Horse will not go forward

Lark

Lark

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Hope someone can provide some help here!
I purchased a 7 rising 8 yr old Dutch horse.
A little on the big side 17.1hh (and long side for that matter).
The problem is that he will absolutely not go forward - at times I feel like I am back on a riding school pony!
He will walk, trot, canter when asked but will not go forward or lenghten in any pace without an arguement (bucking etc).
I have had him checked from head to toe and there is no issue. I have been told basically that he has some respect issues and that he is just plane lazy.
Whether this is the case or not I cannot continue with the situation as it stands as I fall off him every evening exhausted.
He does pick up a bit when jumping i might add but as he is jumping 1.20's I need more options - not a stuck canter.
I should also add that on the lunge he will go forward easily enough.

Any shared experiences greatly appreciated.
 
What are you feeding??? is horse overweight???
What do you do with horse?? Do you compete??
Next if you ask to go forward with leg what happens, his dead to leg???
When schooling would suggest lots and lots of transistions, rien back, walk to canter, shoulder in, quarter out. Also lots of pole work and most of all if doesn't go off leg on first, sorry to say huge whack behind leg and allow to go forward. Then ask again if same response whack behind leg (only behind leg) and allow to go forward. Then horse will get message...
But it may be the case that he just hates flatwork and if so he needs to jump and if you want to do flatwork you may need to part ways.
I have a horse who can become very lazy in summer, but if i restrict grass, feed oats and do lots of above work we can play at dressage.
But if we jump we have braking problems so it's a case of really management but it's taken a bit of time to understand which buttons to press
 
Hi Kick_on,
Thanks for the feedback.
He competes every week 1.10's 1.20's
Fed on oats and Copra.
He is not overweight but does lack muscle behind - probably due to the lack of of engagement.

I agree with your views about reinforcing the leg with the stick if neccessary but it just seems to work the oppossite way. The more pressure to go forward the greater the nappiness. He will literally stop and buck.
 
mmm your're in catch 22 position?
what happen if you lunged with rider on board??
Sound like you've you tried draw rein, passoa, side riens.
With backing up leg will he argue with you??
If weaked in backed and you've checked everything out what about hill work, to build up bum and do lots of transitition at speed - daft question do you every really open him out ie top speed??
What about changing his job?? for me i take mine hunting as it dose give him that extra grrr.........
Can i ask when was the last time him had a holiday??? i feel horse do come back better after a holiday/rest
 
Could you be resticting him going forward in any way with your weight/position? Just a thought as I can dramatically effect the way my horse goes (collected/extended) buy the use of my seat/thigh/weight aids... have you tried opening your thigh a bit when you want him more forwards/ closing when you want to bring him back/downward transitions?

Does he also buck if you totally give away the contact and just ask him to go forwards? I've seen a few riders restrict big horses movement by getting behind just because the movement is so big it throws them off balance a bit

Probably totally off the mark......
 
The others will give you all the schooling advice you will need but can I just add to me he sounds pis*d off with the whole school thing (as I would of course!
tongue.gif
) so what is he like out having just a happy hack about for a change from schooling?

I know warmbloods are meant to be thick as two short planks but even they need to enjoy themselves once in a while so my advice, for what it's worth, would be to stay out of the school for a while and get back his enjoyment of life.
 
What size school are you working him in?
It might be that he's feeling restricted as he's on the larger side. Try schooling him in an open space if possible, then you can really send him forward in a straight line without worrying about turns and circles.

Agree with MFH about the hacking - take him out, and make sure he's going forward and straight and give him a break from schooling.

If he's forward on the lunge, then get someone to help you on the ground and crack the lunge whip whilst you're schooling. It's worked wonders with my mare, as it breaks the cycle of you kicking/using schooling whip etc, and means you can then concentrate on containing him.

Have a read of this article as well - it's all about developing a forward mental attitude in your horse, and might give you a few more ideas.

http://www.horsemagazine.com/CLINIC/B/BAKER_MICHAEL/bakermagic.html
 
My mare is very similar and the fact is she hates the school and hardwork basically. We try and make it as fun as possible for her and keep her guessing with lots of transitions, cahnging reins etc. Her canter has vastly improved sinc cantering in open spaces, XC schooling, sponsored rides etc.

My instructor said TB's are born and taught from day one to race. Irish horses are taught to jump, go forward and hunt from early on. Warmbloods are generally kept in confined conditions and have never really been asked to go forward so find it a bit confusing. You will get there
 
I have a dutch warmblood who is inclined to be the same - when I first got him (nappiness was the reason I was given him) he would have tantrums if pushed in his flat work (he had been working with a professional rider at Medium and started misbehaving by standing up and not going forward and leaning on the bit) He would also nap very badly out hacking and so never went hacking. Since having him I made him hack out - have had a few real battles but luckily have won them and now he hacks out alone very well. I left the flatwork alone completely for a few months and introduced some jumping. He is a completely different horse now 9 months on. He loves to jump, really tries hard altho very green, loves xc and is very brave and obedient and tolerates his flatwork well (altho he certainly does not love it!) I think from what I hear warmbloods are naturally very lazy and easily become bored. My chap is certainly not thick he is very clever at finding the line of least resistance but his whole attitude to life is totally different now that he has plenty of variation in his work and he is a lovely horse again.
 
If he's competing every weekend - when does he go out and have some fun????

Sounds cheesed off to me. But also, perhaps, lacking in energy - so you may consider increasing the quality of his feed which may help. Do you feed electrolytes routinely and has he been bloodtested.

My money would be on one bored horse though........

Edt: If he is competing regularly - then surely just a leg stretch each day is sufficient, with perhaps one day a week having a reminder session.
 
Well bring the Tim Stockdale method in - are you nagging with leg all the time?

If you feel that you have to kick every stride you are going to be knackered. The horse needs to learn to go forward by himself and to not dare stop until you ask (Tim's version of going in a cog)

I know its easier said than done with my boys to get them going forward properly I have the urge to kick every stride, but actually correcting them when they break stride works much better.

Also not helped by me being unfit and collapsing after a session of jumping and collection - so boys have learn if I slump they stop dead.... very bad habit!!
 
Thank you for all your advice - sorry for the late response (lost the internet for the last couple of days - like loosing my left arm!!)

I agree basically with everyones points.

I do think he needs to go out (as does every horse) unfortuately the yard i am in at the moment does not let the horses out until May - that will be remedied soon as i am moving in 2 weeks.
I don't know a huge amount about the horses history (I only have him 2 months- I bought him through a contact who had only had him for about a month - before that he was owned by another girl and had been out in the paddock for a few months - i am now wondering whether she couldn't manage him!!

I have not had him in the school at all for the last week to see how he reacts - riding in the fields etc - still a bit nappy. The new yard provides better hacking so that should help.

I will get the saddler out to have a check to see if there is anything going own with the fit but having checked it I think it is pretty much spot on.

My issue is that the horse although by no means a monster is a bit of a bully. I believe he has gotten away with a lot in the past. He knows his size and has very very little respect for anyone on the ground - barging, threatening gestures and invading space etc.etc.
I think this attitude transfers to riding.

I am starting to do some ground work with him to resolve the respect issues and i will perservere with him and see what a bit of time achieves.

Thanks again for all the advice.
 
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