Hey everyone.
My horse Laredo tends to "dance" and really get anxious when I shorten my reins at a walk %26 trot. He thinks I'm going ask him to canter because when I was teaching him to canter from a halt and walk I was told to shorten my reins. But now he's anticipating me. In the show arena in flat classes [equatation] my trainer wants me to shorten my reins and have steady contact but he gets anxious and goes fast, then he halts and when I ask him to move forward again he almost goes into a canter.
Any ideas on how to make him just chill out?
Oh and please be mature, thanks.
--Taylor
Answers:
This sort of problem is a horse personality problem more than a training problem. Some horses that are a bit more reactive, lively or forward tend to start anticipating their forward transitions. They aren't trying to be bad, but they are guessing and fretting. Other more laid back and lazy type horses have the opposite problem at times, they are waiting and anticipating the down transitions "Please let me stop, oh I think you're going to let me stop, hurrah!"
With a horse such as yours its important that you don't avoid shortening the reins. Instead, spend alot of time shortening your reins as part of your daily training, and vary the things you are going to ask from him when you've shortened reins. Basically it's okay for him to realize that a shortened rein means to pay attention and that he's going to be asked to do something. But he needs to wait to see what you ask! I would really spend ten, twenty or more times each riding lesson shortening your reins briefly, giving him a cue, doing the job and then going back to riding with your normal length reins. Examples of cues could be pivot on the hindquarters, pivot on the forequarters, half halts, haunchs in, up and down transitions, work on the diagnial, backing, etc. Don't be in a rush to execute each job, just go about things slowly and steadily. If you're riding on the rail, gather your reins, don't worry if your horse starts rushing, just pull him back and ask for the next cue (say it's a pivot on the forehand) When he's done it, praise him and carry on. Five minutes later, gather the reins and ask for something new.
If this hasn't become a really deeply engrained habit you should be able to teach him fairly soon to listen instead of getting in a flap! And it will also make your horse more responsive and talented as he works on all these other excercises!
Lastly, with this type of horse it's really important that you don't loose your patience with them and get too heavy handed or heavy legged. Rough contact out of frustration or impatience often really frazzles this sort of horse, and makes the problem worse. Instead try to remain slow and patient in your cues.
Good luck.
Western pleasure horses do the same thing. What works best for me is asking a horse to walk (or jog) a few strides, then stop and back. Vary the number of strides so thathe cannot anticipate you.This will help him relax and focus on your cues. He sounds like he is just trying to please you, since he has learned that this is what you want when you shorten your reins. And then gets frustrated when it is not what you are after. Make sure you are just shortening your reins and not putting your leg on him like you would when asking for a canter. You may not even relaize that you are doing this. Good Luck
Try to get him used to the contact on his mouth. While lunging, attach a pair of side reins. This should help him get used to the contact. The side reins can also help if he seems unbalanced on one side and lunging helps create trust between horse and rider.
You can also use elastics. I'm not sure if they're called something else in the US, because I live in Portugal, but they slip underneath the headstall, at the poll, and and go through the outside of the bit, and then attach around the girth. These also act like side reins, but you can use them while riding. They create heavier contact on the bit and lower the horse's head, making it a lot easier for the rider.
Hope it helps!
Would a softer bit help? Maybe rubber or plastic? Some horses have sensitive mouths and don't like leaning into a metal bit. Or you could check his teeth as they can get sharp at the back and this might cause a horse to hold his head up or appear a bit jerky and confused about whether he's supposed to be going forward or not ie discomfort in mouth but pressure on sides. Sorry if this is not appropriate, I don't know much about dressage but thats what I thought of when you described what happens when you shorten your reins.
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