How do you calm your "Hot" horse?

[Chase1996]

Hello all, I am a younger green horse that is a bit on the hot side. She doesn’'t misbehave but she is definately hotter than anything I have ever had.

I am just looking for some variety, there are time when she is still “up” after a 45 min ride and thats with a 15 min warmup.

Its not that she won’t perform, she is just very busy in both her body and mouth.

Once relaxed which does happen sometimes she is incredible fun however when she does not it works me to death.

Not desperate but ideas would be helpful

[Winding_Down]

Do you lunge her before riding? I would suggest lunging and you can do so for as long as an hour at a walkif you really have to. You did not say how old she is, however, so I would not be working her beyond walk trot for an extended time period on the lunge. I would definitely not free lunge in a small arena as this can only get her worked up and possibly injured by torquing joints etc.

There are some calming supplements out there with the primary ingredient being Magnesium. I have had success with the SmartCalm from www.smartpak.com. However, if she is nervous only under saddle, then it is likely not a mineral issue.

Is she hot and fidgety at the walk? If so, then ride her at a walk and hack her out in company for extended time periods. It may just be that she needs some “wet saddle pads,” as the saying goes. But that work should really focus on walking on a relaxed rein.

Have you found that she is hot in company as well as alone? If she is hot more so when ridden alone, try riding with someone else for awhile until she is more confirmed

With hotter horses, I typically halt and drop the reins now and then, and ask that they stand quietly while I pat and scritch their necks, asking that they drop their heads down, stretch laterally back to my stirrup, etc. Same with practicing your free walk - often. Make schooling something that involves stretching and relaxing often.

[GrandLiena]

I have a hot standardbred mare, she was BAD when I first got her. I taught her to drop her head whenever we were standing still, it does something chemically for them that naturally calms them. Now every time I ask her to stop she automatically drops her head and she has “chilled out” a lot.

[atlatl]

What are you feeding?

[mvp]

I find that you can teach a horse to make her mind go the same speed as your mind. And then “hotness” goes away. Rather, you have a horse who is physically sensitive and “on call” but mentally waiting for direction.

It takes time, skill and intention to create this in a horse. It starts on the ground, in hand. In general with a forward, active one, I ask them to move less… one foot at a time in the direction I want, when I want. It’s very slow. It’s so slow, in fact, that the horse stops second-guessing you quickly.

So many problems can be solved with minimal mileage put onto a horse’s body if you can capture her mind.

If this approach interests you, maybe I can answer further questions.

[BaroquePony]

Lunging a hot horse can sometimes get you into major trouble. It’s a small circle and puts a lot of stress on their ligaments … if they are really cranked you have no decent way to stop them unless they are in side reins with a lunging caveson or bit and bridle and then you will have to hammer (jerk their head) on them to get their attention or pull them off balance … none of those things help a hot sensitive horse calm down.

Teaching them “habitual calmness” goes a whole lot further.

With most horses I work on the walk … in hand or riding … especially riding if you can get on without too much fuss. If they get nervous while you are in the saddle, go to a shoulder fore or shoulder in or any variation of that even if it isn’t perfect … just keep it soft with a slight bend. A lot of times I will only have contact with the inside bending rein and I let the other rein hang loose on the outside … that way they are absolutely not put into a “vice” by accident with your hands. They will usually reach down into the contact rein.

You will need to have a good seat and hands … hands need to follow the horse and not get in their way … soft following light contact.

I free lunge sometimes in a smallish arena … I walk next to my horse … if they are really crazy … use a halter and lead line or lunge line … walk with them enough that they get into “lock step” with you …

Almost all of my schooling work involves 50% walking … we learn to walk everywhere. It puts a very good foundation of long slow conditioning on them also … much better foundation to build from as you begin to add distance and increase in gait (trot canter gallop).

I don’t know about anybody else, but I talk to my horses … not always, but a lot of the time, especially when they get nervous or worried … except during a dressage test.

I have had several horses that talking to them brings them right back to me.

I’ve got one now that when he hears gunfire he jumps … but the minute I tell him it’s ok, he calms immediately. I jump when I hear certain types of gunfire because it can be very loud … I tell the horse it’s ok and he will be rock solid even if I tense up … can’t beat that, and he is a very hot horse … like an anglo arab.

