Going Around The Bend! Riding the Anxious, Strong or Excitable Horse in Open Countryside
Hello Horse Lovers! 🐴
We all know how invigorating it can be to take our horses out into the open countryside. However, if your horse tends to be anxious or strong and excitable, this can sometimes turn into a challenging experience.
I get asked quite frequently about what bits I reccomend for hacking / fast work for strong horses.
As a bit and bridle fitter, my goal is to help you and your horse have a better connection with comfortably fitting equipment that's simple yet effective. But beyond just the right tack, good training is paramount.
When dealing with an anxious horse, creating relaxation through specific exercises can make a world of difference. Instead of hanging onto the horse's mouth or switching to a stronger bit, consider the following techniques:
𝗖𝗶𝗿𝗰𝗹𝗲𝘀: Gradual, controlled circles help your horse focus and stay balanced. The consistent motion, asking for a bend, and then changing bend when you change the rein can help calm them through repetative movement on a bend.
In the pictures attached of my ride the other day I travelled through a large cattle field using circles, to the left and then to the right to keep my anxious / sharp and excitable boy thinking and moving.
𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀: These gentle, winding patterns, which you can do along a wall or fence line, encourage your horse to bend and change direction smoothly, helping to release tension, again through repetative almost medative movements.
𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗱: Regularly asking your horse to change direction and bend helps in keeping their mind engaged and prevents them from winding themselves up because you are preventing them from going faster than a walk or trot, or looking for something that they may spook at.
I use circles and sperpentines on long open flat spaces where my "Speedy Gonzales" PRE thinks he can break the wind speed to get home faster!
And with consistency it works, we are more and more able to walk or trot calmly, with a relaxed long neck, and in balance without the constant need to break into a jog or canter.
Control your own energy: It is all too easy to get frustrated with a horse that doesn't want to listen to you, is constantly jogging or trying to shoot off, when all we want is a calm ride. So take a deep breath and circle.
𝗔𝗶𝗱𝘀 𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝘅𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 / 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗽 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲:
To ensure your communicating effectively with my horse, I do not pull on his mouth (though psycologically this is hard to do at first), as this will only create resististance from him as a response either through headshaking, mouthing, snatching or bracing against your hand by setting his mouth, neck and shoulder and then bulldozing on. If he feels strong or starts rushing again we circle.
Make sure that your shoulders and hands are parallel to each other, and aligned onto the bend that you want from your horse, and that your looking the way you want to turn. That way the horse gets the signal through your body language not just your hands, which is more effective. This way your outside rein will come onto his neck, supporting the bend, acting as a neck rein (but not crossing over the neck), and helps to control the outside shoulder.
If your horse is likley to fall out, maybe in resisting the turn, then your outside leg can go on, not in a go faster way, but to act as a barrier, keeping your horse on the circle and to help his hind quarters from swinging out.
The only "gadget" I use is a neck strap. Yes for those OMG he's sharp, fresh and spooky moments AND because after frequent use, combined with your voice I can now steady him up using the neckstrap and not his mouth or head if using a bit-less bridle.
So keep it simple be patient, increase your training and resist adding any gadgets, tighting nosebands, or useing a stronger bit, which may make your horse's resistance worse. The picture below is of my anxious, need to get everywhere quickly and spooky boy Novio, and we ride in a cavesson and a mullen mouth snaffle.
Enjoy your riding x
