Horse not enjoying flatwork

You could always get a book with different schooling exercises. I find them a good way to keep things fresh. There's lots of ideas that I wouldn't think of myself.
 
I had a horse like this a few years back, tried her in a school when i viewed, she was a bit backwards thinking but not horrendous, got her home and she point blank refused to work in the school it was like pulling teeth, tried every trick in the book, so I just forgot the school and hacked for months, she was awesome on a hack, then I started adding in short canters in the school when we got back and it really helped. She was never going to be the sharpest horse it just wasn't her nature but we kept the schooling to a minimum and I just worked her out on hacks and that really helped, she was a super horse just not forward enough for my liking, I sold her in the end and the lady that has her now adores her laid back attitude and keeps her life extremely varied.
It can easily be improved (assuming no health issues) with a bit of outside thinking. If it hadn't improved in the time that it did she would have gone hunting (that will pretty much liven up most horses!) Good luck x
 
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