How do you slow the lope

[Serendipity]

Just a curious question mostly I can get a slower lope from my western pasos but its time consuming.I'm training a performance horse for western pleasure 8-) ,He's doing well I've got him with his ques and to stay on the right lead now a need to reduce the speed I don't want the western QH lope I just doint like that I still want him to go somewhere just slower that he is now I'll have it by sept but if anyone has any better ideas the help would be great.

On the lope thing the only thing 2 things i cant do is i don't have an areana i ride in our pasture and I have lunge a horse for more than 5 min with out getting sick from being dizzy( i really need to go to a doc about this) so I need to be able to do this from his back.
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Also if any one lives in this area I've love to take some lessons. :jumpy :bsmile

[Cindy]

There is no shortcut. Just keep doing what you are doing. Once you have the leads, just work on gradually slowing the canter. It takes a lot of time with the Pasos. You should be able to get it done by this year. But if you don't, that's just how it is. You cannot rush going slow. Takes a lot of work. Why do you think there aren't more trainers showing in Western Pleasure? :twisted:

[PattiB]

Can you canter in a circle without getting dizzy? Going in a circle will help slow the canter/lope up plus it keeps you horse supple and balanced. You might have to "mark" your circle with cones so you can see how well you are doing in keeping it round. If he lopes fast start your circle big then bring it in smaller as he gets balanced, use half halts as the front lead goes forward. Like Cindy said it takes time.

[appyday]

I would take my outside spur and push his hip off the rail..then dig my inside spur in his ribcage as hard as I could and lift up till he slowed down and crawled for me. ;-)

[Cindy]

Oh yeah, that'll work. Spurs are great for gettin' Pasos to slow down. :lol:

[PattiB]

Spurs might mean slow down for a QH but that is turbo charge for a Paso :shock:

[Fino1]

Circles...........and make them progressivly smaller...day by day..... NOT at first............takes time and ALOT of patience on your part (and his too).

These performance guys are hard wired so look at this like defusing him. This isn't something you can accomplish by lounging since you'll need to use half halts but sparingly at first, to help him slow down.

Good luck...........and don't forget......plenty of "atta boys"

This is what worked for me with my performancey horse.

[CarolU]

I do lots of cantering in a BIG arena, a big circle, until I SEE the horse change and relax into the canter (can take a while with some horses). As long as they're being impulsive, I let them...no point fighting them and they'll figure out going faster doesn't get them anywhere any sooner. Once the light comes on (you'll see a visible change in how they canter), I stop and let them relax at least as long as they cantered. Then start over and see how long it takes to make the transition again. I do this several times until I get a nice easy canter from a walk.

Then I put a hackamore under the bridle and use slow and release, slow and release until they get the idea that what I want is a slow, relaxed, collected canter.

I wouldn't use spurs with a Paso....

[CarolU]

BTW - I have to agree with Judy. Anyone would get dizzy trying to lunge a change into a hot Paso...all that you accomplish is that the horse gets in better and better condition and it takes longer and longer to achieve anyting. LOL

I am not going to lie to you, this is a lot of work with very impulsive horses - I'm sure anyone would classify our Performance horses as VERY impulsive...on a 1-10 scale, most would be 10's. These horses will wear you out trying to wear them out....good luck.

[appyday]

Ok disreguard my comment...geesh..

[motorgypsy]

Shelley I'll be glad to lend you Chinook so you can demonstrate - or Lula - but you do have to sign a waiver and disclaimer and wear body armor. ;-) ;-) ;-) Actually with Chinook if she chooses to balk you could set of a cannon under her and she'd stay planted but if she chooses to move she's out of there with the lift of the rein. Lula however would go straight up to the moon if you spurred and lifted - and she'd park there too. Really a Lippizan in disguise!

If you ride an LD 25 you can generally get sort of a lope on the last 10 miles - well at least it's relaxed. Not the hand gallop we usually get from our guys.

[CarolU]

I want to watch. :D :shock: :D We could sell tickets.

If the arena has low rafters (well, lower then 30 feet) we should have a fire truck with a ladder nearby to retive Shelley. I'd take money Lula could get her that high.

[appyday]

OH I feel ya..if I "hooked a spur" into Vence I would be on the ground I am sure....

Poor Roger you "hoook a spur" into him and he checks right up...Its the weirdest thing..the harder you hook the slower he gets...hook with both and you get a dead stop..and...you are still in the saddle....

I do you humane ball type spurs...though trainers have used rowl type on him...I dont think my legs are that good...

[Serendipity]

Thanks for the advise I'll right it.He lopes really well in our small roundpen but in the pasture he opens up.I guy once used spurs on and western horse 2yrs ago paso also he was trying to help me get himover his fear of the wall and marked him up bad and our class was the end of the day.so no spurs for me plus this horse if I spured him I'd be able to being back those pony from WA maybe he's stop then :roll: .

[appyday]

Thanks for the advise I'll right it.He lopes really well in our small roundpen but in the pasture he opens up.I guy once used spurs on and western horse 2yrs ago paso also he was trying to help me get himover his fear of the wall and marked him up bad and our class was the end of the day.so no spurs for me plus this horse if I spured him I'd be able to being back those pony from WA maybe he's stop then :roll: .

So are you going to "hook a spur"???????????????

[GeorgeGuns]

Hmmm. To borrow a comparison: jockeys don't use spurs, they don't even kick. They lean forward for speed (and apply a whip o the butt), so the opposite would be sit back for slower - but maintain your canter aids. Spurs are for upward movement, and I'll bet that's what a lot fo Pasos will give you - with flair! So, Shelley, don't feel bad, lol, just dont' spur the poor pasos, hehehe.

Honestly, I'd work on speed control at a walk, and then in gait first, so the horse knows his speed up and slow down cues - if a horse doesn't now these basics, they won't know it at a faster gait like a canter which may start out as a gallop for some!

I also like the one rein stop for the first lessons on speed control. If a horse gets too fast (in any gait), one rein them to a stop - be sure to switch up sides that you rein to. They'll get it sooner or later. Sitting back may work by itself too - depends on the horse. Many will try to slow to a lower gait, so keep up your leg aids for canter.

Circles are good, but IMO if a horse isn't schooled for speed control already, you may get a lot of shoulder falling in to the circle. JMHO