I do a fair amount of work at liberty with them and see how hot they can get … I want to bring their attention to me … I might even use treats at first …

“Slow down”, “whoa” and “stop” are major words in our vocabulary. I use a noise like a first part of a whoa … and sometimes I use it to set the rhythm.

[2tempe]

Agree with those above who say work on focusing and calming the brain, not wearing out the body. With mine I did lots of walking - which of course included lots of jigging/worrying early on. Slowed down the work at all gaits. Canter a bit, relax, take a walk break. Do something different.
Could’t drill anything - not a horse for lots of walk/canter/walk transitions as we normally think of them. He had changes but OMG they would wind his brain up 10 fold. Would sneak one in here and there thru our rides. Eventually became no big deal.
I am lucky - my guy’s hotness does not come with any scary or nasty behavior. His go-to is generally some variation of piaffe/passage and he gets hard in the bridle.

[TrailRides4Fun]

I have a ‘hot’ horse with anxiety issues.
I have adjusted the diet to all forage, good quality hay and cubes,
with plenty to eat all night long in the stall,.,
little to no grain, if at all possible.
Plenty of daily turn out, good or inclement weather.
Consistent feed and work schedule, just keep everything consistent to develop more trust.
I also feed a daily calming supplement for what its worth ?

We practice NEVER getting upset on the lunge or under saddle,…,
if a misunderstanding occurs, we stop and start over,…,
when she gets it, QUIT (!!) and PRAISE!
Lots of shorter work sessions.
Always asking for ‘low n slow’, not speed.
I keep the volume of my voice low, she hears me with no problem.
I keep my body language quiet also.
This horse is super uber aware of everything,
altho she is learning that extra stimuli is not scary,
just a part of her everyday environment.
I desensitize regularly, near daily, with ground work
and handling of all body parts.
I always reward the the slightest try with LOTS LOTS of positive reinforcement.
I also use a calm down ‘cue’ similar to a one rein stop,
when she has worked hard and is being positively rewarded.
When she gets upset, I incorporate that^ cue.

Luckily I also work with a FANTASTIC instructor who recognizes that this horse
needs quiet, calm, consistent understanding.
She is coming along FABULOUSLY and I am incredibly proud
of this horse and that the above techniques are paying off in her day to day life.

Good horses take time, GREAT horses take even more time.
I’ve got plenty of time! :winkgrin:

[Lucassb]

[QUOTE=mvp;8436400]
I find that you can teach a horse to make her mind go the same speed as your mind. And then “hotness” goes away. Rather, you have a horse who is physically sensitive and “on call” but mentally waiting for direction.

It takes time, skill and intention to create this in a horse. It starts on the ground, in hand. In general with a forward, active one, I ask them to move less… one foot at a time in the direction I want, when I want. It’s very slow. It’s so slow, in fact, that the horse stops second-guessing you quickly.

So many problems can be solved with minimal mileage put onto a horse’s body if you can capture her mind.

If this approach interests you, maybe I can answer further questions.[/QUOTE]

THIS ^

Lots and lots of people put these kinds of horses on a longe line. IMO, if you do that regularly, you will:
A. Put a lot of stress on those joints and,
B. Get the horse a lot fitter

The approach above addresses the part of “hot” that most riders don’t like - which is the over reactive mentality. (A hot horse that is simply sensitive and so on your aids that you can just “think” what you want and get it is a beautiful thing.)

With training, you can address nervous tension and overly busy minds and bodies. Nicer for the rider, and also for the horse.

[netg]

With the young, no baggage, one, lots and lots of walking when it’s her normal hot. As MVP mentioned, it’s the speed at which the brain flies. We had what we called “survival mode” for the first 6 months on her. It was the mode where her brain was running too fast to focus, and she was jittery, jiggy, and just wired. We kept her on a loose rein with very little contact except to keep her from putting her head down (because if the head went low, it would block forward and she would instead fly backward.) She would spook at everything, including her own forelock if she caught it blowing in the wind, until her brain slowed. So we would just move with her, ensuring we never pulled back, and let her feel we were with her and she was safe. Lots of talking, gentle neck pats. Some days she was focused by the time we reached the arena, other days she took 45 minutes of walk work. She just got to go until she settled, and any other work depended on how long it took.

