How to get "Calm, Cool and Collected" Jog

[my-pony-bailey]

How can I get my Appaloosa who was once an English horse to have a "calm cool and collected" nice little western jog? He does it sometimes but I really have to hold him back and have lots of contact, and I want to do it on a loose rein. Any Suggestions?? :D

[Bacharel]

Make sure if hes trying to go faster to have a HEAVY seat and almost feel like your pulling backwards and heals down farrrrr. This is the thing I can suggest, other than give and take on the reins, because I have not seen him.....maybe have someone watch you at your barn like a trainer or instructor to help you :)

[RodeoDreamer33]

I agree with Bacharel, but I learned something very interesting from a friend the other day.

I ride this crazy little arab cross pony who is off the wall and doesn't have the word walk or jog in her vocabulary :p . When I first started riding her, I did stretch my heals a lot to try and keep my lower leg steady, but what that does (my friend informed me about) is it puts the weight into your stirrups and makes you feel even lighter.

To be heavy in your saddle, first do a sitting trot, it is easier to work with. Then, way over-bend your knees. Like a jockey, bend them a lot. You will feel like you are all over the place with your legs, but it is really directing all your weight to your seat and making you feel heavy, which is what you want.

Also, when we collect our horses we do kind of a see-saw action. First the right rein back, then the left, give a little bit of relief and then hold both at the same time, for about 2 seconds, and the release again. Trot 3-4 steps and do it again. After awhile, you will be able to hold it for the 2 seconds and when you go to realease you will find him still holding it for a few more seconds without you needing contact. This is great and I would give him a few more extra steps without contact!!!

Hope this helps, if you need any more help or a better explanation because I do know that was a little wordy, then let me know! :)

[cvb]

lots and lots and lots of half-halts...

my mare is western trained but we do dressage as well now. I found her western jog has got better and better as her dressage has improved.

So try this "english" exercise.. working on a circle in trot, slow the trot right down using half halts, keep the contact soft, and the horse working and flexed around the circle. It wants to be quite round and bouncy - well balanced, not on forehand.

The thing you are working on here is the leaning you talk about - use half-halts to rebalance the horse but also to prevent a hard contact.

Ok, back to the exercise - you're on the circle and you slow the trot. Don't ask for it all in one go - ask for some slowing up for, say, half the circle, and then ride forward again for the other half. Keep working on this so you can do the change of speed with no resistance, keeping the outline you have etc. And then gradually ask for MORE slowness. Almost like you are aiming for passage ;)

This is hard work so give you horse a break now and then by riding forward and around the arena before coming back to a circle. (Also, make sure you haven't got too small a circle for the education/training level of your horse).
Ok - so this "english" exercise is moving towards a western jog but its in an english outline.

So as the "slow trot" starts to improve, start to ask for a longer outline in the "slow trot" but without a change in pace. Don't let out all the rein in one go, or your horse will fall flat on his face :eek:

By now you should be able to work for more of the circle in the slow trot/jog, so creep the reins out for a part of the circle, and bring the horse back for the other part. Gradually increase the amount of circle you can ride in this mode. :D

hope thats helpful -probably not "genuine western" but if it works.... ;)

[Jessey]

OK, here's what I was taught, set your horse off jogging (in a straight line)with little or no contact on the reins as soon as he starts to speed up, poke his nose or do anything other than what you want you turn him (on a tight turn about 3-5 meters but still at a jog/trot) as you turn you can reset everything so by the time your going straight he's doing that nice little jog again. The theory behind this is that in turning the horse has to collect himself and get his hock well under to make the turn and to make a turn that tight has to slow down a bit, so by turning when ever the horse goes fast you tell him 1 that you want it collected and 2 that you want it slow.
At all times whilst doing this exercise you have to sit deep, slow the movement of your hips and be very calm and consistant.

J