Strategies for managing new found power

[khall]

I never thought I would be writing this about Gaila but she has found her power button and she’s reveling in it! Often ignoring my seat and rein aids in favor of that power:). My quiet energy efficient mare has turned into a medium trot and huge canter beast! Something I am not used to and need some help with directing that power. We did work on stretching the last Cedar clinic which was very good. The trouble I’m having is when I ask for medium trot she just wants to stay in medium trot when going straight. Lateral work she’s good about staying with me. The canter she just gets strong. Asking for WC gets her stronger as in against the bit and go! Riding Rip as long as I did he never offered anything like the power Gaila is showing. His go to was to be naughty. I love that she has found her mojo but really would like to be able to direct it better. Joplin has that same power but is so very rideable in it.

Help!

[Fzybtfrm]

My first thought is transitions, transitions, transitions. When she gets strong, 10 or 20 meter circle, then straight again, until you fell like the power and momentum is contained. Repeat

[khall]

Fzy excellent advice! Circles so simple I had forgotten about how useful they are! It’s been a long time since I’ve ridden this kind of power and it has taken me by surprise. I’m sure I can circle in trot. Canter may be a bit harder but I’ll give it a shot.

[Moutaineer]

I'd echo lots and lots of transitions both on circles and straight lines. Crisp and insistent transitions both up and down, with no wishy washy riding, odd steps between gaits, etc.

I suspect she's discovered she can use this as an evasion, which isn't uncommon.

So she's going to have to learn 2 things, first of all who is in charge in this partnership, and second, how to use that power for good!

[heddylamar]

Oy. Maia does that getting strong thing too. Three things I've found that work in my favor: 2-3 strides of spiral in/out are often enough to break the cycle, and get back to work. If that's not working, tiny 8-15 meter circles make her reach under and relax, and I can apply half halts/transitions without being thoroughly ignored. And the emergency tactic is shoulder in (or haunches in). Clarity doesn't matter for me with that last one, I just use that when I need to break the forward momentum asap.

Mountaineer is correct — do not let Gaila believe for a moment she's in charge. Some days our rides become me changing direction — figuratively or literally — every step. Eventually Maia gets frustrated and gives in.

[Tanga]

I have this issue with Quinn. She likes to get her head down and go. I do the circles and have been working on picking her head up in it so she is working harder and correctly, not pulling.

I actually do fewer transitions when she's like this because she's always ready to go. Instead I go opposite and work on a steady, up more collected trot, passage, or piaffe and work within that so she doesn't think energy is all about barreling forward. In canter it's a great way to work on canter on the spot and really getting them balanced and under, working on getting stronger, even doing some steps of pirouette.

[khall]

Tanga I wished we were working piaffe and passage! I do think circles will help. At least at the trot. At the canter she still gets strong on big circles but now reflecting back on Cedar lessons asking canter from SI helped keep her more contained. I admit when she first started the powering up this year I was allowing it because of her history of energy conservation now I think I’ve created a bit of a monster with her power and have to go back and be able to direct and manage it better.

I have to say though it’s fun to be able to turn on that medium trot and not worry about her being naughty like Rip and that she actually puts effort and power into it. Rip while perfectly capable of that medium trot never really bought into making the effort and if pushed too hard got naughty behavior.

[Tanga]

But khall, when you have that much energy, anyone can work on a version of piaffe/passage! You don't have to do it "right" or know how to do it, just think of asking for it and using all of that energy for something useful. Any horse can piaffe/passage, and the one thing I tell everyone to do is start it as early as they can. There is nothing but good in the idea.

I don't remember if I told you about my issues with Quinn bolting, in a very scary way that got me hurt, about 3/4 years ago. She would spook and put her head up and run. I channeled that energy when she started to spin and spook in doing canter pirouettes, before I taught her them. She was doing 20/30 pirouettes when she spooked. Instead of fighting the energy, I try to use it for something useful.

And I do a lot of SI on circles, too. Or wherever. That's a good way to take energy and put them in a situation to use all of that impulsion to get stronger and build up those muscles.

The idea is, whatever you do, don't try to stop the power, just divert it and make them do something to put it to good use.

[khall]

Thanks Tanga! Excellent advice! I have started diagnolizing the walk with Gaila and I know medium trot to passage is a good way to get passage ( Joplin actually will give a few steps because of her power and energy) definitely need to channel that power for good rather than taking over. No I don’t remember you getting hurt on Quinn. Thankfully Gaila does not spook and run off she just leans on me and powers on and I’m not used to it:). I had no idea it was in there! Joplin I’ve always known but she is so rideable it’s not an issue at least not yet!

It is a nice problem to have now for me to rework my riding skills to keep up with her

[Flight]

I do 'emergency' 10m circles with Norsey when he gets too wild. Quarters in either straight or on a circle is my go to when his trot gets too big.

