How to get horse more forward?

[Starbucks]

During the summer I thought I'd cracked it with my mare but she seems to have gone back into her super chilled mode!! She likes her XC and hacking but in the school flat work and jumping she does everything asked but it's like she can't really be bothered!

Do I need to rectify this through schooling alone? Do you think any of the following would help?

Feed more heating mix
Get her fitter (she's not that fit but fine to do what's asked of her as althetic TB type)
Take her hunting
Anything else?

If schooling, what exercises can I try?

 

[j1ffy]

Re: feed, I find oats help my lazy PRE. He barely moves in warmer weather without them, and is very behind the leg even on cold days. He's still naturally 'efficient' with his energy but definitely better!

When schooling, really focus on not nagging. When you ask for forward make sure your knees and thighs are off so you're not accidentally sending mixed messages. Give a short gentle aid and if there is no response do a pony club kick and get her moving forward quickly, don't worry about roundness / balance / rhythm, any sort of forward reaction is good!

Then lots and lots of transitions. I use a good exercise from the 101 schooling exercises book (which is great btw!) - ride a square and change down a gear for each corner. So start with trot on the sides, walk on the corners with a sharp transition back up to the trot. Progress to transitions within the pace and make sure the transition between working / collected / medium (whichever you are doing) is sharp.It made a big difference to my boy, he suddenly understood the leg! I often go back to it as he is still tricky to keep in front of me, particularly if I don't carry a stick.

Good luck!

 

[paddi22]

i'd a similar exracer. I ended up keeping schooling sessions short but being really strict on the pace i wanted from him. I switched between long and low stretchy circles, being really tough to push for the pace i wanted. As J1ffy said, never nag, ask once gently, once harder if they dont respond and then third time i really belt them forward if they havent responded. For transitions, ones going up a pace or two can work to get them forward - walk to canter, halt to trot, anything to keep them on their toes.

I also tended to do a lot of polework and gridwork that he had to think, I don't think I ever did a single fence by itself as he would just go in autopilot to it! I did find oats good to get him up a notch when needed

 

[Starbucks]

Thanks guys. I've had a lesson today and had the same things you've said drilled into me! She was going so much better.

I think I need weekly lessons having someone drill it into me!!