Dealing with a lazy horse - any imaginative suggestions?!

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bex1984

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Murphy is, and always has been, a lazy pony. He can be really hard work to get going if it's not something he wants to do.

However, if and when he gets going, he is fantastic. He can jump, he can work properly. It's just getting him moving that can be a problem, especially in the school.

So I'm looking for suggestions on how to get him going. On a lazy day he ignores my leg, he ignore my whip, or I can get him moving briefly and then he gets lazy again. He's always going to be of a laid back disposition, but if I can get him going he does enjoy his work.

Suggestions please?!
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I can't do spurs...did try it but it just didnt work.

He's on (slow release) competition cubes already, but is very prone to weight gain so I have to be very careful what I feed him...
 
Have you ever tried the tie a lead rope round your waist and swish it backwards and forwards over his whithers when he ignores your leg, you dont actually hit them with it, its something about the noise and movement that is meant to get them moving. Worked with a horse on my yard.
 
LOL. My previous horse was a lazy so and so and she was also very prone to weight gain. I got fab results feeding her spillers power cubes, a race horse feed, I also threw in a handful of Dengie naked oats. She had loads more energy but didnt put weight on and she was a right fatty!!
 
I do definitely growl, make funny noises etc!

He does perk up when we jump, but if in a lazy mood he 'dies' on me 2 strides out from the jump, then hauls himself over!!

Looking forward to fully clipping him...he might actually feel my whip then
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He is great out riding in the fields...but our fields will soon be shut for the winter so I need to be able to get him moving in the school.
 
bex frank can be similar has stacks of energy when he wants to, he is v fit

did ODE today and was lazy in dr, wound himself up waiting for SJ then powered round XC!

I sometimes use 2 schooling whips simultaneously that can work
I also try and wind him up a bit on purpose by going for a gallop mid schooling session.

I don't feed him apart from in winter as I always think it would jsut go to his waist.

will have a think what else I do (I do wear spurs)
 
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i use dengie naked oats and they are a godsend
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I know nothing about oats, how much do you feed? and do you have to do anything with them first (e.g., soak them)?
 
Also try shaking the reins - works just as well and my old Dressage trainer suggested it.
I think you need a horse that is a bit of a `scaredy cat` though with any of the above methods.
Any truely obstinate beast is a really difficult problem.
FE My heavy cob is terrified of the slightest hint of a smack or funny noise behind his head so he is easy to motivate, even so I generally use the `reward`method as it is more long term and creates a happy ambience between you and your horse. I always give lots of praise and a neck stroke for his sharp reaction to my aids. It is this that is so difficult for some people to get just at the right time, to ensure positive feedback to your horse.
I smack my boot with my whip, then horse hears the thwack, leaps forward and immediately gets the neck rub and verbal "Good Boy"

With a horse that is sour and utterly lazy I think you have to go right back to basics and start again. Perhaps giving the horse a few months off so you can start afresh and preferably with a good instructor that can ensure you give clear messages to the horse from the outset.
 
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I keep getting told to give him oats but I'm just not sure...I don't want to send him loopy, just want him to not decide to just ignore me!

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You could introduce them gradually and monitor how he goes and if he gets silly just cut them down or stop altogher. If I was you I would try the power cubes they really worked wonders for my horse and they didnt make her silly.
 
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I also try and wind him up a bit on purpose by going for a gallop mid schooling session.


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I do halt to canter which seems to help - but does have to be avoided if there are spooky/young horses around in the school as it winds them up...
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I also have him quite word orientated,

we have words for medium trot and canter and a new one for really shift your butt (that one has been introduced to overcome nappinees XC)

just because he can be quite dead to my other aids (he was always ridden in spurs before I got him) being able to use my voice and the words mean something to him works

I also have some interesting whip movements, jockey style in any pace I will kind of swing it in a circle as if I was swinging a rope if that makes sense not hitting him, just swooshing it.
 
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I always give lots of praise and a neck stroke for his sharp reaction to my aids. It is this that is so difficult for some people to get just at the right time, to ensure positive feedback to your horse.
I smack my boot with my whip, then horse hears the thwack, leaps forward and immediately gets the neck rub and verbal "Good Boy"

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He does always, always get praise for reacting quickly - I run through loads of transitions, praising him every time he responds. I used to smack my boot with my whip but he started ignoring that.

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With a horse that is sour and utterly lazy I think you have to go right back to basics and start again.

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The thing is, he's not really sour, he's quite happy and once I can get him going he can happily do whatever I ask, but it's just such seriously hard work on my part, by the time I get him listening I'm exhausted. Most people last 5 mins on him before getting off exhausted!!
 
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I also have some interesting whip movements, jockey style in any pace I will kind of swing it in a circle as if I was swinging a rope if that makes sense not hitting him, just swooshing it.

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hee hee - I do that!!! I get some very odd looks!

I will try what you suggest about using voice commands - he is very clever and I'm sure he'd enjoy that TBH, as he likes learning new things like that.
 
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I keep getting told to give him oats but I'm just not sure...I don't want to send him loopy, just want him to not decide to just ignore me!

