Slowing the Jog

QHGirl · 10-26-2009, 10:15 AM

For the life of me, can't get joey's jog consistantly slow or heck even slow for that matter. I have put to die for jogs on all my horses, but Joey has stumped me. i can not for the life of me get him to jog to save his life. his lope is to die for, but his jog... just about kills me. I have had trainers LOVE the jog I put on a horse and it seems they always need to help me with the lope, but not with Joey. His trot is killer. He has such fast legs it is awkward. Even hubby said last night, why is he so fast?

UGH! I feel that we are fighting an uphill battle.

We have tried, walk, trot, walk trot, trot stop back, circles, zigzags, stops turn arounds, lope, trot, lope trot stand on my head... You name it but he won't do it for me. On the lunge line he can go slower but not so much when asked. I push him up, drive him forward, I mean everything but do it for him. What else can I do...

NOT MY HORSE.... but example of his jog but only faster at 3:01

YouTube - 2004 APHA Gelding FOR SALE

SO even if I mentioned it above, give me your tips...

I am open to trying it again with someone's thought attached to it.

Thanks,

CJ · 10-26-2009, 10:41 AM

Get lazy. Make sure your butts in the saddle like your practically asking him to stop. Its easy to get anxious & tense/ forward, anticipating a problem, and horse picks up on that & is like "Ok lets GO!"
Ive had to slow down Raps who's leggy & a hyper horse in college. Both I headset & pushed to their max Walk, and when they got anxious & broke to trot I didnt check to walk but said "thats trot, thats trot" and tried to adjust speed to short of walk but to get "nice trot,". Even the hyper horse ended up with a jog that he could sneak in a few steps of walk before I got wise & had to bump him.

GotaDunQH · 10-26-2009, 10:42 AM

Do you have a confo pic of him? It could be his conformation. Unfortunately, I have yet to see a horse with both a 10 jog AND a 10 lope; they are far and few between.

Jennifer

QHGirl · 10-26-2009, 10:55 AM

I would not even mind a 5 jog not a negative million gut sloshing jog.

He is apha 15 hand Frozen Assets Son.

BTW... he is limber enough he can DRAG his nose on the dirt at walk-jog-lope without coming up. He LOVES to do this while lunging...

He has TONS of rear end drive to.

EVOO · 10-26-2009, 11:00 AM

Have you tried Clinton Anderson's cruising method with him?

QHGirl · 10-26-2009, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EVOO

Have you tried Clinton Anderson's cruising method with him?

UM... No but I have tried the cussing method... and that didn't work either!

What is the Clint anderson cruising method?

EVOO · 10-26-2009, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QHGirl

UM... No but I have tried the cussing method... and that didn't work either!

What is the Clint anderson cruising method?

LOL! I've used the cussing method, too. Rarely works, that one.

Take him into an empty arena and choose his gait (in this case jog) allow him to choose the speed (he'll choose a fast jog at first, it's okay) just keep him in the jog and allow him to go as fast or as slow as he wants. Keep jogging. The first time jog for 15 minutes. Stop, put him up. Next time jog for 5 minutes. Next time 60 minutes. Do not interfere with his speed, you don't even need to steer, just make him maintain the gait. Each time you take him out jog him, never for the same amount of time. One day jog him for a few minutes, the next jog him for an hour. He will soon learn to pace himself because he never knows when you ask him to jog if he's going to be doing it for a minute or an hour.

Most of the time we only work our horses at a certain gait for a relatively short amount of time; they can maintain a faster speed that way and they will if that's what they prefer. But if they learn that sometimes they may have to jog (or lope) for long periods of time where it is difficult for them to maintain both gait and speed they figure out that pacing themselves from the very first step is a good idea.

QHGirl · 10-26-2009, 11:25 AM

I googled it, sort of looks chaotic to me... but I see what the method was after you explained it. Geesh I am not sure I could even deal with it for over 20 minutes let alone an hour. OH MY. Plus his fav gate is lope, given any opportunity he will do it so giving him his "freedom" will require much of a fight. but maybe he will get it after time.

belle4 · 10-26-2009, 11:57 AM

What about ride with an active seat, put your leg on for every stride to influence foot fall. Then exhale, sit deep and quiet your legs, let him relax.

I think the jog is the hardest gait. It's so slow, some horses just don't even sleep that slow, it's hard for them.

Joe would rather lope too.

I would never let him on the rail. I'd work in the center, constantly counter bending, circling down into a turn, hurry him out and start again. I'd also set up some cones to do figure eights around. I'd keep going one way until it's smooth and then go around the other way. I'd keep him jogging for a while too. When he speeds up, keep him speedy, post that trot, be really active, make him work. When's he's ready, starting to think about slowing (not the first thing/thought), let him think it's his idea to slow down. He will like that and think it's a grand idea. I'd also be backing him up every single time you stop.

You could ask to jog a few steps and when he speeds up, back up hard, don't make it fun. Is he spur trained? Even if he isn't, I"d be keeping my leg on and then release it a bit to slow.

Don't let him on the rail at all, ever. Only time he gets the rail is to jog, once anything other than a slow jog occurs, right back to the cones to work.

I know with our POA, he didn't like to jog either. He needed a curb bit to jog on a loose rein. He needed that extra bit to intimidate him a little. He could get brassy. Now everyone don't get all up and on me for the curb bit for intimidation. He was a grown, trained, show gelding that knew the ropes and was being ridden/shown by little girls on a loose rein. The bit was there for a constant reminder. That's all that was needed for him.

I know you are a seasoned pleasure rider, but what about yourself? I rode Willy yesterday ( OK, you can gasp now, Jess was home) and he is a tough cookie. I had to really sit in the middle and sit back! I cued for lope and he got the wrong lead! My fault totally. Just saying, check yourself. Be sure you are riding between the ears. Good luck C.

