4 year old lazy lunge-er

[evsj]

Hi everyone, about 11 years since I last used this forum...!

I’ve just backed my friends 4 yo Dutch warmblood mare and started riding away.
I will be lunging her once a week and so far she’s been really well behaved in walk/trot and stand but lazy/unenthusiastic/too laid back! I seem to work harder than her and the lunge whip doesn’t really ‘motivate’ her. Given that I’d prefer to teach her canter from the ground with my voice before I dare try while I’m on board.....does anyone have any tips please??

 

[ycbm]

I would seriously consider investigating whether there is something wrong with her. The one my friend had like this at 3 was PTS at 7 with suspected ESPA. Another thing I would be looking at doing is testing for PSSM. My four year old who didn't want to canter was probable type 2 PSSM, diagnosed by reaction to a PSSM diet.

Failing that, she might be better taught canter on a hack, up a long gentle slope of possible.

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[evsj]

Ok, thanks. I haven’t tried to get her to canter on the lunge yet. I don’t think there is anything physiologically wrong with her, she’s fit, healthy, free-moving and as sharp as a young horse should be! She’s also only been fed grass/hay and haylage all her life - I’ve been showing her since she was 2.

 

[Equi]

If she has been shown she maybe thinks life is all about doing a short burst of trot and then lets stand still and thats us done.

 

[AmyMay]

If she’s a big girl it might just be too hard for her, especially as she’s so young.