# My horses movement bouncy??



## equinelyn (Dec 15, 2010)

I was wondering if anybody could give me any advice on my horses movement. He has an extremely bouncy trot and a BIG strided canter. He is a 4 yr old 15.2 H QH, has reining bloodlines, and was trained by someone who does reining. I think he moves more like an English horse. It may sound silly because there is no real difference between the two. But he doesn't seem to fit the reining build of horse, he's lanky. Does this have to do with his bounce? Could anybody give me any advice on him through this video. Maybe has to do with his angulation? Thanks so much!


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

He is travelling hollowed out & on the forehand, so you will feel uncomfortable on him. You are riding way forward as well, you need to get your center of gravity back further. He surely could go english, but he looks like a western horse to me.


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## Boo Walker (Jul 25, 2012)

I would definitely introduce some collection, half halts, etc to get his butt under him better and eliminate the hollow back. Try using your body to communicate a slower and softer trot as well by sitting back and relaxing- less forward body weight. Good luck!


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## ParaIndy (Sep 10, 2012)

Yes, I agree. Sit back in the saddle more and relax, don't lean forward and tighten. And Boo Walker's sugestions (sorry if that is spelled wrong) are very good!


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## equinelyn (Dec 15, 2010)

Thanks everyone. He's come a long way because he was very fast before, bounced even worse! I do have to get in the habit of sitting back, I rode hunter/jumper for the longest time and it's kinda my "cumfy spot"

I'll try all your advice, and post some updated videos. I'm working on lots of circles and getting him to bend into turns and keep his head on the vertical. I guess I was expecting him to bend on a straight away and skipped some steps. We are learning together lol.


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## MangoRoX87 (Oct 19, 2009)

He is still a baby, might not have himself fully figure out yet.


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## Ashsunnyeventer (Aug 17, 2012)

I agree with everyone else about the leaning forward. As an hunter jumper-turned-eventer, I know about the "comfy spot". I'm re-training a 4 year old TB mare off the track. She also has a very long canter and BIG trot. I wonder if it's just a coincidence or if the babies have to figure themselves out a little bit. My older horse uses minimal energy for everything, so maybe the young ones have to figure this concept out. Try trotting poles to keep his step even and it might even balance him up a bit. Good luck


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## Docs (Oct 13, 2012)

Of course, I agree to lean back and get relaxed. Also for his forehand, big canter to get him balanced do lots of stops and back up, flex his face and rock him onto his hocks so he's not leaning onto his front. For his lope and trot do what CA calls "cruise control" let him lope on a loose rein, just lope and lope and lope- let him go wherever (best to do in a fenced off area) he should start to slow down and his lope should feel a lot smoother. Also, with unbalanced horses a slow lope usually with feel really uncomfortable.. I did this with my barrel mare and she floats at a lope now!(Also good for a trot)


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## Docs (Oct 13, 2012)

also after a lot of loose lead cantering his headset should lower a bit


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## equinelyn (Dec 15, 2010)

In the first video it was the first time I ever loped him. We have found a bit of a groove. Here is an update about 2 weeks later. 
I think buy a western headstall for him made things feel a little less english. lol


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## Ashsunnyeventer (Aug 17, 2012)

You guys look so much better! I think it was maybe a compromise. He figured out the canter a bit and you figured out how to ride it. Good job- that last circle looked great with the flexion


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I just noticed this thread. I would say that for your first time riding him, the light , forward seat was perfectly appropriate. He is young and has little under saddle time, I guess. sitting back on his back and tr4ying to force him to collect is not yet appropriate.

The second video looked better, however, what's with all the tail swishing? And he kind of seemed to not reach under himself as well as before? Are you certain that the saddle is a good fit?


