Horse not "connecting"

[emfen1305]

I have had my lovely cob for 4 months now and is turning out to be a very good filler of the big hole left after my old horse was PTS. We have been having lessons for about 3 months (two 30 minute sessions a week) and then I school by myself once a week and the rest of the time we hack out so he's worked around 5-6 days a week.

My instructor commented last night that for the last couple of lessons he has been very obliging and obedient but feels a bit disconnected, like he is on auto pilot almost and I am inclined to agree. He goes when you want, stops when you want, turns where you want but it is all very much going through the motions. I am not complaining, 3 months ago I couldn't even do a lap of the arena without getting getting my leg smashed into the fence or trying to go through the gate but he seems to be lacking that bit of sparkle and anticipation we used to have and I'm wondering what I can do to make it more exciting for him. I don't think he dislikes being in there, he always goes along quite sweetly with his ears forward so maybe he just thinks he knows what to do! We try and do lots of different things in lessons but is there anything else I could do to make things more exciting? We are aiming to do some winter dressage and he loves jumping but I am not very confident with it yet.

Not sure whether to change his feed to see if that helps, he is just on TB chaff and a balancer with some salt and then hay. He's out in the day and in at night. Part of me is wondering whether it is to do with the change in coat, he's grown a fluffy winter coat but it has gone a bit warmer again so maybe he's just feeling a bit warm and therefore doesn't want to expel any more energy than he has to..

I've had the usual checks, nothing untoward, the vet is out in a couple of weeks to do his jabs so might get her to have quick look over him anyway but don't think it is a pain issue.

Anyway, any advice or similar experiences greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[milliepops]

i think the coat change and change in seasons does take a lot out of some of them. My now retired old girl used to get really flat when she changed her coat.

If he's doing all his work quite sweetly and seems otherwise happy then I wouldn't worry too much, just wait and see.

Often when they are learning things they go through different phases as they get more comfortable with some things and are developing others. if he was tricky before, maybe you are just finding it strange to have an obedient horse that does what you ask! they can seem a bit dull compared to the rides where your life flashes before your eyes.. but that might just mean that he's ready for a more challenging regime or to learn some new things.

I don't know what you've been working on but perhaps try some new exercises, a bit of lateral work, some poles on the ground? And see if that helps, and keep in mind the unsettling effect of the change in season because it could be just that simple. Will you be clipping him later?

 

[SEL]

Sometimes they just need a change of scenery. The first time I took mine out to a clinic (just polework, but a huge step forward for her) she bounced around happily for a whole week afterwards. I think she felt very grown up!!

 

[emfen1305]

Thanks MP, my instructor did mention about that idea of riding an obedient horse given how hard he was. 3 months ago I couldn't even do a 20 meter circle as had only ever learnt that legs mean go and reins mean stop so its been a while of retraining that and he seems to have suddenly got it over the last few weeks so now when we warm up with all of the stuff we found hard, it now seems very boring in comparison to teaching him something more difficult so maybe he doesn't feel challenged enough.

From a classical training point of view and I suppose general schooling, is it imperative to have everything nailed down before trying to teach the "harder movements" or is it ok to still be learning. For example he still falls out slightly on the left rein, usual around the same two corners and I suspect it is the way I am riding so should I only focus on controlling that before moving on to something more difficult or is it ok to start trying to introduce some lateral work while we work on the falling out?

I do plan on clipping him, we are at the horrible time of year where it would be too warm to rug him if i did clip but its not cold enough for this silly coat he is grown. I am loathe to rug at the beginning of September but maybe i'll just have to suck it up and make sure I've got a good selection in.

Thanks SEL, we've been having loads of fun out hacking, racing the fancy warmbloods across the fields and his canter in the school has certainly improved for it but maybe out and about would be good. I've been putting off going competing until we are "perfect" just in case people pass judgement but maybe i just need to bite the bullet.

 

[milliepops]

Thanks MP, my instructor did mention about that idea of riding an obedient horse given how hard he was. 3 months ago I couldn't even do a 20 meter circle as had only ever learnt that legs mean go and reins mean stop so its been a while of retraining that and he seems to have suddenly got it over the last few weeks so now when we warm up with all of the stuff we found hard, it now seems very boring in comparison to teaching him something more difficult so maybe he doesn't feel challenged enough.

From a classical training point of view and I suppose general schooling, is it imperative to have everything nailed down before trying to teach the "harder movements" or is it ok to still be learning. For example he still falls out slightly on the left rein, usual around the same two corners and I suspect it is the way I am riding so should I only focus on controlling that before moving on to something more difficult or is it ok to start trying to introduce some lateral work while we work on the falling out?

