Do you often find yourself struggling to keep your horse from speeding up without your command? The key to solving this problem lies in engagement. Simply pulling back on the reins won’t fix the root cause of the issue. The real solution is to engage the back end of the horse, balancing their weight and creating a more controlled, harmonious ride.
Understanding the Problem
Picture this scenario: you’re trotting along, and your horse gradually picks up speed, seemingly of its own accord. Or perhaps you’re loping, and with each stride, the horse accelerates a bit more. The common instinct might be to pull back on the reins to slow them down. However, this temporary fix doesn’t address why the horse is speeding up without your cue and will not fix the problem so that you horse stops speeding up in the future.
The underlying structural issue here is the horse’s balance. Just as a horse naturally speeds up when going downhill due to weight distribution, a horse can mimic this sensation on flat ground by becoming unbalanced. When the horse’s back becomes inverted, more weight is placed on the front end, prompting the horse to speed up as if it were heading downhill.
The Solution: Engaging the Back End
To truly address the problem of an accelerating horse, you need to focus on engagement rather than restraint. Here’s how you can achieve that:
Lift, Don’t Pull Back: Instead of pulling back on the reins, lift your hands and the reins gently. This action lifts the horse’s front end and encourages them to engage their back end.
Focus on the Shoulders: The goal is to lift the horse’s shoulders and get them to engage their back end. It’s not about pulling their head back; it’s about creating balance.
Avoid Over-Bending: When lifting, maintain contact with the outside rein to keep the horse straight. Over-bending the neck isn’t necessary to achieve engagement.
Practice and Repetition: Engaging the back end requires muscle development. Just like any exercise, it takes time and repetition for both you and your horse to get the hang of it.
Putting Theory into Action
Let’s break down the process step by step:
1. Trotting:
Lift your hands gently while maintaining contact with the outside rein.
Lift the shoulders and engage the back end.
Squeeze slightly with your legs to encourage the horse to lift its back end.
You should feel a shortening of stride.
2. Loping:
Similar to trotting, lift the hands and reins gently.
Focus on lifting the shoulders and engaging the back end.
Maintain contact with the outside rein to keep the horse straight.
Feel for a change in stride length and a balanced, engaged back end.
Engaging your horse’s back end offers several benefits:
Control: By maintaining balance and engagement, you gain better control over your horse’s speed and movements.
Consistency: Encouraging engagement creates a consistent rhythm and pace, eliminating that gradual speed up.
Harmony: When your horse is balanced and engaged, the two of you work together more harmoniously, leading to a smoother ride.
Long-Term Improvement: Over time, your horse will develop the necessary muscles to naturally maintain engagement, leading to lasting speed control.
Conclusion
Addressing a horse that speeds up without your cue isn’t about simply holding them back. It’s about teaching your horse to engage their back end and find balance. By lifting the shoulders and encouraging proper weight distribution, you can master speed control and create a more enjoyable, controlled riding experience. With practice and patience, you’ll build a partnership that thrives on understanding and communication.
If your horse is doing some of the things I talked about in this blog and you would like to watch a video of me using this technique to slow down a horse that gradually speeds up, you might be interested in watching, This is Why Your Horse Speeds Up. If you are interested in the different ways your hands and legs can be used to move your horse then you would want to read the blog, How Different Rein and Leg Cues Effect Movement.
All of the valuable information I have learned through 25+ years of horse training and showing I share with you to help you to improve your equestrian knowledge. Thank You.