Is it me or the horse?

Question

Hi, I have a question =) Sorry this is going to be long, I want to give you sufficient information. Whenever I ride my horse and I ask him to jog or lope, he gradually speeds up. I constantly have to half-halt him or he would just keep getting faster. He's an 8 year old Florida Cracker pony gelding.

Here's some info on the situation - This is nothing physical. His tack fits, and he's been examined for physical problems and even had a massage! lol. So you can cross that out, I'm sure he's not hurting.

I think what it might be is communication problems. For awhile I thought I was giving him messages through my body language, without knowing it, to go faster. I really worked on my body position to not give off those messages, and I even had a professional ride him and he still speeds up.

I've tried a few methods to try and fix this such has asking him to lope on a loose rein (and then he would speed up to a run) and wait until he slows down on his own, then allow him to stop and breathe. This didn't work because he kept going and going lol I've also tried, when he speeds up to immediately stop him and back him up. I've tried a few other methods I won't bother mentioning because they didn't work lol

I'm stumped and was just curious if anyone had some suggestions. It is a bit of an old habit. Other than that issue, he has perfect ground manners, stops with just my seat and legs while riding, and has no vices. He is a pretty dominating horse, but I have no issues with that.

Does anyone have any suggestions or comments? I would really appreciate them..thanks!

Answer 1

Probably it's you and the horse, a little of both. I went to a dressage camp this summer and learned tons about how people unconciously tense their bodies, and therefore tell their horses to speed up. But, before I get into my answer, thank you so much for giving lots of background info and for looking into this on your own- it's so much easier to answer! Anyway, I had serious issues about my horses going faster and faster. And mostly that was my horse's choosing. But, what happened is when I asked the horses to slow down, I tensed and therefore the horse went faster. So, first of all, the next time your horse is loping/jogging and speeds up, the first thing is to 'sit back' and breath out deeply. Don't loose concentration, but think of something relaxing and cheerful. Try this for a little while (like in an arena 1- 3 laps, depending on size) and if he is still going the same speed (hopefully he won't go faster, then he has serious issues or you are seriously not doing it right) you may have to just stop him. It may take a horse a bit to understand this new way of communication. It will also be much harder for him to feel you relax in a western saddle (? what you ride) but it can be done. So relax your whole body, especially your wrists and elbows. Another thing to do is not canter for long. Canter 10 strides, trot 15 stides, walk 5 strides, mix it up. Your horse may simply go faster because he's bored and switched to cruise method! Try cantering and stopping and asking for some backing up. (but don't do this ultra aggressively or he may take it for a punishment) Keep working with a trainer (I'm assuming you are) and if it's possible please consider some dressage, I think it's the best and is definetly beneficial to all riders! Hopefully these above tips will cure it and the horses I've worked with all mostly can be cured with these.

Answer 2

This is a very common problem. Start with the jog. As you jog, if he speeds up just a little more than you want him to go ahead and take ahold of him and get him back of the bit. You do not need to be severely forceful at all, and please don't be. Go ahead and back him a few steps, have him rollback over his hocks and continue the other way at a walk. After a few steps ask for the jog and repeat. Pretty soon the line that he travels will get longer and longer as he stays at a steady speed. Also when you are just walking around, randomly stop him, back him up, make sure he is supple to your hands, and roll him back. He will really start using that hindquarter which will improve his overall abilities. If you need anything else let me know : ) You can do this! Good Luck

Answer 3

hi:) ive been here and done that...:) you may not think your body language is doing it, but it might be. i live in the desert so i have very long straight dirt roads to go on. to me, it is much easier to travel on a road for five miles or so to figure out whether its me or the horse. when you are at a lope...the horse is generally going to slow to their natural pace within that five miles...(if you are doing this in a arena...it will feel like youve been going forever...and actually no where near five miles). i also do endurance riding so my horses are conditioned for this long of a ride plus at a lope or canter. they still find their comfort zone at some level. at longer distances...you also find your comfort level...and also learn to work more with your horse...get him into a lope...ride with it a bit, let him speed up for a bit...ask him to slow...concentrate on how you are riding, how he is going...ask him to slow to the speed you are wanting in the arena...when he does let up ride as you normally would for this pace. if he speeds up again...let him go for a bit then ask him to slow again and start over...
obviously this horse does need a bit of work, however, just because he did the same thing for a professional doesnt mean anything. if the horse has a habit, anyone can ride him once and that habit is still there. if the horse has a true habit, it takes a person to break (without meanness) that habit to accomplish anything....hope this helps:)

Answer 4

I've had the EXACT problem with my 8 year old QH since i got her. She is an incredible contester, reiner, and jumper, but not the best for pleasure. We love patterns and reining, so my friend in college and I figured out a way to slow her down. Keeping the reins loose doesn't work on horses like this, I understand. I have to have a tight rein on her, even with a correctional bit. Take her in a pasture or arena, and ride her in circles. Do it at a walk the first time, then the trot, then the lope. Start out pretty big, and slowly make the circle smaller with every rotation. This will teach him to slow down his circles, and in turn slow down his gaits. This takes lots of repetition and patience, but it works. Practice reining patterns too. Good luck with it!! also, see how he would make out as a contester!!! good luck!


**almost forgot......my horse also loves dressage, and its a great way to learn to communicate with your horse. it isn't a competition, its training for the both of you. i think everyone, western or english, should take dressage. its a great and beautiful thing!

Answer 5

Keep him collected at the walk. Once he is doing that well, ease up a tiny bit (subtle easing of the fingers) on the reins, as that will reward him for performing the behavior you want. Continue this sequence until he gets it.
Never ride with loose reins: always have direct contact with his mouth and keep him "on the bit". Eventually, ask for a slow trot, keeping him on the bit. It's OK to do a half halt when necessary; just take him back to square one, and he'll get the picture pretty quickly. If you lunge him for 15 minutes before you get on, he'll be less likely to give you trouble. I did that, and changed to a pelham bit, which gave me the leverage I needed.

Answer 6

The best, most effective method I've seen used was by a natural horsemanship trainer. Her horse did the same thing. What she showed us to do was when ever your horse speeds up take the inside rein and pull until your horse stops and gives to the pressure. You will have to continuously do this for awhile, but eventually your horse should get the picture and keep the steady gait that you ask for. The problem isn't with you unless you are squeezing the horse with your legs. Horses are used to running about and speeding up as they wish, you have to teach them that you expect them to maintain a steady gait. Good luck with your horse!

Answer 7

The closest Yahoo! Answers has ever come to suggesting the right class (in relation to the pony phase) is 'Horse Racing'. UGH! My dream horse might be a dapple gray, eleven 12 months ancient Hanoverian PSG schoolmaster. Woot.

Answer 8

I think its just him. My TWH does the same thing. I also have a QH that goes very slow and warms up to a lope and gets faster and faster. I think its just him. Ask around.

Answer 9

just a suggestion, but it happened to me. Check the saddle, mine ended up having a nail head protruding but this was not found out for ages it only happened when the saddle had pressure on it.

Answer 10

watch the horse maybewould like to brush you off under atree or through his head down like a donkey.