Getting pony fitter/more energy

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Lissa

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I don't post very much but really stuck with my pony at the moment.

He just has no energy and is really hard work, he has the ability it's just getting him to do it.

I know he needs to be fitter and that will hopefully help a bit. Have only just started riding him again after over 2months off after breaking my knee. So my knee isn't totally right still and I am having a bit of trouble using my legs effectively all the time, as well as my general fitness not being great.

Had a lesson today and my instructor asked if I was feeding him, which I am but it's pretty much nothing he gets 1cup of Equilibrium low energy (only because we got some vouchers for it and got it for nothing) and a small measure of formula 4 feet which he does need.

He's a 14.2hh 8yr old Highland ,out at night and in during the day with a small haynet. She suggested feeding something to give him more energy. I've already tried oats and comp mix neither worked. Have had him on NAF EnerG for the past few months and although at first it seemed to make a difference and he was easier to ride I'm not sure if that was just a coincidence as he's now back to how he was.

Just wondered if anyone could give me any advice on feeds that might help. Have emailed a few feed companies as well but thought I would ask on here aswell.

I am working on getting him fitter but am struggling. I know I need to do lots of hill work out hacking which we do have round us as it's all hills. But I finish college late mon and thursday, finish work experience late tuesdays, have a lesson on fridays so it's too dark most nights. Which leaves weds and the weekend but come november I finish late on weds as well. So again any advice on how to get him fit would be much appreciated as well.

The whole thing is really getting me down, was actually in tears trying to school him on wednesday! I love him to bits but it's so fustrating and although my instructor thinks I should sell him and get something that can take me further as she's said I'm wasted on him now. Just can't bring myself to do it. We've come so far this year from not even being able to do a decent prelim test to always placing at prelim including 1st and coming 2nd in our first novice test only at local level but so great for us, and working at elementary at home. Just think maybe he's taken me as far as he can now but think if I can get him to have more energy then we could do elementary next year as he is capable.

Sorry for the really long post, just totally at a loss and no idea what to do now.
 
He's not actually been out of work as someone has been riding him for me whilst I couldn't. During the two months it was mainly school work for up to a hour probably 4days a week including a couple of lessons that would last longer. He only hacked a handful of times during the two months.

Now I'm riding him again I've been hacking him maybe 2 or 3 times a week for about a hour to a hour and a half. Then schooling 1 or 2 times a week for up to a hour and one of them is a lesson. Other lady is also still riding him 1 or 2 times in the school mainly. Am going to make a lot more effort starting from now to ride him though in order to get him fit, just no idea what sort of stuff to do with him really.
 
Lots of trotting up hills will help fitness levels, as I have been doing with my fatty, however I know it's difficult for you to ride in the eves. Is there any chance you could get a part loaner? I would never have considered getting one for mine as she is my baby, but due to having another one I have come round to the idea and she rides my pony a couple of times a week which helps alot.
Could you loose school or lunge-just thinking about your knee, could be easier.. depending on how much weight you can put on it standing in the school!:)
Or even a friend who hacks out-if he's well behaved and they didn't mind they could ride theirs and lead yours?
Just a thought!
 
He only hacked a handful of times during the two months.
Click to expand...

There's your answer. Forget about the school - do plenty of hacking out to get him and you fitter. That way you'll be able to ultimately feed more grub of a higher energy and he in turn will have more energy.

He's probably sick of the sight of the school.

Take him hunting......:D
 
Thanks for the advice :)

Am going to start lunging him again this week, although he's a pain to lunge as well! He just takes the mick with me will go fine for my YO but with me just doesn't listen you can crack the lunge whip, whirl it in the air (I know shouldn't really do that!) and he doesn't care! What sort of work on the lunge would be best?

Sounds like I'm going to have to hack lots then! We have millions of hills round us so guess thats good, is trotting up them the best pace then for fitness? As am never really sure, he'll start off really wanting to trot then just suddenly walk part way up, am guessing this is probably because he's not fit?

Amymay - I really do want to take him hunting (neither of us has been before) and that's part of the reason I want to get him fit as think it might wake him up a bit. Can't wait to and even better that I will actually have someone to go with this year as friend has just got one on loan :D

Thanks again and sorry for all the questions!
 
Have you tried staypower cubes? They are slow releasing energy, I found they helped my boy. Comp cubes did nothing for him except give him sloppy poos!

Does he like to jump? You could either loose or lunge jump him, gives him something else to think about instead of normal flat work.

As for hunting he's needs to be just right for what the hunt you wish to go with do, fit but not too fit it will blow his mind. :)
 
No not tried staypower cubes will have a look at them thanks.

