How do I get my pony more active?

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ThisIsBlondi

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Hey Guys :)

I'm looking after a pony at the moment, 8 year old 13.1hh Welsh C, good doer, lives out all year round! He has been off work for a while, so bringing him back in slowly you'd expect him to be a bit more excitable or forward going - he's not. He stands there, barely responds to anything. Doesn't respond to leg at all, nor a stick. Not phased by anything. I attempted to lunge him, but with out walking beside him, there's no way he's moving!

I'm just about to start feeding him, I was thinking alfalfa or a good mix.. Will the feed make him more active/forward-going? We went out for a hack today, and he nearly fell asleep!

Is there anything I can do to make him respond? I have tried jumping him, hacking, schooling but nothing seems to get him more awake!
 
Feeding an unfit good doer will probably just make it fatter and even laminitic, if he has only just come back after a long break he will be very unfit, it has just got warmer so he is less likely to want to do much.
Lots of steady walking to start with, uphill as much as you can, gradually as he gets fitter and loses weight he should become more active, plenty of transitions to get him listening to your legs more and increase the work expected of him, it will take weeks of slow work to build up proper fitness, ride out with others if he is more energetic that way but he may just be a laid back chap that enjoys a relaxed lifestyle and will not get excited about life, the ideal pony for someone that lacks confidence.
 
I have no useful advice. But if you want to swap... you can take your pick of 13.2 stunning black welsh c who thinks most things are pony eating monsters so forward going is never an issue as long as you don't mind some sideways and spinning with the forwards, orrrrr theres a 13hh welsh who fails to see the point in walk, he will start ambling across the field then seems to get impatient at how long its taking him so goes for a run... he's not called speedy for nothing. How I would love to amble peacefully round the countryside occasionally :D
 
I've been advised to feed him a handful or two of a mix after I excersize him depending on how much we did that day, and this would only be about 3 times a week? He isn't that unfit, or round, I just think he needs some energy as he's been going on an empty stomach (just grass) for the week I've started with him..

Your ponies sound great! Unfortunately, I don't own this pony, so I can't swap him! If I go for a stroll from one end of the field to another, I will probably get there 10 minutes earlier than if I were on this lickle guy!
 
Tbh horses stomachs aren't designed to take cereal based feeds such a mixes and is very high in sugar/starch which ain't good for any horse. Leave mixes alone and go with a balancer or a vit/min supplement in something like fast fibre to make sure he's getting his goodness. Spring grass is good at putting weight on but lacks goodness at times. My own grass is v low in everything after having it tested but will make them fat as its full of sugar. If he's coming straight from grass he's prob v bloated and don't feel like working.
 
Horses don't use energy the same way as us. His lack of forward is a training and attitude problem, not an.energy issue.

First start of with the basics and find out WHY he's not wanting to go forwards. Is he sore? Do his feet hurt? Does his saddle fit properly? Is he sound?

Secondly, does he actually understand? Has he been broken properly? Shutting down and switching off is a common response for stoic placid horses who've not been properly started. Some panic and run, others turn into themselves and switch off until it's all over.

Go back to basics. Teach him to walk forwards inhand. Then longlines. Then get back on and reward every tiny forward effort he makes so he knows 'forwards' is good and desirable.
 
First of all don't give hard feed it won't help. No work no corn. He needs to feel fitter to do more. It's like people, sit on the sofa all day and do nothing cant be bothered only do the minimum. Whereas those that exercise and get lean, burn fuel to produce energy.
 
So do I need to think of a working programme? Such as hand walking and trotting him around the field? I don't want to teach him to ignore my aids..

Surely some feed would do him good though? Since at the moment he lives out, he's excersized but not fed?
 
ThisIsBlondi said:
So do I need to think of a working programme? Such as hand walking and trotting him around the field? I don't want to teach him to ignore my aids..

Surely some feed would do him good though? Since at the moment he lives out, he's excersized but not fed?
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Nope don't feed him until he starts needing it. When he is in light to medium work have a look at how he is doing then assess his feed. Unless of course he looses to much weight. Long reining is good to get him going.
 
Yep, a graduated exercise plan that makes going forwards FUN. In hand walks out hacking etc. Then you need to re break him/school him properly. A good instructor who's used to starting babies would help. You need to teach him to go forwards from light aids, not eventually respond to badgering. As he gets fitter and looses weight he'll become more forwards.

All extra food will do at the moment is make him fat and even less enthusiastic about going forwards. Some types (TB) will turn starch into fizz and nervous energy. Most native and cob types just put it straight into fat. No amount of high calorie starchy food will make a naturally lazy horse fizzy. If anything it makes them feel a bit sick and sleepy(esp too much grass), like many people to gorge on too much chocolates or Haribo (i.e me :o) tastes nice at the time and gives a sugar rush but feel sick and tired afterwards)
 
My pony's in medium work (hacking 2-3 hours, schooling 40mins, jumping, canter work and eventing) just off grass and a salt lick. When unfit she is the laziest toad in the world, but now she's bouncing.

