Stopping an OTTB

[gordysgirl]

I have had my OTTB for 3 months now and he has been great, totally safe out hacking and pretty much totally controllable except....

on a recent hack, 3 of us went out. There is a short bridleway we go along where we can have a nice canter, not gallop because we have to stop half way as there is a downhill slope which would be dangerous at high speed. It is also quote narrow, with nowhere to turn circles to help stop. I went in front and we started a lovely controlled but forward canter, the horse behind however had a totally different idea and overtook at a gallop. My horse having come off the track (and doing what a lot of other horses who havent raced would do) then thought this was a race and set off at a flat out gallop, this felt great but I had no way of stopping him at all. However the great thing about him is that 5 minutes later he is half asleep with no inclination to run off. I guess this is the after race anti climax! However the other horse I was with was uncontrollable for the rest of the ride.

I don't feel I can punish him, as he was only doing what he thought I wanted him to do and what he is trained to do, and do not feel that I should change to a stronger bit yet. I am just about to start having lessons with him and so know the control issue is something I can approach the instructor with, but I wondered whether any other owners of OTTB's had any similar experiences and any suggestions on helping stop him.

Sorry to waffle on about it....

[racipaci]

Dave was a racehorse for eight years so he also automatically assumes he's going to race whenever he's with other horses.

I tend to ride him like a jockey when i'm cantering or galloping out hacking, i.e. stand up in my stirrups and crouch when he;'s cantering, keep a short rein and leg on so he's still controlled by my legs, then when I want him to stop I stand up in my stirrups keeping my rein length the same and close my fingers on the reins. You have to have a good feel of his head throughout though or else he will try and take off.

The other thing is not to get into that sort of situation for the time being, just try and hack out with someone who can keep their horse behind if possible :)

[galadriel]

One thing to be aware of, right off the bat, is that if you lean on his mouth he'll only go faster. Your rein aids should be a give-and-take, always, but especially with an OTTB.

In an absolute emergency, you can use a pulley rein. Brace one hand with the rein (it can help to grab the pommel or mane to help brace) then yank hard on the other rein. This will often get the horse's attention enough to snap him out of his mindless run; it will disturb his balance, so be sure you're prepared for that. He may still be running, but at least it may no longer be so mindless, and you may be able to slow him.

Something else you can work on is teaching him to halt RIGHT WHEN you give him the voice command to do it. You can start off working on this on the ground, then transfer it to working under saddle in enclosed conditions, then start using it out on hacks. The thing to do is to teach him to STOP right away any time you give him the command; practice it when you *don't* need to use it.

Practice it enough that it becomes second nature. Then, should he run off that way (didja have fun? boy, galloping on an OTTB is fun) you can combine that with whatever rein aid you may need, and hopefully it will get through.

[gordysgirl]

Boy did I enjoy it...but at the same time worrying that we were getting rapidly closer to a five bar gate!! It was the first time I had really galloped him (or he had galloped me I should say!) - very much looking forward to the next one but only when I know that he will listen to me and stop when I ask. My way of stopping this time was to throw him off balance by turning him at a 20ft hedge! I figured even though he'd hurdled he wouldn't have a go at this one! Thanks for your advice, I will try the halting idea, we have been practising this in the school anyway, as although he is normally quite responsive, he has done next to nothing in the traditional way of schooling. I don't think he has been in one since he was backed.

[epiphany]

One thing to be aware of, right off the bat, is that if you lean on his mouth he'll only go faster. Your rein aids should be a give-and-take, always, but especially with an OTTB.

So what is the best way of bringing a horse down to walk from gallop if you aren't supposed to apply reins. Do you just give a tug?

[gordysgirl]

I think Galadriel means don't pull constantly on the reins as the horse will pull back harder, if you give and take the horse cannot take a hold as there is no consistant contact and cannot realise he is stronger than you.

[galadriel]

Your rein aids should be a give-and-take. If you just lean on his mouth, he will be able to ignore it. To an OTTB, a solid lean is actually encouragement to go faster. Instead, pull-release-pull-release until you have accomplished what you are trying to do.

Pull-release should not be a tug or jerk, either. Ideally rein aids will be extremely subtle; closing and opening of the fingers. In some circumstances, though, with an excited horse, he's got too much tunnel vision to be able to "hear" such quet aids. Even so, except in dire circumstances, reins should not be jerked. Pull, but not a sudden yank to tug. And release. And pull. And release.

[clipclop]

Echo the others really give and take the reins but cantering in company most horses will get excited and race anyway especially if you get over took by another.

[LinzCos]

I have exactly the same experience with my ex-racer. I have learnt to trust him when we are on our own and although he goes faster than I have ever been before he will stop - I have my fingers crossed as I type!

With another horse coming up fast alongside us then he goes up a gear immediately and it does feel alarming (and exciting). I found pulling gently on one rein does get his attention and he also responds to a shout - I think I shouted "stop" but I might have been more graphic LOL.

I have been practicing with him while out on my own. We go on a great gallop track and I make him trot then bring him into a collected canter, more trotting and then some practice gallops with slowing into canter when I want to. This is making me feel more in control but I haven't tried galloping in company recently so it is not tested yet!

My horse is nearly 20 years old and hasn't been on a track in over 12 years. He has been beautifully retrained but at the end of the day he was born to run and given the slightest encouragement that is exactly what he does. Long may he be able to!

["GEMMA_FROST"]

I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the gallop it would have been sad if it had frightened you off riding him. What I have done with my 7yo OTTB is to teach him basically what galadriel mentioned, to stop exactly when I want him to. Unfourtnatly he really resisted at first which meant I had to be really hard on his mouth, but he learnt really quickly what I wanted and on the same day of teaching him this he was able to stop with VERY light rein pressure by the end of our ride. Occasionaly he has to be reminded of what I want but that may not be the same for your horse.

Another good lesson I taught him was not to follow my friends horses when on a ride. You need to have your friends help with this as what she does with her horse plays a big part. You all set of at a steady canter then increase the speed the slightest touch then you have to ask your horse to drop back and slow his speed. Your horse will probaly get very excited but after repeating it a couple of times he should get use to letting other horses ahead of him.

Sorry if I've confused you.

[gordysgirl]

Thanks for your replies everyone - I will have a go at all these and see which works for him. Gemma....it would definately be nice to feel that if another horse runs off, I have the control to stop my horse without him running off in full flight.

I have to say again though, it felt really good despite the fact we were clearly going down a hill far too fast and there was a risk he could damage himself, he felt totally in balance .:D