He likes to XC and is a different pony, have the opposite problem of not being able to stop when we go! Just jumping showjumps at home though he's not that bothered usually, sometimes loves it other times will barely jump.

Will have to ask my friend about the hunt and what they do she worked for them last year so should know.
 
Does he like to race other horses? You could play games with a friend in the school, using cones etc

How long ago did you start riding again?
Sometimes they think they need to take it easy for your sake, my boy does this with me, well he did the first time I broke my leg, I'm sure he will do the same this time! (have been walking around with a broken leg for two years even after surgery so 9 weeks ago I had my leg re-operated on so I have 9 pins in my leg when I only had 8 lol) x
 
Regardless of how fit he is, you need to get him sharper off your leg which will help in the long run :)

Do standing starts in the school, so stand and the GO, literally think games pony, do everything possible to get him going as quickly as possible straight away. Repeat and you will have to use less and less leg, as he gets more buzzed :D Then when you ride him in the school, put your leg on gently, and if he doesnt respond do the same again, make him hoon around the school if need be, make him go forward and praise him when he does. Slowly this will make him mor forward thinking and easier to ride :) That will also makeit easier to get him fit!!
 
He does get a bit better if we hack out with others, so going to try hack with my friend who's recently got a horse on loan. Unfortunatly don't get the chance to much as she works different hours to when I'm at college. He was a lot more forward last time I hacked with her before my accident.

Have been back riding about 3 weeks but with college haven't really ridden that much. Ouch your leg sounds painful! Am lucky my knee didn't need operating on can't imagine how awful it must be.

Will try the standing starts sounds like a good idea. Me and my instructor did manage to get him more off my leg before my accident but we seem to have taken a lot of steps back since then. I aren't keen on how the lady who rides him for me is riding him, even though she has lessons with my YO (who used to teach me and my pony) and am tempted to just ride him myself for a while to see if it helps but feel bad saying anything. Would it help maybe just me riding him, as I never used to let anyone else ride him and am sure he was much better but don't know.
 
I have a Highland too and know how you feel. I'm bringing mine back into work after laminitis and he's very lethargic at the moment. He used to have oats but can't have those now so I feel like I'm doing a lot of pedaling! He doesn't enjoy school work much unless I make it fun and don't repeat stuff too much. He likes to play games - things like barrell racing or cones get him going although wouldn't recommend that until he's a bit fitter. For lateral work I have to over-rev him at first sometimes to then get a nice result so a few canters out of the saddle up the long side help to get his blood up. Standing starts are good, I agree and things like turning on the forehand then straight into trot get him thinking. Good luck and keep your chin up. Can't comment on your other rider as depends what their style is but if they let him plod along too often might not help. My highland has a great 'economy mode' and will switch it on whenever possible so I have to make sure he is in an active walk even out on a hack. Hope you get things sorted.
 
I actually think that perhaps he is missing something in his diet. Am I right that his workload was/is 1-2 hacks plus 4 schooling sessions of 1 hour a week? I actually think that is a fair enough workload for decent fitness and that perhaps he is missing something in his diet and that to expect that amount of work from what he is being fed (Nrg, 1 cup equilibrium, formula for feet, grazing and some haylage) he is not getting enough for what you are asking of him. How does his condition look? Does he look quite plump or does he have any ribs showing etc?

I would seriously recommend giving him a balancer to ensure he has enough vitamins/mins. For what you are doing I think including half a scoop to 1 scoop of pony nuts or mix or some sort of all round feed like cool mix would also help him.

I am however just speculating and I would call one of the feed companies tomorrow if you can (probably either D&H or Baileys). They are excellent and will not make you buy anything or give you the hard sell on their products. They just give advice nothing else and are very helpful. If they say that you are feeding him enough for his work/breed etc then you will know that he is simply unfit and you can implement the fitness tricks the others suggest.
 
Yeh I have to rev him up a bit for lateral work as well, though he is better than he was. Infact he seems to quite like lateral stuff, even managed a couple of steps of leg yield in canter on friday. Will try the turn on the forehand to trot as that sounds like the kind of thing that might work with him. Yeh he definitly has a 'economy mode' as well! Goes so slow out hacking if you let him, yet when I hacked on sunday with my friend on her 16.2hh he jogged most of the 8miles!

Yeh thats about his workload 3-4 schooling sessions and 2-3hacks. Varies each week though sometimes less and sometimes lunge him. His formula 4 feet is a balancer as well so he's definitly getting vits and mins.

Condition wise he's probably a bit on the plump side, can't see any ribs but he isn't as big as he's been and it's something I'm working on as do want a bit more weight off him I think which will hopefully happen now I'm able to work him more again.

Will definitly give some feed companies a ring. Thanks for the advice :)
 
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