Horse gets very distracted/wound up after half hour or so

[Scarlett 001]

This horse is attentive and focussed for about the first 30-35 minutes. Very nice to work with and a good partnership. After 1/2 hour or so he starts to get unfocussed, lifts his head up as if he is fed up, tries to do his own thing (e.g., will walk to center unless you really use the leg aid to keep him on a line), will start to trot at his own pace (generally too fast) and do all he can to resist aids to slow down etc. It is like he is a child that has gotten all wound up and is overexcited. This is likely adding to my problem with the trot-canter transition (see my other recent thread) as he is too wound up to do a nice balanced, attentive trot. He is a fit, 12-year old horse so he has lots of energy.

Any ideas for exercises I can do to work on this. Today I made him end my ride with a lot of relatively slow sitting trot - walk transitions. I did things that were deliberately slow at end of ride so he realizes he cannot get all hyper just because he wants to. It was hard work but he paid some attention to me - even though not enough. Any other ideas on things I might do to help him stay settled and avoid him getting all wound up as we progress into the ride???

[danielle:>]

I think what you done yesterday in your lesson sounds like it will work , if you just persist at it . I can't really think of any other things though , but if you keep doig that you will probably get some good results :)

[Bay Mare]

Do you have 'breaks' where, after doing work he chills out for a couple of minutes on a long rein?

Mine gets stroppy for about 5 minutes half way through a lesson! We try to tackle this by taking breaks after she's worked hard and is still behaving OR by keeping her working until she stops stropping then when she's nice and calm again let her relax (reward for working nicely).

Transitions can get them sparked up a bit but it depends on the horse. Why not try some school figures or lateral work? Something that he has to think about.