Now that she’s stronger and more powerful, what she needs varies. Most rides she is on and focused and ready to go. Some days she just has a little extra energy but isn’t tight and tense, and those days she gets to piaffe it out. Other times she is insecure because of a new environment or a change to our normal environment, and those days it’s extra important I stay very calm, make all requests very slow and gentle, and let her reach out and lean on my hands a little more than usual. Her contact takes the quality of a little kid - if she is insecure, she is like a little kid holding tighter to your hand. Not heavy by any means, but heavier than when she is confident. Then there are the days she reaches into the contact more strongly because she is too energetic to contain herself - those days, we bend, bend and bend some more, at trot and canter. Just work on loosening up all the muscles through lateral bend, keep a steady tempo, and allow her to move. Once she is ready, those tend to be the best rides, but I again have to stay calm.

Really, the key to riding any horse is keeping your energy level complementary to your horse. So for a high energy horse, you want to be low energy to help absorb some of that horse’s energy. For a low energy horse, you want to be high energy to help provide the horse with more. This is why nervous riders need a kick ride. A horse whose energy is perfect? You need to match the energy level.

[dressagediosa]

http://www.equisearch.com/article/dressage-training-exercises-to-calm-your-hot-horse-12474

[poltroon]

I love the ribbon exercise for a hot horse. You’re constantly bending and changing direction, which allows you to supple the horse, gives you a lot of control, and helps guide the horse to a long and low frame with a soft relaxed rein. The rein pressure is constantly changing just because of the exercise, so neither of you can brace on the other.

Basically, you weave up and down the arena in a shape like ribbon candy
(ex: http://www.hammondscandies.com/img/store/pop-small/CinnRibbon400.jpg)

At the trot, rising or posting as you wish. You’re looking for a relaxed tempo. You can make the loops larger or smaller as you need. You can ride it with any contact or frame that you like, though I tend to encourage long and low. I want the horse going forward with a long step, just not a quick tempo.

The other thing I recommend is an alternate releasing rein. This is especially good at the canter, but basically, when the horse is pulling or getting quick, you’re going to put a loop in one of your reins for a few strides. Then, you’ll take it back, and put a loop in the other rein. Usually a hot horse is getting tense and anxious about firm rein (in addition to being already forward) and letting him know that the rein releases is soothing. Doing one rein at a time makes it less comfortable for the horse for him to pull, and it also maintains some control for you.

Finally, if the horse is just hot and full of himself, lateral work is often a good way to channel the energy. If my pony doesn’t want to walk for whatever reason, I’m happy to do a shoulder-in at the sitting trot. The horse has to accept my leg, but also has a direction to send some of that energy.

A lot of transitions IME will tend to get a horse hotter and more excited, but on the other hand, planning one before a horse gets too excited is best for everyone. So if you know your horse will get stronger and stronger and hotter and hotter the longer he canters, just canter a few strides before going back to walk or trot, before it’s too much energy and power.

[MysticOakRanch]

I do not like lunging - agree with those who say it is a lot of stress on the horse’s body. My mare was hot and super interested in everything going around. I found she NEEDS to move her feet. So if she was too “up” for a long walk warm up, we’d do a ton of transitions right away, trot, walk, trot, walk, trot, halt, trot, walk, trot, medium trot, halt, etc - all on curved lines - circles, serpentines, figure 8s. Change it up a lot - get her focused on me. No straight lines until she’s focused on me. But not grinding into the same circle over and over - constantly changing (which helps keep the focus on me).

She has become SO much better now - and usually I can do a long walk warm up now - but for the first year, anytime we went somewhere new, or there was something scary going on at home, I’d go back to that pattern.

Also check diet (some horses need more magnesium or B12 in their diet, some mares respond well to raspberry leaves, some need less concentrates, or less alfalfa, etc). But some horses are just hyper alert. My mare is out of a hyper alert bloodlines - Galoubet on the dam side - once I get that energy focused, it is a lot of fun!

I have to add - my mare needs her turnout! Stall life does not help a hot horse. And turnout is a dual edged sword, because she can be very silly, and has been injured a few times. She is out 24/7, so it is not just the initial “woohoo, I’m out” that gets her. So I make sure she gets the pasture with the most level ground (we live in hills). If you have turnout, or a hot walker option where you board - use it!

