# help horse leaps into trot



## Carleen (Jun 19, 2009)

It sounds like there could be a few different reasons for this. He could be hyper, especially if you haven't been working him much at more than a walk. If that is the case, you could try lunging him before riding to let him calm down or even lunging him for exercise if you're not confident riding him walk/trot/canter yet.

Another thing that comes to mind is the way you are asking him. If he is sensitive to leg aids and you are giving him big kick to get him to trot, you might be scaring him into it.


----------



## Seahorseys (Nov 14, 2009)

I'm having a similar issue with a green morgan that I have been riding. I'd do your best to keep light, consistent rein contact. Keep your hands low and if possible try not to move your hands away from the saddle pad. My first inclination was to discourage my horse from leaping into a trot by asking for a few half halts because I too got unnerved. However, this just seems to confuse them and it really isn't fair to a green horse. Here's what I've been doing: I keep my lower leg away from the horse as much as I can, unless I'm giving an aid. Concentrate on using your seat and thighs to bolster you in the saddle, instead of clamping on with your lower legs (if this applies to you) Get a nice forward walk, and then gently bump your calf on his side and ask for a trot, but be careful not to keep your leg on. If he refuses to go, whip-*** the remaining rein on his withers and cluck. Keep it light-hearted. Praise him, pat him, most of the time they really just need to feel confident and be reassured. Try to match his tempo, and talk to him, this tends to help them turn their inner ear towards you, which really helps them focus and concentrate. Work on a bunch of transitions, work on a circle, keep the straight lines to a minimum. Good luck!


----------



## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Another thing might be that he is not balanced at the walk and has to leap to get enough umph to get the trot. Or maybe he has been trained to go directly from the walk to the canter and that would explain the lunge. I would just work on keeping yourself balanced and that will, in turn, help him balance. One other thing that might work is if you gently stop him and back him up a couple of steps every time he lunges into the trot.


----------

