How do I get her to slow down?

Question

I'm a fairly advanced rider and I'm in the top group at my riding school for my age group. The horse I rode last week put me off slightly; I've ridden her before and she was fine, but recently she hasn't been worked much & therefore has lots of energy. When we were trotting, she would continuously pull forward and no matter what I did she wouldn't slow down. I sat back and squeezed slightly on the reins, circled her & did everything else that my instructor told me to do (as far as I know) but she just wouldn't slow down. Luckily, that lesson we didn't canter as we were working on our positions, transitions & trotting poles that time - but I've seen her "canter" with other girls and she just flies around the school at a gallop until she reaches the back of the ride and finally slides to a halt 2 inches away from the horse in front. Please help! I just want to be certain that if I get her tommorow (my next lesson) I can slow her down. Thanks.

Answer 1

I tell you what you should do. You can slow her down by every few steps at a walk you pull her to a halt, repeat this until she has settled down and she knows you're in control. Try this exercise at a trot next and do the same thing. Once you are really sure and confident that she knows who's in charge, try it at a canter.

Good luck

Answer 2

Have you tried half-halts? (pulling and releasing to slow down the gait). Also how do you say whoa? It should be short and deep like you mean it. The other thing to do if she won't stop for anything isn't to turn her in cirlces but to bring her nose to your knee so that she has to stop. Eventually she will learn that it isn't acceptable.

Answer 3

Anytime a horse starts to canter, or gallop, and you don't want them to, you have to take control! If a horse takes control over you, it will do horrible things, and you gotta stop it.

If she starts to do a gait (such as cantering or galloping) that you don't want her to do, sit DEEP into the saddle, push your stirrups foreward, choke up on your reins, pull back as hard as you can, and say woah, as LOUD as you can. You also have to stay calm, keep your hands still, and DONT give him head!!!

Also, keep your heels down, and toes up, incase you do fall.

Good Luck!!!

Answer 4

I have had many horses that do this with me at first. I have had the most success by turning them around and asking them to back up. Obviously if she's not slowing down, its hard to get her to turn around stop and back up. If you can't get her to do this, I would suggest letting her go her own pace into a fence... preferably a corner if you have one in the arena you're using. Keep her between your legs but let her have her head and give her the choice of either running into the fence or slowing down. When she stops at the fence, then ask her to sidepass along the rail. Then ask for the gait you wanted and try again. If she goes too fast, ask her to slow down, and if she doesn't, then take her to the fence again. She will realize that she can either slow down (not so much work) or sidepass (lots of work) and will chose the easier of the two. I don't know what kind of aids your trainer will let you use, but if you lunge her with draw reins before your lesson, this will help too, as she will understand she needs to carry herself and take the bit, which forces her to slow down.

Answer 5

ok the thing you want to do is before you ride her. lead her around and out of now wear say HO!  or what ever her stoping command is if she dont stop then give her a good jerk do this untill she listens good and all u have to do is say ho! and not jerk her than try riding her a little ways like 10 ft or somthing and in a stern voice say her stoping command i think you get the idea good luck dont get injured

Answer 6

Relax!

Half halts are fantastic.

also

try collecting her, shorten the reins and push her in to the bridle (restriction and lots and lots of leg). Hopefully she will round and cause the energy to go upward instead of forward, which is perfect especially in Dressage and Jumping.

But only do that if you have an independent hand and seat (i.e. you don't need to hold on ever or very much), other wise you will only be punishing her.

the horse I ride is the same, fast and unbalanced, but after a lot of collection work he is so responsive. He seems slow, but he just has just transitioned his energy from fast, short strides to long, slow strides.

Do not change bits! Harsh bits are not the answer unless she is dead mouthed, and nothing else works.

Answer 7

sit really deep into the saddle and keep your hands quiet. make sure your not hitting her with your legs. or giving her any secret cues.  hope i've helped.

Answer 8

Find some time to work this horse alone or with a couple other people.  Work on your breathing.  When you breathe in ask her to walk forward.  When you exhale ask her to stop.  When you exhale you should be completely relaxed.

Start doing figure eights.  Run her through the figure eights.  Everytime you come back into the middle ask her to stop.  Do not pull on the reins.  All you need is a little tug and a confident 'whoa'.  If she doesn't stop keep running the figure eight.

Everytime you come to the center ASK her to stop.  Keep doing this and keep working on being relaxed when you ask her to stop.  Eventually she will become tired and start looking for some sort of que from you.  When she realizes what you want she'll stop.

Answer 9

Ground work is a really good place to start if you are allowed to do this.  Saddle her up and then using draw reins,  lounge her in both directions.  I like to use something flexible for the draw reins.