The slowest walk

[Jessey]

I figured I would share part of my journey with Indie, I know many new riders and some more experienced struggle to get their horses moving and Indie, so far, has the most awful walk so it's something we will be working on.

I had noticed in hand he wasn't exactly Speedy-Gonzales, I had to chivvy him up just to keep up with me. Then our first ride out I wasn't too worried that he was a bit on the slow side and looking around quite a lot, and whenever he looked, he slowed to a snails pace, than half snails pace and occasionally stopped! or that after 30 minutes it seemed snail speed was all he had left in the tank, I put this down to new place, new person, and being pretty poor physically.

2nd ride out, we started at snail pace, and then went to half snail pace after 1/4 mile (surely he couldn't be tired already), he was marginally better walking in front, but when behind our companion half snail pace was all he had to offer as they got further and further ahead, I have to admit I resorted to nagging him and even some pony club kicking eventually I started trotting to catch up, which he clocked onto very quickly and started putting even less effort into walking and would then trot without being asked, naughty, naughty.

Our 3rd time out was on our own, he managed to maintain slow walk for the most part, but he did get a flick with my reins on the neck a few times. The funny bit is it's easy to get him to trot, and he has a pretty decent trot, it's just the walk that is appalling. I found insisting on him not gawping here, there and everywhere made a positive change, but it's still not covering the ground. We did a loop that takes me about 45-50 minutes on Jess, it took us 1hr 25 minutes He did have 3 napping fits when he thought he knew the way home, his napping is to go in full reverse (which is actually quicker than his ruddy walk ).

I'm hoping as we do more he will get more confident and start stepping out a bit, but I think realistically he's going to need educating in walking out. He's only ever been ridden western, so has been ridden in spurs but has not had a whip used on him, he also had some eye problems in the past and can be a bit flinchey if things move suddenly (his spook is to stop). I suspect his conformation has a lot to do with his poor walk, he has a very straight hip, interesting though as he does seem to track up pretty well when loose in the field.


I welcome suggestions as we travel this road, what has helped you to teach a horse to walk out better? I have a few tricks up my sleeve that I have used before with success, but that next horse always has something new to teach us

 

[Huggy]

I'll give you a slow walk competition! I'll watch this thread with interest. I've tried it all with Hogan to no avail - same as indie - lovely trot, but the walk is painful!

 

[Jessey]

I'll have to remember to put my GPS on this weekend, so I can measure actual speeds

 

[Kite_Rider]

I often wonder if like us humans, some horses just naturally walk slower than others.
I’ve given up trying to make Belle walk faster, she tracks up just fine and will always be a slow walker I think, it’s a bit like if me and mr KR go for a walk, I’m naturally much more forward than him and he always accuses me of ‘route marching’ lol I’m not I just walk fast compared to him.
Has Indie always walked slowly and is it that you are so used to Jess on a mission that he feels incredibly slow in comparison?

 

[carthorse]

I have the opposite problem, Little Un has such a massive walk that it's usually easier to hack out on my own than having to check him every few strides.

 

[Jessey]

I often wonder if like us humans, some horses just naturally walk slower than others.
I’ve given up trying to make Belle walk faster, she tracks up just fine and will always be a slow walker I think, it’s a bit like if me and mr KR go for a walk, I’m naturally much more forward than him and he always accuses me of ‘route marching’ lol I’m not I just walk fast compared to him.
Has Indie always walked slowly and is it that you are so used to Jess on a mission that he feels incredibly slow in comparison?

He has probably always been slower, but he has predominantly been schooled his whole life for western, in western pleasure a slow walk is desirable and in reining it's pretty irrelevant as the patterns are almost entirely at a lope (canter). So this is a new kettle of fish for him. I am probably also very used to Jess marching everywhere, but it really was very slow, our companion for the first 2 rides was a 22 year old pony who left him for dust lol

 

[Huggy]

I often wonder if like us humans, some horses just naturally walk slower than others.
I’ve given up trying to make Belle walk faster, she tracks up just fine and will always be a slow walker I think, it’s a bit like if me and mr KR go for a walk, I’m naturally much more forward than him and he always accuses me of ‘route marching’ lol I’m not I just walk fast compared to him.
Has Indie always walked slowly and is it that you are so used to Jess on a mission that he feels incredibly slow in comparison?

Good point - my now adult daughter always asks if I want to power walking in town - aka shopping. She remembers continually trotting to keep up when she was young.

 

[Jessey]

I think we have some progress today, rode indie English for the first time it made no difference tho, we still set off at half snail speed!

I hopped off to walk him along a particularly narrow path where the horses occasionally gallop around right alongside of you (today was one of those days) so a found myself a stick before I remounted.

I did find making a very conscious effort to keep my core fully engaged helped, and keeping him moving straight and into a light contact was better than allowing him to slob along looking around everywhere. I tried very hard not to nag, I used voice, leg, flick on the shoulder consistently and lots of vocal praise when he maintained a good walk and we had a pretty decent working walk going after not too long the challenge will be getting it consistent

 

[OwnedbyChanter]

It is common for newly backed horses to not go forward. Edward and I experienced this. He is getting better.

