How to make a horse fizzy/buzzy to ride? Fat little cob's too steady :(

how sad, you have a super sensible pony that you can do anything with an you want to make it fizzy, go ride out at a racehorse trainors for a few weeks, that'll settle you down. Get him to lose some weight and be fitter and he will feel better and go further.
 
do take it steady with him, as you mention, he's still only 4 and needs to build up strength and stamina slowly, I'm sure more people on here experienced with youngsters could advise what exercise plan you should aim for with a 4 yo cob. How long has he been backed by the way?

also another thing to think about - perhaps get a blood test? If he's had a low grade virus (sometimes without you even knowing) then can make them very letharic for a long time. You know how awful you feel after being ill, takes ages to get back to normal. :)
 
Hahahahahahahaha Kia lazy!!! Yeah right OP that just gave me my best laugh of the day. I'd have loved a lazy day or two with him he was a wee man on a mission constantly and still is at 21 :D

You do whatever you want with him as no doubt knowing you you will do anyway and are only really caring about the handful of replies that you have had condoning what your planning so carry on :)

You ruining a fabulous looking and sounding wee piny has no bearing on my life what so ever.

Will be looking forwards to your reports as this will be one situation where I hope I'm proved wrong instead of right for your wee pony's sake.

Again cheers for the giggles :D
 
Kallibear said:
I don't dislike my pony at all :eek: In fact, the fact that I DO like him so much is why I haven't gone and just bought my 'perfect' horse instead! He's the nicest, sweetest little horses possible and I adore him (he's such a cuddley Mummy's Boy that everyone loves :o) and hence why I desperately want him to be more forwards to suit my taste! If I didn't like him I would just get rid, problem solved.

I've had him since a baby, he's never been a single days bother and, although my plan was always to sell on once going, I don't actually want to :o And if he'll just become a little more forwards and fizzy, he'll be perfect.
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I don't think your OP expressed this very well - hence the negative replies :)

Honestly, I do think he'll change as he grows up. My 5-rising-6 highland is a totally different ride to the horse he was at 4-rising-5. Forwardness comes with maturity and correct schooling - and maybe a bit of hunting :D
 
Its hard to make them that way if its not their mindset. Although if he's young i'm sure he'll get better. Fabio was really lazy when he was 4/5 - a lot of that was down to him finding it difficult as he lacked the muscle to work properly or for any period of time. He's 8 now and although he's more responsive, he'll never be 'sharp'. I tried oats and they had no effect whatsoever! He was on nearly a full stubbs scoop at one point which would blow some horses brains and nothing!!! The only time he ever finds '6th gear' is if he's made to go behind when galloping. He doesn't like getting left behind so always go's hell for leather!
But...i know he'll never be like a TB and accept him for what he is.
 
Ah, Nikki, incognito. ;) You rather prove my point: Kia is naturally forwards going and so's your TB, hence never having to deal with a lazy, reluctant horse. I however don't think him plodding is acceptable, and I doubt those who have got their not-naturally forward horses fit and go-ey, like Babybear, hackedoff and ironhorse etc, would appreciate being called 'disgusting and immoral'!

T's mum: he's actually nearly 5 (next month) but I totally agree with your sentiment. He was broken last spring and has gently hacked since then. Hence the unfitness. This is his first year of hard work. If he doesn't gradually improve with fitness i'll go down the investigation route, although he's never been sick or sorry.
 
If you wanted a fizzy/buzzy ride, thinking a cob would definitely fit that criteria!? i'm not saying all cobs are chilled out and steady (i have known a few nutcases in my time) but the cobs have the stereotypical character of safe, steady, family pony. If he's not your 'perfect' pony and you feel your pushing him into something he doesn't want to be, you don't have to sell him, a local riding school or young novice jockey would snatch your hand off to get a horse with all his attributes to loan and learn on :) i have a cob and is known as the most laid back, steady one on the yard and will happily poodle around anywhere but take him to a sponsored ride and you can guarantee he will attempt to buck you off out of sheer excitement at least 3 times or like the last ride, bronk me off across a field:D it's this split character i love about cobs:)
 
I've never been ingonito lol this is me same person same account ;)

I just think its very immoral of us to try to make a horse summat that its not. I mean cobs are great wee horses and come in all shapes and sizes but the traditional heavies just aren't built or bred to be sporty speedy types.

My opinion is just as I have stated and has been for ever, if your horses isn't going to do what you want then you have to make a decision.

