Backward/lazy warmblood.. at my wits end

[Pearlsasinger]

I have two legs, two arms & a pair of running shoes but there is no way I'm going to be a Usain Bolt. It's the same with horses, some are sharp, quick & on many occasions a real handful, some people like them like that. Others are 'steady eddies' & they look after you and go at their own pace, some people prefer these. We have a horse that has a magnificent jump but he's never going to be the fastest horse in the arena. Fortunately he can turn on a sixpence & jump of nothing so what he lacks in speed he makes up for in suppleness £ his turning ability so he is normally in the rosettes.

You can rarely turn a horse from one extreme to another. You may need to reconsider your position with your horse & is he the right one for you. Good Luck.

Exactly!

TBH I feel quite sorry for this horse who is obviously in the wrong home but would be much appreciated in the right one!

 

[AmyMay]

TBH I feel quite sorry for this horse who is obviously in the wrong home but would be much appreciated in the right one!

I don't think that's particularly fair.

It would be interesting to know how the horse went for the op and previous owner at the initial viewing though.

 

[JFTDWS]

I'd be more sorry if the OP sold it on to someone who wanted a quieter horse, and an underlying physical issue went undiagnosed - especially if it went on to cause the horse greater discomfort in future.

 

[EquestrianFairy]

Exactly!

TBH I feel quite sorry for this horse who is obviously in the wrong home but would be much appreciated in the right one!

This is why people don’t post on the forum.

This horse has a 5 star home with me and wants for absolutely nothing, I have solved many issues she had and this is our last one, spending thousands on new saddles as she had been ridden in one for years that was causing issues.
Teeth so sharp it has scarred her mouth, sore back from the previous saddle, the fact she stopped jumping completely before I had her and now will take me around 1m05 with ease.

If you cannot provide anything useful then you may as well not bother.

I want her to take me forward, I don’t want a hot or silly horse but I want one that will at least walk with some meaning and I think the two dressage whips is a good thing to try, i almost feel like she needs to be shown she can go forward and it’s not a problem- it’s allowed and it’s not painful.

She’s been checked over twice, she is sound, passed a vetting, bloods clear.

 

[Seville]

Me too. I get the feeling that the comment " whip and spurs make no difference" indicates this horse needs to be in a different home, and no, that's not harsh. Trying to make this horse something it's not probably is though.

 

[Seville]

Me too. I get the feeling that the comment " whip and spurs make no difference" indicates this horse needs to be in a different home, and no, that's not harsh. Trying to make this horse something it's not probably is though. That was in answer to the poster who felt sorry for the horse, sorry meant to quote the message.

 

[Tiddlypom]

That was a drip feed of relevant new info which it would have been handy to have been given at the start .

With a history like that, she is bound to have issues of remembered discomfort, even if the physical pain has now gone.

 

[Farma]

Most warm bloods are backward and lazy - it’s what I love about them - if you want hot and fizzy buy a pre

My old pre was the laziest most laid back horse I have ever had! My warmblood is sharp as anything, all different I guess.

OP I would see if you can get a trusted pro on board a few times to see if they can sharpen up the reactions if you are struggling, otherwise as others have said it just might not be the right fit, I don't enjoy horses that are not forward thinking naturally, just personal choice.

 

[Woah]

i almost feel like she needs to be shown she can go forward and it’s not a problem- it’s allowed and it’s not painful.

.

This is what sprung to my mind, but I wouldn't rule out pain that hasn't yet been detected despite your efforts. Could you not speak to previous owners about her character and whether she is acting out of sorts for her. This is the trouble for you as you have little to go on. I had a horse too that was like this from new and wouldn't gallop only canter etc. Turned out was in pain in the end - trouble was I had nothing to go by either just thought it was his character.

 

[JFTDWS]

I don't think it's unacceptable to expect any (*sound*) horse to be responsive and move off the leg. And that's what the OP's subsequent posts describe - it's not a quiet, steady type if it needs to be booted into trot and it's difficult to keep moving - it's badly trained, rude or broken / dealing with some history of having been in pain. You'd do the horse a greater disservice by passing it on and not identifying and dealing with the issue.

 

[ihatework]

I don't think it's unacceptable to expect any (*sound*) horse to be responsive and move off the leg. And that's what the OP's subsequent posts describe - it's not a quiet, steady type if it needs to be booted into trot and it's difficult to keep moving - it's badly trained, rude or broken / dealing with some history of having been in pain. You'd do the horse a greater disservice by passing it on and not identifying and dealing with the issue.

