Horse not responsive to leg?

[HairyCoblet]

Evening
Just looking for some advice. Have a 5yr old cob gelding who isn't very responsive to the leg. Getting him to canter is like asking the slowest riding school pony to canter!!

Any ideas on how I can get him more responsive? Someone at my yard suggested spurs but I've never used them so I'm a bit unsure?

He's just been vet checked and he's absolutely fine... if not a little tubby! Teeth is also fine and saddle was refitted on Wednesday!

Thanks 🐎

 

[View]

I'd think about getting some weight off him and a bit fitter as a starting point.

What is he like when out - does he pop easily into canter then? How is he in straight lines? Is he still a little unbalanced and finding canter in a school hard and therefore reluctant?

 

[PollyP99]

My instructor has done wonders with getting my lazy ,are moving off of my leg, so much so that we've gone from hideous canter transitions to in the button immediate reaction. She had me following the method of squeeze once, squeeze twice, if no reaction employ whip Behind the leg and mean it, she got the message pretty quick. To be honest as the weeks have gone kn(about 5 weeks into training) I realise my legs have been pretty ineffective in the past to, so my legs getting better placed and stronger has helped too but now the difference is amazing. Main thing never let them away with no reaction to leg request, no ambling along either!

 

[Anna26]

Agree with the above, especially the fitness point, power walk him up hills!
Many transitions, repeating at random intervals until the desired response is gained and then lots of praise. Start off with halt/walk and when that is improved move onto walk/trot and so on. Also use extending and collecting within walk and trot to improve reactions. Spurs should not be required, lessons with a good instructor will help no end. Don't expect too much of him at 5 either, if he has never been established in canter it may be hard for him.

Try and vary his work too (if it is not already varied!) add poles and handy pony type obstacles in the school to keep him thinking. School on hacks, that is all I do as I have no school and my horse never knows where I will ask questions of her.

 

[HairyCoblet]

I think he finds the school boring - he's more forward going when out. He loves poles... he gets very excited haha

 

[Coblover63]

Whatever you do, don't nag with your legs or you will be setting yourself up for a lifetime of it! He is still young and learning. Ask quietly, if no response ask loudly (ie, back up your leg with a stick and voice)

 

[EQUIDAE]

Upping the pressure is great for horses ignoring the aids but at 5 are you sure he understands the aids? How is he to canter loose or on the lunge? If he will canter from voice aids then you could try them ridden (using the.same.tone), then introduce leg aids.

Also how are you asking? It may be that your leg aid isn't clear enough. This was my problem - I was bringing my whole leg back instead of just my lower leg, which effected balance (also don't forget to advance the inside hip slightly).

Finally - have you tried walk-canter transitions?

 

[Count Oggy]

A 5 yr old cob is still very much a baby. My boy, who's 6 has only just learned to canter in the small paddock we use for riding. He has always been better out in the open in company and I put his lack of enthusiasm down to laziness. After getting back on after him having the winter off I can feel how much stronger he is. Bearing in mind he did no work at all over winter and turn out was a small winter paddock so he was really just mooching about. All this and he feels so much more powerful than he was last year.

 

[Flicker]

Leg aid, followed by smart tap with the schooling whip then leg off the second he responds, to reward him.
Also do lots of up and down transitions to shake him up a bit and keep him guessing.
If he likes poles, pop a few in the school and randomly ride over them. See if he will give you a canter transition after trotting over a pole.
Start with a bit of lateral work to get his back end under him and lighten him in front - this will help his balance and he'll be more responsive.

 

[nessie19]

I think he finds the school boring - he's more forward going when out. He loves poles... he gets very excited haha

This sounds a lot like a problem I had with my mare! She found trotting around the school very boring too, so I had to learn to engage her brain.

I've been adding in poles as part of my flatwork - trot poles, canter poles, a chute to halt between. It got her a lot more motivated and she paid attention because poles mean fun. Even a jump every now and again doesn't hurt to wake them up a bit.

I do use spurs on her for flatwork, and it's made her more responsive to legs generally, but she's rising 8 and I wouldn't want to on a 5 year old.

Otherwise, the same things that others have mentioned - squeeze, squeeze, sharp smack - helped too. She learned pretty quickly.

Good luck!

 

[Deltaflyer]

I think he finds the school boring - he's more forward going when out. He loves poles... he gets very excited haha

My chap is like yours, unless there are jumps or something to engage his brain he switches off completely schooling. He's actually sharp out hacking so it's not a lazy thing. He will do lateral work nicely, which he seems to like and moves very lightly off my leg yet getting him forward, especially in trot (his canter transitions are spot on as he prefers canter) is hard. He is also one of those types who back off and drops the contact when tapped with a stick rather than go forwards which does reduce my options.

My flat work trainer told me to have 5 levels of leg aid from the lightest of nudge through to good old pony club kick and if he doesn't respond to the lightest keep moving up until he does, the second he does respond stop using the leg and praise him.

This has worked a treat (along with keeping his brain engaged) and last time I took him for a lesson (first since last autumn) the trainer said if I'd told him I was riding a different horse he would have believed as the improvement had been so great.

With green youngsters I found that combining leg aids with the voice commands I used when lunging worked.

Also, use his forward going-ness out hacking as an opportunity to school as it will help build your horse up in the correct way and potentially make flat work easier and more pleasant an experience.