I'm currently bringing on a 5yr old who is very backwards thinking undersaddle flatwork schooling and hacking just because she is a baby but put jumps up and she's a bouncy wee beast, and she's a dalesxwelsh d so not a lightweight :)

She's found out that she CAN go forwards undersaddle ( she was in a riding school) and now we are working on her braveness out the hack. BUT I KNOW she's not going to be like K or E so I don't expect her to be :) and that's sometimes the thing you need to get your head around.
 
Sounds like you have a perfect horse which a lot of people would bite off your hand to own.
Of course when he goes hunting you may find that he is slightly more forward going at a nice safe pace that you will enjoy.
I most certainly would not push him on at his age and I would resist trying to make him sparky.
 
spottypony said:
Get him out hunting! He will love it. :)
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I have a steady eddy - cardboard cut-out - of a horse. It was great when I first got him as my first horse. I got him out and about, different places, pleasure rides which perked him up. I also took him hunting which he loved and buzzed him up in a good way. I also put him on haylage in winter and although it didn't make him into a 'different' horse (I wouldn't have wanted that) it did just give him a little jolly in his step!
 
Kallibear said:
Can a super chilled horse be made 'fizzy'?

Rather opposite from the 'Help, my horse is too much for me', my horse isn't enough for me:(


Can I teach him to be fizzy/sharp? How?
Trying very hard to be the hand taller that i'd like

And what he'd love to be: a kids pony
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can a super chilled horse be made fizzy?

no, I dont think they can as you are fundamentally changing their nature.

Can a super chilled horse who is lacking ooomph, is backwards thinking and lazy be made a more forward and responsive ride? Hell yes! All that comes through schooling and fittening, getting him off your leg and fit to physically perform to the best of his ability (bearing in mind his type isnt built to be as athletic as other types) but I doubt you will ever get 'fizzy' or 'sharp'.

It does sound like you love him very much BUT he is a hand smaller than you'd really like and by your own admission his nature seems to indcate that despite his lack of fitness/schooling he would very much love and be happiest with the job of being a kids or novice's ride.
 
Neversaynever, thank you, you've put exactly what I was thinking.

He can hopefully be taught to get forwards and responsive, although it's not really his natural attitude. Being really fit (and getting out hunting) will hopefully help a lot.

I also think sadly you may be right in the long run about Pips role in life. However, I very much like the little man and would like him every opportunity to be the little pocket pocket I desire, so he can stay with me. :o

My problem will now be GETTING him super fit as, like most naturally laidback horses, he offers as little as possible and needs nagged constantly, so it's a vicious circle. Which is the point of my other thread (although some have kindly already offered their opinions here;) ), is it fair to have to do the nagging now for the benefits in the long run?
 
I'm sure getting the weight off and getting him fitter will help him be a bit more enthusiastic as he won't find ridden work so hard.

General schooling so that he is more responsive to your aids and doesn't need constant encouragement to go forwards will most certainly help.

However, I don't think you can change him from being naturally laid back to something that is naturally keen/whizzy.
 
JFTD said:
Honestly, I do think he'll change as he grows up. My 5-rising-6 highland is a totally different ride to the horse he was at 4-rising-5. Forwardness comes with maturity and correct schooling - and maybe a bit of hunting :D
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This! I used to have to school a few young cobs for a riding school when I worked as a instructor. they were often heavy and sluggish at first but given time to mature they became responsive and forwards, I think the heavier types sometimes take a bit longer to find their legs underneath them and co-ordinate everything and develop stamina.

A few good pleasure rides this summer should help to make all the difference too.

Perversely I often found that doing the odd long hack in mostly walk helped to improve them too, a good walk led to decent other paces.
 
Perhap when he gets fitter he might be willing to carry on more by himself rather than with nagging but this isnt always guaranteed.

This is the issure I have as I was riding a ploddy cob then I got more confidence and I wanted a bit more and now im riding a welsh D x Arab and hes perfect, forwards, responsive and just perfect.

Might just be that hes not going to be what you need.
 
Kallibear said:
Thank you Babybear and rosie-ellie. You get exactly what I mean! I don't want to change his nature, just his forwardness. I suspect those who clearly don't get it haven't had ploddy cobs before, or poss prefer that kind of horse. As Ironhorse said, a truely fit and FORWARD cob is a joy to ride and i've ridden plenty of very forwards, very heavy traditionals before, so it's not ness a breed/build thing, it's an attitude thing. This isn't about making him jog up the road sideways, eyes rolling, but making him enthusiastic about going forwards.
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I think you said you DID want to change his nature! Re-read the title of your Post. A steady cob can still be a pleasure to ride, as others have said if he is fit and well schooled and coming off your leg. That's down to you. But the fact remains you are unlikely to change him into a 'buzzy/fizzy ride' and if you attempt to you are risking ruining him in the process.
 
