Anxious Gaited Horse
By Gaye DeRusso
So, your horse gaits well when alone on trail, or in the arena, but as soon as you get in groups on the trail, he gets anxious and pacey or trotty. What should you do?
Well, if you're riding in the group when you find this out, then you either have to just ride it out and pace or trot the whole ride or try to do some lateral work to get his mind focused on you and not the other horses.
The lateral work must be taught in the arena first before you can do it well on the trail. If you do not know any lateral work, then another option is to break away from the larger group and try to go off with just 1-2 other calm horses. But the only way to fix it is to figure out what is causing him to be anxious.
This is not a gaiting issue, you just said he gaits well when alone or in the arena. The way to fix his gait is to get rid of his anxiety.
Why is he anxious? Do you not ride in groups much? Is this more horses than he is use to? When you are in groups, are the horses going the same speed or too fast or too slow? Are you riding in the back, front, or middle? Is he not use to riding in that position? Are there other horses acting up? They just love to feed off of each other, and if one is anxious, many can start being anxious.
Sometimes you have to be a detective to figure out why your horse is becoming anxious and then to figure out how to fix the issue. So really analyze what happen at that ride.
If you do not ride in groups much, then this is the cause, and you need to start riding with one person to start. Make sure you always work his excess energy off in the round pen, lunge line or run him in the arena before your rides. This will help to focus him on the job and not be so reactive.
Once he can gait well with just another rider and he is relaxed, and you can ride in front, and back and next to this rider, then add another rider. It can take a while before he becomes accustomed riding with 2 other horses. So do not rush the process or you will still have the same issue.
Use your lateral work, remember this must be taught in the arena first and your horse must do it well there, before you can expect him to do it on the trail. Lateral work such as serpentine, leg yield, shoulder, or haunches in, to occupy his mind and give him something to focus on if he becomes anxious. It will also disperse some of his extra energy. But just sitting there, hanging onto his mouth will just make him more anxious. Also, tensing up will just make him sure he needs to be anxious, so try to keep your body relaxed and don't forget to breathe.
Over time once you ride enough with those other riders, he will start to relax. Then you can start changing positions, front, middle, back, but do it gradually.
It can take 5 rides, or it can take 100 rides. Each horse is different on their previous experience and their temperament. So, some catch on fast, and others take much longer. The more anxious he gets with more riders, the more you should work him before the ride to get rid of that excess energy. So, if you normally round pen 10 minutes but he is still getting worked up then try for 15 min or 30 minute or even 60 minutes. It's worth the effort to have a controllable horse in a big group that will gait well.
Once you can ride with 2 horses well then you can slowly add in more riders, repeating the process. But if you go from riding with 1-3 horse to 30 horses, you can blow your horses mind and it is just too much to handle for him. It's like going from the country to the city. so much stimulus, some just cannot handle it.
It's also a good idea to trailer to some events or horse shows and just park in the parking lot and let your horse take in all the excitement but not ride. Still prepare them by lunging or round pen, but then tie a hay bag to your trailer and let them stand there all day. Take some breaks and walk them around, if still excited lunge again. In time they will get use to it, but it takes patience. It is not a one day deal and the horse is fixed, it can take many many times for them to get use to it.
A lot of issues come up just because the horse is unprepared for the task at hand. When they are unprepared, it creates anxiety, which then can come out as behavioral, like bucking, crow hopping, rearing, or can come out by gaiting poorly and pacing or trotting.
Think of it this way, it's better to be pacing or trotting then bucking or rearing. So, realize your horse is unprepared and you need to go back and reeducate him on what you expect. But you have to help him get there by breaking it down and slowly building up to what you want him to be able to handle.
But throwing them into situations they are unprepared for just causes anxiety. The pacing or trotting is just how their anxiety is coming out.
You can also try calming supplements but give them at least an hour before. Some help and some do not, you just have to try different ones to see if one will help your horse.
When I take new horses to demonstrations and expos, I take a lot of time preparing them for the task. I arrive a day early and once I arrive and let them settle some in their stalls, I take them out and lunge them for a long time if they are anxious, a good 30 min or more. Then I hand walk them around, so they get to see everything, then I ride them around for a long time sometimes hours until I feel they have relaxed.
The next day I repeat, I lunge them still for a long time, then walk them around then ride. Then I put them back and let them settle. About an hour or so before giving the presentation, I repeat if the horse is nervous, I lunge again, walk them around and then ride them until it is time to give the presentation.
Each day I do this, they get calmer. I have taken some anxious horses with me, and everyone thinks they are the calmest horses to tolerate all the stimulus. But they are not. I just helped them prepare for the job. So, realize your horse is not trying to be bad, he is just telling you he is unprepared. So, help him prepare and in the process, he will go back to gaiting well. Its' an anxiety problem not a gaiting problem.
Gaited Books
Easy Gaited Horses By Lee Ziegler https://amzn.to/3vFuk8w
The Gaited Horse Bible by Brenda Imus https://amzn.to/3It0Imf
Gaits of Gold by Brenda Imus https://amzn.to/3jGXam0
Heavenly Gaits By Brenda Imus https://amzn.to/3ieKGBP
Training the Gaited Horse By Gary Lane https://amzn.to/3jPcAVq
DISCLAIMER: This description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission if you buy something. This helps support the website. Thank you for the support!
By Gaye DeRusso
So, your horse gaits well when alone on trail, or in the arena, but as soon as you get in groups on the trail, he gets anxious and pacey or trotty. What should you do?
Well, if you're riding in the group when you find this out, then you either have to just ride it out and pace or trot the whole ride or try to do some lateral work to get his mind focused on you and not the other horses.
The lateral work must be taught in the arena first before you can do it well on the trail. If you do not know any lateral work, then another option is to break away from the larger group and try to go off with just 1-2 other calm horses. But the only way to fix it is to figure out what is causing him to be anxious.
This is not a gaiting issue, you just said he gaits well when alone or in the arena. The way to fix his gait is to get rid of his anxiety.
Why is he anxious? Do you not ride in groups much? Is this more horses than he is use to? When you are in groups, are the horses going the same speed or too fast or too slow? Are you riding in the back, front, or middle? Is he not use to riding in that position? Are there other horses acting up? They just love to feed off of each other, and if one is anxious, many can start being anxious.
Sometimes you have to be a detective to figure out why your horse is becoming anxious and then to figure out how to fix the issue. So really analyze what happen at that ride.
If you do not ride in groups much, then this is the cause, and you need to start riding with one person to start. Make sure you always work his excess energy off in the round pen, lunge line or run him in the arena before your rides. This will help to focus him on the job and not be so reactive.
Once he can gait well with just another rider and he is relaxed, and you can ride in front, and back and next to this rider, then add another rider. It can take a while before he becomes accustomed riding with 2 other horses. So do not rush the process or you will still have the same issue.
Use your lateral work, remember this must be taught in the arena first and your horse must do it well there, before you can expect him to do it on the trail. Lateral work such as serpentine, leg yield, shoulder, or haunches in, to occupy his mind and give him something to focus on if he becomes anxious. It will also disperse some of his extra energy. But just sitting there, hanging onto his mouth will just make him more anxious. Also, tensing up will just make him sure he needs to be anxious, so try to keep your body relaxed and don't forget to breathe.
Over time once you ride enough with those other riders, he will start to relax. Then you can start changing positions, front, middle, back, but do it gradually.
It can take 5 rides, or it can take 100 rides. Each horse is different on their previous experience and their temperament. So, some catch on fast, and others take much longer. The more anxious he gets with more riders, the more you should work him before the ride to get rid of that excess energy. So, if you normally round pen 10 minutes but he is still getting worked up then try for 15 min or 30 minute or even 60 minutes. It's worth the effort to have a controllable horse in a big group that will gait well.
Once you can ride with 2 horses well then you can slowly add in more riders, repeating the process. But if you go from riding with 1-3 horse to 30 horses, you can blow your horses mind and it is just too much to handle for him. It's like going from the country to the city. so much stimulus, some just cannot handle it.
It's also a good idea to trailer to some events or horse shows and just park in the parking lot and let your horse take in all the excitement but not ride. Still prepare them by lunging or round pen, but then tie a hay bag to your trailer and let them stand there all day. Take some breaks and walk them around, if still excited lunge again. In time they will get use to it, but it takes patience. It is not a one day deal and the horse is fixed, it can take many many times for them to get use to it.
A lot of issues come up just because the horse is unprepared for the task at hand. When they are unprepared, it creates anxiety, which then can come out as behavioral, like bucking, crow hopping, rearing, or can come out by gaiting poorly and pacing or trotting.
Think of it this way, it's better to be pacing or trotting then bucking or rearing. So, realize your horse is unprepared and you need to go back and reeducate him on what you expect. But you have to help him get there by breaking it down and slowly building up to what you want him to be able to handle.
But throwing them into situations they are unprepared for just causes anxiety. The pacing or trotting is just how their anxiety is coming out.
You can also try calming supplements but give them at least an hour before. Some help and some do not, you just have to try different ones to see if one will help your horse.
When I take new horses to demonstrations and expos, I take a lot of time preparing them for the task. I arrive a day early and once I arrive and let them settle some in their stalls, I take them out and lunge them for a long time if they are anxious, a good 30 min or more. Then I hand walk them around, so they get to see everything, then I ride them around for a long time sometimes hours until I feel they have relaxed.
The next day I repeat, I lunge them still for a long time, then walk them around then ride. Then I put them back and let them settle. About an hour or so before giving the presentation, I repeat if the horse is nervous, I lunge again, walk them around and then ride them until it is time to give the presentation.
Each day I do this, they get calmer. I have taken some anxious horses with me, and everyone thinks they are the calmest horses to tolerate all the stimulus. But they are not. I just helped them prepare for the job. So, realize your horse is not trying to be bad, he is just telling you he is unprepared. So, help him prepare and in the process, he will go back to gaiting well. Its' an anxiety problem not a gaiting problem.
Gaited Books
Easy Gaited Horses By Lee Ziegler https://amzn.to/3vFuk8w
The Gaited Horse Bible by Brenda Imus https://amzn.to/3It0Imf
Gaits of Gold by Brenda Imus https://amzn.to/3jGXam0
Heavenly Gaits By Brenda Imus https://amzn.to/3ieKGBP
Training the Gaited Horse By Gary Lane https://amzn.to/3jPcAVq
DISCLAIMER: This description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission if you buy something. This helps support the website. Thank you for the support!