How can I slow my horse down?...?

Question

I have a 6 yr old Morgan Quarter horse cross that is a bit fast at the canter. her previous owner was weird and didn't let her actually be a real horse, so she dosn't know much about her legs just yet. but all i need is help on how to slow her down and keep her relaxed and calm as i am cantering her, her problem is that she gets so frusterated with herself cause she dosn't know what to do, and she gets mad and bucks and kicks out, but i have done all i can think of to calm her and to keep her quite can anyone help..

Answer 1

howdy i train horses, and i am currently working with a gelding with a similar problem as yours. My horse on the other hand was ran in the chuckwagon races so he doesnt know what a canter isl All he knows is a nervous jig, and full blown gallop. What i recomend doing. Is taking it slow, do lots of trail rides without asking her to canter. And when you do ask her to eventually, just sit quiet in the saddle, dont pull on her mouth hard just occasionally give her a half halt to help keep her speed in check and help slow her down, and keep your hands low. that way it will help her from getting nervous and stressed out under the pressure, and she will be less likely to throw a fit. Until she she is cantering comfortably i wouldnt worry much about her form. I would also suggest lunging her in a surcingle. That way you have total control of her on the ground and you can slow her down at a canter without worrying about being thrown. Hope this helps!

Answer 2

I have the exact problem with my quarter horse mare! Sit back in the saddle, don't lean forward. Give her a loose rein if possible as a tight rein sometimes excites them. Try big round circles (not tight ones unless you horse is out of control) and lots of transitions. Talk to her in a low quiet calming voice-as silly as it sounds it really does work. Talk to her constantly not just every once in a while, this will focuse her attention on you resulting in her trusting you. Don't give up, my horse has now learned the trot and canter gait instead of only knowing walk and gallop. This may take several weeks/months/even a year or two but if you stay consistent and really try it will work. Good luck!!

Answer 3

Hi, I asked a similar question a couple times too. And honestly this site didn't give me much help. I really think that a trainer would be best but sometimes there aren't any good ones or they are too expensive. Me it is that there are no good reliable trainers where I live. So I have been on my own. To get the horse to slow down I would suggest doing circles. That slows them down immediatly. Ususally. But for the leg part I would really work on lounging her to get her used to the speed you want her at. I am not sure about the bucking or kicking since my friend has that same problem. And we haven't had any luck with fixing it.

I hope this helps you!!

Good Luck!

Answer 4

You may want to check out John Lyons or Clinton Anderson's website as they offer a lot of information on this type of problem. John Lyons has a great book on calming nervous horses. When a gelding I had started this type of behavior, I went back and did a lot of ground work small circles under saddle. When the bucking and lashing out continued, I took him to a vet and discovered that he was out of aligment and had trouble getting into a lead and staying there. When I asked for a canter, it hurt, so I got the kicking, bucking and the going fast under saddle (running away from the pain). This may be something you want to look at. Good Luck!

Answer 5

mightycrib13 what are you on about horses dont work from a year old even draughs you sound like a hard horseman and living in the old days and if you might remember horses are not really designed for man to ride and the shape of a horse is to run and survive, as for doing a hard days work there is unkindness and realistic if this lady has a problem with her horse it has nothing to do with working it hard either for punishment or reschooling its not the answer the lady was looking for .
You might be 50 but times have changed come into 2006 and try kindness and understanding with out the flogging a horse notion.

Answer 6

Your horse has 2 problems. The previous owner and YOU. A horse is a work animal. They make lousy pets. They need work to do from age one onwards. Real Work 8-12 hrs a day, 7 days every week, Not a few hrs once a week on a walking machine behind your garage. A useful horse cannot be pastured in a space less than 40 acres. A horse penned one one acre or less is Cruelty to Animals and those who treat a horse that way ought to be jailed for a time equal to the horse's confinement. Are you guilty? The Morgan in your mare was bred to pull farm tools, wagons, plows and such, singly or in teams of 20 or so to pull things such as combines for thrashing wheat. That would be like in the 1890's out west. I have photos of my grandad doing exactly that. The Quarter Horse part is a cattle herding breed. They are very surefooted in rough terrain. They are a saddle horse meant to be ridden 30 miles a day. I don't suppose your horse has ever been exposed to any of that. And that is why you are having problems with a useless horse. At age 6 a good horse trainer could teach your horse how to behave as more than a pet, but it is unlikely that she could become anything resembling a natural, working horse. Much too large of a percent of the horses living today are fit for no work. Most horse breeds are regressing because of that. Folks like you are the biggest contributing factor for the decline in genetic abilities in the eqine population. Could your mare live in the Arizona Desert on her own? I think not. If you call yourself a Horse Lover, you are deluding yourself and lying to everyone. Your mare has been cheated out of her birthright. A horse is a high maintance animal requiring supervision and useful work daily. If you are not doing that YOU are abusing an animal. WAY too many of these useless horses end up in Alpo cans when folks move someplace they can't keep a pet horse. Think about that.

Answer 7

OK, JUST RELAX. If you get worked up your horse is going to pick up on it and you and her will be a disaster. I own/train/ride western pleasure horses. I KNOW that going slow is hard work. IT is NOT natural to take slow strides, but you dont sound like what you have is natural either. Take ground poles and set them up so that they are one stride apart (use 5-6 of them). Have her walk, trot, and canter over them. She may want to jump them, but if she does take he back to a trot untill she is ok with them. This will teach her to look where she is going, and pick up her legs and she will be smother to ride because she has a rhythm for her feet.
WHY is she getting frustrated??????????????? YOU ARE PUSHING HER to do something she does NOT understand. GO SLOW!!!!! Take your time training. You will get ALOT farther going slow than trying to rush things.

Answer 8

yea that is mostly normal you jus got to work with her for a little. You should talk to her andpet her to calm her down as if she was a real person and if she runs u should just pull back on the reins but you should mostly talk to it and give her or he alot of attention.
Hope my answer is useful to you.

Answer 9

I am a 30 yr horse trainer and the best advise to you would be the one rain stop that Clinton Anderson teaches. get his video you will not be disappointed. I could try to tell you but seeing it on video will help you learn how to do it. hands on. he is on rfdtv too

Answer 10

hey i ride a morgan and there canter are pretty fast.
pull back a little and say woo try talking slow .sit back in the saddle and pull back and he should stop other wise you have a big problem lol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!