PinkHorse · 10-26-2009, 02:04 PM

Good advice from Belle. If he wants to move on quickly, pick up contact, push him into the bridle and make him work. When he's soft & balanced, gradually let the contact fall away and ease him back to the rail.

To use terminology from Dana Hokana, he probably has some forward "lean" going on. What happens when you ask him to halt? Does he stop square immediately or does he amble a few steps forward? If it's the latter, stop back up and jog off again. Repeat often or when you feel him start to pick up the pace on his own. He needs to learn to stay in the moment with you.

I would highly recommend some of DHs videos.

Youtube clips:

YouTube - Dana Hokana Winning Strides -7 Steps to Slow Your Horse Down

YouTube - Dana Hokana Winning Strides Take Control Vol. 3

10-26-2009, 10:41 AM	#2
CJ Senior Member+ Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: NJ Posts: 5,983 Images: 48	Get lazy. Make sure your butts in the saddle like your practically asking him to stop. Its easy to get anxious & tense/ forward, anticipating a problem, and horse picks up on that & is like "Ok lets GO!" Ive had to slow down Raps who's leggy & a hyper horse in college. Both I headset & pushed to their max Walk, and when they got anxious & broke to trot I didnt check to walk but said "thats trot, thats trot" and tried to adjust speed to short of walk but to get "nice trot,". Even the hyper horse ended up with a jog that he could sneak in a few steps of walk before I got wise & had to bump him. __________________ One Mare Can Make a Difference Pinky Ribbon

10-26-2009, 10:42 AM	#3
GotaDunQH Senior Member+ Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Leominster MA Posts: 2,439 Images: 3	Do you have a confo pic of him? It could be his conformation. Unfortunately, I have yet to see a horse with both a 10 jog AND a 10 lope; they are far and few between. Jennifer __________________ "My kingdom for a horse."

10-26-2009, 10:55 AM	#4
QHGirl Senior Member+ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 7,704 Images: 368	I would not even mind a 5 jog not a negative million gut sloshing jog. He is apha 15 hand Frozen Assets Son. BTW... he is limber enough he can DRAG his nose on the dirt at walk-jog-lope without coming up. He LOVES to do this while lunging... He has TONS of rear end drive to. __________________ I must not forget to thank the difficult horses, who made my life miserable, but who were better teachers than the well-behaved school horses who raised no problems. -Alois Podhaisky Sexy by Christmas Challenge-r!! Start: 0 lbs LOST / Goal: 10 lbs LOST / CURRENT: 0 lbs LOST

10-26-2009, 11:00 AM	#5
EVOO Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 2,595 Images: 8	Have you tried Clinton Anderson's cruising method with him? __________________ Sexy by Christmas Challenge-r!! Start: Sz 14 / Current: Sz 14 / Goal: Sz 10 / lbs Lost: 5.0 ___________________ I was Gobbled by a Turkey And "Blessed" by a Snow Fairy ___________________ Note to Self: It is illegal to stab people for being stupid.

10-26-2009, 11:25 AM	#8
QHGirl Senior Member+ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 7,704 Images: 368	I googled it, sort of looks chaotic to me... but I see what the method was after you explained it. Geesh I am not sure I could even deal with it for over 20 minutes let alone an hour. OH MY. Plus his fav gate is lope, given any opportunity he will do it so giving him his "freedom" will require much of a fight. but maybe he will get it after time. __________________ I must not forget to thank the difficult horses, who made my life miserable, but who were better teachers than the well-behaved school horses who raised no problems. -Alois Podhaisky Sexy by Christmas Challenge-r!! Start: 0 lbs LOST / Goal: 10 lbs LOST / CURRENT: 0 lbs LOST

10-26-2009, 11:57 AM	#9
belle4 Senior Moderator Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 10,895 Images: 518	What about ride with an active seat, put your leg on for every stride to influence foot fall. Then exhale, sit deep and quiet your legs, let him relax. I think the jog is the hardest gait. It's so slow, some horses just don't even sleep that slow, it's hard for them. Joe would rather lope too. I would never let him on the rail. I'd work in the center, constantly counter bending, circling down into a turn, hurry him out and start again. I'd also set up some cones to do figure eights around. I'd keep going one way until it's smooth and then go around the other way. I'd keep him jogging for a while too. When he speeds up, keep him speedy, post that trot, be really active, make him work. When's he's ready, starting to think about slowing (not the first thing/thought), let him think it's his idea to slow down. He will like that and think it's a grand idea. I'd also be backing him up every single time you stop. You could ask to jog a few steps and when he speeds up, back up hard, don't make it fun. Is he spur trained? Even if he isn't, I"d be keeping my leg on and then release it a bit to slow. Don't let him on the rail at all, ever. Only time he gets the rail is to jog, once anything other than a slow jog occurs, right back to the cones to work. I know with our POA, he didn't like to jog either. He needed a curb bit to jog on a loose rein. He needed that extra bit to intimidate him a little. He could get brassy. Now everyone don't get all up and on me for the curb bit for intimidation. He was a grown, trained, show gelding that knew the ropes and was being ridden/shown by little girls on a loose rein. The bit was there for a constant reminder. That's all that was needed for him. I know you are a seasoned pleasure rider, but what about yourself? I rode Willy yesterday ( OK, you can gasp now, Jess was home) and he is a tough cookie. I had to really sit in the middle and sit back! I cued for lope and he got the wrong lead! My fault totally. Just saying, check yourself. Be sure you are riding between the ears. Good luck C. __________________ "Never has an adult stood so tall as they were when they bent down to help a child....." (from my friend Sandra)

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