Speedy on Trails

[EventPony]

My Arab, Tiffany, is an endurance/trail horse and she LOVES trails....when i trot, everyone else has to canter pretty fast, and when i canter (slowly for Tiffany), everone else has to hand gallop to keep up. The only good thing about this is it is the only time i can get her to do an extended trot, and i dont even ask her:p if i'm trotting, or cantering, all I have to do is give her a LITTLE rein and she'll start galloping. She wouldnt ever take off out of control, but i've tried everything to keep her slow..relaxing, half halting, pulley rein, etc. If i dont keep a death grip on her, she'll start galloping. I feel really bad doing this, especially since she loves trails so much...but i'm not like her owner, who will just let her go, and i since i wont go on trails by myself, i cant just let her go, because other people are with me. And when i start cantering/galloping (sometimes i take her to the park nearby and gallop), then it takes forever to stop her. I really dont want to use a harsher bit (i use an eggbut right now), because i know she would hate it, and shes not mine to make that decison ( i know her owner wouldnt mind....well, actually, he might, because he hates bits and always uses bitless bridles when he rides tiffany and his other horses)....So...any idea on how to keep her slow on trails? It gets really frustrating, and i cant enjoy trails anymore because i spend the whole time keeping her slow:( thanks!

[Showjumper]

A bitless bridle works on the poll, lowering the horse's head and helps regain control. If this works for the owner, why don't you give it a try as well? Like I mentioned in your other post, when you pull against the horse, it will just pull back. Eggbutts are fairly mild bits, and not always effective. If you constantly keep a "death-grip" on the reins, you will deaden the horse's mouth and make her even less responsive. Try holding the reins fairly slack and then shorten them for transitions, before lengthening them again. With nothing to pull against, Tiffany's less likely to try and fight for control. When you want to slow down, slowly sit back, and say "Whoa" or whatever she's used to you and her owner saying for a "Go-Slow" command. Tweak the reins gently, basically give and take, but a lot more gently, and you should see her ears flickering, listening to you. Once she's listening, her pace should slacken and she'll give you back control. This works for me so I hope it works for you! Good Luck!

[EventPony]

Eek! Ive tried! If i go any faster than a walk w/ a loose rein, she will take off (not actually take off, but starts cantering and eventually galloping if i dont slow her down) She knows very well that shes not in control, and she will eventually slow down, if i have enough patience to stop her:rolleyes: