OTTB problems?

Sounds like a typical ottb in the spring! They get very forward, and they resent your half halts and seat changes - it just makes them antsier.

I use the power of the circle. When the horse speeds up too much, I turn him to go in a small circle. They cant go as fast in a small circle, so this forces them to slow down. I make the circle tighter and tighter till the horse is going the speed I want.

When we're going the right speed, I reward the horse by letting him continue on in a straight line (or a large circle around the outside edge of the ring/arena). For these very forward horses, that's a real reward.

The first time, the horse will of course immediately speed up, and I will again do the small circle, reward him when he gets the right speed by resuming.

We will repeat this until he learns that he gets to move freely, without the circle, only when he keeps a steady pace. It doesn't take long, though you will probably have to include the lesson as part of your warmup for a long time.

When you're doing this, don't "keep out of her mouth." She's used to contact, racehorses are trained to like and accept it. If you're constantly throwing away the contact, then the horse doesn't understand what you're doing, and gets scared and nervous, and seems more and more recalcitrant, when really she just wants the reassuring contact. If you're keeping out of her mouth, losing contact, then suddenly doing a half halt, she's going to be startled and upset because she didn't expect it. To her, it feels like she was just going along as expected, then all of a sudden you've grabbed her mouth and yanked. It's better to keep contact all the time, then just use a finger tightening for a half halt, if you must half halt. She'll be expecting communication through the bit, and you can just add a little light pressure, and as she is expecting communication she'll be more open to it.

Combine this technique with lots of turnout, more hay and less grain, and she'll soon calm down again. Good Luck with her!

I agree with the other poster about switching from the sweetfeed to a beet pulp based high fat product. After being off for a whole winter, coming into season, green grass sprouting they are all a little goofy now. I work with TB race horses and fox hunters plus have my own pleasure horse. I have found it is best to get on ...do some walk and whoas and then just jog along for a good 10 or 15 minutes doing large 30 meter circles and figure eights. I do not lunge. Once he has a good 10 minute jog under his belt he will start to settle, drop his head and pay attention. If I try to start with a bunch of half halts, leg yields, bending, or getting into his mouth in any way... it is like whisteling in the wind. Let her get a good jog and then you can start your flat work. Each horse is different, but I've found most settle by June regardless of what I do or do not do. It just is a better experience for the horse, if you acknowledge what they were born, bred, and trained to do. I've had my latest ottb for 5 years and every spring it is the same. Doesn't want to be tied, groomed or strictly ridden. I put a nibble net in front of him when grooming and using his therapeutic back pad. It helps a lot. When the therapy session time is complete I saddle and bridle after removing the nibble net. He is a proud horse, and I let him jog for several minutes when I get on and then we can begin a brief school. By mid june all the antsy behavior dissipates. It will be the same next spring, no matter how much I ride or show this season. Embrace the youthfulness...it won't be here forever:)

Zooey has a good point although I don’t agree with some of her ideas on training (to each their own), now that she has more weight to her she also has more energy. I don’t know where you live but it is winter and she was injured when was the last time she had a good turnout where she was able to run and "get her horse on". Where I live it has been super cold and the horses have gone without turnout for a few days at a time in spurts due to ice and freezing conditions in the pastures. That on top of old racing memories could easily turn a calmer horse nervous and full of energy. The thing i learned with my OTTB is that sometimes they just need to run, it is, after all in their nature. I do think that with training and patience she will absolutely calm down. It takes time and a gentle hand; OTTB's are notorious for being able to run through a bit. The more gentle you are through your hand aids the better off you are. Circles and serpentines are great to help break up a big arena and Zooey is right there too straight lines are an enemy until there is more control. Look into her feed too, if she has too much access energy she may need a different food mix. For instance, if you feed sweet grain it may have too much sugar in it for her.

Good luck remember to keep your patience!

What about ULCERS?

I bet she's got them.

That makes a horse nervous as well and should be addressed first.

Then....

If she was raced in 2012, then that's her last memory of being ridden.

She only knows GO and GO FAST.

And blow through the bit (that is how they are trained)

When you rode her that first time, she was under weight, and that is why she was "quiet"

Horses that are not in proper weight will seem "quiet" but really, they don't feel well and are weak.

Too weak to show their true selves.

What you have now, is a normal OTTB:

full of anxious energy (a jockey on her back is her memory)

blows through the bit

doesn't know anything (no leg cues, no rein cues, no seat cues, nothing)

She doesn't need to be lunged (if all you're doing is circle after circle to get her tired).

She needs to be lunged with changes of speed, changes of direction, constant stops and transitions.

Then she needs to be taught all the yielding, lots of bending and flexing and nothing but lateral work on the ground then under saddle.

For example, the first ride on her shouldn't even be straight at all.

You should be doing nothing but one rein stops for 2 weeks. Go forward, one rein stop. One side then the other. Over and over again.

Horses like her need to be slowed down.

Slowed down and shut down...A LOT

I would use a Dr Cook Bitless Bridle to give her a new memory of being ridden.

But if you want to use a snaffle, then stick with a D ring or a Full Cheek.

Point is: don't ride her in any straight lines for a long time. Maybe 2 weeks or even a month or so.

Lots of circles, serpentines after the first 2 weeks of nothing but One Rein Stops.