Cobs can by omar rabia (sp?) would be worth a read

I do appreciate what you mean, safe and steady is great but constant nagging makes you lose the will to live sometimes. Safe, sane AND forward thinking is possible though!
 
Awhh. Your post has made me feel a little sad :o:(
Maybe it's just me? But he's so beautiful and as you say, so perfect in all ways safe wise etc.
It reminds me of a song, by akon the lyrics went something like

"so don't try to change me, don't try to change me, why would you change me?"

It's about a couple who have fallen head over heels for each other, but as times gone on they're both trying to change each other, and the others questioning the other asking why are you trying to change me, when I'm still the same as when you met me and fell for me deeply?

You must've bought him like this right? I'm not saying you don't love him, but don't try and change a pony unless its for the right reasons, ie; if he's bombing off or something.

I agree schooling will get him more responsive, but accept who he is, he loves you for you I'm sure. X:)
 
Get a nice top line on him and do different things. We do pony club games with the kids at the yard and synchronised riding.
 
I haven't read the whole post as it seemed to go off the topic you asked about- anyway my suggestion would be to try something like NAF EnerG or Propell Plus. Its designed to give extra energy without the calories. I have used NAF EnerG and it worked very well for my lad (he wasn't a cob) and I know someone who has used it on a welsh cob with good results too.
 
Kallibear said:
I don't need, want or have time to get Piper THAT fit, but hopefully a decent fitness level will really help. He's a fat middleweight at best.
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As I said before, if you want him to be more naturally forward going - get him fit and put him on a diet! Think about professional sprinters, they find it far easier to move quicker than a not-very-fit and carrying-a-bit-too-much-weight person!
 
I agree with the get him fit and get the right diet - my Irish cob is a fizzy lively handful, but one year when he was super fit he lost some fizz and sparkle - changed his diet to slow energy release etc and he never looked back. Yours looks a lovely type though and it sounds like you love him to bits and mean well by him - wish mine had an attitude like him! He hates hacking now lol age 19 he's got a second lease of life the stubborn old man :)
 
Thanks:D

Maybe I should define 'fizzy' for those who feel it would be wrong to make him so (and since someone else asked how to 'unfizz' their horse, who in fact sounds spooky, not fizzy):

Fizzy to me is not a bad thing! Although I can understand someone nervous or novice would hate it! It's basically the 'Can we go fast? Can we? Can we?! Go on, fast fast fast, yes?' Their little hoofy pegs touch grass and they want to gallop. Which is NOT to same thing as just buggering off! It also includes them getting excited at things (although again, not loosing the plot or stop listening: that would be 'stressy' or 'silly'.

Currently Pips outlook on grassy gallops is 'Do we HAVE to go fast? Aww, Mum, I was just wanting to eat it, not gallop on it'.

Fizzy is not the same as 'spooky': spooky is jumping at scary stuff and being on high alert for the danger of tigers hidden behind every bush (had a spooky horse and it's no fun!). Fizzy horses are often very bombproof!

Nor is fizzy 'sharp' or 'hot' Sharp to me is 'overly reactive' and often ties in with spooky and often means they're easily stressed and prone to hissy fits. They get overexcited or stressed and become potentially dangerous as they often can't be reasoned with because their brain has just fried. I've had a VERY sharp horse and it's difficult to deal with sometimes as you need to be careful what you do with them. Going for a gallop and them spotting a dog at 200yrs usually results in you going over their ears :o. Sharp can be useful if you need it for competition though.
 
A few years ago a friend of mine had a cob who was not particularly forward going. He was also very fat and unfit! When he went to new owners, he had a proper diet and exercise and is now out showjumping, dressage etc etc. Moral of story is that cobs do tend to be laid back, but if they are fat and unfit they do tend to be rather lazy!
 
Kallibear said:
Fizzy to me is not a bad thing! Although I can understand someone nervous or novice would hate it! It's basically the 'Can we go fast? Can we? Can we?! Go on, fast fast fast, yes?' Their little hoofy pegs touch grass and they want to gallop. Which is NOT to same thing as just buggering off! It also includes them getting excited at things (although again, not loosing the plot or stop listening: that would be 'stressy' or 'silly'.
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But why do you want a horse that wants to gallop as soon as its hooves touch grass?! I want a horse to be well behaved and trained enough to do exactly what I ask. My eventer can go bl**dy fast when he wants to but only when I ask him to! I couldn't have him getting excited all the time, they have to remain as sensible / calm as possible yet go when asked. From the sounds of it, you want a horse who starts jogging / cantering on the spot? Not sure why anyone would want that, no matter how experienced, its just annoying!
 
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