Walking not trotting over poles

[WTAFdoodles]

My horse absolutely won't walk over ground or raised poles on the lunge.

He trots at them no matter how much you insist on walk. You can see his nostrils and face getting all tight and his ears pinning back.

He'll do it (grudgingly) with a rider on.

In trot, he's fine although does sometimes like to just canter or leap them.

Would you say that's a case of not seeing the point or lack of education...or more likely to be pain related? He is a very impatient sort who pre empts everything if his routine isn't kept really varied.

Just annoying as I'm trying to build his hind up!

[maxelly]

I think it's quite possible he's never really done much 'work' in walk on the lunge, a lot of people (based on a highly unscientific basis of my own observations) would only do 2 mins warming up and cooling down in walk when lunging and get them up into trot and canter asap - I think largely because a lot of people mainly use lunging as a way to get as much exercise into them in 15 - 20 mins as possible, or as a way to get the freshness off before riding so let them go as fast and as wildly as they want to! Not that that's 'correct' of course, but I think it's the way a lot of people think so it's quite possible that's what his last owner did...

Not to say that shooting off can't be a sign of pain but I think if that was the case you'd probably see signs of it in all paces and potentially more extreme in trot and canter than in walk so my money is on him just not getting it and thinking that lunge = trot ....

[WTAFdoodles]

Thanks @maxelly . I have no dogged insistence on his walking over poles if it serves no real purpose - I'm more just a little concerned whether it could be any sort of discomfort indicator (though not sure what) or that it doesn't say much for his obedience/ respect although in most ways they seem very good.

His transitions into trot, both on lunge and ridden are lovely. But actually, even away from poles, he does try to move into trot when walking on the lunge and isn't best pleased about coming back to walk - although he will, with insistence. Perhaps in the past he's done very little in walk on the lunge and just lots of trot.

He stands beautifully when led or ridden and has no issues walking politely inhand. Not a pushy sort at all, just impatient!

[maxelly]

It might just be me but is it really that important for him to walk over poles on the lunge? So long as he's mannerly when ridden and will do trot/canter poles nicely it probably wouldn't bother me.

One of mine has a similar issue, her walk would be her weaker pace and she's never really got the hang of adjusting herself coming into a pole in walk (under saddle or on the ground) so she tends to be too far off or too close, stand on the pole, belt it or trip over it and if she did that on the lunge she would def then rush off afterwards, possibly bucking and farting, she's a bit of a hooligan on the lunge - she does poles nicely in trot and canter though and jumps very well so I've pretty much always just ignored the fact she can't walk over a pole reliably unless it's actively managed for her by the rider, is that bad ?

When he goes into trot is it a nice steady balanced trot or a panicked rush off, if the former I would just say he doesn't 'get' what you're asking for, if the latter it might be just lack of balance/quality of the walk to allow him to 'lift' over the pole easily without trotting, or possibly is lacking in concentration/obedience and is just getting a bit over-excited. I think you probably need to get your 'halt' and 'wait' aids better established from the ground either way, probably good to start next to his head and teach him a voice aid as well, so he'll reliably either stop totally or slow down his walk off your aid, before adding a pole. Then get him to walk slowly into the pole, add in halts before and after the pole, with lots of correction if he speeds up or tries to trot, and praise when he keeps a steady rhythm, and he should get the idea?

[lastqueenofscotland]

Repetition, repetition, repetition. I’d start just leading it. Maybe halting either side, over and over and over until he was doing it politely. Then progress do doing it on walk on the tightest circle - pulling him up as soon as he tried to trot.
Gloves, hat and bridle rather than a lunge cavesson. Oh and practice lots of walk and halt before trying over a pole!

[WTAFdoodles]

He's not a youngster- 12 and very well schooled in general but I've only had him a short time

[LockdownIsDragging]

Have you tried just leading him over them? I would say it is probably lack of education. Lots of repetition and staying calm and you should see results in a few weeks.
What age/level is he in other areas?