OTTB canter problems

Question
Hi!

I've been riding for almost 20yrs and have ridden lots of OTTBs. I have a 5yo 16.3hh OTTB gelding that I adopted in November '10 as a 4yo. He's been fully vetted (clean bill of health) and had his teeth floated. He's had time off and some groceries added. He's a super friendly, loveable guy. I've had some problems with him spooking and bolting while mounted, but I've watched some natural horsemanship videos and worked with him- he'll spook occasionally, but he doens't bolt anymore after the spook, and he'll follow me around anywhere without a lead.

I'm in no rush to get him into a new discipline. I've been longing him (his balance is improving) and he responds well to voice commands on the longe. We're still at the walk-trot phase after 3-4mos (mounted and ground training)- he's really learning to slow it down and not zip around at the trot, we're starting to bend a little and he's picking up leg yields at the walk and trot. I've incorporated ground poles into his mini-workouts (he gets frazzled if its any more than 20min) and he isn't bothered by them at all.

I've raised one of the trot poles to less than 1/2ft off the ground and he walks over it fine. He'll walk over almost anything (including higher x-rails). However, when we trot over it (the raised ground pole)... its like his brain short-circuits and he doesn't respond to my seat or half-halts or voice and just takes off. Anytime he anticipates doing something other than walk or trot (which he's been getting really good at- i'm really proud of him for that)... even on the longe line if i ask for a few strides of canter, he goes flying and gets really nervous and uncontrollable (i dont use a longe whip at all). His nickname at the racetrack was "mad man"... and by his body language, I think its more of a flight reaction than a longing to run. On the longe, he'll eventually settle down, but not without snorting and bucking and trying to full-speed gallop for a good 15-20 min- and if I try to pull him into a smaller circle, it seems he frazzles even more (usually he'll end up pulling me around- i'm 5'3" and 102lbs). I haven't attempted to canter under saddle, altho occasionally when he gets excited over the raised ground pole, we canter, gallop, and we've breezed before... and all my emergency aids go out the door (one-rein stop, drawing him into a circle, voice commands, half-halts, leaning all the way back in the saddle and allowing a loose rein) and i'm basically at his mercy to stop. I ride in a D-ring french link and it fits him really well. (he's got a really sensitive mouth). but I'm not really sure how to "make cantering boring" for him or even the raised ground pole. I also need to desensitize him to 2-point position, but that's not my main concern right now...

I'm considering putting him in a larger field to burn off some energy. I've decreased his grain (he was getting a little porky).  Do you have any advice for me?

Answer
Hi Sara,
First off, you bought this horse off the track. He was trained to "run". To "bolt" when the gates open. That is what he was bred to do and it will take alot of training and patience to "hide" that. I said "hide" because it is a habit for him now and it can't be "unlearned". But you can teach him to control it. For now let's concern ourselves with the cantering problem. That will do the most good. This horse can canter or run for long periods. So be prepared to canter or run for a long time. I suggest you put him in an arena and ask for a canter. Canter for about 5-6 strides and then bend him into a "large circle" making the circle smaller and smaller until he comes to a stop. Stops moving his feet and relaxes. Then do this over and over again. Once he does this well, increase the amount of strides doing the same thing. Once he has this down and you know you can shut him down to a stop, let him canter. He may want to run. That's fine. Let him run and canter. We call this "cruising". It doesn't matter where he goes in the arena. You're not concerned with a steering problem here. He will sooner or later start to slow his canter down. When you think he has had enough, canter some more. And when you think he is done all he can do, canter some more. And when you think he can't go another step....canter some more. He will learn that he needs to concerve his energy and canter slow..not bolt off because he doesn't know how long he will have to canter.
I hope this has helped you. Please stay safe and above all....have fun.