Has anyone made a slow horse speedy!??

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hollyzippo

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Please help guys!!

My ID x TB is an angel- really looks after me XC and very honest. Problem is have been doing intros last season and planning to go onto Pn this year and he cant make the time XC! I know PN isnt any faster but figured he may be even slower as jumps a bit bigger so no point in moving up yet!

He was inside the time once last year out of 5 events- usually gets between 4-10 time faults. We take all the direct routes- canter through water, dont over check into the jump etc. Its purely the ground coverage thats the problem! He has quite a long stride but also goes 'up' every stride and wastes time! People keep saying he will learn but I feel he's going as fast as he can at the moment!

Also, he is fit- did IRF at Broadway and he's hardly puffing- could go twice round the course! Should I just take him galloping with something fast?! Never had this problem before as my TB is super speedy!!

Sorry its so long- any advise appreciated!!
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Thanks! Took him cubbing but hes quite happy to wait and trot along behind! No sense of urgency!

He can go flat out for a short stretch but not all the way round a course! Think hes a stayer not a sprinter!
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SOunds like he needs to try and build up more fast twitch muscles to give him more speed. How does he react when racing with other horses. I would tkae him to the gallops and see if you can go out with a string of racehorses and encourage him to race. He may then start to stay closer to the ground and open up? TBH I am not too sure but worth a go?
 
Thanks- yeah, definately all slow twitch fibres at the moment! I was thinking the same thing- if he races he may realise he has another gear. Currently he's only been up gallops with other slow horses so he's in front!
 
Is he lazy? Or just doesn't open up?

We fed our old horse Race Horse Mix while eventing as he was lazy and only 15hh so making the time at novice was a bit difficult for him.
 
Bit of both I think. He has a naturally in the air sort of a stride- so even if i get after him and pep him up he's still slow through the air! Was debating putting him back on comp mix (hes on build up at the mo) I took him off it last spring as discovered bucking but I think that was more his age and fitness all getting him a little over excited!

I just dont want to over feed him then end up with a little sh1t when i'm not competing!
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Thanks
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I would definitely suggest to go on the gallops with something a lot faster than him, plus not only will he really enjoy it but he'll learn to really open up. My WB has definitely learnt to gallop since my sister and i have had races with her super fast NF pony, lol.
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My WB hates losing!
 
Haha, i know my WB hates it, lol, especially as shes 16hh and pony is only 13.2 aswell. I would in a heart beat but shes in-foal, only 6 weeks to go now, so think the bump might slow her up a bit, lol
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When shes back in work im actually hoping i can get someone to take her pony racing as shes so fast.
 
My ID x TB used to have the same problem. So at a stretch where we could pick up some speed I sent my mum and her horse cantering ahead and held mine back for a bit. He soon learnt how to go fast when there was another horse to 'chase'!
 
Good idea- perhaps keeping him behind will give him more incentive! Thanks
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Claire- sounds a super quick pony! Probably still beat mine even if she is dragging her tummy on the floor! lol- exciting that foal is so close tho!
 
Sounds a lovely horse
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Remember you can catch up on time by being really clever with your lines into fences and kicking on the second you land. You can make up a second a fence that way and with 20 fences on a course + 20 seconds faster
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Thank you
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I was trying to do that on saturday- growled and got after him on landing! And he's so honest I can take angles into some fences. Bet he'd have been even slower if not! Will try and do it more tho-even 1/2 second saving per fence would help!!!
 
DODSON AND HORRELL museli staypower, its fab for heavier types!

Take him hunting or get him just ultra ultra fit and try and take him on some sponsored rides to vary his work?

Other than that I am not sure!! - go faster stripes? xx
 
Hiya, I had an irish sport horse eventer and he sounds similar to yours, he did two seasons hunting and was quite hapy to continue at his own pace despite being near the back! I got him very fit last year and although going clear xc and being a star he felt like he was going as fast as he could even though he was full of energy. I changed his food to instant response competition mix which is a microfeed so you don't have to feed so much. He had that and sugarbeet and I changed his hay to haylage and reduced that also. He was like a different horse, as he was running up a little slimmer he felt like he had extra reach in every stride and got quite a bit quicker without going silly. He doesn't look as impressive as he did before, but it certainly helps him when hes a bit leaner, he looks more like a thoroughbred eventer now than a working hunter! I also did a lot of explosive energy exercises, so instead of going to the gallops and going the whole way round I would just do lots of short fast sprints.
Hope this helps! Good luck (if all else fails get some pokey spurs!!!!)
 
lol- had already debated spurs!!
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Thanks- will def try that- sounds just like mine! He is already quite lean for his build- good topline etc but runs up quite lean for a cross bred- has a TB gut line!- so dont want him much slimmer.

Will try the instant response tho- sounds like what we need!
Thanks muchly!
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hunting NOT autumn hunting (AH) as the two are totally different, you'll be amazed with difference but in mean time try and find places to really gallop and also find friend who has horse that really gallops and not races but open paces up and down in controlled enviroment. Also make sure you giving high energy food i use spillers instant comp mix plus extra oats
Or pass him down here as i seem to has hot a$$ on most horses i get on
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lol- thanks! May send him to you for some razzing around then!!
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Have been and bought oats to try first and ordered instant response in incase no improvement!
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