How do I get my horse to slow down his canter in the show arena?

Question

He is a 28 yo retired polo horse and at home or at my instructors when I ask for a canter he is slow and relaxes his head but when I get to a show he goes really fast with his head up in the air and gets faster everytime we go around the arena and leans on the corners. Please HELP I have a show in 2 weeks!

Answer 1

tell him whoa or pull very slightly on the reins just enough to make him slow down. also maybe a half halt may help!!!

Answer 2

Seems like his polo brain is kicking in at the show arena! At twenty eight he is like any man, fixed in his ways. Your instructor should be good enough to teach you how to work around the problem or you need a new instructor!

Try a lightly adjusted martingale to keep his head down and a dropped noseband to keep his nose into his neck but I stress not too tight or he will try to fight these items! Good luck and I hope you win.

Answer 3

Horses will naturally be stronger and more forward at horse shows than they are at home.  My best advice is to make sure you aren't nervous and clenching on your horse.  Next, you may just want to spend time bringing your horse to show grounds (but not actually competing) and just walk him around and help him remember that he isn't a polo horse anymore.  In the ring, don't let him slice and lean on the corners.  Pushing him around your leg and making him balance and focus should also help him to slow down.  You can work the bit and use half halts to help him put his head down.  Martingales generally aren't allowed in flat classes, but some schooling shows will let you use them.  Definitely use one for jumping classes and when you're acclimating him to horse shows.  Good luck.

Answer 4

It sounds like he needs more prep.  What do you do with him in the morning before you show? I would try hacking him in the am.  Nothing fancy, just a short warm-up and then canter for 10-20 mins depending on how up he is.

On the first day of a show my horse always needed to lunge, hack and then lunge again (15 mins on the lunge to get the bucks out, hack for 20 mins mostly cantering, and then another 10-15 on the lunge to make sure he got all the silliness out)

Answer 5

Here is what I do with my OTTB lesson horse:

Sit deep in the saddle

Give Half-Halts

Say easy in a calm voice.

That always keeps her in frame and slower.

Answer 6

Can you arrive early and use the show arena for practice in advance?  My experience is that no matter how impeccable my horse would perform at home, the excitement of being at a show could throw it all out the window.

So, is his canter perfect at home?  If it isn't, then he isn't ready to show.  Do you mimic the length of time he spends cantering at a show when you work him at home?  It doesn't sound like you need help with technique so much as figuring out why he does this at shows?

Answer 7

Work on bringing his hindquarters under him and balancing him. Lots of indirect outside rein and steadying inside leg at the girth with outside leg just behind the girth. Sit deep and push him along. Make sure he's coming into the bridle.

When you get to the corners, picture him as a ball, bending around your inside leg. Keep tension on your inside rein, shifting to more of an indirect rein. This will help keep him from dropping that inside shoulder.

Also, longe him before your classes.

Good luck!

Answer 8

I have a problem similar to yours. I have an 8 year old off the track thoroughbred, who wants to run run run. He's fine at the w/t/c, but when we start jumping he gets excited and races around, sticking his nose out and pulling me. Instead of falling forward and losing my reins, (and confidence), I sit back and deep in the saddle, especially around the turns, and try to collect him first by pulling back but keeping my leg on him so he stays at the gait. If he doesn't respond, I play with the bit, doing small half halts until he relaxes a little more. For the first week of doing this, he stuck his nose up higher, but after awhile he got what  I was saying and slowly lowered his head. When or if he does it at the trot, post slower and take your leg off of him. Just like the canter, relax your body and do small half halts until he finally drops his head and responds. Hope this helped!

Answer 9

Since your horse is fine at home, but different at the show, I'm guessing that the problem is that you are tensing up at the show.  Don't worry - almost everyone has this problem in the beginning.  At home, you are completely relaxed because you are under no pressure.  It's just you and the horse.  At a show, there's no doubt about it you can feel all those eyes on you and you're bound to get nervous.  You can even be nervous without realizing it.  Your heart rate goes up and you clench with your legs subconciously.  Consequently, if you are nervous, your horse will be nervous.

The best thing you can try to do at your next show is relax. Get there early so you don't have to stress about being in the ring on time.  You could even longe your horse before you saddle up to get his attention focused on you.  Before you get on, do a few stretches to relax your muscles. Once you're in the saddle, think about RELAXING at all times.  Loosen your all your muscles and continue to breathe deeply. You should notice a difference in the ring if you are relaxing correctly.  Remember to sit deep in your saddle when you ask him to canter, look where you're going (not down), and keep your hands low.  This will help your horse relax and fall into that nice canter you're used to back at home.  If he speeds up, do not clench with your legs.  Just breathe and sit deeper in the saddle, and give him a few half halts.  

All of these techniques should help, no matter what the exact problem may be.  Just remember to keep your horse's attention and relax the best you can.  And just have fun!

Good luck

Answer 10

try sitting deeper into the saddle and collecting him. i use to have the same proplem with my big tb! this also could be becuse polo horses are trained to go slow and home and fast when ther out try maybe lunging at the comp!!!

:):)gabs

Answer 11

Sit deeper in the saddle(heavier) and grip with your thighs, not your calves.

The other thing you need to think about is if you are nervous. If you're nervous, your horse will be nervous. Take a couple deep breathes and relax. It could be his nerves too, either way, walking around the show arena(if possible) or around the showgrounds at least, will help you calm down. Try not to pull back in the show arena- it makes the judge say icky. Walk around(on your horse) a LOT before the class. Smiling helps to relax too, remember that the calmer you are the calmer your horse will be(which is why my horses always go too slowly... another problem :D)

Answer 12

your horse relaxes when you relax. i have the same problem. at home my horse couldnt be steadier and i have to ask him foward. at shows he is uncontrollable. try to relax and he will respond. what type of riding is it anyway because  in jumpers speed is good. good luck. remember count your rythm.

Answer 13

tell him "whoa canter" I ride saddleseat so that's what I do. Or pull slightly back and say "easy".

Answer 14

When you ride him bring him into a canter and very lightly pull back on the reins, as he slows down, make sure you keep him from slowing into a trot, but his canter should become slower and slower. when he gets to the speed you want release the pressure, if he starts to speed back up, pull back again, but don't pull back to hard or he'll think you wan't him to stop.

We did this with one horse and after about an hour of riding in the round pen each day for a week he had a canter that felt like you were in a rocking chair.

If he starts to speed up in the arena just pull back lightly on the reins and he will go into his slow canter that you have taught him.

He may just get excited in the arena, a bit nervous, or maybe its the polo training. Best of luck in your show.