Many equestrians have encountered the “All go and no whoa” horse who gallops for miles, mane flying in the wind, while riders cling desperately to the reins in an attempt to gain control. Often, the very act of pulling on the reins exacerbates the problem. Horses may stretch their necks to escape the discomfort of overly tight reins, which in turn causes riders to pull even harder, leading to a vicious cycle where the horse tries to run away from the discomfort.
There are several tried-and-true methods for slowing down these energetic horses. Some riders lunge their horses in circles for extended periods, mistakenly believing that this will tire them out and make them more manageable. In reality, this practice can build the horse’s strength and stamina, enabling them to run further and faster.
Riders often spend thousands of dollars seeking a miracle bit to regain control. However, this usually results in horses becoming desensitized to their mouths, requiring increasingly severe bits.
Retraining with a professional can be effective, but after an initial improvement, the old tug-of-war often resumes once the horse returns home.
Instead, it’s best to teach your horse verbal commands for each gait, half-halt, and transitions within gaits. For example, use the verbal command “Aa-nd” for the half-halt, which signals the horse to collect and prepare for movement changes. Interject the half-halt before asking the horse to do anything, whether working in hand, mounted, or longeing. Alongside the verbal command, use a squeeze of the lead rope, longe line, or reins, and draw up your sternum, and slow your motion.
Begin by teaching three-stride walk-halt transitions with a half-halt between the walk and the halt. Start these exercises in hand (on the ground while walking beside your horse), matching your feet with his. Encourage relaxation and use positive reinforcement with phrases like “Good” and “Nice,” offering an edible reward when he halts with you.
Progress to using a 30-foot longe line, incorporating verbal commands, half-halts, and variations in energy. While your horse walks a 60-foot circle, you should walk an interior 10-foot circle, matching his pace. Once he can perform three-stride walk/halt transitions on the longe line, add three strides of trot into the sequence. Gradually increase to five strides of trot and eventually five strides of canter. For the canter, perform a unilateral skipping motion around the circle with your leading leg toward the center, but ensure your horse remains relaxed and focused. Reward him generously for his successes!
It’s important for your horse to learn the verbal command for canter and develop the balance and collection needed for smooth transitions before doing these exercises mounted. Expect that it may take several strides for your horse to transition from canter to trot smoothly. Be patient, use half halts, and avoid scaring or rushing him into a trot or canter, as this undermines the lesson.
When he can perform these transitions in hand, you can begin practicing while mounted. Initially, ask an assistant to stay near the center of the circle, matching feet with your horse while holding the longe line. This will help maintain synchronization between the three of you.
To avoid pulling on the reins, keep your upper arms relaxed, bend your elbows, and rest your hands on your thighs as if they were attached. For downward transitions, half-halt by saying “Aa-nd” while lowering your energy and gently squeezing the reins (do not pull). Say “R-e-s-t” while continuing to reduce your energy and slow your body movements into the halt. Reward him enthusiastically when he halts in response to your cues.
Once your horse masters three-stride walk/halt transitions, gradually increase the number of walk strides to five, then ten. If he remains responsive and relaxed, add trot strides and eventually canter strides into the series. If he ignores your “R-e-s-t,” return to three-stride transitions until he refocuses. If your horse gets excited when trotting or cantering, he may need more time learning these transitions in hand.
Achieving this level of training will make your horse lighter in front, showing true collection as he balances and engages his hindquarters. This will open the door to advanced movements, including extended and collected strides and flying lead changes.
Start with short transition sequences and avoid rushing. Balance and collection take time to develop, and rushing only exacerbates the problem. Keep sessions short at first, no more than twenty minutes, with five-minute breaks.
Best wishes,
Chris Forté
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