How to control a forward horse?

Question

Some horses I have ridden are a little bit too forward and get fussy when you pull on the reins, especially when you want them to stop or stand still for a moment. Do you have any tips on handling this and tips on smoothing transitions so the horse doesn't jump into a canter or trot?

okay well i have been riding for a couple of years and it is not so much that it is a huge probleam that i can't control the horse, i just wanted some tips on the best way to handle it, like especially the transitions part it isn't that i cant ride the horse but it def. wouldn't look good in the show ring. but it hasn't been too much of a major problem

to the person who said i was being ripped off
my instructors have a lot of exsperiance and run a succesfull lesson program. no horse is perfect and its not that they are horible horses that shouldn't be used as lesson horses, except the one that i had the worst problems w/ this didn't like being a lesson horse so she was sold and she's not a lesson horse anymore.

also to that person, the "what to do when you fall off the horse" was just a question for pple's opinions. some people say hold the horse as long as you can and some say get away. its not that my instructor hasn't prepaired me, we've learned emergancy dismounts and all

Answer 1

Definition:" Well-schooled, well-mannered, fit and forward-going mounts are not typical “riding school” horses (no offense to the latter intended) These horses are regularly treated to pleasure rides, competitions and other excursions to keep their minds, bodies and souls fresh, they thus require riders who can ride “real” horses. It is your instructors job to teach you how!"
I'm concerned about who you are schooling with and why they do not seem to help with the situations you are encountering?
There is no "trick " to it,or fancy tips,just skill,yours and the some horses you ride.** A teacher that uses cavaletti would be great for your jumping career!**

Answer 2

The important thing you can do as a rider is stay calm and relaxed and make sure your body is doing the same. A lot of people when pulling on their horses reins also have a tendancy to tighten their butt and leg muscles without really noticing they are doing so. So your horse could be getting mixed signals by your hands telling them one thing and your legs another.
You might also want to check your bit and other equipment- you may be using a bit that has to little or to much feel in your equines mouth and your horse has learned to push through that pressure.
Before you even start walking your horse do flexion exercises to make his head, poll, neck, withers, and rib cage easier to handle. When you feel that your horse is warmed up and ready to go- put your horse to work.
Instead of focusing on pulling him back- let him go forward with his movement and focus on making him do lead changes or half pass. By doing this he will have to think about something other than his legs going forward and will slow down.

The most important thing is if you feel you can't control this horse, don't get on him and find a horse that will listen and respect you. The horses you have been riding may need a more experienced person on them and I'd hate to see you get hurt when you can enjoy riding a horse that is easier to please.

Answer 3

I can only guess that in this situation you are referring to "forward" as a horse that pulls on the reins and really wants to go forward/faster.
This isn't the horse for you. If you are just learning and taking lessons, you need a more placid horse. These "forward" horses are not for beginners, they are for advanced riders.
Talk to your instructor about using a different horse!
Good luck

Answer 4

Zair doesn't know what s/he is talking about- a forward horse is level or uphill, smooth and balanced. too forward? there is no such thing. You want a forward horse- I have been striving for it for years. I think you mean antsy or sensitive or rushing from your question.
Pulling on the reins- some horses are very sensitive (TB and arabs for one example) and you should be riding off your legs and not your reins on those horses- they have a senstive mouth. As for stopping and standing still- make them do it. Work on the ground first and give them a jerk (or NO, whatever you prefer) and make them stand still with you on the ground before you try it sitting on them.
As for smooth transitions- use a half halt (slight pull back on the outside rein) to signal a change. Use the slightest leg pressure when you ask. If they are rushing (don't feel balanced, no regular footsteps, head way up in the air, etc) you are not going to get a good transition. Half halts will slow down the rushiness too. A forward horse (uses their back, correct headset, long even quiet strides) has very smooth transitions, a rushy horse does not.

Answer 5

I have a horse exactly like this! What you need to do is really sit deep in your saddle, don't stand up or lean forward when trying to stop. When you are actually in motion and not trying to stop, sit back, again, don't lean forward. If the horse is still going too fast, half-halt, don't hold a steady pull in the horse's mouth, this will only make him pull harder against the bit. Gently squeeze a release the reins, just pull and release, it is very important to have gentle, subtle movements, don't yank as this will hurt the horse's mouth and only agitate him more. If you have time to work with him, try to teach him the "woah" command by sitting deep in your saddle and firmly saying "woah". When he stops, ask him to walk forward a couple of steps and "woah" again, make sure you praise him every time he stops on command by saying "good boy (or girl) and patting him on the neck/shoulder so he knows what you want him to do. Do this 4 or 5 times at a time then do something else for a while, if you do it too much the horse will get bored and distracted, you want to keep his attention on you. Also, when you want to stop (once again) sit deeply and KEEP YOUR HANDS LOW! (if you raise your hands, the horse will raise his head causing him to be more in control of you instead of you being in control of him) and keep a steady pull until he stops. I know I've said this a hundred times but it's very important to sit deeply and sit back. Also, don't make your reins too tight, I don't know about the horses you ride, but my horse gets excited if my reins are too short so I try to ride her with as loose a rein as possible (but make sure you always feel in control). I hope all that wasn't too confusing........I hope this helps, good luck and have fun! I have to add one thing, do not squeeze with your legs and pull at the reins at the same time(or one right after the other like ponygirl21 says)!! You can't tell the horse two different cues at one time, it will really confuse him!!

Answer 6

you need to find a good trainer that can teach you to stay with the horse, & not get left behind. it sounds more like the horse is just ignoring you & running away.

pulling on the reins is also something that you want to try not to do. try gently wiggling your fingers (kind of like squeezing a trigger, only with your ring finger), to get your horse's attention, & let them know that you are on them & are in charge. DON'T SEE-SAW THE REINS LIKE THE FIRST PERSON WHO ANSWERED SAID. all that does is teach them to be resistant to the bridle.

if the horse is jumping into trot or canter transitions, most likely you are "screaming" at your horse. horses are sensitive, try toning your signal down a bit. see if that helps.

I hope this helps you, good luck!!

Answer 7

If you know how to do a half halt thats a good thing to do! Half halts are when you close your leg and kinda flutter your fingers on one rein and it usually makes the horse slow down. Also try to control your seat movement and slow it down. Most horses respond really well to that. Another thing is to squeeze with your legs and gently pull back on the reins. Do the leg before the hand. See-sawing on a horses mouth will not help it will just make the horse throw its head around and try to get away from the movement of the see sawing! Good Luck!

Answer 8

bein 10 yrs old he is prob set in his ways , he may have been roped off of or ran barrells in the past, try a different bit or tighten the head stall to where is keeps a little pressure on his mouth. i had a ropin horse the same way he always had to b the lead horse. good luck and give him lots of seat time he should calm down. if not ride his butt off when u first get on him to tire him out and c if that helps

Answer 9

If the horse tries to go too fast, pull it's head all the way around to your knee and hold it there until it stops. Make it move forward again and as soon as it goes too fast pull it around. It will eventually get the picture. You'll probably get bored of circles after a few days, but it will be totally worth it once the horse stops going too fast!

Answer 10

First I would recomend if you horse is a head tosser that you get a Running Martingale, this simply hooks your horses reins to the girth preventing you from getting the top of their head in the face. When trying to keep them still stop, if your horse moves make one very tight circle and return him to a stand repeat this as necessary. Also practice standing at home where there is little chance of excitment, start with standing for just a few seconds before cueing for movement and slowly increase the time. This will teach your horse to wait until your cue for forward movement.