How To Calm Down A Hot Horse

This is a video I filmed a while back on how to calm down a hot horse. It's probably the best method I've used and it works on every horse.

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[TheUbstud]

I’ve found what’s easiest for me is to just repeatedly click the left thumb stick down and say things like, “You’re okay boi!” ... “That’s it.” ... “There...” ... “You’re alright.”

[naturalfarmerguineith]

I'm going to try this with my mare in the morning. She's a good girl, but she's hot! She has a first class "go" button, dances like a ballerina at the halt and if she doesn't get to go, she might just really act up! It's just frustration at having to walk, but as you know, you can't have that...

If I could have her well behaved at the walk, I could teach her all the things I really need to teach her, that she needs to know at the canter. And she's likely to not be so hot at the canter, either, right?

She is super responsive to the aids and especially the whoa, which is a huge improvement, but she just hates to stand still, and sometimes that's just necessary!

Edit: Post lesson, I did this with my mare and the difference in one day was outstanding!

I combined it with Clinton Anderson's hot-horse method, doing this at several different locations with a walk on the trail in between, and by the time we were at location 4 or 5, she was like "Mum, I'm so BORED!!! I just know we're going to do this for a while here, then we're going for a walk to do the same BORING stuff somewhere else!" The result of this was, by the third or fourth walk, she was the opposite of headstrong on the trail! And yet, if I wanted her to go faster, I could have done so! In the end she was walking calmly for a few meters, then stopping for a few moments, then walking on again, round and around, in figure eights, circles and squares.

This is totally different to how she was, where even at the walk, I felt like I was sitting on a rocket!


I'm going to do this again tomorrow, and each day for about a week, and by the end of it, I think I will have a different, and much safer, horse.

So thank you, Carson, your work is amazing and is certainly making a huge difference to my whole life!

[superanimalia]

I've owned my mare for a little over 4 months. She's a great trail horse and a great arena horse. Took her to a big trail ride, weekend long event where we rode about 25 miles over two days. Sometimes nose to tail with other horses (750 on the trail the first day). She was SO excited about all the other horses and being away from home, etc. that she would not walk--at all! I did everything, used my seat, calm voice, small rein corrections and then release quickly, slight one rein pulls to either side, it all only worked a tiny bit. We ended up prancing and trotting the entire time. And she wanted to trot and run down steep hills--which I never do. I thought she would tire, cause she's not an endurance horse or anything, I ride once or twice a week. But no. By the end of the second day, she was being totally belligerent, throwing her head when I gave her a correction and fighting me hard. We were with a group so I couldn't just keep turning her, or let her trot until it was her idea to stop. I know I pulled on her face too much (we ride in a fancy rope halter meant for riding), but for safety reasons, I felt I had no choice. Any suggestions for this high level of excitement? She's not a lazy horse, but not a hot horse (normally) either. She was so worked up by the end of the first day (4.5 hrs) that she colicked! I lunged her before riding Sunday and it did nothing. It was like she had no off button, no matter how tired she was.

[cheryldrumheller]

My mare gets hot and I have been kind of doing this on my own but not as many different circles...thanks for the great suggestions!

[Bullsandbarrels]

Exactly what I’ve been taught to do. It puts the horse’s mind on the rider

[bung]

Thanks Carson, I've learnt from you and use this technique always and kept me safe

[menotyou]

Love your vids!
I've got a gelding that acts like the horse in this vid. Going to try this technique next time I take him out.
In my arena, he's ok. But as soon as I take him out, he gets all hot and antsy.

[comesahorseman]

When your horse tells you that he absolutely has to move his feet, find a productive way for him to move his feet. Eventually, he'll find a spot where he can stop his feet & feel comfortable with it. If you try to tell him *not* to move his feet, his urge to move becomes even stronger.

[inthestix]

Maybe next time demonstrate on a hot horse?

[standufrene]

Great job cowboy great job. I needed to see this video. Traing the mind is ware its at. Thanks.

[charliewhon]

I like to ride squares or square corners instead of curves because the horse has to rebalance more rather than wind up.

[aliclark_]

LOVE your content, Carson!! Please, please tell me... where do you get your hats? Do you just buy them open and shape them yourself? Do you call this the Buckaroo Bowl? So hard to find content on the University of YouTube on how to do this properly on my own! haha. Would love some tips and tricks on how to "train" my hat, too! ;)

[samchristy]

What if you have a horse that does not EVER run out of energy? Like would die before he decides to chill out 🥲

[thecowboypreacher]

When you’re going in the figure8 I noticed you’re using a bit of direct rain to guide him. When you turn. Are you turning him with the outside leg to move the front end over or the inside leg in position 3 to move his hind end over

[elenamalone]

My horse won’t stay out my bubble when round pen work to trot n how do I mount him with a saddle without him bucking??

[mariec.]

what if he starts to galop very fast ?

[tomakitty]

Carson, I have horse who gets hot and nervous and acts like this when hes in new situations . I pretty much do what your saying. It works eventually . He has on occasion bucked and I came off. My question is how do you get the mental image out of your head, of you getting bucked off, out of your head so that energy isn't fed back to the horse ? I do the best I can but I eventually start to fighting with the rein and who's in charge and it goes upwards from there 🤦🏽‍♀️

[pdbabe]

Loved meeting you at the Alabama Horse Fair a couple of years ago appreciated the respect you showed David Lee Archer.

[tobygiles]

Just tip water on it, Dr Mel taught me that!

[marinaradiskovic]

My horse used to race in log pulling competitions, and learned to work really hard and fast. Now I'm having really hard time riding and slowing him down, and within a month we barely made any progress. He gets even hotter in trotting sessions like this, and sometimes bolts away from it at full galop, and I pray to stay on, since we haven't made any enclosed area for riding yet... and since he had a job like that, he's strong AF... When I lunge him, he's all speedy, so I have to lunge him on bit, and even then he sometimes pulls me so hard, so I have to watch out not to fall and get dragged. Any advices, anyone?