Horses with "X factor" but no love for the job (dressage)??

[Hels_Bells]

Am really struggling to inspire my horse at the moment when it comes to dressage. He was originally a showjumper from some serious SJ lines, and after undoing a few problems we have turned our hand to eventing and now at Novice level. He is usually over-enthusiastic about his SJ, he loves loves his XC but when it comes to Dressage he just doesn't seem to want to know!!! It's really frustrating and I'm wondering if others have had similar problems and what you have done about it?

I could accept it if he weren't a horse that everyone says has great expressiveness, elevation, intelligence and scope for dressage. I have had some well respected names say what a lovely horse he can be to watch and how much potential he has (specifically wrt dressage). He just has no love or enthusiasm for it!! He doesn't seem to want to do his best. Just the bare minimum and you can see by the look in his eye sometimes that he is doing what he is doing under protest!! It's not that we don't "hit it off" either, we do. In general, we have a great time together and often get comments such as "a happy pairing" etc in tests.

Now I am no pro, but I am a reasonably good amateur, I do not have any serious "problems" in the way I ride, am told I have a good seat, good hands, legs etc and I'm experienced, sensible and realistic in my approach and work hard at it and I generally enjoy it - or want to! But my horse just seems to have no love or enthusiasm for dressage, at best he is very lazy and difficult to get going forward (the opposite horse to the one we see doing SJ) at worst he throws complete tantrums and doesn't want to work, then once in a blue moon in training he pulls a blinder.

I want him to enjoy his work, and I want him to show the horse that I know he can be, but I just can't seem to get him to do either!! He has a great life and is not in pain, he has his back and teeth and saddle checked regularly and furthermore when you see him going XC or SJ you know that there's nothing wrong with him!!! We keep his general work varied and try to keep him surprised and interested in his dressage specifically by constantly changing things etc but if/when it works it just doesn't seem to stick in an actual test and other days he just is having none of it, doesn't want to know!!! My trainer thinks he is prone to mood swings and generally just being naughty, which is fine, but I want him to want to work for me and enjoy his work does in other disciplines.

I'm just increasingly frustrated with this problem - have others been in this situation and how do you go about tackling it!!!?

 

[MadisonBelle]

It sounds as if he just doesn't "get" it...... Nothing for him to focus on.....

Hmmmm, have you ever tried doing your flat work with 1, maybe 2 fences up and use them to get him going forward? Also you could have some poles scattered to give him something to go over without actually jumping.....

I had to gallop my old mare and really get her thinking forwards and then I'd get a fab trot and canter.

 

[xspiralx]

Sounds like he just doesn't enjoy it and I don't think that's something you can force. I would do what schooling you need to do in jumping sessions or out hacking, and then when you do dressage at a show maybe treat it like a warm up for jumping rather than an event in itself and perhaps that will keep him switched on?

 

[Britestar]

We have a horse who is now 20yrs and had the same problem with him. He could produce stunning work, and many trainers said he could easily go Medium or higher, BUT he hated dressage.

He could work beautifully, had super paces etc, but his heart wasn't in it. Show him a jump and he is the happiest little buddy in the world. After many years of trying to make him do it, he now just hacks, goes to the beach and jumps, and he is the happiest soul in the world.

 

[splashgirl45]

how about having a couple of smallish jumps set up in your arena, warm up and pop the jumps maybe once, then do a little dressage schooling and as soon as you feel him switching off, pop a jump, then go back to schooling and if he is better make a big fuss of him and stop schooling, maybe pop the jumps a couple of times and put him away or go for a hack. gradually try and increase the schooling to the length of a test . hope this makes sense!! it wont be a quick fix but may be worth trying something like this to get him switched on. i think we also NEED piccies please....

 

[meandmyself]

Have you tried taking a break from any flatwork for a while? It could be that he just needs a change.

 

[SpottedCat]

Have you had someone else sit on him? I just wonder if you are blocking him in some way that hasn't been picked up yet - you're obviously a decent rider, so it could be quite subtle...

 

[Countrychic]

I would start to think he doesn't like his job so needs another? My grade b hates dressage, she has lovely elevated paces but I do nearly all our work either with poles or hacking or she gets sour. I don't see the point in her having a job she hates?

