Grumpy TB when schooling

[spaceflower]

Hi All

I need some advice about my 17 yo ex racer. He's been nothing but a hack for the past 10 years. I've been riding him for 6 years and when I moved yards last year I got access to a half decent school. Hacking he's great, forward even paces, canter lovely, and other than usual spooking in typical TB style, he's great.


Then we get in the school, and whilst he's ok, we have to work really hard to get that same impulsion from his back end.


BUT THEN THE FUN STARTS WITH BUCKING!


The bucks are definately, a 'no' response 'I don't want to' and then he'll get a bit nappy and the evasiveness gets worse.


I can cope with the bucks - they are big enough to through me off (twice yesterday but that's a particularly bad day) and thank god for a lovely soft and springy school.


So my thoughts are do I respect his communication to me that he's either bored or tired and keep things short, or do I try to take control and work through this. I did this yesterday and he seemed to get just grumpier and grumpier so finished off with lots of stretching in all 3 paces.


He's 17 and for the past 10 years or so he's been a hack and nothing else - its only in the past 4 or 5 months that I've started schooling and having lessons. We did a dressage test last weekend (Intro B) and he didn't settle so we didn't have a great score. He chucked in a small buck in warm up but he was napping toward other horses waiting to do their test. Red ribbon in future.


So am I just expecting too much, afterall working in a school is much harder work than out hacking, or should I try and work with him and 'through' his grumpiness? I don't use spurs or schooling whip in the school as he likes neither and a guaranteed response of bucks or kicks.

On a positive note, his canter is improving, when we first started in the school he struggled to maintain it even just going large around the school, now we can easily manage to maintain it in 20m circles and large for alot longer, may be thats my answer, that I need to respect his fitness.

His general nature is sweet, he's easy to do (except clipping which requires twitching) and when we ride passed the school he will nap toward the school gates, which leads me to think he enjoys himself in there. I could just revert to solely hacking him out but have started the schooling and lessons to help him maintain his fitness, mental state and just doing some different things with him.

Phew - sorry didn't need that to be war and peace! Any thoughts or ideas and opinions gratefully received.

 

[oldie48]

Hi
Depending on what you are asking of him in the school and how you ride him on a hack, he's probably finding schooling quite hard work, particularly if you're asking him to work in an outline and show correct bend etc. A bit like asking an older person to do do gymnastics when they've not done any real exercise except walking since they left school. Also, I don't think it's uncommon for a horse to be a bit more "difficult" to school at home, i know mine is! Provided you are sure his back, teeth, tack etc are all fine, why not try doing more schooling on a hack and reduce your schooling at home? When he gets more supple, he'll probably object less to working at home.

 

[spaceflower]

Thanks oldie48, yes I think you're right. Like I mentioned in my post, he's improved already so I'm sure his 'tantrums' are perhaps partly down to me asking more if him .

He has a tendency of striking of in canter on the wrong leg, often favouring his more flexible right rein which I would guess he's just expressing that he finds it easier on his right rein.

He's hacked out 2 to 3 times a week, with schooling approx once a week. We live in a very hilly area (south Pennines) so whilst our hacks always include some schooling, we don't have any big fields where I can do much more. The hills help to keep his fitness at the very least

 

[oldie48]

Hi, I always hack my horses out in an outline, just as i would in the school once they are warmed up. I ask for collection in walk and trot and do lots of leg yield where it's suitable ground. Mine doesn't lack suppleness, he's just a lazy b.......r in the school but out on a hack, he's a different horse. I agree you'll keep your horse going longer with the right work, my old TB was competing until he was 22 and looked years younger than his age and I'm sure it was because i kept his schooling going. Lucky you living in the pennines, beautiful!

 

[foxy1]

As above! But would add, I wouldn't think of it as him having 'tantrums', he is trying to communicate to you in the only way he can that he is struggling with what you are asking of him.

 

[spaceflower]

Sounds like we're singing from the same hymn sheet. My chaps leg yields out hacking are lovely , not so great in the school.

All areas to work on.