I know a lot of people that use a schooling whip with a rag on the end to encourage forward. I was looking at this but we seem to have made progress.

I allow my hips to move freely and dangly my legs only squeezing when needed. I do use my voice a lot plus the odd pony club kick but only every with a soft rein so when he moves I am not blocking him.

 

[Jessey]

Indie is 16, I've always been much less demanding of baby's but he's old enough to be expected to get on with it. I did try the EE hip walking but he paid no heed to that at all

 

[Jessey]

Videos finished uploading, the rustling is my sleeve on my air vest where I was holding the camera but I think it helps you hear the different cadence.

 

[Huggy]

Forgive my ignorance - what is EE hip walking?

 

[carthorse]

Oh dear, snail pace really is an energy conservation mode, isn't it? I'm actually impressed that he can go slower than that and still offer continuous forward movement! The second walk is very noticeably better and more focused on where he's going too, but it's going to take a lot of self-discipline to get him to realise that's the only one that's acceptable. Good luck!

 

[Jessey]

Forgive my ignorance - what is EE hip walking?

It's Enlightened Equitation, it's about controlling paces by altering hip movement, so to lead the dance rather than to just follow. It worked great on the rider powered simulator, not so great on slow poke

 

[Jessey]

I'm actually impressed that he can go slower than that and still offer continuous forward movement!

Continuous is questionable if you count it as having a notable but consistent pause between each step, then yes he's got it nailed

 

[Jessey]

I've not had much chance to ride over the last few weeks, windy weather really puts paid to it when you live in a forest but I did get out once last week and forgot to update here.

Indie did so much better last week, he was a bit slow and nosey as we set off, until I remembered that I have to be much more positive in my riding with him, I stop him from looking around too much and have been using voice, then nudge with the legs, then stick on the shoulder (obviously only escalating when he ignores to softer cue) and trying to be very consistent in doing it in that order and not nagging with my leg in between times. And he is getting much better, much more consistent at keeping himself moving and I am probably reminding him 80% less than I had to originally. Blooming wants to, I've just committed to a 65 mile ride in May!

 

[diplomaticandtactful]

Rose used to leave the yard like a drunken camel, she was so slow she was almost going backwards. Once she got to the woods she got over herself and walked sensibly. She also once planted outside the pub for 25 minutes....no one brought us a drink. We used to wop her, keep flicking her till she moved and the minute she took a step stopped until the next halt, in the end she gave up and stopped it. Buddy is slow the first 15 minutes till he warms up then he can go into a very impressive walk particularly if something catches his attention. Maybe try making him more uncomfortable i.e. turn him and ask again for a more forward walk. The guy who used to help me always said if it isn't working stop it and do something else to get their attention, like circle, back up, sideways, just to get them listening.

 

[Trewsers]

I've not had much chance to ride over the last few weeks, windy weather really puts paid to it when you live in a forest but I did get out once last week and forgot to update here.

Indie did so much better last week, he was a bit slow and nosey as we set off, until I remembered that I have to be much more positive in my riding with him, I stop him from looking around too much and have been using voice, then nudge with the legs, then stick on the shoulder (obviously only escalating when he ignores to softer cue) and trying to be very consistent in doing it in that order and not nagging with my leg in between times. And he is getting much better, much more consistent at keeping himself moving and I am probably reminding him 80% less than I had to originally. Blooming wants to, I've just committed to a 65 mile ride in May!

Wowser 65 miles!!!!! You can do it I am sure it will be fine!

 

[Jessey]

Rose used to leave the yard like a drunken camel, she was so slow she was almost going backwards. Once she got to the woods she got over herself and walked sensibly. She also once planted outside the pub for 25 minutes....no one brought us a drink. We used to wop her, keep flicking her till she moved and the minute she took a step stopped until the next halt, in the end she gave up and stopped it. Buddy is slow the first 15 minutes till he warms up then he can go into a very impressive walk particularly if something catches his attention. Maybe try making him more uncomfortable i.e. turn him and ask again for a more forward walk. The guy who used to help me always said if it isn't working stop it and do something else to get their attention, like circle, back up, sideways, just to get them listening.

I get changing your tactics if it isn't working, but in less than half a dozen rides my approach has seen a big improvement, as I said I am having to remind him to walk on 80% less than I was

 

[Huggy]

I've not had much chance to ride over the last few weeks, windy weather really puts paid to it when you live in a forest but I did get out once last week and forgot to update here.

Indie did so much better last week, he was a bit slow and nosey as we set off, until I remembered that I have to be much more positive in my riding with him, I stop him from looking around too much and have been using voice, then nudge with the legs, then stick on the shoulder (obviously only escalating when he ignores to softer cue) and trying to be very consistent in doing it in that order and not nagging with my leg in between times. And he is getting much better, much more consistent at keeping himself moving and I am probably reminding him 80% less than I had to originally. Blooming wants to, I've just committed to a 65 mile ride in May!

You'll be fine - just take a tent and supplies lol