Slowing Down- Older Horse

[Black_Topaz]

Hello, I ride Mike (22 years old) twice a week at my barn. He is a great horse to learn on, he knows how to do everything, and is a patient guy- or at least he was. We have had problems with him going as fast as I want, and a lot of stuff about my postion was causing that... but in the last, oh two or three months he's changed! Now, if I don't have constant contact, or none at all, he goes absolutely wild! For example, we were doing 20m circles in canter without stirrups, I'm not very good at no stirrups work as of yet because my legs aren't very strong. Anyway, we come along and there is a jump, not facing us, basically just a stand for the jump, which I am steering away from, so that we can continue the circle, but Mike swerves to the oher side of the jump holder thingie and goes nuts! I can't slow him down, we are running around so fast I nearly fall off! I don't know how I managed to slow him down, I think he did it himself because he could sense how scared I was. Before that, in the same lesson, Mike and I and the rest of the lesson were trotting in a ride WITH our stirrups, and the person in front of me was told to pick up the canter, Mike speeds up as usual when someone in front of us is cantering and we're not, but I slow him down, or try, but the more half-halts I do the faster he goes, running at the trot and breaking into canter without me asking, we finally slow own when we are about to run into the end of the ride. This sort of thing is happening nearly every other lesson, on other lessons he's fine, but sometimes he gets wild, and I worry about him. I worry because he over-exerts himself, he was steaming (steam was coming off his body) constantly through that lesson, becuase I couldn't get him to slow down, and its not good for him:(
I need some advice, Mike is great but sometimes he's this dr. Jeckyl Mr. Hyde personality. If anyone has gone through this or has advice, I would really appreciate it.
Thank You
Kya

[SmokeKandeeBar]

Hi,
I have a 22 and a 23 year old. Our 22 Arabian mare did almost the same thing. She used to be so sweet and calm on the ground but the minute someone got on her, she was so wild. She wouldn't canter without bucking, or she would go extremely fast. We were having trouble getting her turned out because she wouldn't stay out. Finally she went out with the big herd and stayed out for about 12 hours. She goes out every day now. After this she was like a dream to ride. She is so calm and her transitions from walk to trot/trot to canter were great! So my question to you is is he getting turned out enough? If not this could be why he is exerting his energy when you ride him. Just a thought! Good luck with him! :)
Halle