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## equinelyn (Dec 15, 2010)

He has been tail swishing and even throws bucks in from day one. The saddle fits him good, and he did all this with the trainers equipment too. He will do it in my English saddle too. When we first lunged him with a saddle he bucks like a bronk. but when u get on its more of a crow hop type buck. Trainer has a horse related to this one, and he bucks when he is fresh. Said it runs in the lines. He tail swishes whenever you ask anything like backing, turning. Trainer said he was "a lazy butthead who thinks he has things figured out, and wants to do it his way". He's come a long way since I bought him and had 30 days on him. Trainer did wonders. I noticed he bucks more in the direction to the right compared to left. I'm soon going to have a chiropractor come out and look at him. See if he has any discomfort. Trainer suggested it too, said he is much stiffer on one side.
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## equinelyn (Dec 15, 2010)

Ok here are more videos. 
This is before we bought him. Different saddle. He sat all year and the people said he just needs a refresher. He was also extremely buddy sour. And his pasture buddies were calling for him. I apologize for my annoying voice on here..(they also threw a tomb thumb in his mouth when he wasn't used to it. He had been broke on a twisted wire snaffle)
Pre-purchase - YouTube


This was him about 2 weeks at the trainers. Another saddle as well.
Swishy tail - YouTube
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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

first of all, he sure is cute!

but, that kind of swishing and crowhopping is often an indication of pain. I would love to see him move without a rider up top.

nice horse.


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## equinelyn (Dec 15, 2010)

I'll get one. I did talk to the man who broke him as a 2 year old and not sure about the tail swishing but know he bucked with a saddle. He said he bucked like hell when u first put it on and lunged him, nothing bad when u got on. I can say that he doesn't tail swish when riding at a relaxed walk trot & canter. It's when u start putting leg on him and asking more of him that he swishes away. In the updated lope video I was doing smaller circles, one thing that I noticed he fusses and bucks about loping smaller circles. I'm really hoping he's not in pain he's a 4 year old who hasn't done a whole lot. But I think I'm going to start looking for a chiropractorsfor him. If anything he will feel better.
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## equinelyn (Dec 15, 2010)

Ok here is a video right after the "cowboy lope" at 6:51 yesterday where he was tail swishy. After I loped him my friend hopped on and loped him around the ring. She is just getting back into riding after selling her horses about 8 years ago, so she didn't ask for anything from him. No leg on him, no circles just a lope around the ring.

Relaxed lope - YouTube
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## equinelyn (Dec 15, 2010)

Ok sorry to swarm you all with videos. Lol I found this on my phone. He is in an English saddle free lunging. I did not mean to throw the lead rope at him I meant to swing it to push him forward from a buck and my horrible coordination between phone in hand and swinging rope I wound up accidentally chucking it at him which he didn't appreciate at all!!! Lol all well we learn as we age  

Bucking Cowboy - YouTube
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## Missy May (Feb 18, 2012)

Until recently, I have always owned QH's. I never had one that didn't have it in them to trot in such a manner that could jar your teeth out IF you didn't check them into that splended smooth "other" jog/trot. It is there, you just have to ask.


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## equinelyn (Dec 15, 2010)

LOl Thank you that gives me hope! I had his teeth floated 2 days ago and he was sharp but nothing else wrong. Nothing to make him fuss and buck. Haven't heard back from the chiro at all so I think I'm going with another one. Someone referred me to a woman who worked in MD and was a human chiropractor before she got into practice with horses. I've heard great things about her!


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## Equilove (Feb 21, 2011)

Hahaha I am laughing so hard at the conversation you were having with (I assume what was) your boyfriend/husband. "She has thousands of pictures of her and her horse she doesn't need anymore!" "I DO need more! I need to see how good I'm doin'!"

Sounds like me and my boyfriend. That is so funny.


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## mbaron5731 (Nov 13, 2012)

Nice improvement! 
I would recommend transitions!
Warming up, he's got movement to work with- so let him figure it out. Let him extend, he listened to your leg- so really enforce trot-walk transitions.
Get him really listening to you. Do circles, figure 8's, heck- draw a picture! 
He looks like a fun ride, and his canter is fluid. When you're comfortable with it, canter canter canter. Go a good 5 minutes if he's got the spirit. Make him move off your leg, and collect with your seat and voice before you react with your hands.
He's got great potential for a lot. Keep posting!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I'll be curious to know how the chiropractor went. That last video, where he's free lunging wiht an English saddle on (which is too far forward, btw), he still looks really stiff. He moves both back legs almost in unison, and hardly brings them under his body at all. I don't think that's normal for a QH, is it? I mean, I know they are soemtimes not big movers, but that looks like his pelvis is really locked up.