It's really strange when they can suddenly do what you've been struggling with for ages, without it being a major issue - I have a friend with a similar issue, her pony would hollow and rush everywhere and now he works over his back in a rhythm she feels like he's going too slow

Sure some purists will say you should 100% nail the basics, but IME sometimes a bit of thinking outside the box can help to *develop* those basics. There's no harm in teaching him a bit of easy leg yield or shoulder in, depending on your previous experience and help available it might be easy or it might be difficult, but either way it gives you both something new to think about. I started LY and SI with my wonky warmblood before we started cantering, she was so wibbly wobbly not forward and not into the contact that it might have seemed a strange thing to do but it's really helped to teach her about my aids and to teach her to engage, plus I do now have control of the outside of her from all the shoulder in :wink3: her canter is better for it, because straight away I could put her in shoudler fore to help with the straightness, because she had already learnt the concept. No harm in trying, you haven't got to get it test-quality to be a useful exercise to work on.

 

[redapple]

I've been putting off going competing until we are "perfect" just in case people pass judgement but maybe i just need to bite the bullet.

Don't worry too much about this imo. If you fancy it and feel like it would be educational/fun/something to do then go for it! I just took one of mine to her first show and we've got tons to work on but we both enjoyed it and i think it was educational for her.

In response to your general question I'm in agreement with everyone else really it might just be a phase but changing it up/ teaching something new won't do any harm. Like Milliepops I'm teaching one LY before a truely established canter as she finds the canter super hard and i wanted something else to work on to give her a break. At the current rate we'll probably be leg yielding before we can do a prelim test! So if you fancy teaching something new and you think he might enjoy the challange then go for it!

 

[emfen1305]

It's really strange when they can suddenly do what you've been struggling with for ages, without it being a major issue - I have a friend with a similar issue, her pony would hollow and rush everywhere and now he works over his back in a rhythm she feels like he's going too slow

Sure some purists will say you should 100% nail the basics, but IME sometimes a bit of thinking outside the box can help to *develop* those basics. There's no harm in teaching him a bit of easy leg yield or shoulder in, depending on your previous experience and help available it might be easy or it might be difficult, but either way it gives you both something new to think about. I started LY and SI with my wonky warmblood before we started cantering, she was so wibbly wobbly not forward and not into the contact that it might have seemed a strange thing to do but it's really helped to teach her about my aids and to teach her to engage, plus I do now have control of the outside of her from all the shoulder in :wink3: her canter is better for it, because straight away I could put her in shoudler fore to help with the straightness, because she had already learnt the concept. No harm in trying, you haven't got to get it test-quality to be a useful exercise to work on.

Ahhh yes I have just gone through exactly this with the trot work, i had to get him moving foward which meant we were rushing and hollowing and making some pretty interesting shapes. I've only just managed to get a consistent trot I can work with but definitely feels much slower and have to be careful not to nag through old habits!

Ok great, I've started some basic LY in hand, or at least getting him to move across and then forward and then combining them so think I might try when riding, and lower my expectations, I certainly don't think he will be pulling a valegro after one session haha! Interesting that you said it helps the canter, our canter is very cobby, verrrry on the forehand and head heavy to the point where he pulls me out of the saddle, especially when tired, he is very wonky so struggles with powering but then if i try and straighten him he finds it hard usually breaks. We don't canter in the arena at mo, just on straight tracks on the stubbles while following another horse so i can straighten him without losing power but would be great to do more exercises in trot in the arena to help so maybe shoulder in is the way forward!

 

[emfen1305]

Don't worry too much about this imo. If you fancy it and feel like it would be educational/fun/something to do then go for it! I just took one of mine to her first show and we've got tons to work on but we both enjoyed it and i think it was educational for her.

In response to your general question I'm in agreement with everyone else really it might just be a phase but changing it up/ teaching something new won't do any harm. Like Milliepops I'm teaching one LY before a truely established canter as she finds the canter super hard and i wanted something else to work on to give her a break. At the current rate we'll probably be leg yielding before we can do a prelim test! So if you fancy teaching something new and you think he might enjoy the challange then go for it!

Thanks, there is a dressage on the 16th so I think I'll just bite the bullet and go, it will never be perfect the first time, especially in a new place so have to go at some point.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Thanks, there is a dressage on the 16th so I think I'll just bite the bullet and go, it will never be perfect the first time, especially in a new place so have to go at some point.

I would only do the lessons in the arena for a while and do some schooling on hacks. Very often they get what you want when they can understand the context, e.g. opening a gate, popping over a log and cantering uphill helps to get them off the forehand. Then when you return to the arena you see the difference that it has made.