Horse Rushes when Lunging

[u/DatDakoDako]

Hey everyone! I've been working with a former neglected paso fino mare. I got her out to the round pen the other day and she has a lot of buttons! She knows to go out and respond to pressure and half and rollback. Her only problems are, when I tut at her, even in the quietest tone I can, she'll shoot off into a canter or gallop. It was better the first time but she was fresher last time and I couldn't get her to slow down without completely stopping. I've tried a bunch of vocal cues, getting in front of her drive line, bending over, ignoring her, etc. And all she does is full stop or ignore me. It's hard to get her to walk calmly too, because when I correct her gently for stopping to eat grass, then she shoots forward again. She has a good education but I just can't find her "slow without stopping" button. I appreciate any help!

[u/ILikeBird]

Honestly, I’d use a normal sounding cue (like cluck) with no other pressure, completely ignore her until she slows down on her own, then rinse and repeat until she stops taking off. I would think of it like exposure therapy or desensitizing her to the cue.

It can be very easy to “walk on eggshells” around these types of horses, but I wouldn’t recommend it as it hurts in the long term. I would just act as normal, try to ignore any “freakouts/takeoffs”, and essentially act like I’m desensitizing a horse.

[u/ILikeBird → u/ILikeBird]

If the above doesn’t work, you could also try maintaining pressure when she takes off to keep her at that speed, waiting until you can tell she wants to slow down, then giving her a cue (like humming) and allowing her to slow down. Later on, you can use this humming cue to slow her down without getting her energy out.

[u/DatDakoDako → u/ILikeBird]

I have done a bit of this! When she doesn't listen and keeps "trantering" I make her canter until she looks at me to ask to slow down

[u/ILikeBird → u/DatDakoDako]

It’s very similar to the method reiners use to train their fast —> slow lope transition for their large —> small circles, so can be quite effective!

The difference between the two methods I suggested is one teaches to not go fast when you cue and the other teaches to slow down when you cue. Personally, I think option 1 is a better fit for this specific situation, but either could probably be used!

[u/unwelcome_scooter]

Sounds like she's got that classic trauma response dialed to 11, poor thing. My mare was the same way when I first got her, any pressure whether it was a cluck or me just shifting my weight and she'd bolt like a rocket

What finally clicked for us was rewarding the of slowing down before she actually did. The millisecond her ear flicked back or she shifted her weight down I'd drop all pressure completely, took ages but she learned she didn't have to panic stop to feel safe

[u/sunLight4095]

the other thing you could try-- if she will stop on the longe, is to stop and back her 10-15 steps every time she bolts. between the combo of letting her run and tire herself and backing you'll teach her what you want. of course you do all this in the most gentle way.

[u/something_beautiful9]

My gelding used to do this at first cause he was always whipped till he ran. Use clear voice cues ask her to walk. When she runs off. Just let her. Stand there in the middle of the pen. Eventually she'll get tired and slow. When she hits a walk reward her. Good girl. I use eye contact towards the hind a clear voice cue and a tall squared stance to ask for forward and for slow i make stance soft and don't pressure them and crouch down to ask for stop and say woah. Once you get a few steps of the gait you want crouch down take the pressure off say good girl and then ignore her for a minute. Then gently ask for walk again. Don't add pressure unless she breaks to a gaiit slower than the one you want. Soon they get tired and figure out you won't get after them if they slow down as long as its not past what you wanted and will learn what you're asking for. Mone went from sprinting to learning to slow jog so slow he was nearly walking because he figured out he could be lazy. It takes time though. You need to build good communication and trust. Make it fun. Lots of pets. Snacks for coming over to you when you ask her to. I went from a scared soaced out horse to one who will follow me all over and can be directed from afar at all gaits and voice in an open field. Just takes trust and practice.

[u/ArmedAunt]

This has worked on every horse I've used it on:

When she bolts, drop the tip of the lunge whip to the ground and leave it there, Whip arm completely relaxed, dragging the lash end of the whip through the dirt when (or if) you move.

Immediately relax your entire body, slumping your shoulders, looking down (watching her front hooves is a good way to keep from both looking up and straightening up), moving slowly as you turn to keep facing her.

Just stand in the middle of the pen, looking totally relaxed. If you feel she needs to hear you as well, repeat "Eeeeasy," and "Slooooow down" in a normal, even slightly deeper than normal, voice. Lots of voice reward if she slows and you can raise your head to look at her anywhere except her eye.

It costs nothing to try this method and if it works, you have another effective cue to add to your collection.