Walking slowly

[Lovecat]

This may not be in the right topic, but it's probably something I'm doing wrong rather than the horse, so I thought I'd stick it in here!

Background first:

Murphy is 6 years old, he's been used for gentle hacking only for the six months before I bought him and (we think) as a hunter hire in Ireland prior to that. He is a lovely hack out, but very, very green in the school - he really doesn't seem to understand the point of it at all, which makes sense given his background.

He has come on beautifully in the last three months and is beginning to give me a bit of bend, doing passable leg yields and also making nice canter transitions (although not sustaining them - that's another story!).

However, there is one thing he's doing which, to be fair to him, he's always done, only now it's becoming more obvious as his schooling improves, and I'm not sure if it's him, me, or simply a case of unrealistic expectations on my part...

When I give him a long rein and take my leg 'off' at the end of the lesson, to let him walk around and cool down a bit, he stops dead. He is very forward and responsive and if I put my leg back on (not a lot of pressure required) he will set off in a very pacy walk, no issues at all... but he won't walk in a 'relaxed' manner, the way that I'm used to school horses doing at the end of a session. Am I being silly here expecting him to walk slowly?

Similarly, when I lunge him (I've only done it twice) he doesn't seem to 'get' walk - he'll trot and canter beautifully, but if I ask him to walk he'll stop dead. A gesture to him with the lunge whip (don't actually need to touch him with it) and he'll jump forward into trot. When I ask him then to slow, he'll stop (and look at me like 'Mum! What on earth do you want?').

Is there anything I do to encourage him to slow his walk in the school (it doesn't really feel like he's cooling down at all at the moment!) and to get him to walk on the lunge, or am I seeing a problem where there isn't one?

Given that others at the yard seem to have problems getting their horses to trot on the lunge, perhaps I should count my blessings...:rolleyes: ?

[Mehitabel]

when you lunge and want to walk, how about trying going a fair bit nearer to him, about 6-10 foot away, and walking with him round the circle? i often do this with youngsters when they don't quite twig what's wanted and it does work. i start near enough that they understand from being led, and gradually work out - going back in if it goes pear shaped.
perhaps use a specific voice command for the slow/relaxed walk, and then use that for your colling off walk in the school as well.

he's probably done nothing at all like what you want in ireland - it is often a case of 'jump on and get them out hunting' so i expect he doesn't understand rather than being awkward.

[AJB]

Lc its an irish problem i think-my boy was like yours 18 months ago-green, over from ireland as a hunter, 6 years old and could go in a straight line only!!...great to hack but awful in the school!. I have spent the last 4 months since starting serious lessons on him working at his walk..when I first started I had to hassle him constantly and all we could manage was a slow amble, now having spent the time practising the walk, lots of people just go straight to trot its much much better, hes forward and marches along in the school,actually going somewhere for once...!!! having said that when I cool off I still have to make him walk on , leg off still means no work but hopefully that will come with time. People who havent seen him for a while comment how much better hes going so its not just me!!...I lunge him at least once a week so hes voice schooled and have just started to make him "walk on" whilst hes still walking by hassling on the lunge a bit, tip as soon as the pace increases I praise lots..he seems to understand!!!!...I also ride with 2 schooling whips which mean I can ask for straight walk without constanly niggling with the leg, I ask with the leg if no increase in pace, tap with the whip, give with the reins and praise lots-anyway bit of a ramble but hope that helps!!!! let me know how you get on in a few months...

[AJB]

sorry cross posted with ES, as also meant to say, dont underestimate lunging, you should do it more and with practice it will really help his walk, trot and canter...use a bridle and roller and introduce side reins very gradually...starting by lunging for 10 minutes before you ride to warm him up is a good way to go...