 

[TarrSteps]

Out of curiosity, how much do YOU enjoy your flat work? Have you made a study of it/had some really top instruction? Have you sat on a horse that can work PROPERLY at a high level so you know what you can/want to achieve? Do you enjoy working other horses on the flat to a reasonable level? (Notice my avoidance of the word "dressage" as if it is somehow different than just riding on the flat . . . )

And what do you mean by "dressage"? Do you mean regular schooling or competing in dressage tests. I've certainly had horses soured on the latter. What level of work is he doing now?

As SC suggested, have you had someone whose main interest and enthusism is dressage?

There is nothing about working on the flat at basic levels that excites the horse and kickstarts it's adrenalin the way even quite basic jumping does. But this is not the same as "enjoying" it. If you're waiting for the horse to "take you" the same way, you may have to wait a while . More seriously, you may have to light the horse up a bit, until he extends himself and starts to understand why using his body correctly is enjoyable and something to be pursued. This can take some urging until the horse sees the point, in the same way that most riders have to be held to it until they see why riding correctly, however difficult it is, is more enjoyable than not.

There are horses that seem turned off by schooling but, no offence, my experience is this comes at least partially from the rider/way the horse is being trained. I find many more people here, where opportunities to ride outside the school are more prevalent, are put off by schooling and seem to consider it a chore. I, personally, find it fascinating and usually can convince even the most uninterested horse to put in a bit more effort just because of that. Even the most incremental improvement excites me (sad, I know) so it's easier to communicate that same level of enthusiasm to the horse.

 

[daisycrazy]

Polos...

 

[daisycrazy]

More seriously, do you enjoy dressage yourself? If not, you can hardly expect him to. It has to feel like dancing and clever tricks, has to make him feel good about himself when he does it. So lots of variety, some more challenging and exciting movements, possibly add some music, lots of praise and titbits and keep the sessions short. If he is an athletic, balanced horse with natural aptitude then he should need very little schooling to cope with BE Novice dressage, so I wouldn't both doing too much just yet as he'll be bored rigid. Plus if he does find the more difficult movements more interesting, you don't want him to have got bored of those as well by the time you actually need to call on his talent.

 

[Hels_Bells]

Thanks so much for all your replies so far, loads if great advice, ideas and food for thought here!! But have got loads to do this eve as eventing tomorrow so will respond in more detail tomorrow!!!

 

[core]

I've said this on different forums, but I do not believe in the false rational that people use to excuse poor training and bad behaviors. Heck, let's stop doing something because the horse doesn't like it! If he kicks you, it means he didn't like being touched while eating so don't touch him again. If he bites you, then it means he's unhappy and needs therapy.

If you've ruled out pain issues, then there is no excuse for bad behavior. It's a training issue.

In my opinion, it sounds as if you're horse needs more stimulus to keep him mentally engaged. Dressage should fulfill that in spades. Keep him guessing where and what you will be doing next. Use circles, serpentines, half circles, changes of direction, etc. to keep him focused on you. Change your tempo/speed. Ask for 4-5 strides of lengthen and immediately come back to working trot. Throw in walk/trot, canter/trot, walk/halt transitions. He starts getting behind the leg, ask him for canter, or ask him to go forward in a big way. Work on leg yielding, but instead of simply going from quarter (or center) line to the wall, go the opposite way you normally go. Or go from center line to quarter line and back to center line.

Try decreasing and increasing a circle by leg yielding him into a smaller circle with counter flexion, straighten him for a couple strides, and leg yielding back out with true flexion.

Never ride more than 6 strides in a straight line. And do your darndest to ensure you've ridden over every square inch of the arena at least twice. There shouldn't be a single piece of dirt your horses hooves haven't touched during a training session. If you're hugging the wall, then you're doing it wrong.

Dressage is a thinking game. You have to constantly make this a mental game for your horse and for yourself. Think about where you're going and plan at least 5 movements in advance (half circle at E, at X leg yield to quarter line, turn left/right, across diagonal, etc.)

Most importantly, praise/reward him often for any effort (even if it's wrong at first), so that he'll learn that this is a positive, fun experience. When he's done something well, or shown that he's trying to do what you're asking, give him a break and pet him. Let him relax and learn that when he tries he gets rewarded. You can build up to longer stretches of work over time, but in the case of your horse, I would keep the lesson short and the praise for effort heavy.