this is because you are going to be doing some really boring things for a while if you want to correct this problem.
I like doves advice, stay relaxed (if you can on a hyped horse!) try the half halts and circling. These aren't working then start going backwards. Does your horse reverse nicely? Now is the time to start practicing. If being made to back up also annoys your horse, try turning around and walking back the way you came. As soon as your horse starts jigging to go forward stop it, make him stand then start backing him. Keep it low key and controlled this is not a punishment it is just an option, walk forward nicely or reverse.
If backing is not an option then when your horse starts jigging stop it, make it stand then quietly turn it around and walk back the way you have come. Jigging starts again, do exactly the same again, you may end up pacing the same piece of trail for a while. If you are methodical in breaking the habit of jigging by making the horse do something else you will be able to break the pattern. Remember, calm and relaxed, not punishing, just not jigging forward. Also you are going to have to be consistent no racing off with friends while you are trying to stop your horse jigging otherwise you will be sending mixed messages and your horse won't know what you expect. Good luck!
I like doves advice, stay relaxed (if you can on a hyped horse!) try the half halts and circling. These aren't working then start going backwards. Does your horse reverse nicely? Now is the time to start practicing. If being made to back up also annoys your horse, try turning around and walking back the way you came. As soon as your horse starts jigging to go forward stop it, make him stand then start backing him. Keep it low key and controlled this is not a punishment it is just an option, walk forward nicely or reverse.
If backing is not an option then when your horse starts jigging stop it, make it stand then quietly turn it around and walk back the way you have come. Jigging starts again, do exactly the same again, you may end up pacing the same piece of trail for a while. If you are methodical in breaking the habit of jigging by making the horse do something else you will be able to break the pattern. Remember, calm and relaxed, not punishing, just not jigging forward. Also you are going to have to be consistent no racing off with friends while you are trying to stop your horse jigging otherwise you will be sending mixed messages and your horse won't know what you expect. Good luck!
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This may not be your problem, but it is very important none the less. As much fun as it is to let your horse go, we never gave our horses free rein and let them 'pick their own speed' until they would consistantly maintain the gait that we wanted, whether it's a walk, trot, lope, or gallop.
kiwigirl my horse couldn't back if his life depended on it, he really hates to go any direction other then forward.
and Painthorsemares i can't even have my horse on a free rein at a walk because he will try to take off, he's getting better but not getting it yet,
and Painthorsemares i can't even have my horse on a free rein at a walk because he will try to take off, he's getting better but not getting it yet,
If he won't back with you on does he on the ground? If he does it sounds like he needs some more ground work. Remember all he knows is forward so it will take a lot of patience to let him get the idea you don't always need go go go.
Ever tried riding single file behind your mom so he doesn't have to lead? I know whenever my mare starts to pick up the pace too much I just switch
position to slow her.
Ever tried riding single file behind your mom so he doesn't have to lead? I know whenever my mare starts to pick up the pace too much I just switch
position to slow her.
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Perhaps unrelated, but what are you feeding him?
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That is a very good point. Your horse sounds super hyped as well as unruly and undisciplined. You said that you are doing barrel racing and cow events, when you school him for these events do you ever do slow flexing and bending excercises or is it all gallop, gallop, gallop! Even in an arena you can school a horse quietly which will then help out on the trail.
I think you need to slow your horse down but you probably need to slow yourself down as well. Learn some slow exercises such as backing, side passing,get him off any food that will make him hot and start to slow down. If your in the arena and he starts to jig and gets too amped up to even try and back up or circle then get off if you have to and start pushing him in circles and backwards from the ground. Do it until he is sick of it then try riding him quietly again, if he amps again and feels like you have no control, get off and do it all over again.
Remember, it is up to you to choose the direction and the speed that you go - not the horses. Sorry mate, I think you have a lot of work ahead of you.
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My suggestion: let him.
Just let him run his little heart out,
and when he says "all right, I'm ready to slow down"
Make him keep going, and going, and going...
until he is absolutely begging you to let him stop.
And then, you let him slow down.
And he will walk, nice and calm.
If you do this with him there are three important things to remember:
Push him hard, but remember his limits, don't let him get winded.
Choose a safe place, no holes in the ground or things he could run into
Make certain you cool him properly.
Just let him run his little heart out,
and when he says "all right, I'm ready to slow down"
Make him keep going, and going, and going...
until he is absolutely begging you to let him stop.
And then, you let him slow down.
And he will walk, nice and calm.
If you do this with him there are three important things to remember:
Push him hard, but remember his limits, don't let him get winded.
Choose a safe place, no holes in the ground or things he could run into
Make certain you cool him properly.
i feed him gain because he acts like a stud and runs the fence lines so he loses alot of wieght, when i do barrels at home we start out walking and get up to a fast trot and that usually it, and i have tried pushing him to his limit but he could run for days with out getting tried of it, his stamina is way to good even when i try running him like you said he never wants to stop.
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I actually disagree with pushing the horse to run to teach it to walk. Horses that love to run, will run until they drop and the more you run them, the longer it's going to take you to tire him out. When you trot the barrels, make sure he is balanced and YOU are balanced and he's not just running around like a chicken with his head cut off.
If you need to take him for walks (in hand) down the trail. Let his mind settle. It's not going to work the first time normally but whatever you decide to do, be consistant.
What type of grain are you feeding him? I would offer him free choice hay (I like grassxalfalfa). Grain is generally just going to compound your problems.
If you need to take him for walks (in hand) down the trail. Let his mind settle. It's not going to work the first time normally but whatever you decide to do, be consistant.
What type of grain are you feeding him? I would offer him free choice hay (I like grassxalfalfa). Grain is generally just going to compound your problems.
well i do feed alfalfa most of the year and we feed Sr. feed(we just give it to all of our horses),soy beans, corn, and his minerals(i dont know what their called) Is his grain making him the way he is because if it is i will just either cut it off or give him less
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How much feed/soy/corn ? If he's running fences like a stud, he must be really hyped, and I would seriously look at what you're feeding.
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