The Young Event Horse: When and How to Teach the Gallop

[phippsie62]

Yesterday, during a lesson, I was asked to gallop my young, very green horse in an outdoor arena. Sometimes he can “scoot” in the indoor arena, a sort of mini-bolt between jumps. Sometimes he seems quite lazy. However, yesterday when I tried to get him into a gallop, he said “You want gallop? I’ll show you gallop!” and he took off–out of the arena and all the way back to the barn before I could get him stopped. I know how to use a pulley rein effectively but I didn’t want to use it–too much risk of injuring the horse. And anyway, that only fixes the symptom, not the problem.

I’m now wondering if my horse was asked for the gallop before being properly prepared. I mean, what skills need to be installed in a young horse before it’s fair (and safe) to ask for the gallop?

And what is the proper way to introduce the gallop once the horse is ready?

Of course I know that yesterday’s behavior may have another cause besides lack of training, but I want to address the training question first to be sure I’m working correctly. Thanks for any help or references you can offer.

[Scribbler]

Hmm. Close the arena gate?

[lenapesadie]

How is he cantering on the buckle?

[Redlei44]

How are the brakes in general?

But yes, I agree with setting up for success. Close the arena gate. Pick a good, workmanlike attitude day. Warm up walk trot canter with a lot of prompt and distinct transitions within the gaits. Ask for a couple of strides of gallop then back down and chill. Build on it like any other skill.

[Highflyer1]

I don’t have a ring at home, just fields with good sized hill. From pretty early on (like as soon as they have basic w-t-c/steering/brakes) my horses will trot around the field and then canter up the hill. Some of them never do much more than that. The ones that need to really gallop will progess from cantering up the hill to going around the turn and down the other long side of the field (basically a half mile or so oval) and then eventually going all the way around once and then twice. The slope of the hill tends to wear them out at first and they learn to enjoy coming back to a trot.

[Willesdon]

Gallop takes balance. Easiest with a young horse to have a bit of space available, ideally a gallop track or good turf. Even better up a hill. In an arena, I would ask for only a couple of strides of gallop on the long side, coming out of a corner to assist balance. And ask only if the horse is already working well, in balance and off the leg, soft in the hand. It’s more thinking about the gallop and easing into it rather than a thump on the ribs. But outside is probably easier for a baby.

[phippsie62]

Thanks for these suggestions. FYI, there is no “arena gate.” I probably should have clarified that it’s a large outdoor ring. My horse canters on the buckle, no problem, but I need to be much sharper in asking for up and down transitions. I will try working upward through the gaits and then asking for only a few gallop strides on the straightaway, with a clear downward transition to follow. To the poster who talked about balance, thank you. I suspect that the attempt to gallop around a circular space may have thrown my horse off balance, discombobulated his baby brain, and prompted him to take off.

[EventerAJ]

Well, racehorses are taught to gallop at two after a good base of trotting fitness, but with just the basics of all three gaits, steering and brakes. They are encouraged to find balance in wide open space, either in a big field or on a track with gentle curves. They also probably start out alongside or nearby a pony horse. If unbalanced, make a big circle to regroup or trot. On baby racehorses, riders start at a canter and just let them pick it up a little more each day. The good thing about starting 2yos is they get tired pretty quick and won’t run off with you forever. They learn to balance and get stronger with daily training.

I would start in a big, safe field where you can circle anywhere as needed. You can establish a firm WHOA in the arena, trot/halt, canter/halts if you have a particularly strong horse. But after galloping racehorses, the important thing is to let them develop a rhythm and try not to “override” the mouth. Use your back, your shoulders, your abs and legs, and your hands only as a last resort.

[Highflyer1]

FWIW the only times I’ve had a trainer ask for a “gallop” in the ring, it’s been to establish forward on a horse that’s sucking back. It’s not necessarily something I would try otherwise. And the actual “gallop” I would look for even in the open isn’t racehorse level, it’s more a forward canter equivalent to novice or training level speed.

[Janet]

Before I introduce “gallop”, I work in varying the pace within the gait. A working trot, a slower trot, a faster trot, then back to a working trot, with the emphasis on the downward transitions. Same with the canter. At first I would only do 3 or 4 strides of the “faster canter” before going back to the working canter.

Then I would gradually extend the number of strides at the “faster canter”, with some kind of adjustment every 10 strides or so. Only when that is confirmed, both in the ring and out in the field, would I ask for a hand gallop.

[SuzieQNutter]

I agree with uphill, the longer and steeper the better.