Transitions. Put the horse in a mild bit that fits him, and work him mostly at a gait in which you have control. Do a billion transitions in and out of the gait, and within the gait. You need to find the gas and break. Walk walk walk, then trot just a few steps. Break to a walk, and keep walking. Walk faster, walk more slowly. Halt. Walk - trot - walk - halt - walk - trot - extend the trot slightly - collect again - walk. Every time he gives you the response you want, praise him.
I have not worked with OTTBs myself but I have ridden a lot of young WBs whose impression of the world is that it's a place in which one must throw oneself forward as fast as possible. Transitions within and between gaits is in my opinion always a good place to start. Good luck!
Yes, I've been mostly walking, because that's about all he can do without flying off the face of the earth. I've been doing constant walk/halt/trot/walk transitions but it really seems to stress him out more and he dances around...... ugh.
If the halt is mentally too hard for him, change it to a half-halt. Every time he reacts positively to what you're asking him to do, give him a pat and an encouraging word. If the halt is entirely too much to ask for at the moment, focus on transitions within the walk until you have speed control, and then add a few steps of controlled trot. As soon as he runs away, bring him back to a walk. These things take time and your best colleague in this endeavor is your patience.
As spazzy444 pointed out, try to do most of this from your seat. A horse can run through essentially any kind of bit and any kind of head position, but you obviously don't want to encourage that kind of behavior. Depending upon what his mouth looks like, pick the mildest bit you can find. If you're truly afraid of him running away with you, you could always put on drawreins without using them (don't let them drag to the ground but don't tug on them either - I've seen people loop them through a strap at the front of the saddle). Is your arena indoors or outdoors? Whatever
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Sorry - I should have said he is not 100% running away with me. I CAN stop him, but it is ugly and I feel like an ass being carried around the ring pretty fast. And yes, seat seat seat!! I ride with longer stirrups on him, too.
I want to push him out from behind the bit, but I think he would just end up galloping away.
We have an outdoor with a gate which stays closed :)
I agree with transitions, but would like to throw in the caveat that you should take a lot of breaks, and not drill, drill, drill. Many TBs I've known will pretty much have their brains explode with too many transistions. Sometimes the best thing you can do (maybe once he brakes a little better) is climb into two-point, get on a big circle, and canter for a bit until his brain clicks back into gear. And yes, get out of the leverage bit
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Yeah, it doesn't do a thing for my dog either. Trainer still swears it works on the horses. Mine was a Very Chestnut Mare, so if she decided she was going to be Very Chestnut Mareish, I doubt even sedating her would have produced a noticable effect...
Some friends of mine use mare magic (mostly just raspberry leaves) to take the crankiness out of their mares, but I know a few people who use it on geldings too to mellow them out a bit. Might be worth a shot with this boy?
this + 10million half halts. even if you are using them every 2 strides. if there is no physical problem with him, then use your transitions and half halts frequently, use them WELL and be very quick to reward the slightest of improvement.
I disagree with using a half halt every two strides. That is not using them "well", it just means the half halts never arrive. Horse keeps blowing out the front door la di da, half halt half halt lalala whatever half halt, and never carries himself around.
Similarly, you don't want to carry the horse around the ring with your leg every time you sit. Horse should go forward and carry itself around.
If you cannot routinely leave the horse alone for half a long side at least and your whole ride goes to shit when you try, there is a hole in it somewhere.
I think you missed the point. it's just about using them as frequently as they are appropriate. especially for a horse that cannot be left alone for a long side, and does have a hole in his training somewhere.
This horses current 'problem in focus' is his running through the bit, not his inability to go forwards. A half halt, executed correctly, is 100% not a nag (excuse the horse related pun). They're absolutely invaluable and if you know how to use them and have mastered the reward element of them, you can use them as much as you like to rebalance and bring back to the aids. Carrie also sums them up very well in another post, I'll ask if i can copy paste.
You really do not need to educate me on how a half halt works. I appreciate the offer, but I am not the one who posted asking for advice and I have no problems with speed control with my horses.
I simply mentioned, to the OP who asked for advice, that I personally disagree with the advice you gave her.
So OP has seen your suggestion and seen my alternative suggestion and is free to consider them and ride however she pleases.
You should probably direct any further copy and pasting to the OP, since it is her thread and she is the one who asked for advice, although I suspect she can probably read whatever was already posted on her own.
I have not worked with OTTBs myself but I have ridden a lot of young WBs whose impression of the world is that it's a place in which one must throw oneself forward as fast as possible. Transitions within and between gaits is in my opinion always a good place to start. Good luck!
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Yes, I've been mostly walking, because that's about all he can do without flying off the face of the earth. I've been doing constant walk/halt/trot/walk transitions but it really seems to stress him out more and he dances around...... ugh.
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As spazzy444 pointed out, try to do most of this from your seat. A horse can run through essentially any kind of bit and any kind of head position, but you obviously don't want to encourage that kind of behavior. Depending upon what his mouth looks like, pick the mildest bit you can find. If you're truly afraid of him running away with you, you could always put on drawreins without using them (don't let them drag to the ground but don't tug on them either - I've seen people loop them through a strap at the front of the saddle). Is your arena indoors or outdoors? Whatever ( ... )
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I want to push him out from behind the bit, but I think he would just end up galloping away.
We have an outdoor with a gate which stays closed :)
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And ITA on the groundwork front!
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Similarly, you don't want to carry the horse around the ring with your leg every time you sit.
Horse should go forward and carry itself around.
If you cannot routinely leave the horse alone for half a long side at least and your whole ride goes to shit when you try, there is a hole in it somewhere.
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In my experience, constant nagging teaches the horse to ignore the aids, not pay attention to them. But ymmv.
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I appreciate the offer, but I am not the one who posted asking for advice and I have no problems with speed control with my horses.
I simply mentioned, to the OP who asked for advice, that I personally disagree with the advice you gave her.
So OP has seen your suggestion and seen my alternative suggestion and is free to consider them and ride however she pleases.
You should probably direct any further copy and pasting to the OP, since it is her thread and she is the one who asked for advice, although I suspect she can probably read whatever was already posted on her own.
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*shrug* you asked :)
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