How to spark up a lazy horse.

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JCbruce

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Lazy horse anyway to liven them up?

He's just so relaxed, always has been since I got him as a 2 year old. Up to date with vet, physio, blood tests been done. On a competition balancer and linseed mash.

He would just happily lope everywhere and plod. He's a competition bred horse. He has a lovely jump but it's hard getting that forward going canter with impulsion. I only want to do maybe max a Disco. He could actually be an RDA horse he's so quite.

He's well schooled have been competing BD prelim and moving up to novice soon. But that's always hard work as well 🤣

I just had a clinic today and it was such hard work getting him forward and as soon as I stopped getting after him we couldn't make the distances, he's 17hh and the other in the clinic were 15hh. I just feel bad getting after him all the time but when he does have a good canter the jumping feels easy peasy and we get our changes.

He has varied work with lots of hacking and hills, goes on fun rides, cantering through the woods. Just a very very chilled chap.

Any advice?
 

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I read lazy and I assume the problem is not that he’s a chill dude, but that he’s behind your leg - is that right? Even a laid back horse can be trained to be in front of the leg. That’s more about being disciplined about what response is deemed acceptable making sure you get that response each time. Otherwise you end up nagging and the horse switches off.
 
Nocturnal said:
I read lazy and I assume the problem is not that he’s a chill dude, but that he’s behind your leg - is that right? Even a laid back horse can be trained to be in front of the leg. That’s more about being disciplined about what response is deemed acceptable making sure you get that response each time. Otherwise you end up nagging and the horse switches off.
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Yeah you are probs right. I need to be more consistent in this area.
 
Is he the same out hacking? Is he the same when you do just flatwork? Is your school surface deep? Has his work level changed recently? Has his tack changed recently? Does he react when you get after him, ears back or is he willing? Any reaction to being tacked up? Any weightloss/weight gain? What is your grazing like?
 
AShetlandBitMeOnce said:
Is he the same out hacking? Is he the same when you do just flatwork? Is your school surface deep? Has his work level changed recently? Has his tack changed recently? Does he react when you get after him, ears back or is he willing? Any reaction to being tacked up? Any weightloss/weight gain? What is your grazing like?
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Same out hacking, same flat work (although is more forward on a fun ride) , school is perfect, work level been the last for the past year, he is willing just very slow reactions and then reacts then just goes back to the same ways as before after a couple of strides, no reaction to being tacked, tack checked every 6 months, no weight loss or weight gain, grazing has been a bit poor this summer from the lack of rain so have been feeding extra hay. Been the same since I backed him.
 
What is his regime? A couple of mine have been much perkier after going out to do fun stuff (hunting, fun rides, etc) and that effect lasts for a few weeks afterwards even in the school. As another thought have you tried altering his food? It is of course possible that he's just a laid back chap.
 
A horse is very rarely just “lazy” or “stubborn”. Now that cob has learned how to balance and hold herself properly and get off the forehand, she’s far more off the leg and confidently striding out. You do need to be consistent though, and get a trainer or instructor’s advice about balance and posture ridden.

Usually it’s as simple as balance and posture, but sometimes they could be bored or unwell.
 
JCbruce said:
Lazy horse anyway to liven them up?

He's just so relaxed, always has been since I got him as a 2 year old. Up to date with vet, physio, blood tests been done. On a competition balancer and linseed mash.

He would just happily lope everywhere and plod. He's a competition bred horse. He has a lovely jump but it's hard getting that forward going canter with impulsion. I only want to do maybe max a Disco. He could actually be an RDA horse he's so quite.

He's well schooled have been competing BD prelim and moving up to novice soon. But that's always hard work as well 🤣

I just had a clinic today and it was such hard work getting him forward and as soon as I stopped getting after him we couldn't make the distances, he's 17hh and the other in the clinic were 15hh. I just feel bad getting after him all the time but when he does have a good canter the jumping feels easy peasy and we get our changes.

He has varied work with lots of hacking and hills, goes on fun rides, cantering through the woods. Just a very very chilled chap.

Any advice?
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Sounds delightful! If you want to part with this sweetie, I’ll be in the queue….
 
JCbruce said:
Same out hacking, same flat work (although is more forward on a fun ride) , school is perfect, work level been the last for the past year, he is willing just very slow reactions and then reacts then just goes back to the same ways as before after a couple of strides, no reaction to being tacked, tack checked every 6 months, no weight loss or weight gain, grazing has been a bit poor this summer from the lack of rain so have been feeding extra hay. Been the same since I backed him.
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Sounds like all bases covered.. when a horse is behind the leg in all work I start to think why.
If ok out hacking but 'lazy' in the school you can then think it's just a lack of interest in what he's being asked to do.
You could see if some racehorse cubes make any difference, or a bute trial but if it was pain I would have thought it would have escalated some time between when you backed him and now.
 
There is a horse at the yard who when he arrived was a gangly 16.2. I've never been around big horses but everyone here said Just let him grow. He has been worked quietly and taken out and about interspersed with time off when it was obvious he was using more energy to grow.
Now at about 71/2 years old and 17.2hh he is ready to do a job.
Is it possible your horse has no energy left as he has used it to mature?
By the way he sounds fabulous.
 
If Spillers still do their slow release and instant release comp mixes, they might be worth a try.

I tried the instant release initially and soon gave up on that. Extension was needed for his medium tests as was impulsion and power for the big galloping hunter rings but perhaps not what he produced on that feed !

However, the slow release was fabulous, focused controllable power and stamina. He was a 17.2 fit horse but as he aged he needed a little more help. The other product that I found effective was Top Spec Turbo flakes.

With your horse being big and very young it could easily the case he is just getting tired quickly. Does he go back to bed after he has worked ? My last homebred was 17.2 and was forever going back to bed after a hack or schooling session.
 
I'm not sure if you can get this in your part of the world but it really is great stuff to give them a bit more oomph, especially a big growing baby.

www.horseheaven.eu

TRM IronXcell

IRONXCELL is a premium Iron Enriched B vitamin syrup. It also contains Sorbitol, which enhances the serum concentrations that result from the oral administration of Vitamin B12. Competition horses need dietary supplementation of B complex vitamins and Iron, as these nutrients are needed for red...
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Big horse, only 6, would try to slowly get a bit more fitness this winter, maybe a pairs XC, fun rides etc. I think he could be very different in a year or 2
 
I suppose he has been tested for anaemia? Otherwise just a big young horse - let him develop with lots of hacking and fun things with other horses alongside.
 
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