I am about 60 days in to riding my mustang. He is wonderful and kind, but I can't figure out what is going on in his brain.
When we are walking, he walks SO FAST! Like he is on a mission. Same thing at the trot. FASTFASTFAST! If I let go of the reins and soften my hands when we are trotting, he breaks in to the canter. Not a gallop at all, but he doesn't listen to half halts and won't SLOW DOWN! To get him to slow i have to really pull hard or run him in to a fence. I can't get him to slow down at all in the trot. It is almost just a flat run at the trot. We circle things and turn, but it has seemed to almost make it worse. Fortunately he doesn't bolt to the gate anymore.
I am thinking that maybe it's a balance issue, and so we have been just doing lots of transitions on a circle, not staying in one gait for more that two circles. His whoa is great, btw, just not great in slowing down in the gait he is in!
Any other suggestions or just more of the same? Thoughts?
Thank you in advance!
Jamie and Thor
Hi Jamie. I'm assuming you're new to the Uni - lack of accreditations or you've not completed Monty's Challenges after the lessons. Do you use the Dually? If not, get one - as a matter of urgency, together with 2 thirty feet long lines. Work Thor on the Dually, from the ground. Get him relaxed & use backing up to keep his tempo where you want it. Whenever he starts rushing, stop & take 3 or 4 backing up steps. Stay cool, calm & relaxed. Be generous with your praise & this bright young horse will soon pick up what's wanted. Remember, the Dually is also a bit less bridle so can be used to bridge the gap between ground work & ridden work, saving Thors mouth. Good luck & keep us posted on how things are going. Cheers, Jo.
Hi Jamie; Hmmm..interesting name Thor :-) I wonder if you could share a bit more about him, particularly how old he is, how long you have had him, any training he has had before, and what his background is.
Jo- I am new to the Uni. I have watched many, but only recently realized there were questions at the end! I have gone back and finished about 20.
Vicci- He is a 6 year old bay mustang that I adopted from a prison here in the states. He had 3 or so months of training from an inmate at the prison. He was captured over a year ago in Nevada, and then gelded. We have a facebook page for him if you want to see him! (my non horsie friends were getting tired of seeing my constant posts of him!) www.facebook.com/thorthemustang
I saw Monty here a few months ago, and immediately bought the Dually halter.
Thanks for the suggestions Jo. We are doing better. I bought the driving reins and have been doing that before riding. He is getting better. Lots of transitions and changes of direction.
Hi Jamie. Brilliant. I'm so chuffed you're getting progress. Monty says horses have no problems. Put them in a large enough space with enough food, water & company & they will do fine. The problem is us - the humans. Enjoy the Uni, enjoy your horse but remember the most important thing is to get your horse to have fun! Cheers, Jo.
Sounds like a great step forward Jamie, you're doing great :-) I'm afraid I don't use FB but please don't take it that I'm not interested.
:
My degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice and my love of horses had made me very interested in how horses are used prisons etc. so yours is a particularly interesting story. Can you tell me which prison and who runs the programme. Thanks.
Vicci - It is the Northern Nevada Correctional Center in Carson City, Nevada.
Thanks Jamie :-)
Hi Jamie, have you tried riding on the dually instead of the bit. you mentioned that you've had to pull hard to try and slow him down, he may be anticipating pain. You'll still be able to control his direction so if you needed to use a fence to slow him up. But you might be surprised how well he will respond without the bit pulling too hard.
Mel
x
Hi guys, I've just started having the same problem with woody! ( Jamie I hope you don't mind me stealing your question!)
Been doing bareback work as he is much more relaxed that way and it seemed to be going well. ( even did a couple of little trotting jumps which he loved!) But over the past couple of sessions he's started to tank it in trot, throwing his head up and getting faster and faster. Checked his back and that's ok. I tried holding him, that makes him worse and oppositely, being a sack of potatoes and giving him the rein-just kept doing the same. I can get him back to walk fine and can stop him and back up a couple of steps( we're working on it) Not plucked up the courage to canter as he bucks if we haven't done it for a while, which we haven't, and I don't want to get up any more speed until trot is safe!
I know he can be funny at one end of the school as sometimes he can see the dreaded donkeys, but the past few months he's been fine so I don't know why suddenly he's changed.
Yesterday I did lots of turns and that seemed to help, but as soon as he has a straight bit, he's off again. When I do bring him back to walk he seems relaxed enough.
I feel like I'm missing a point somewhere so please help!
Will just say, ground work fine. Leading, lunging etc.
Cheers jess
And I ride in the Dually. Man my memory is shit!