Lessons from a forward, sensitive OTTB

Don't let them fool you, hot horses need lots of leg. This has been the greatest challenge I have faced learning to ride Leo. My naturally tendency is to take my leg off Leo, because he over-reacts to it (throws his head, hollows his back, goes faster), but even a hot horse needs leg. Leg develops the quality of the trot and the canter. Leg enables us to turn and balance. Leg is needed for collection. I learned this many years ago, but that didn't make learning to ride Leo any easier!

During my Pleasant Hollow years, many of us had the opportunity to get schooled by Dollar, Jane's off-the-track thoroughbred rescue who Becca Diesinger competed through the 3-star level. He was 100% intimidating because as soon as you got on his back, you knew he knew more than you. And to top it off, he knew it too! As a weekend working student for Jane, she would write our chores and who we were going to ride in a notebook left in the office. The first time I saw Dollar's name next to mine, I was intrigued. The second time - dread. During my first ride, when I cantered Dollar, I couldn't stop him. My second ride was no better and I really had to talk myself into even attempting the canter! 

Eventually, Jane started giving me lessons on Dollar. I learned that to slow Dollar, I had to use my legs!!! This was really mind-blowing at the time. I held with my core and squeezed him into the trot with my legs. Eventually, all of us working students learned to master riding Dollar. It was a great experience. 

But it is one thing to learn the commands needed to ride a school master. It's another to train and ride your horse through the various stages of his education. 

Here are some things I've learned about riding hot / forward horses from Leo so far:

1. OTTB are more balanced at faster paces. Racehorses don't learn how to canter. If your guy is going faster than you want, he's not trying to be bad. Chances are he's just more comfortable there. Appreciate this - you'll need those forward gears on cross country. 
2. OTTBs don't learn leg commands at the track. Horses naturally move away from pressure so your OTTB will naturally move away from your leg pressure. As he is a creature of speed, it's going to make him go faster at first. This is ok. Just like people, horses don't know what they don't know. 
3. At first, putting your leg on will be uncomfortable. Your horse will go faster; head may be in the air. The gait may feel unbalanced and, no, you won't be producing a lovely image for your spectators. But that's ok. Your horse will eventually start to settle. 
4. If you feel out of control, you're probably doing it right. Riding, in general, requires you to step out of your comfort zone on a regular basis. I'm a fairly conservative and cautious rider, so riding a hot, forward horse constantly pushes my boundaries. The first year of riding Leo, I hated feeling like I was out of control, hated the awkwardness and the feeling of being unbalanced, but in those moments (believe it or not) real learning and training is happening! Leo didn't have the strength to canter slowly in a balanced frame; he didn't always have the strength to control his exuberant jump. You'll feel out of control while your horses is building his strength. 
5. Learn to trust speed. Eventing is not about riding a hunter round. Cross Country is about galloping fences. In the gallop you are looking for rhythm and balance. Any OTTB's race education is an advantage here. They have been taught rhythm and balance at faster speeds. If your hot horse is more comfortable at a faster pace, this is probably where he has both rhythm and balance. 
6. Be careful you are not giving conflicting aides. Did your horse suddenly start going faster than you want? Evaluate whether you subconsciously told him to do so. When I loose my balance, I am likely to bump Leo with my leg, or dig with my heel to regain my balance, and thus unintentionally tell him to go forward. When Leo charges a fence, I might brace with my seat and fall behind the motion. This too unintentionally drives him forward even more.
7. Halting is a skill that has to be learned. Leo had to learn that halting wasn't a big deal. It was just a request like any other. When you're a little scared or a little frustrated, it's easy to over-react with the halt and get pissed at your mount - particularly if he doesn't feel the need to listen to your request for a halt. I had to learn to be completely unemotional about it and Leo's halting got better with time. 
8. Being forward and making a bid for the fence are 2 different things. For Leo, if he makes a bid for the fence, it is often an indication that I was micromanaging and he was behind my leg to begin with. It's helpful to have someone on the ground or another rider, give you feedback in these instances. In general, I know if Leo's canter stops covering ground and starts to feel like he is going more up than forward, that we're creating a situation where he will likely make a bid for the fence. Part of learning to ride Leo has been getting comfortable jumping out of a more forward pace overall and part of Leo's training has been to teach him he doesn't need speed to jump. It's a balancing act. 
9. The pulley rein is your friend. When Leo is galloping on cross country, it's the main tool I use to slow him down. I hope as his training advances, I'll need to use it less but it's come in very handy over the years! 
10. Even though they may not ever admit it, they need you. Leo is cocky and smart and likes to fool me into believing that he doesn't need me. There have been plenty of times when Leo has been cantering towards a fence - all gung-ho and me just going along for the ride - and then 2 strides out, he'll back off. I often imagine our conversation going like this...Leo: Oh, no....Me: "Oh, no?" What do you mean "Oh. no?"....Leo: Oh, no....Me: Well, maybe you know best...Cut to scene of Leo's sliding halt. Leo does not know best and horses don't get a vote when it comes to jumping. If you have a hot horse, you're a better rider than you give yourself credit for. Don't be a pussy with your leg - it's your best tool to give him the confidence he needs to get the job done when he's in doubt. 

On a side note, isn't it awesome how horses always seem to greet you with a pleasant expression? Even after a difficult ride, they rarely look at you like you're a jerk. They are so forgiving. I guess that is insight #11, but it really applies to all horses.