How do i stop my horse from dodging out the door?

Question

Every time we are cantering arount the arena and we go by the door, she tries to dodge out of it, i have had her for about 8 months now, and it has gotten much better, but if anyone could give me advice i would appreciate it,,, thanks

Answer 1

She obviously understands that if she goes through the door, then she can escape work. Make sure this is not pain related. She could be trying to escape work because she's hurting. If her tack fits and she has no health issues, then move on. Here's a great method that will definitely help her improve.

Next time you decide to ride her, don't ride her in the arena. Instead, work her outside the arena near the door. Have her back up, side pass, disengage her hind quarters, flex at the poll, etc...Just basically do what you would normally do outside the arena. When you're done, take her into the arena and walk around. Let her relax, let her breathe. Get off in the arena and loosen her girth and praise her. Now lead her out and you're done.

Eventually, she's going to realize that the arena is a good place to be. In fact, she's going to think the gate means work and won't try to dodge out through it. Once this is established, randomly work her in the arena or outside of it. Pretty soon she'll realize that the arena doesn't always mean work.

If she ever DOES try to dodge to the gate, do not let her. If she ever tries pulling a stunt like this, stop her and back her up. That's right - back her all the way around the arena. It'll build up her butt muscles anyway lol. She is not the boss, she is working for you. She'll connect her disobeying with hard work and she won't try to do it again.

Make sure you're relaxed while riding. Breathe deeply and even stretch before you get on. If you ever feel yourself getting frustrated or nervous, get off and do some stretches to relax your muscles.

Good luck...Hope all goes well!

Answer 2

Go just outside the arena and work her legs off, then take her back inside the arena and let her rest for a little while. Keep doing this, and she'll learn that the arena isn't such a bad place to be. Right now she knows that every time she goes into that arena she has to work hard, but outside of that arena she gets to chill out. So for a while make it where when she's outside of the arena she has to work hard and when she's inside she gets to chill out. Work small figure eight, small circles and don't let her drag her feet doing it. If she responds slowly tap her with a heel or a whip, whatever will make her move. Keep doing it until she starts to respond the instant you ask for a turn, then go inside the arena and stop. Let her stand and breath for a little while, the longer the better. Then walk her around, if she tries to duck out again, let her and repeat what you did earlier. She'll soon get the point that she wants to be inside the arena.

Answer 3

Act before she does. If you know when she is going to do it- right before the spot she always does, make her leg yield or do a smaller circle, etc, something to get her mind off of it. The next time, don't do anything, and if you feel her start to head that way, pull her in a very small circle- it is hard for horses to do that. If you make her work harder and do a small circle every time she attempts to dodge, she will quit- trying to escape is way too much work.
Vary up her routine- ask her to do transitions there- down to a trot, walk, stop, whatever your ability is. If you keep her mind off the door, she may eventually forget about it.

A combination of these two tips has worked every horse we tried them on.

Good luck!

Answer 4

You need to be the boss of the horse when you are riding it. Not the other way around. Since you know that it heads for the door and I am assuming about the same place each and every time, I would turn it in the opposite direction right before it starts to head for the door.

Answer 5

She knows that is where you get off, or she gets to quit for the day. Work her around it for a few lessons. Keep the gate open and ride in and out, in and out. When you ride out, make her turn around a few times really quick. make it difficult when she goes out, so she will not as readily jump to the door. And when you are riding around, you know it is going to happen, so tap on the rein (say you are cantering around the arena going left, your right side is to the wall and the door) so tap on the left rein, and ask her to pick up speed. make her realize that if she veers for it, she will just have to work more. My horses do the same exact thing. I unsaddle them, and feed them at a shed, so they learn if they go to the shed they get the saddle off, feed, and they don't have to work anymore. Which is bad. See about getting to leave your horse in the arena for a day or two. Unsaddle her at the opposite end of the arena, and feed and water her down there as well. When you catch her to saddle her, saddle her near the gate, or even right at the gate. Then mount up and work her into a sweet around there, then walk her out over at the opposite end and get off. Get her mind out of the frame that once she is out of there, she doesn't have to work. If you can, try to do this once or twice a week. The more often you can do this, the better.

Answer 6

No expert here or anything, but I would stop her when she tries to veer out and maker her circle a few times. From experience I know that if you confuse them by circling like this they have to listen to you for direction. I would then walk her by the gate and continue with her excersize. Hopefully she will get the hint after a few tries.

Good luck!!

Answer 7

When you get to that point at the gait be prepared to add pressure to the opposite direction that she wants to go to and if you don't see a change take her where the gait is and turn her around and around one way and the other way she won't get dizzy but make her work where she thinks she's gonna get away!

Answer 8

i wouldn't ride her out of the arena untill she get over this.