Hels_Bells
Well-Known Member
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!!!?
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!!!?