[Chisamba]

sometimes I let Kimba do a stretchy trot and just power around with a few changes of direction and big loops until she tells me she is ready, usually about ten minutes of aerobic workout for me, and then I take up the reins and bring her into an uphill balance and we start to work. I do like to try lateral work in medium trot too, I just cannot deal with too much weight in my arthritic hands.

[Ponichiwa]

I do 'emergency' 10m circles with Norsey when he gets too wild. Quarters in either straight or on a circle is my go to when his trot gets too big.

Was going to suggest exactly this. So instead I'll tag on to the good advice above-- if you've got too much ground-cover and classic half-halts aren't working to convert it to carrying power, use figures to your advantage. Haunches-in or renvers or shoulder in-- anything that shortens the wheelbase between front and hind legs and encourages sit will help redirect that energy up instead of blasting through you.

You can also re-install half-halts in the walk to take the impulsion out of the equation. Walk/halt/walk, walk/almost halt/walk, TOH or TOF in the walk, etc., until she's back on the aids and waiting for your input.

[blob]

when horses get very strong in the canter, i actually find canter-halt-canter to do better than c-w-c. It really gets them sitting and often makes them very collected and lighter in the hand.

[khall]

Ponichiwa lateral work definitely keeps Gaila better on my aids. I need to try medium trot to SI see if that will or SI medium SI. I’ll also try SF in the canter see if that keeps her more under control. She has a big powerful canter that I am just not used to riding! My OTTB g I had was a powerhouse but he never got strong in the bridle. Same with Joplin she has a big canter as well but does not push into the bridle and try to take over. In fact in medium trot and canter on Joplin I can put a loop in the reins to check for self carriage. Gaila I’m going to have to reestablish her listening to my seat better.

Blob right now I’m not sure canter halt is in the cards! Is was not that long ago though to get canter walk with Gaila all you had to do was quit riding the canter and she would come right down to the walk. Can’t say that now! She’s found a level of power I’m very surprised about. Now to teach her to stay with me better.

Her canter feels great when she does stay back with you. The power is quite remarkable and her back feels great just taking me aback coming from her former MO

[Ryeissa]

My first thought is transitions, transitions, transitions. When she gets strong, 10 or 20 meter circle, then straight again, until you fell like the power and momentum is contained. Repeat

^^^ yes this ^^^^

[mari]

Like Charlotte says, at least a 100 transitions a ride. Odin is a thug, and our first few years together he just powered around with me as a passenger. He used to "run away" with me at a big trot, I'd be in tears from frustration, arms being pulled off. Transitions everywhere and all the time. If you're doing more than a quarter circle of one thing, it's too long without a transition

And mix it up. Start with canter and transitions into/out of it. And finish with your trot and walk work.
The other thing I do with him is to canter off on a loose rein (as loose as is safe for you). Then think Western and sit back and halt on that loose rein. Make it a game of GO and WHOA. It helps him to think of it in those black and white terms when he gets really strong and onward bound.

[mari]

Oh, and another of my favourites: Go large in trot, and at each letter (or every second one) do a 10m circle. But kick forward on the little circle quite a bit, it has to be super hard work for the horse. As soon as you hit the wall, collect as much as you can. It was a real game-changer for us, because I had also up to then tried to use the circles as my calm-down moment. But all that did was calm him down for the circle. As soon as his body was straightened he would power off again. So play with his mind and his perceptions of what is normal and the normal/usual places to do things.

We do other things too, like going across the diagonal with loads of transitions. Get to the end, and don't follow the curve on the short side, just do a sharp turn and head the opposite way on the long side.

[piedmontfields]

How fun that you are having a great time with Gaila! Tons of great suggestions on this thread.

I do the 8-10-15 m circles (depending on horse) down the long side exercise. It looks like overlapping circles, like an elongated slinky shape. Some horses take a while to "graduate" to going down the long side more than a stride or two!

I think one of few consistent skills I have as a rider is recognizing running/rushing in the first stride or two. I use shapes (exercises) to help me shape the horse.

[khall]

A bit of an update on Gaila and her new power. All of the suggestions help with riding Gaila and her power. In particular small circles and riding that outside rein. I’ve also embraced riding the dragon a bit and allowing some power as we both learn to navigate this new way of going. I was very surprised at how easy she found the smaller canter circles with that power. I’m excited to continue our development especially because even in that power she is a safe ride. Rip on the other hand would mix exploding with asking for power. Not fun!

[Lipsmackerpony88]

Khall, sounds great and like you are harnessing this new found power well!

[piedmontfields]

That's a great update, khall!

You can do canter slinky shapes down the long side too---only going straight/shoulder-fore when you feel her on your seat. Whenever she skips ahead, it's circle time. I also love mixing in circles with shoulder-fore/towards shoulder in to half pass to 10 m circle. All using ring geometry to shape the horse. It's a very friendly and effective way to manage power.