From: Marie-Claire
I just purchased a new horse, 15 years old, ex-race horse in his younger days, underweight, out of shape, past unknown. (sales barns told me they had him a while, he was purchased prior and returned as he didn't work out as a lesson horse (which is a good thing in my book) (some trace of jumping), now manageable in the arena, gaining weight and muscles, making progress everytime I ride. Very nervous at first, lots of teeth grinding. Now all fine in the arena after 1 month. But we started the trails (mini trails around the barn) and I'm not sure he has done that before. he tends to want to just run... or go sideways which can be dangerous at time since the trail is carved in the hills and his footing is not at its best yet. He gets hot headed if I ask him to slow down, shakes his head and start dancing. Not sure if letting him go forward at fast speed and controlling the directions only is the best solution to "get it out" of his system for now. (when we first started in the arena, he wanted to go go and I let him at the beginning, think he was confine in a small area for a long time and didn't get to strech - he has long spider legs.) I like speed but under my control and I do like to also sometime go slow poke to just relax and enjoy the day. Just not sure what to do to make him feel good about/on the trails and just relax. Going with other horses doesn't seem to help either. A bit better alone.
Since your horse's past is largely unknown, treat him as though he were absolutely new to trails and everything to do with trails. It's certainly a safe working assumption.
If you want him to learn to relax about the trails, keep your rides brief and close to home until he becomes more comfortable with the whole idea. Also, keep the trail rides slow. "Going slow poke" is ideal. Horses can't run and relax at the same time, and the faster they go, the more nervous they're likely to become.
Your horse's apparent wish to speed up on the trails may be a reflection of his wish to get the process over with (assuming that he finds it unpleasant), or it may be something much simpler. If he's had little or no experience with trails, he's undoubtedly having a hard time dealing with the terrain and the footing. Horses that are having difficulty maintaining their balance tend to want to speed up to retrieve it, and that may be the reason your horse seems to want to go faster. This, by the way, is something that also affects young horses learning to carry themselves and a rider! They will typically offer a trot at some point, when they begin to lose their balance and feel insecure at a walk. If their riders are sensible and allow them to trot a little, then push them calmly into an energetic, balanced walk, there's no harm done. If their riders panic and think the horses are running away, and begin to fight with the horses and insist that they WALK RIGHT NOW, there's a good deal of harm done. The horses learn that they are in trouble no matter what they do, since being unbalanced is very frightening for horses, but their only alternative is trotting... and fighting with the nervous, angry riders.
If you want your horse to learn to enjoy the trails, you'll need to find ways to show him that trails can be enjoyable. He may have no idea that trail-riding is SUPPOSED to be enjoyable, but you can teach him this, and you'll both have fun whilst he learns.
Try taking him out for brief trail rides AFTER you've worked him in the arena, so that the trail ride on a long (not loose, don't abandon him, just let him make his neck as long as he wants to make it) rein will be a pleasant way to relax after work. When he's already been worked, he will be thoroughly warmed up, and he should be ready to wander peacefully along the trail for a short time, being talked to and praised and petted by his relaxed, calm rider. Carry treats with you, and hand them out at suitable intervals.
It shouldn't take long before he begins to look forward to your time on the trails. When he does, you can begin to make the trail rides a little longer, but you should always try to bring him home while he would still like to continue and see what's around the next turn.
Jessica
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