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You could introduce them gradually and monitor how he goes and if he gets silly just cut them down or stop altogher. If I was you I would try the power cubes they really worked wonders for my horse and they didnt make her silly.

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The feed he's on now is D&H staypower cubes - so maybe a very similar? Perhaps I will look into oats - ahve just always wimped out in the past!!
 
Re the praise, I do verbally, I don't pat, if I pat he seems to think we have finished the exercise!

Frank likes learning new stuff too when you start you will need to back them up with your stick as you want an immediate reaction (or in the case of franks medium trot instructor following with lunge whip!)
 
you really have to reschool him to take notice of your leg., starting with light sqeeze, then kicking, only using stick if he doesn't respond then. It's what I'm working on at the moment my instructor is brilliant. Then you don't let him go off from the kick or smack, you start again and try with the squeeze, until he realises that is the easy option. It's not easy to explain and it's hard work as you have to be very consistent.
 
I've started riding my friend's lazy horse as my very forward going boy is lame and I was struggling until I had a lesson on him. My instructor suggested really pushing him on down the long sides of the school and then collecting him up for the short sides - in trot first and then in canter. It really woke him up. Failing that set some trip wires up round the school to set off some small bombs - I imagine that would get him going.
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How long are your legs? - no honestly its so much harder if you can`t wrap your legs around the sensitive bits.

If he is the horse in the siggie he looks almost identical to mine.
Mine is stiff too as he is too fat most of the time, and in his early teens.
I think you have to really try to work out why he is lazy and making you do all the work, is it physical or mental or just "why bother working if I dont have too" - is he truely fit enough as well/ Schooling is hard work for a heavy cob.
Most of my laziest horses have had underlying soundness issues although my current cob is stiff, he is great when well warmed up.
My other lazy horse had pedal ostitis, and although nat bal shoes made her sound I think she never forgot the misery of working when uncomfortable ( before I knew).
however our ID/TB had navicular syndrome coming on but he was generally willing in the sandschool if not a little pottory on hard ground and propping on jumping.
 
If he ignores your leg, then maybe a swift smack on the arse wouldn't go amiss? I used to ride a very fat, lazy cob and found that nothing short of a rocket up her arse would make her shift- until I toughened up a tad and gave her a belt when she ignored me... Soon after she realised that it was a far more pleasant experience if she did what was requested when I asked the first time...

Btw, this isn't saying beat your horse senseless in case I get jumped on, just a shprt smack on the arse when he ignores you...
 
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you really have to reschool him to take notice of your leg., starting with light sqeeze, then kicking, only using stick if he doesn't respond then. It's what I'm working on at the moment my instructor is brilliant. Then you don't let him go off from the kick or smack, you start again and try with the squeeze, until he realises that is the easy option. It's not easy to explain and it's hard work as you have to be very consistent.

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I do try this, but he nearly always just carries on ignoring the squeeze! Perhaps I need to be more consistant.
 
annagain - I do that in trot and it does help, but when he's in a lazy mood I struggle to get him to get a shift on down the long side!

Nosurrender - have been giving him a firm smack when he ignores me - but I think he's not feeling it through his rhino skin and loads of fur!!
 
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How long are your legs? - no honestly its so much harder if you can`t wrap your legs around the sensitive bits.

If he is the horse in the siggie he looks almost identical to mine.
Mine is stiff too as he is too fat most of the time, and in his early teens.
I think you have to really try to work out why he is lazy and making you do all the work, is it physical or mental or just "why bother working if I dont have too" - is he truely fit enough as well/ Schooling is hard work for a heavy cob.
Most of my laziest horses have had underlying soundness issues although my current cob is stiff, he is great when well warmed up.
My other lazy horse had pedal ostitis, and although nat bal shoes made her sound I think she never forgot the misery of working when uncomfortable ( before I knew).
however our ID/TB had navicular syndrome coming on but he was generally willing in the sandschool if not a little pottory on hard ground and propping on jumping.

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Yes, he is the one in my sig...but those pics are quite old and he is much slimmer and fitter now, and not at all overweight. I'm 5ft5 (wich short legs!!) and he's 14.1hh.

I really think it's just "this is a bit boring, can't be bothered" because he has no problems cantering/trotting round and round the fields and flinging himself over logs! I have done my best to avoid the school this summer to give him a break from it
 
I think the oats are worth a try, at worst it might make him a bit hyper for a few days! I'd be interested to see how you get on, as my sisters pony sounds EXACTLY the same, to the T. 13.3hh Irish cob, on working livery, just can't be arsed generally in the school as shes used to plodding round, I find it exhausting riding her as it takes me a good half hour to get her listening to me. Her trot is non existant, it feels like you're going in slow motion, as a result I suspect of her previous owner being an 8 year old boy who only did walk and canter everywhere. I much prefer my more forward going cob. However, she is great on hacks.

Do you have lessons with an instructor at the moment?
 
I can really sympathathise, mine is just the same. It's very hard to do on your own and I still struggle when I'm by myself although it's getting better. But in a lesson with someone telling me just what to do he really moves!
 
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