# How to stop a horse jogging on hacks?



## Ziggy_ (1 February 2009)

As the title. My horse has had four months off, is very fresh and has developed a hugely irritating jogging habit as soon as we turn for home on a hack.

I've tried turning her back the way we came until she shuts up, but she cottoned on to what I was doing really quickly, walks as soon as we turn away from home, then gets even more wound up when we turn back round.

I only started bringing her back into work this week (tried a month ago, then weather went rubbish) and we are walking for an hour including hill work. She doesn't seem tired at all and always has a good hooley when I turn her out afterwards.

Circular routes aren't really in a option where we are, and she knows all the hacking round here anyway so I can't confuse her - and I'm reluctant to let her trot on due to the amount of time she's had off, her spavin, and how bloomin strong she gets in trot. I was using draw reins as she's prone to 'airs above the ground' when fresh, but I've ditched them as I thought they were adding to the 'coiled spring' effect.

I should also mention that when I first bought her, she had a habit of p*ssing off towards home on hacks - at best she would just jog and use any excuse to spook and attempt to take off, at worst she galloped for over a mile down the main road with me and obviously I am anxious not to have a repeat of that episode!

Any thoughts as to how I can stop the jogging?


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## arwenplusone (1 February 2009)

Hmm, nothing constructive to say that you haven't already done, but will follow this post with interest since I have two 'joggers' 
	
	
		
		
	


	





If you ride with someone else, can they hold a whip infront of your horse's nose?  This sometimes works with mine.  
Or lunge beforehand (not helpful with the spavin/lack of fitness)?


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## PoppyAnderson (1 February 2009)

Not an easy one to overcome this and I'm sure other people will have more ideas than me but in the meantime, have a look at this  http://www.horseproblems.com.au/Horse%20Problems%20on%20'The%20Jig%20Jogging%20Horse'.htm


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## lpu06lec (1 February 2009)

My old horse used to jog - it was so annoying! I find that pulling on the neck strap helps (neck strap of the martingale/breastplate has the same effect). It stops the jogging and gets them to walk - not sure why is works though!?


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## Horseyscot (1 February 2009)

I too have a jogger 
	
	
		
		
	


	





What I do its lots of half halts. Make him come back to walk, soften the contact (he doesn't like you 'hanging' on to him anyway). As soon as he starts to speed up again, half halt again, this can mean doing loads of half halts!! If he is getting really wound up I sometimes actually halt him, let him stand for a second and ask him to walk on again, I never halt long enough for him to start prancing or moving off by himself, I always make sure he walks on again only when I ask. I also find doing a bit of leg yielding is quite good (only if your hacking area is safe to do this!), and once I get him listening to me, he is then waiting for next instruction (halt, yield or whatever) and its almost like he forgets to jog as he is paying more attention to me. 

Sorry, that was a bit of a ramble  
	
	
		
		
	


	




 but maybe you could try some of this with your mare.

Good luck


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## kerilli (1 February 2009)

i ask them to trot on for a bit, then walk (using neckstrap if using the reins makes them worse!), repeat, repeat... works eventually.


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## corinnematthews (1 February 2009)

I had a jogger - the only solution was to hack her out on her own. I have fit horses who start jogging - and it usually means that they want to ramp up the work - i.e. go racing (in the case of my boy) or hunt in the case of another. Once thay have had a serious bit of work they usually stop. My 6 year old became a nightmare, especially in the cold snap after Xmas - somehow his small equine brain knew that every other day he should go galloping - and if he didn't he was a nightmare - not so much a jogger, but a bouncing up and down on the spot idiot! He has now had 2 races (not covered himself in glory......) but is a poppet to hack out again. Watch this space - cos if he does not learn to be a racehorse soon - he will be on the market as a very nice bold eventer!!


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## Janette (1 February 2009)

We go in tiny circles - until she chooses to stop.  I dictate the direction, she dictates the movement - and gets fed up and stops.  also - lots of tiny changes of direction, leg yeilds, tiny serpentines across the footpath.......alnything that makes her think and makes her move her feet to where I want them - not her.  Stops the her lining up and pulling.


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## fatpiggy (2 February 2009)

My mare used to jog continuously and it drove me nuts. I honestly don't think she knew she was doing it, like someone biting their nails. One day I spotted a kingfisher on the river and was so busy watching and enjoying it I didn't notice for a while that she was actually walking. So I think my anxiety about it actually made her worse. Another thing I discovered was that if I stood up in the stirrups  she would often relax and start walking.


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## Riverboy (2 February 2009)

Mine jogged everywhere when i first got him and would never stand on a hack - it was sheer excitement he was 7 and had never been hacked out.  I used to use lots of transitions on the way home and tried to stay loose and relaxed in the saddle as the more i tensed the more he jogged (and boy did it get unconfortable after a while!) after a few months we settled with a VERY quick walk (but NOT a jog) and about a year later a friend commented he hadn't jogged for ages - not much help I guess but transitions and relaxing were the key with him!

Good luck...


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