Controlling Speed (Rising Trot)

[Trundlecat]

Hi All,

I'm really not sure weather this should be on here or on training of the rider so apologies if I've got it wrong.

I'm after a bit of advice at slowing down a VERY enthusiastic horse. I've only had him 3 weeks & up until last week I couldn't get him to trot at all, it was straight from walk to canter (he gets VERY excited). Yesterday we were trotting but he sets off like a missile & is on the brink of cantering right from the word go. Is this just a case of needing time to settle or is there something else I could try to control the pace of his trot? Everyone says to rise at my pace & eventually he will follow but I'm finding it really difficult as he literally flings me into the air to match his pace. Strange thing is I can control the pace by voice alone on the lunge but as soon as I get on his back it's a completely different story.

Any advice or suggestions gratefully recieved.

Thanks,
TC

[xloopylozzax]

you can control speed by your rises if thats your question- do it really really slowly and deliberately he will soon slow down.

from your post and the fact he is only rushing when someone is on-board makes me think he is running away from pain or he is remembering pain- have you had saddle/teeth back checked recently?

[Trundlecat]

Hi & thanks for replying. Yes, they've all been checked recently & no problems found. I really do honestly think it's over enthusiasm with him. He loves being ridden, you can see it in every fibre of him, the excitement starts as soon as he see's his tack or my body protector & helmet. If I take him from field to yard then return him to the field without riding him he gets a major mood on with me so I'm in no doubt it's enthusiasm rather than fear. He just loves speed but obviously it isn't safe to be charging around everywhere. Before moving him to our yard I rode him at his old place & he trotted fine for me, it's just been since the move we've had this problem.

I think this is probably something I'm going to have to solve by looking at my riding. Somehow I need to get my rise under control no matter how bumpy the ride.

[Skippys Mum]

Grit your teeth, hang onto a neckstrap and keep rising slowly - no matter what he does. Even if he canters, just keep on steadily rising (which is where the hanging onto a neckstrap comes into it:)). Hopefully, if you keep on talking to him as though he was on the lunge, he will start to settle but it may take a few weeks for it to all click.

[xloopylozzax]

have you been using half halts?
when you slow your rises do them about 3x slower than the actual speed you want and sit deep when you sit and rise almost stood up in stirrups (even though it is bad :)) just to make it more obvious.

have you tried just letting him motorbike round (trot or canter) for a few laps to let him get it out of his system, then come back and ask what you want.

do you hack?
if you have moved i expect you wont have done as much (if any) so maybe this is the difference, he just wants to go run and have fun.
find a decent long field (hard at the moment i know, they are all growing crops) and just let him go. he might buck and fart if hes excited but it might get his brain in gear again.

other than that have you tried with someone else riding and you have them on the lunge, using your voice aids- them just sat like a dummy not doing anything eto see if he does it with other people?

[Trundlecat]

Thanks Skippysmum. I've bought a balance strap & I think it's gonna be a life saver TBH through all of this. Will get it on the saddle (Blackpool beach donkey lol), take him where no one can see us & just rise away till my legs feel like they're gonna fall off :eek::o

Thanks xloopylozzax. You're right, we haven't hacked much. We've tried it twice & the 1st time he just wouldn't listen to anything I asked him to do & bolted off with me. I ended up on the ground & he ended up half a mile away. The 2nd time he wasn't too bad on the road (still racing) but as soon as we got to an open space I could see he was going to bolt again (the excitement in him is so obvious) so I turned him round & went back. I'm a chicken lol. The trotting on the lunge is a great idea, will defo give that a go.

Good thing is that I now have him walking at a steady pace rather than like a bat out of hell. I have to keep reminding him (half halts & same voice as on lunge) but the reminders are getting fewer & further between every time. So, he CAN make progress & learn to slow things down, I guess it's just gonna be a case of patience, hard work & time.

[Trewsers]

Sounds like Storm!!! Right, the thing that helped me was to rise slower - even tho she pegs on at her own speed, and at first she gears up to go from walk to canter - its just one thing that my teacher helped me with right from the start. Although it felt weird and not comfy at first, she generally listens and begins to slow to the right pace of trot. I often have to prevent her from bursting into canter - the only way is to continue rising and give half halts. She does get the message then! I try and canter her only when I am asking - not when she feels like it - otherwise she just forgets all about trotting and does nothing but walk to canter! (which you don't always want!)

[Trundlecat]

That's exactly how he is Trewsers! Walking & trotting are simply gearing up to him, not paces in their own right. I'm going to have legs of iron by the time I've done all this rising over the summer :)