When I ask her to go forwards when unfit I have to insist she goes, if it's a walk to trot transition and she's lazy I make her canter away then bring her back down. Use stick to tap behind the leg to reinforce. 3 nudges and then stick, not hard, just as a reminder. But most importantly give with your hands to allow him forwards. I can look like a bit of a madwoman as if she doesn't respond after 2 flicks of the whip there's lots of shouting and 'gerrup you lazy mare' to get her forwards. Lots of hacking and hillwork to fitten him up, keep him in a long and low frame to get him working over his topline.

If you don't feel like riding one day give him a quick lunge or long rein, long reining is good as it teaches them to go forwards off voice aids as well as being a bit novel and different for them. Give with your hands at all times so you're not restricting the front end.

Do you currently have lessons? Lessons with a good instructor could help him get a little sharper off your aids.

Also variation is the spice of life, mine goes a little dead if schooled too often. So I take her for a whirl in the field or on a nice relaxing hack.

Also I'm a believer in days off to give them a bit of down time. As someone said he could also feel a bit bloated. I bring mine in 1/2 an hour before I ride and just faff around grooming etc to give her a bit of time to deflate before I get aboard. She's now perhaps one of the most forward going pony's ever!

Good luck!
 
Charmin said:
When I ask her to go forwards when unfit I have to insist she goes, if it's a walk to trot transition and she's lazy I make her canter away then bring her back down. Use stick to tap behind the leg to reinforce. 3 nudges and then stick, not hard, just as a reminder. But most importantly give with your hands to allow him forwards. I can look like a bit of a madwoman as if she doesn't respond after 2 flicks of the whip there's lots of shouting and 'gerrup you lazy mare' to get her forwards. Lots of hacking and hillwork to fitten him up, keep him in a long and low frame to get him working over his topline.

If you don't feel like riding one day give him a quick lunge or long rein, long reining is good as it teaches them to go forwards off voice aids as well as being a bit novel and different for them. Give with your hands at all times so you're not restricting the front end.

Do you currently have lessons? Lessons with a good instructor could help him get a little sharper off your aids.

Also variation is the spice of life, mine goes a little dead if schooled too often. So I take her for a whirl in the field or on a nice relaxing hack.

Also I'm a believer in days off to give them a bit of down time. As someone said he could also feel a bit bloated. I bring mine in 1/2 an hour before I ride and just faff around grooming etc to give her a bit of time to deflate before I get aboard. She's now perhaps one of the most forward going pony's ever!

Good luck!
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Mine doesn't respond well to leg and completely ignores any type of stick.. He isn't that unfit, a few people that have seen/ridden him think he's more lazy than unfit.. I can shout, make every type of noise and it doesn't bother him at all..
He is a well schooled pony, gorgeous head carriage and would excel in the show ring.. Does have a fair amount of muscle and naturally works in an outline, even without hand contact, when you get him going for two minutes :P
I would lunge him, but he just stands there! Can't even get him to walk around!
I don't have lessons because of where he's kept and can't really afford it at the minute!
I do include a variety, I school him, jump him (have one or two cross country jumps) and have been out on hacks - he just looks asleep at all times, bless him!
Mmm I do that too! I have a little conversation with him, give him a scratch and a good brush and that takes a while! Then tack up or just pop a bridle on and attempt to make him move from one place to another :P
 
Seriously... If this is a genuine post and you're not a complete idiot... First of all, as others have said, DON'T FEED HIM and certainly NOT alfalfa.
So, if he's been off work for quite a while, as anyone bringing hunting horses or racehorses back into work will tell you, you need to start off in walk for 4 weeks, increasing the amount of time walking, then 4 more weeks trotting, then 4 weeks of cantering. I wouldn't bother lungeing until you've done the 4 weeks of walking. If he's that unfit perhaps walk him out inhand for a couple of weeks. No jumping until he's fit. He's lazy because he's unfit. He does not need hard feed.
 
ThisIsBlondi said:
Mine doesn't respond well to leg and completely ignores any type of stick.. He isn't that unfit, a few people that have seen/ridden him think he's more lazy than unfit.. I can shout, make every type of noise and it doesn't bother him at all..
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He's been out of work for ages: how can he possibly be fit?!?! Of course he's not remotely fit.


He is a well schooled pony, gorgeous head carriage and would excel in the show ring.. Does have a fair amount of muscle and naturally works in an outline, even without hand contact, when you get him going for two minutes :P
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No, he's not. He doesnt even know how to respone correctly to the leg so he's completely unschooled. Many just-started ponies carry themselves well naturelly, nothing to so with schooling level.


I would lunge him, but he just stands there! Can't even get him to walk around!
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If he's never been taught to lunge properly of course he won't know what to do, esp if you're not that experienced at it.


I don't have lessons because of where he's kept and can't really afford it at the minute!
I do include a variety, I school him, jump him (have one or two cross country jumps) and have been out on hacks - he just looks asleep at all times, bless him!
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How do you do all that if you can't even get him to walk on?!

It sounds like he has a massive massive gap in his education (how to go forwards) but is too nice a pony to make a huge fuss about it. Either that or he's really uncomfortable.
 
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