Looking for exercises

[Happy Dogue]

I'm looking for some excerises my 5 yr old gelding and I can do in a smaller indoor (60x90) to help him become more consistant at the slower trot. He has been hitched for a year and showed sucessfully last season.
He enjoys the faster trot and as we are working the speed gradually creeps up. I'd like to help him to learn to be soft and forward without having to repeatly pull on him to slow down.

He'd good with being deep in the corners and keeping his sholder up.

Becasue of the cold and ice I don't have the option to work outside until at least April.

thanks for your help.

[wstrngrl]

Maneuvering exercises are good for that: circles, serpentine, figure 8s. Whenever you change direction or turn in unexpected places (ie, not at an end) he'll have to slow down at least a little bit to listen to what you're asking and to perform the maneuver without losing his balance.

It'll also be good for his flexibility if you make sure he bends correctly when he'd performing the movements.

But the name of the game is changing it up; don't get into a pattern, keep him guessing.

[Samigator]

In that same breath, repetition builds consistency. You'll need to work on rating his speed (you control it, not him!) and when he creeps faster, slow him down, work on holding him at one speed (without hanging on the bit), and keep repeating that same speed, varying it only when YOU ask for it.