What to do if you have too much motivation in the field?
Hello, I have a question:
I own a well-trained and experienced thoroughbred horse and often take him out into the countryside. The problem is that the galloping sections are very important to him. Due to my misbehavior in the past, he has become accustomed to always being allowed to gallop there, and now he consistently demands it. Unfortunately, I have little control over him in such moments.
I usually ride with two or more people, which is recommended, but that's precisely what causes the problem. He doesn't have much energy on his own, but when others are around, he always wants to be in front. In such moments, I have little chance of slowing him down, as he no longer responds to rein aids. I can pull the reins so short that I can almost reach the bit rings (which I don't, of course), but he shows no reaction.
My question now is: What can I do to change this behavior? He's actually a very well-behaved and obedient horse, but this habit is hard to break. I ride him cross-country with an English bridle, a double-jointed snaffle, no flash strap, and a loosely buckled noseband, leaving plenty of room for two raised fingers. I've considered using a sharper bit, but I'd really like to avoid that.
The problem only occurs when riding cross-country, not when walking. I'm especially concerned about his health, as he's now 15 years old. It makes me uneasy when he leans so hard around bends in the forest.
It's important to mention that in an absolute emergency I could still slow him down, but to do so I would have to pull his head to the side, which I'm very reluctant to do because I'm also afraid that he might stumble.
Unfortunately, weight aids don't help either, if anyone wants to suggest that. He still gallops uncontrollably through the woods, and I have trouble staying in position when I shift my weight (even though I consider myself very stable in the saddle and have only been "put in the sand" three times in my 25 years of riding experience).
Going to another riding area is not an option either, everything that is within reach is “contaminated” by “his” galloping tracks 🙈
If anyone thinks he's galloping through the entire forest, I can reassure you: That's not the case. After the stretch, he's calm and relaxed again, as usual.
By the way, it's (probably) not his posture that's the problem, as he's in a trail position and gets a lot of exercise.
I also don't like to give up riding completely; I think that, apart from the problem, it's actually good for him.
Does anyone have experience with such cases? Does anyone know how to remedy the situation? I'm not talking about hard riding or anything like that, but rather about simply having more control and safety in the terrain.
thank you in advance
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It only helps to remain consistent in the first step. If you have more quiet horses, the better. Then the whole group rides step– maybe even if he realizes that the others don’t give gas and stay relaxed.
Alternatively, as a handhorse can be guided by an experienced calm horse or descend at the beginning of the “race route” and lead step.
The first times will certainly not be so easy, but it will improve quickly if you really stay consistent. It is not until the behavior has completely relaxed, so it no longer “starts” as soon as it goes to the gallop line. However, this can take some time.
Please leave this with the sharper bite, this will not solve the problem, the horse will either explode quite as it gets even more pain/stress and also continues to blunt, or there will be another valve. The One Rein Stop mentioned by you should really only be used in emergency and is super important to practice it again and again! Only in step, then in the tray and, of course, in the gallop. Otherwise that happens exactly where you – legitimate – are afraid – the horse stumbles and even comes down. What you really want to avoid idR.
The horse should, of course, also stand on the gallop track or in the gallop at the aids and be able to gallop at any position. However, the situations are, as it simply takes its time, especially when the horse has been conditioned on “his” gallop stretches and “his” position. In the group, galop at any position, you can also practice in the place.
If you can’t go the gallop line in step, even if the group stays in step, then yes – first descend and lead. Use the horse directly from the start in the step, leg sores, shoulder sores, snake lines, volts,… only wear or galop again when the horse has laid his automatism, remains calm in the step. It doesn’t have to be super relaxed, but in any case can be knurled! Personally, I just like to ride the passers-by with 4 reins correction – normal trens bite and semi-cappzaum, almost all these horses have learned when it comes to completely hide the reins, lay on the bite or hold the bite, whatever… Therefore this often works astonishingly well to break through their patterns when the pressure then arises instead of in the mouth on the nose.
In the long term, however, the goal is, of course, to have a rodent horse which can be knurled as far as possible in any situation and does not shoot (more). Therefore, please do not neglect the dressage work and make the horse more subtle and permeable.
Basically, I wouldn’t go back. So as the first remedy – then you have to go ahead, huh? I used to go out with a lot of ex-Galopper, so it was quite normal that he was in the gallop.