Will he step under himself if you you disengage his hindquarters? Watch how he turns around when on his own, if it's really stiff, or can he step under his own body.

Does he lay down and roll? and have you seen him actually roll all the way over?

Just curious.


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## equinelyn (Dec 15, 2010)

Lol thanks equilove  that was my husband ragging me about all my videos. Haha. Mbaron great advice thanks! I'll gry all of that! And tinyliny have not had the Chiro out yet. Called one and he never got back to me so I'm going to use a lady that a friend referred to me. She used to be a human Chiro too. Just been on hold because I had a tonsillectomy last Monday and knocked me on my butt!!!! I think he's rolled but never payed that much attention after he's turned out.
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## nvr2many (Jan 18, 2011)

Subbing, and he is really pretty by the way!


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## equinelyn (Dec 15, 2010)

The equine chiropractor came out today and went over his entire body. She said he has no soreness or discomfort in his back that would show any signs of a saddle not fitting properly. She said he was a little tight in his hip muscles and his hip seemed a little out of alignment so she adjusted him. Other than that he was in great shape. I asked her about him being behind at the knee, because I posted a conformation thread with pics(http://www.horseforum.com/horse-conformation-critique/roping-lines-qh-pics-pedigree-141063/), and many people thought he was behind at the knee. She doesn't think he is, and said angles in pictures are everything. I'm praying she is right!!!!

Also!! I have been riding him a lot and he is coming around nicely. I will post an updated video because he really uses his hind end now and seems much more balanced. My instructor said some of the prettiest movers can be the bounciest! She breeds and shows Welsh ponies and crosses. Let me know when I post if you see an improvement.


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## equinelyn (Dec 15, 2010)

Here is an updated video. This does not do him justice at all because it was muddy and wet and I was working on communication through leg aids only. And he still gets tail swishy when u put that leg on him. He listens great though. I should post an updated video on a relaxed rein with little leg pressure to show the difference. When I slow him down he definitely gets less bouncy!!
Cowboy trotting with no reins - YouTube
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## spurstop (Mar 22, 2012)

Have you thought about the possibility of him having ulcers that cause discomfort? 


As for the age -- he's four. He's not a baby anymore. If he is still trotting up into a lope, that is something that needs to be corrected. In the loping videos posted here, he's not using himself. He's just sort of bombing around. I don't think he's really what I would consider a big strided horse, he does get pretty quick legged. In the video where you circle him down, he falls really heavily onto the inside front end. Starting with a correct departure to the lope is going to make a big difference in the quality of it further down the rail.

I would suggest riding him with more leg and keeping your legs on him consistently. Give him something to balance off of and then go in with a spur or squeeze when you need to get a desired result. I am thinking that he might be so animated with the tail because you are keeping your legs off and then going in when you want something, so it's a sudden change.


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## equinelyn (Dec 15, 2010)

Great information thank you! So I should lope off from a walk? The videos from before.. he was trained at 2 then sat for 2 years pretty much. The first video was when I first brought him home. The fact that he had not been ridden, would that have contributed towards his balance and not using himself? Is that learned or comes naturally? I sent him away for 30 days when i bought him in july, then have been riding him consistently for the past 3 months on top of that. I will soon post an updated video so you all can help me see if he is improving. His teeth were floated a month ago and I had a chiropractor examine him as well. I will use your advice and post updates.
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## equinelyn (Dec 15, 2010)

He is coming around nicely. Here is an updated video and I would like to get one where he really looks good, this one doesn't do him justice at all..


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## equinelyn (Dec 15, 2010)

OK here is the best yet. We have started him over fences and he is coming along great! please let me know what you think!


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## Ashsunnyeventer (Aug 17, 2012)

He looks so relaxed! Thats great  I don't know if you want a tip, but I would shorten my stirrups a bit for a more secure seat. I can't believe this is the same horse as the first video.


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