For sure.
Lots of reasons why a horse isn’t responsive to aids. But even if/when that is addressed it’s still sometimes a case of horses for courses ... just like humans some activities float their boat, others don’t.

In this case it’s impossible to say as horse seems to have ‘history’ and is presumably now in an amateur home.

Assuming a recent Vet check and blood panel has been done I’d be inclined to
1) speak to old owners if possible, see what horses management was and try to recreate [assuming the horse was going well for them]
2) under guidance from Vet, shovel some bute in. See if this improves things.
3) send to a pro for a couple of weeks, is this a riding/training thing - if they think yes then continue to get help
4) if Pro can’t get horse responsive then there is probably an underlying issue you haven’t found. How you proceed depends on how much you have to spend. Of the horses I have known that weren’t obviously lame, had clear bloods, but were very stuffy despite going through a number of tick box exercises, one was cushings (at 7yo with probably LGL), one had muscle myopathy, one had airway issues.

Another is just an opinionated mare who is the trickiest horse I’ve known. Doesn’t fancy doing anything other than jump big fences, which she does exceptionally well, so she is humoured!

 

[JFTDWS]

But even if/when that is addressed it’s still sometimes a case of horses for courses ... just like humans some activities float their boat, others don’t.

Absolutely - but if you address the issues of potential pain, and poor training, the horse should (assuming pain was ruled out or fixed!) improve in rideability, even if they're still not a good match. A steady, sensible type which is responsive and moves off the leg will be easier to sell and is more likely to find a good home than one which is steady, sensible and lazy / unsound to the point that it needs booting into trot.

 

[nikkimariet]

Agree with be positive.

 

[honetpot]

Going on our old TB horses do anticipate pain, he would drama about his poorly foot and then forget it was poorly. A memory of a previous hoof abscess. Then when just to check I got the vet out there was no poorly to be seen or felt.
It may its just a very clever horse, not going is the most annoying, you can not do anything about it ever thing. Again our old TB hated the school, would go like a camel and use every go slow tactic not to work. Take him out to a comp he knew exactly what to do, and would do his four minutes and then switch off, ,back to the lorry job done. He hated hacking, who needs to boot a TB , but loved a blast in a stubble field.
I think the key to a good relationship with any horse is find what they like, have fun and agree to disagree on the rest.

 

[SEL]

Blood panel completely clear? I'm only asking because this kind of behaviour is my myopathy horse. She's incredibly sluggish off the leg when she's off colour (& we can pop tummy issues in to the mix as well as her muscles).

Plus bringing her back into work is tough because she remembers it hurts and doesn't like to stretch out.

 

[Mule]

I sometimes ride a horse who was previously treated for sacroilliac pain. He seems to have remembered pain. Sometimes he tenses when you prepare to mount. Other times he seems to have forgotten about it.

 

[Arzada]

I sometimes ride a horse who was previously treated for sacroilliac pain. He seems to have remembered pain. Sometimes he tenses when you prepare to mount. Other times he seems to have forgotten about it.

I have SI problems. Now, following treatment, I'm fine most of the time providing I move mindfully. I know some of the triggers and try to move mindfully to avoid the movement/s which cause pain. Of course when things are consistently well I drop my guard and move less mindfully and then get a painful reminder to think before moving. At least now it doesn't have the repercussions up my back as it once did. Maybe he still hurts sometimes.

 

[Mule]

I have SI problems. Most of the time fine but other times something triggers it and it really hurts. I know some of the triggers and try to move mindfully to avoid the movement/s which cause pain. Of course when things are consistently well I drop my guard and move less mindfully and then get a painful reminder to think before moving. At least now it doesn't have the repercussions up my back as it once did. Maybe he still hurts sometimes.

Interesting. I'll keep a closer eye on him now. That hadn't occurred to me. Thanks for the info

 

[cowgirl1969]

Hi, I had a warm blood from aged 2, apart from vigorous bucking when spooked he was a steady horse. I lost him aged 15 after several bouts of colic, he was border line Cushings too, causing lethargy. With hindsight I’m certain his health affected affected his energy and enthusiasm before I noticed any problems. I had him tested for cushings after foot infections. I guess you have considered a thorough vet check. I would also check the horse was happy in his life and has plenty of time outside with his friends. As other people have mentioned is she happy in her job and is she the ideal horse for you. All the best.