One Horse I just Can Not Get

[Waikato Valuta]

I was wondering if anyone here has had this experience.

I ride horses for friends and have two off my own. All of them except one I can ride quite well. I feel incontrole and comportable. And they are not all top horses one is a 13hh pony one is a 18hh tb one is a 16hh pacer and one is a 16hh tb. I have also ridden a number off horses at holiday camps and trail rides and stuff. But one horse I ride I just dont get. He is just so springy even at the walk you are going up, down, up, down quite vigerosly. I know it sounds strange. His trot is unbelevably bouncy and his canter is more of an up down than a flowing foward motion. I am finding it easyer to go with the movement but everything is just so jerky and unbalanced.

Has any one ever had this experience.

[Laura Ashton]

I think at one time or another we have all ridding the 'bouncy one'. Some horses, because of their conformation are predisposed to be more bouncy - short coupled horses- tend to be more bouncy or up and down than, say a more long backed thoroughbred.

You need to ensure that the horse is happily moving forward - into the contact. In some occasions, because of back problems or perhaps teeth - horses will not move forward and take a longer stride. It is perhaps worth checking these things out.

Prior to commencing work - is the horse happy to stretch on a free rein - or do you find the walk hurried.

Some work with the horse moving more freely on the lunge may help.

Good luck !:)

[Waikato Valuta]

I find it very hard yo get him on the contact and he dose rush the walk but he will work on a long rain very happily and I lounge he often.