I always have to hold my reins tight, or else my horse starts going faster and faster, epecially when jumping?

Question

When i do jumping my horse at home (and only when at home) i have to hold him back all the time otherwise he will start going really fast, and when i do pull him back he sticks his head out to the side and keeps champing on the bit.
How can i get to him accept the bit and stop resisting? (we have lost points for it in dressage)
Also when i go jumping he seems to get excited and i can't have a nice even trot without having to pull him back, but then when i pull him back he goes so slow! I am sick of having to pull him up all the time.
I have had his teeth done this year and will get the vet to do his teeth (our vet can do dentistry too).
his saddle is fitted to him by a qualified saddle fitter.
Plz help!

Answer 1

Daisy & Bacc both have excellent answers IMO.



When you cue your horse with the reins/bit, remember to release as soon as you get the desired result!! And not just your rein aids to ask your horse to slow- remember to also use your seat & weight to cue him.



Once he has slowed his gait in the slightest, immediately release and praise! Even if he's not going as slow as you'd like, the fact that he listened and responded is enough!! If he's still going to fast, ask him to slow and release that pressure as soon as he does.



Think about it: if you're pulling on his mouth all the time, what are you teaching him??



Do allot of downward transitions to help the situation. Canter 4 strides, trot 4, canter 5, trot 5, canter 3, trot 5, etc. That should help the communication between the two of you. Good luck!

Answer 2

As a self-taught drummer myself, i can tell you that there really is no 'fast" way to learn an instrument. It takes a lot of patience, practice, discipline, and hard work. Now that being said, some people do learn quicker than others so it all depends on the person. I have two cousins that both play guitar and both are self-taught. My one cousin Terry practiced just about every day and picked it up quicker than my cousin Dave, who didn't practice nearly as much. Terry became pretty darn good in about 8 months. It all boils down to how determined you are, how much you practice, and how quickly you pick things up. My advice would be to get an instructional book or DVD and learn a few chords. If you do it on your own you will save a lot of money and you can go at your own pace. Guitar lessons are not cheap these days, unless you know someone. Just give it a shot on your own for a month or 2 and see how you progress. Then if you feel you need lessons to get better, then find a good teacher that won't be too expensive. But the key is to practice....practice.....practice! Good Luck!

Answer 3

Don't just brace on the reins. Pull, release, pull, release, pull, release. When you just pull and hold the horse has the chance to brace against the bit. If you pull, release, repeat the position and pressure of the bit is changing so it's not very easy for the horse to brace.



Also try adjusting your position. Some horses like you to sit differently than others do. Even if it's not perfectly correct. Mine likes me to wrap my legs around him so all of my leg is laying against him. Not squeezing, touching hard I guess would be the best way to describe it. If I sit like I would on any other horse, he speeds up. I like to think it makes him feel safe or something :) He likes that little bit of extra pressure for some reason and it works. He really likes me to sit deep too.



It's a shot in the dark but was he a racer? In which case pulling on him WILL make him go faster. It might me scary but try flatting over polls with nice soft hands, and a very deep seat. Sit your trot. Think about every stride your bum is sinking deeper into the saddle. I would get some expert advice from someone you really trust though...

Answer 4

When he starts running too fast, take one rein, and pull him around into a "one rein stop"

Pulling all the time in his mouth is only going to make your problem worse, cause he's getting used to it.



Also pay attention to how your riding, you're probably getting nervous & hanging on with your legs, asking him to stop and go at the same time. He would be confused, and more than likely irradiated.



If he starts going too fast, one rein stop him. Then go again. Until he trots at the pace you want, keep making him stop. So he understands that's not what you want.



My young pony used to run around crazy at the trot, no stopping her, and that's what I did.

You can always bump in his mouth, by pulling one rein, release, then other rein, release.



If that doesn't help, you may what to have his back checked by the vet, or use a stronger bit.

Answer 5

I used to have the same problem. I have a young TB and she used to get really quick after every jump and then when I pulled back she would just stick her head up and keep running. My trainer made me do an exercise that helped a lot. Just work with one jump to start. Pick a point in your mind that is about 6-7 strides after the jump. After you land the jump, if your horse gets quick, stop him immediately. Sit back and keep your hands down (very important) it doesn't matter how high or sideways he puts his head, yank his mouth off if you have to (it sounds mean, but if it really hurt him, he would stop). Try to stop before your imaginary point. Then once he is stopped, rein back 3 or four steps, and then do it again and again until you feel him get slower. If it is hard to stop him, try jumping the fence in a trot so he doesn't have as much momentum to speed off. I did this exercise with my horse and noticed a huge change after 10 minutes. Hope this helps! Good luck!

Answer 6

It takes two to fight........you use the word 'pull' a lot.



Learn to ride off your leg rather than your hand: the reins are really for 'direction' not speed, while your pelvis, back and legs dictate the speed of the gait.



Do less jumping at home and concentrate on flatwork.

Answer 7

ohh yeah i had this exact problem.

say your in an arena you want to trot and your doing fine, but for like two seconds and he starts picking up pace, as soon as this happens, pull your insided rein and i wouldn't say pull in a tight circle but pull in a smaller circle until he comes to the pace you desire and as soon as he does, release. I'm sorry if you don't really get it, i wish i had a video, but if you do, it really shows result. but like everything else, it takes lots of time and patience

Answer 8

i would look at your riding and your position.

locking your arms and pulling is not going to slow him. he is just going to fight.

if someone had a bit in your mouth and they pulled it hard you would try to avoid the pressure.



i would get a instructor to come and have a look at what is happening and they will advise you how to correct it.