My horse has changed!!

[frazz_starlight]

Hello,
Some of you may have heard of te sheriff's ride, it's a group of about 100 riders and we ride the boundries of Lichfield...
Well... i took my 6 year old and he's never done anything like it... well anyway i fell off at the 1st gallop because he had a bucking and bronking fit, and i don't blame him, he was so excited.
But since then he hasn't been the same...
He's started barging me around when leading him and when i ride he's awful, yesterday he bolted when we were just cantering slowly, and he's really on his toes, always like he's waiting for me to ask him to go faster, even if i just walk with long reins he's still walking really fast and waiting.
He used to be so slow that i could hardly get into a faster pace... and i want my dope on a rope back.
I haven't lost my confidence or anything like that, and i'm not scared of getting chucked off, because he doesn't buck at home...
Any ideas what i can do to calm him down?
I rode in the menage yesterday and he was perfect after he bolted in the field.
Sorry it's long...
Frances xxx

[coss]

i would do lots of groundwork, leading back and forth, asking to move over etc as that will reform the manners. is it possible for you to lunge first, get rid of some excess energy... if you're not worried about being chucked (your either mad or brave :p) then use the extra energy and do lots of transitions, lots of trot work etc and keep things ultra interesting so your horse has to really think what your asking.

[frazz_starlight]

I will deffinatly try the ground work ideas, should i do it in the head coller? I really don't have any control unless i wrap the rope round his nose!!
Lol i'm mad:P I will try lots of transitions, should i do it in the field where he wants to gallop all the time? Or in the school?
:) xxxx

[coss]

i would do ground work in a head collar, either wrap rope over nose or up over behind the ears. i did a lot of work with my gelding due to not being able to ride him and its helped a lot- he used to barge a lot but now will follow me (with no headcollar) in the field (sometimes ;)) and if i stop he stops rather than barging passed. we still have our moments but its much better. i did a lot of work with the rope threaded through one side of the headcollar, up over the head behind the ears then down through the other side of the headcollar. i would walk him and then i would stop (saying nothing) and expect him to halt. if he walked passed he would get a warning "whoa" then i would continue to pull him back with the leadrein. if he stops then i would move forward and make him move back a couple of steps, he he turned i would wait a few seconds then walk straight forward so he has to move out of my way. gradually he learnt, if i stopped he stops. having the leadrope how i did meant it only tightened if he got particularly strong. as i say, now he stop with nothing.

When it comes to transitions (do turns, circles etc too) i would do them in the school to get your horses attention then move out to the field. I only ride in a field so my horse leant that sometimes we go fast and sometimes we don't.
I would do a lot of schooling in your field and be prepared for very engaged hocks!

[zippytys]

Hiya, def do the ground work although you might find it easier to do in a pressure halter (they put pressure in the correct places and horses dont tend to fight them as much) rather than with a rope wrapped around his nose. Also have you had the physio out to check him over? One of my horses got a little excited out hunting and had a bucking fit, he wasnt quite right afterwards and it turns out that he had put his pelvis out of line when he was mucking around. He was in a lot of pain and I didnt realise as it seemed like he was just being naughty.After a course of physio and 2 weeks rest he was right as rain again.

[Sammii]

Also have you had the physio out to check him over? One of my horses got a little excited out hunting and had a bucking fit, he wasnt quite right afterwards and it turns out that he had put his pelvis out of line when he was mucking around. He was in a lot of pain and I didnt realise as it seemed like he was just being naughty.After a course of physio and 2 weeks rest he was right as rain again.


I would definitely do this whilst trying out the groundwork, don't ride him until you've checked him over just incase he did twist something whilst he was having his hissy fit, until he's got the all clear, work on your groundwork, manners and teaching him to respect you. :)