I know alot of you are going to say 'turn him in circles' or something of the sort, and trust me I've tried. Sometimes it works but he'll also move sideways really awkwardly instead of turning a lot of the time even when I crank his head around as far as I can, he's gotten good at jerking away before anyone can get his head around far enough for force him to stop going sideways and actually turn.
He only does it badly after jumps. He'll try to run away on the flat occasionally but he's easy to work down from that, after jumps he gets it set in his mind that he's jumping the next thing he sees and drags you towards that.
2007-09-21 17:09:12 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Horses
The oddest thing is he doesn't go for the center of the arena, the edge, or the gate like the other horses when they decide to run off. He goes for the closest jump, and the one after that if you don't manage to stop him or get him to the rail
2007-09-21 17:20:50 · update #1
How much are you jumping this horse? I would really question that this horse is burnt out and really needs some time away doing something else.
Do you trailride this horse? Do you have access to cattle? This horse needs another direction for a while. My show animals do something else other than arena work, or they would just be bonkers.
2007-09-21 17:18:15 · answer #1 · answered by Mulereiner 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Start halting him after every fence. Unless you are going to be in a show never let him jump the next fence.
You are going to have to start kinda from the beginning. Drop the jump sizes down and work him at a trot. Every time you trot over the fence, halt. He should take no more than about 4 steps after the landing (make sure you are not trying to halt him right at the landing, allow a few steps (or 2-3 strides if at a canter) before halting. You are going to have to do this repeatedly and probably for quite a few sessions. When he is halting good and every time, raise the size of the fence. When he is halting good after that, then start canter work.
He should never jump more than one fence unless it is a combination. You can also do cavelettis the same way. When he is through them halt.
2007-09-22 01:45:30 · answer #2 · answered by Carol 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The horse is not afraid of the jumps. He is getting excited and running for the joy of running. He is showing you very blatantly that he can take control. This has to end before he kills you or himself.
Stop jumping the horse for a while and put a correction bit in his mouth. Work on him not running away when not jumping. Then jump him and stop him if he runs away after a jump. After retraining you can try going back to a snaffle or whatever you are using but if he starts up again you may have to retire him from jumping.
I had an arabian that would get excited when she ran and not want to stop or turn. I bent one bit in her mouth by standing in the saddle and pulling back as hard as I could to get her stopped before she hit the highway one day. It still almost 100 yards to stop her. That convinced me to try something different. That is when I got a long shank correction bit. I tried her out with it to get her used to it at a walk (she was always fine at a walk or trot, it was only the gallop that she ran with) The next time I galloped her she stopped in a fairly timely manner and got better after that. In a short while she would walk gallop and slow back to a walk or canter (whichever I asked for) at verbal command. I never had to use the bit after that though I kept it in when riding.
2007-09-22 00:26:58 · answer #3 · answered by Jeff Sadler 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
You have some options.
One is to run his sillies out first thing on your workouts. Jump on and take him for a full gallop around the ring for a couple of laps, sans jumps, especially if he has been stuck in a small stall or paddock for long periods of time. Let him stretch his legs out and get a full run in without any jumps, and then proceed with the workout.
Another is to vary your workouts - one day nothing but jumps, the next day nothing but running, and only in the ring.
The last is to take him back to the ring and lunge him before your riding workouts, or have a couple of weeks of just lungeing (did I say that right) in the ring on a lead or running sans rider in the ring with you cracking the whip (or not). The point is to tire him of his running, and THEN do your workout when he has gotten his sillies out.
Taking him back to basics for a few weeks may improve his behavior. Schooling is always helpful in reconditioning a horse to be trustworthy for a rider.
2007-09-22 00:21:15 · answer #4 · answered by enn 6 · 0⤊ 5⤋
The horse is 'afraid' of those jumps, and he's taking it out on you. Try starting him over, as if he's a 'new horse' to you and also new to riding. I don't think YOU are responsible for his fear ... that would have been the person who 'trained' him to jump ... and by starting over with him, he'll learn to trust you, and when you start him jumping again, he'll want you to trust him, so the 'jumps' will be easier for both of you.
I realize that this may be a 'hardship' on you ... but please remember that that big animal you are sitting on isn't even as intelligent as a dog or cat ... but they are very loving if they can learn to trust their riders, so it's up to YOU to 'teach him all over again.'
2007-09-22 00:21:06 · answer #5 · answered by Kris L 7 · 1⤊ 4⤋
Generally, a horse is tryingto tell you something. I think oyur horse is telling you that his bits hurting?
Maybe your overworking him, in jumping. Try to give up jumping for a bit. Maybe im wrong, but hes sure trying to tell you something.LoveYu
Alex
xxxxx
2007-09-22 07:52:35 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
give him a break
2007-09-23 17:03:23 · answer #7 · answered by ♥FANCYS_MAMMA♥ 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
wear sharper spurs on your boots.
2007-09-22 00:12:12 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 5⤋