Otherwise: Consequence and patience for the routes. What can also help is descend, lead the route and then rise again.
Or one builds a reasonable shoulder with one in step and also physically deals with it.
Thanks for the answer.
Maybe I should have written above that he is always ahead, his behavior is actually known to everyone from the stable and he therefore always has priority when riding out. Marrakesh, however, is sadly so touched by the one behind him that he always thinks he should run faster 🙈
but actually sounds like a good idea. I just hope he won’t run away. I haven’t tried that yet
Mummy doesn’t like being back to terrain. Mostly we go out with Ponies, he likes to be on the front, they are too slow, but in the step like Trab and Galopp🤣is still super controllable
Yeah, what do you expect?
Every time you let rid of the horse more or less uncontrolled, you confirm his behavior.
It’s actually normal work and behavior for a racing horse, what you’re writing.
But… “Gelände” is not the same as “Rennbahn” and THAT you have to make your horse peu a peu tangible… you call “transformation”.
And for that you need strong nerves and 100% consequence.
But this leads everything too far… if you like, write me by a friendship question, then we can talk in more detail.
It never needs to have seen a racetrack in life. Such behaviour often even shows children’s ponies. Even with quite normal, well-trained horses, I would like to keep mastering myself and riding them in slower gears because they would learn to “request their right of habit.”
Basically, you’re right… on a horse from the racing stable, it’s another house number, because it’s been learning exactly this for a long time… also because of the speed that a horse can reach, the rider has to learn about it.
… I did not write about “full pace” or “overtake”!
This is because there is a more or less always equal course in training.
And as horses are common animals, you have to know the trigger points.
But… we both don’t have to deepen this here, and the questioner doesn’t help any more…
I don’t know that. When, how much, and whether it was galloped at all, was very variable. Nowhere else in my life I’ve been riding as much step as on the racetrack. As a rule, each horse went only step after the race 3 days, then came 2-3 days of train, and after the restful week, then, starting with a cozy edger, the training in the gallop was taken. Never got rid of full speed during training, and overtaking would have been a mortal sin. And of course, the stallion that the race rider himself trained always went ahead in the lot. No man would have come up with the idea of putting me on this animal.
This is clear that you stay at the designated place during training.
However, training riders are also accustomed to this work.
And… what you shouldn’t forget and that’s what I originally wanted:
The course in the training is always the same… abort, gallop work, step riding.
And that goes over in flesh and blood… the horse is in a certain expectation… and if the rider can’t handle it, just things come as the questioner writes.
Of course, if the horse at the beginning of each “Galopprail” thinks it’s about the start machine, it’s even more difficult. However, I have already ridden racing horses in training: there will be NIE in daily training! If these horses were uncontrollably thrown on it, no person could hold the trainer’s order. I think if there was one unauthorized overtaking or riding faster than stated, you should pack your stuff… Or did you experience it differently? And ne, I am (was then) certainly not the strongest rider. However, in the question, it is not even that it is a race horse.
Then only ride with people who want to ride only step. You ride NIE faster than you can brake. I’ve only made steps with such horses for months. And then you start carefully with a few (!) Trabtritten. As soon as, better still BEVOR the horse gets eager, repair. With de recitation you can then ride a lot of trab-step – transitions, and eventually even for 2-3 jumps (!).
Then you’re NOT in the ground with the horse GAR. Yeah, no one wants to hear that. But it is. Who can’t control his horse is a danger for anyone who could possibly stand in the way + of course for himself.
You get more “control and safety” through more training and this starts at the riding ground. So, get trainers and practice. And yes, to say, “in place he is always quite brav” is meaningless. It’s not about whether the horse is on the other side of the square! It’s about you getting the lack of security in your stomach as well as the technical tools in your brain you need to be able to radiate rest and self-security in every situation of life without hoking the horse on the handbrake to stop it from shooting.
If you think you’ve made progress in the square, you can take a step out again. Really step and not “oh, now he was so relaxed in place! Then he is allowed to throw away the other gallop line for reward.” You’d get all the previous work back.
then you ride in the ground last a year NUR step.
Much in the step ride, extend the gallop stretches and also install “new”, lead or guided by the old themselves