[FineAlready]

As the owner of a hot horse, I assure you: it is not about making the hot horse less hot; it is about making the hot horse more focused. Along the lines of what MVP and others are saying.

I can’t tell you how much I disagree with the advice to lunge the horse for lengthy periods of time or to take a “wet saddle pad” approach. That usually just riles them up more, makes them overly fit (as Lucassb noted), and invites injury.

I’ve actually had very good results riding my hot horse 7 days a week, but at lower intensity for most of the rides. It’s not that he needs a ton of physical stimulation. He needs the mental engagement, and he needs the “we are a team” reminder often so that he doesn’t go blasting off on his own bad ideas without seeking input from me first.

[beau159]

In my opinion, lunging a horse for the sole purpose of “wearing them out” is a waste of time (not to mention those small circles are hard on a horse’s body). Instead of the time you spend lunging them, you might as well put your butt in the saddle and do something.

For a “hot” horse, pay attention to what you are feeding them, and make sure to give them exercise.

Having barrel horses, I routinely have “hot” horses. My horse Red is a hot type. He needs regular riding to keep him quieter. I try to ride him every day, and we go a minimum of 4 miles each ride (trotting or loping most of it) and usually log at least an hour of saddle time each ride, minimum.

He’s a lot more level-headed when I cover lots of miles with him.

[beau159]

In my opinion, lunging a horse for the sole purpose of “wearing them out” is a waste of time (not to mention those small circles are hard on a horse’s body). Instead of the time you spend lunging them, you might as well put your butt in the saddle and do something.

For a “hot” horse, pay attention to what you are feeding them, and make sure to give them exercise.

Having barrel horses, I routinely have “hot” horses. My horse Red is a hot type. He needs regular riding to keep him quieter. I try to ride him every day, and we go a minimum of 4 miles each ride (trotting or loping most of it) and usually log at least an hour of saddle time each ride, minimum.

He’s a lot more level-headed when I cover lots of miles with him.

He’s also turned out 24/7 so I feel that helps manage his energy level when he can freely move around throughout the day.

[Synthesis]

[QUOTE=netg;8436660]

Really, the key to riding any horse is keeping your energy level complementary to your horse. So for a high energy horse, you want to be low energy to help absorb some of that horse’s energy. For a low energy horse, you want to be high energy to help provide the horse with more. This is why nervous riders need a kick ride. A horse whose energy is perfect? You need to match the energy level.[/QUOTE]

You just explained why my horse and I work well together. When I got her she was low energy but constantly on high alert. I had the patience and (mostly) the calmness to work through things slow and steady in the saddle until she chilled out. Walk work, stand and drop head, walking over small obstacles (wumps) Somedays it was 10 minutes, somedays it took an hour. Then we got to work. It all had to be saddle time, that’s where she had no confidence.

But jumping? She is Ms. Cool as a cucumber about jumping, and I am the low confidence one. If she’s worried about a fence, she just jumps higher. (Sometimes a LOT higher) If she hits it, she jumps higher next time but doesn’t get excited. She’s brought me back to jumping simply because of her attitude. My worrying/fiddling/twitching doesn’t bother her at all, just let go and kick on.

After a year of work, she’s turning into a very very nice horse.

[4THEHORSES]

[QUOTE=FineAlready;8436836]
As the owner of a hot horse, I assure you: it is not about making the hot horse less hot; it is about making the hot horse more focused. Along the lines of what MVP and others are saying.

I can’t tell you how much I disagree with the advice to lunge the horse for lengthy periods of time or to take a “wet saddle pad” approach. That usually just riles them up more, makes them overly fit (as Lucassb noted), and invites injury.

I’ve actually had very good results riding my hot horse 7 days a week, but at lower intensity for most of the rides. It’s not that he needs a ton of physical stimulation. He needs the mental engagement, and he needs the “we are a team” reminder often so that he doesn’t go blasting off on his own bad ideas without seeking input from me first.[/QUOTE]

This x 1000

I was also advised years ago when riding a very hot youngster to completely ignore the horse antics and concentrate completely on how I was riding each and every step. That actually helped a lot.

[LookmaNohands]

TTouch.

Lots of TTouch.

[BaroquePony]

Is that Linda Tellington Jones? The TTouch?