Help please! Unfit Lazy Arab

[Hannah12308]

Hello, really would like some advice.
I currently am loaning my Anglo Arab, he came to me very skinny and have managed to bulk him up in the past few months. First got him and was a dream to hack, I've moved him to a new yard with a school. I am aware that he is very under muscled and am gradually getting him into more work but recently he has become very nappy in the school and has tried to buck when going into canter. Could this be where he is so physically unfit he can't do this amount of work? (He has never bucked with previous owner). Would really love some advice? Thanks!!

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Does he only do it in the school?
Is he doing more than he can cope with at his current fitness level?
Has his saddle fit been checked now that he has bulked up?

 

[Hannah12308]

Thank you for your reply! Yes it is only in the school! I personally think he is but then I am not too sure, I was then thinking he might be trying to see how far he can get with me! His saddle hasn't been checked since he has put on a bit of weight, so I'm thinking of making that the next step. He is also having his teeth checked Friday. Just very disheartening

 

[paddi22]

whats th surface like in the school? if its very deep he might be struggling and sore in it?

 

[Hannah12308]

Round the edges it is very deep! Also where he was before he didn't have a school, she rode him in a field. So he might be struggling a bit? x

 

[paddi22]

he could be finding it difficult, especially in canter. if you run in those arenas on foot you can feel how difficult and tiring it is.

 

[Hannah12308]

Yes it is very deep around the outside. Thank you for your help! I suppose that doesn't help him on top of him being quite weak still and unfit, bless him And with him being a lazy sod!! x

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Schooling is hard work, plus some horses find it far less fun than hacking. A deep surface will make it even harder work for him.

It's definitely a good idea to get his teeth and saddle checked, even if it's just to rule them out.

 

[Hannah12308]

I think he is one of them horses!! I will definitely sort the saddle out and then at least I will have a better idea on what's going on with him! I think more lunging is on the cards also so he can build some muscle. Thank you Faracat xx

 

[ycbm]

Yes it is very deep around the outside. Thank you for your help! I suppose that doesn't help him on top of him being quite weak still and unfit, bless him And with him being a lazy sod!! x

It doesn't seem very fair, or very productive, to call him lazy if he is unfit I've never met a lazy Anglo Arab. When you say you've bulked him up, how fat is he? Is it possible you've gone too far?

 

[Pinkvboots]

I also agree get the saddle and teeth checked Arabs are sensitive so even if something very minor isn't quite right they will feel uncomfortable, I would carry on with the hacking and maybe go in the school after a short hack and just do 10 minutes of light schooling to start with, I find a lot of horses find schooling easier after a short hack especially if they are a bit tense.

 

[Hannah12308]

He isn't fat, when I first got him you could see his ribs and his topline was bad. Now you can't see his ribs at all and his getting a bit of a belly. His topline still isn't great but getting there, he still needs to put on weight in my eyes.

 

[Hannah12308]

Pinkvboots I agree! I think hacking and then light schooling will be good as would like to keep things positive with him! Thank you for your message

 

[Pinkvboots]

Pinkvboots I agree! I think hacking and then light schooling will be good as would like to keep things positive with him! Thank you for your message

I have 2 Arabs one can be tense in the school and does buck in canter but he is so much better even after a walk round the block, I would check that nothing is physically wrong Arabs don't tent to be naturally lazy unless something is wrong,

what was your horse doing before you got him why was he so thin?

 

[Hannah12308]

He wasn't doing any work really at all, he was in a field with hardly any grass and wasn't given hard feed. They had a few other horses and didn't have the time for him but when he was ridden it was maybe once every two weeks. So nothing at all x

 

[Pinkvboots]

He wasn't doing any work really at all, he was in a field with hardly any grass and wasn't given hard feed. They had a few other horses and didn't have the time for him but when he was ridden it was maybe once every two weeks. So nothing at all x

he must be finding it all hard work I would get a fitness plan in place the best way to get him fit is to walk everyday preferably on different surfaces so hacking is good, start with 15 minutes and increase over 4 weeks until your up to an hour then start some trot, it's the best way to get there body stronger and then his less likely to pull something or ache from working.

 

[Hannah12308]

Yes I do think he is probably struggling, so I don't want to push him but then I do need to build his strength. I will definitely start doing that, thank you so much for your advice.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I wish you well with him it sounds like you have done a great job getting weight on him, I am sure he will find a new lease of life once he feels stronger

 

[Hannah12308]

Thank you so much! I will update you on how he is getting on x

 

[ycbm]

In view of how unfit he is, can I suggest you try to stop thinking of him as lazy. If you have that word in your head about him, it will encourage you to push him too far in your schooling and other work.

You would be better off getting his fitness up on hacks of increasing length and speed, starting with daily half hour in mostly walk, building up gradually to two hours walk trot and canter by the end of January earliest. Lunging in a deep arena will be asking for leg problems, so I wouldn't do it at all.

I would leave arena work for at least a month. Or do in hand work as a bonding exercise.

When he's fit, if he's a 'normal' Anglo, you might be back asking what calmer to feed him

 

[paddy555]

You say he was a dream to hack and doesn't go well in the school . I have had several arabs, albeit purebreds. I could have written that every single one was the laziest creature I had ever met in a school. They hated it, simply didn't see that point of the school or lunging. Take them out for a ride and they were completely different horses. If you want to school do it out riding as part of the ride and make it fun. arabs are very intelligent horses, some don't see the point of going round and round in circles!

 

[Pinkvboots]

You say he was a dream to hack and doesn't go well in the school . I have had several arabs, albeit purebreds. I could have written that every single one was the laziest creature I had ever met in a school. They hated it, simply didn't see that point of the school or lunging. Take them out for a ride and they were completely different horses. If you want to school do it out riding as part of the ride and make it fun. arabs are very intelligent horses, some don't see the point of going round and round in circles!

this made me laugh as it is so true as mine can be a bit backward in the school but I find the more interesting and difficult you make the schooling they thrive on the challenge, and mine are so much better if I hack then do 15 minutes in the school afterwards, I can understand why they don't appeal to a lot of people lol ! I really love them they make great riding horses once you understand them.

 

[Beausmate]

Now you can't see his ribs at all and his getting a bit of a belly. His topline still isn't great but getting there, he still needs to put on weight in my eyes.

Why? If you can't see his ribs at all and he's getting a belly, then he is fat. Topline comes with correct exercise, not increased feeding and Anglos are generally good-doers, so you need to keep an eye on his weight - if he's fat, he will find it harder to work and therefore more reluctant to do anything.

 

[ycbm]

Why? If you can't see his ribs at all and he's getting a belly, then he is fat. Topline comes with correct exercise, not increased feeding and Anglos are generally good-doers, so you need to keep an eye on his weight - if he's fat, he will find it harder to work and therefore more reluctant to do anything.

This.

Plus. Anglos in this area, at least, also have a reputation for picking up sharpness from both breeds and being sharper than either. That's a generalisation, of course, but I've never come across a lazy one!

 

[Pinkvboots]

This.

Plus. Anglos in this area, at least, also have a reputation for picking up sharpness from both breeds and being sharper than either. That's a generalisation, of course, but I've never come across a lazy one!

I haven't either but Arabs and part breds can be very clever and some can be more laid back than others, and if they sense from a rider that they can get away with doing very little some will, I have more experience with pure breds and one of mine is forward out on a hack but can and will try to do as little as possible in the school especially if it's a different rider he will test a new person out and if he can amble along he will, I find they prefer proper schooling doing something interesting not just going round and round which does not require much brain work its almost like they switch off.