Horse question for brave souls.?

Question

Okay well I have a burning question that I cant seem to find the answer to. Well first off I just want to say I know how to do a down transistion and an up transistion and collect and extend and i also know how to increase a horses tempo but how do you slow a horses tempo...I DO NOT MEAN COLLECT but just simply slow the gait without losing the horses impulsion or balance. Please dont tell me to pull on the reins because that will get me nowhere, pulling on the reins only causes the horses hind-end to collect and the horse to fall on the forehand and end up in flat sloppy gaits. If you have any idea I would appreciate it! Oh and Good Luck with my question, you may actually have to activly think. lol

Answer 1

What is a horses Tempo? Also maybe if you can't get an actively thinking person to answer your question maybe you can be active and go to a professional trainer to help out. I think it would make it easier for you. I'm not being a smart A** either. promise, I just thought that this yahoo answers thing is sometimes hard to get training advice.

Answer 2

You need to keep you body slightly stiffer and squeeze on the reins in a constant rythem!!!

Answer 3

My trainer and I were just working on this on Saturday!! Just like everyone else is saying, half-halt! Now, unfortunatly there are alot of riders out there who just say to use a half-halt but do not go into detail on what a half-halt is! I recently went through a similar situation, I kept asking people what a half-halt was and finally when my trainer added the half-halt in to help keep my horse from barging through the leg yields I finally understood it.

Many people say that a half-halt is when you use driving, then restricting aids, then driving again! But they don't actually explain what you actually do. My trainer has me apply my inside leg and then hold with the outside rein, and then drive with my seat and legs to regain balance and impulsion. One way for you to learn this is to halt, using the inside leg to bring her up and the outside rein to halt her (sorry, my horse is a she so I'm used to that), and then immediately push her forward into a walk. Then you can move on into trot and half-halt her into the walk. And as you become more familar with what your aids are, you can apply the leg and hand regarding what kind of transition you are looking for. Such as if you are trying to make a transition from a lengthened trot to a working trot, then you have a somewhat lighter aid than you would if you were transitioning down to a walk or halt.

Now, if you are having trouble with decreasing your horses tempo, be aware that she may not listen to you the first time, or at all. When that happens (it's possible she won't respond the first couple of times you apply the half-halt, and that's okay because she's still learning) yank on your outside rein (I know this sounds mean, but you need to get a result) not to pull her head around, but just to get a response, and to tell her that this is what your doing and she needs to listen.

You are most certaintly right that pulling on the reins will get you nowhere. However, how can a horse remain collected in his hind end if he's on the forehand? When a horse is on the forehand, his hind end is inactive and lagging. How can a horse that is on his hind end be able produce flat, sloppy gaits? It's just not natural, unless you have a horse that's from, Mars.

If any of this confuses you, don't be afraid to ask. By the way, I love the title, because it really takes a brave soul to describe thoroughly what a half-halt is. Good luck with your problem!

Answer 4

I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT U MEAN!!!

my old horse used to do the same thing...

i might not be any help to you but i found talking to my horse constantly even if it was a simple 'woah there girl, slow it down a little' she sort of knew what i wanted.

Its also got to do with the way that you sit, if you sit deeply in the saddle it slows them a bit, i guess but try while sitting deeply in your saddle sort of fidget with the reins a bit (if you know what i mean) not to annoy your horse but to get its attention. If this dosent work try keeping your legs on the girth area and when you feel your horse pulling/going faster than you wanted bringing your elbows back and slightly pull on the reins.

It might not work but hey, it cant hurt to try it right.

Answer 5

As a fellow dressage rider I know this feeling of needing slow a horse without losing the impulsion forward and not overcollecting them or going at the mouth. The secret is in your seat when you are following the motion of the horse. A lot of people would tell you to half halt, but that collects the horse more and we are not trying to shorten him/her anymore, we want them to slooow. Do you know how to halt your horse without picking up the reins? If so it is the same feeling. When you are riding a horse you adopt an active seat, when you want the horse to slow, you take a passive seat. This does not mean you stop following the horses seat but you allow the muscles of your seat to relax more and your whole body to adopt a feeling of relaxation. To avoid losing impulsion remind him gently with your legs. Its a balancing act just like collection and you practice slowing him a few steps at a time. Ride active, then ride passive for a few steps, then active again. I am sure you have seen the wonderful flowy and relaxed dressage horses that can tighten up like a corkspring and then slow down to next to nothing still ever so active but look loose as jelly. This is one of the ways you do it. Oh and one last thing make sure to loosen your abs for the passive seat!

Answer 6

What gait?? Trot, canter??? at the trot, try posting slower... sit deeper in the saddle... at the canter.. dont pull on the reins, but bump the horse lightly with the reins... and again, sit deep in the saddle...

Answer 7

Half halts are not the only way to slow a horse down.  Seems like that's a pretty popular method...pull on your horse's mouth.  Yikes.

I like Kidding's answers...use your seat.  They always tell you to ride with loose hips and move with the rhythm of your horse.  Just lock you hips a bit, stiffen against the movement of the horse.  It won't be as comfortable for him so he'll slow down.  It acts as resistance just like resistance given by your legs or hands.  Once he reaches a pace you like, loosen back up to give him his "release" and let him know that's what you want him to do.

Good luck!

Answer 8

This is actually a very simple question to answer...lol It doesn't require any bravery? ah well...

You need to use your body and your seat. Slow your body rhythm down and sit deep in the saddle. If you're having problems at the trot slooowww your posting down. If you're at the canter just sit deep and move with your horse. If your quick your horse is going to be quick. Half halts will slow you horse down but your body and seat is really what's important.

EDIT: Haha i didn't see that false advertising thing AmericanMadeMorgans....

Answer 9

Hm, well, I'm a h/j, and whenever I have to ask my horse to slow his gait and make it slower, I was always told to sit deep in the saddle, keep contact with his mouth, pull back a little bit, not so much you are asking him to stop, but so he'll slow down a little bit. But you need to keep constant leg on him and use your seat to keep him moving forward.

Answer 10

Your question has an easy answer:

Half Halts!

Here is additional information you may find helpful:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half-halt

Answer 11

Half halts gently applied will slow your horse down enough to get that smooth even slow gait. Sitting deep in the saddle will calm the horse and have it also understand what you are asking for.

**Edit** haha American too true on the false advertisment, because this was a fairly easy question. because I believe I learned half halts in my first class to get my horse to slow down..some spring chickens.

someone is a little too high on there horse, spring chicken just because you know how to ride a horse doesnt make you a Goddess. So please, being rude in that way wont get nice answers.

Answer 12

Half halts can slow down a horse without losing their impulsion and they can also help a horse regain balance. Personally, when I find that a horse is going faster then I want it to go then I just slow myself down. If I'm posting then I would post slower, if I'm in the sitting then I would sit deep.

Answer 13

Some advice...next time you ask a question don't tell everybody off and try to demean them with all your warnings and then expect anyone to give a hoot about your problems.  Maybe you've noticed, there are plenty of questions available to choose from.

Answer 14

This question has nothing to do with being a brave soul! It has to do with knowing a answer!

***edit***

Well then title it correctly then we won't have that problem. False advertisement kinda of thing!

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T.S. LOL !! Yes!! High  riding, thinking they know all!!!! OHH Mighty One!! LOL