I need some advice..

[Deleted member 150717]

I have a 3yr standardbred gelding that I’m currently backing.. he’s had the saddle fitted to him had the back lady less than a week ago, had his teeth done farrier comes every 3-4 weeks regular trimmings (currently barefoot) and the vet has given him the all clear! So my problem his when I’m on him he’s extremely lazy!! I only go out on light hacking currently sticking to a walk. We don’t have a school but we have a riding field, it’s around half an acre to an acre so a bit big to take him out on just yet! He’s barely walking and doesn’t really respond to my leg when i nudge him on. I’ve taken a schooling whip out with me as someone at my yard suggested it. But the thing is I don’t want to make him only respond to the tap on the bum to make him walk on. Doesn’t make a huge difference only makes walk at a decent pace for about 30 seconds then back to slow again. I just want some advice he’s not lazy on the ground trots when you ask him etc. He gallops round the field most of the day like young horses do so he surely can’t be so tired from a light hack?? Also, he trips constantly I don’t know if that’s the surface as it’s not super even but the other horses walk on it no problem. A lady at my yard also said about the stones and him having sore feet?? Would he need shoes on just yet? The farrier said he has lovely feet! Not really sure about that though, as the farrier hasn’t said anything about him haven’t sensitive feet or needing shoes etc. Just wondering if anyone has any advice on this. This was him today!

 

[AmyMay]

How long have you been actually riding him? Was he responding well to voice aids when you started your ground work with him?

 

[Deleted member 150717]

How long have you been actually riding him? Was he responding well to voice aids when you started your ground work with him?

Around a week but I have owned him since may 2020 and have always sat on him around the yard and to the field and back so it’s not completely new. And I do voice commands on the ground when I work him.

 

[Lois Lame]

This was him today! View attachment 66390

He is so cute.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

When does he turn four, OP?

And do you have any photos of his feet?

Have you checked that he is sound if you trot him up?

 

[Deleted member 150717]

When does he turn four, OP?

And do you have any photos of his feet?

Have you checked that he is sound if you trot him up?

He’s four this year don’t know his birthday as he’s a rescue but he’s sound! (Touch wood) and alright in himself.

 

[Deleted member 150717]

He’s four this year don’t know his birthday as he’s a rescue but he’s sound! (Touch wood) and alright in himself.

When does he turn four, OP?

And do you have any photos of his feet?

Have you checked that he is sound if you trot him up?

I’ll try and find one of his feet.

 

[AmyMay]

If you’ve only been sitting on him a week and are already hacking him you’re doing really well. Remember he hasn’t read the book on backing so has no idea what the nudges in his side mean, which is why the voice commands you used for lunging and longreining are so important. You don’t need a whip, just patience ?

 

[Deleted member 150717]

If you’ve only been sitting on him a week and are already hacking him you’re doing really well. Remember he hasn’t read the book on backing so had no idea what the nudges in his side mean, which is why the voice commands you used for lunging and longreining are so important. You don’t need a whip, just patience ?

Thank you I’ll just work some more on voice commands!! X

 

[LadyGascoyne]

If he’s sound, well, and rising four, then I’d be considering whether he’s just a bit confused.

Mim was convinced she couldn’t walk when I sat on her the first time - same age actually. It helped having my husband walk her on the lead for the first few hacks, and she soon got the hang of it.

Have you tried riding him bareback? Is there any difference? Mim was much more confident bareback than with a saddle for the first few weeks.

Feet pics are always useful on this site as there are a lot of posters here with a huge amount of experience with them.

 

[Deleted member 150717]

Probably best one of his feet lol. And he’s not much different bareback. Your right he’s probably a bit confused?! Yeah someone leads me when I ride out, so he has some reassurance from the ground too.

 

[Deleted member 150717]

This is him bareback too, this was a couple months ago! X

 

[Deleted member 150717]

He is so cute.

Thanks ?

 

[paddy555]

my horses are barefoot and I always ride the ones I break in boots. (or I would shoe if that was their future) That way any problems I know it is not down to their feet. Also as I would want to ride them daily and I don't have a school I know that I will be able to do so ie they won't have any chance of sore feet, stone bruises etc.

Once you have ruled feet out of the equation then he sounds very young, uninspired and bored. I would long rein out on your light hacking. Perhaps go a bit further, give him interesting things to do and get him working all the time. Everything on your voice, lots of stops, backs, changes of direction, walk to trot and back. Get his mind working, thinking and listening.

just read your post someone leads you when you ride out. Try to move on to long reins, let the helper come to start with and then go on your own. (or keep the helper behind in case of problems) You can get more activity long reining from behind.

He's a very sweet horse, I think you just have a big baby that needs a lot of time and practise plus possibly the question of sore feet.

 

[Deleted member 150717]

my horses are barefoot and I always ride the ones I break in boots. (or I would shoe if that was their future) That way any problems I know it is not down to their feet. Also as I would want to ride them daily and I don't have a school I know that I will be able to do so ie they won't have any chance of sore feet, stone bruises etc.

Once you have ruled feet out of the equation then he sounds very young, uninspired and bored. I would long rein out on your light hacking. Perhaps go a bit further, give him interesting things to do and get him working all the time. Everything on your voice, lots of stops, backs, changes of direction, walk to trot and back. Get his mind working, thinking and listening.

just read your post someone leads you when you ride out. Try to move on to long reins, let the helper come to start with and then go on your own. (or keep the helper behind in case of problems) You can get more activity long reining from behind.

He's a very sweet horse, I think you just have a big baby that needs a lot of time and practise plus possibly the question of sore feet.

Thank you I will take that on board!! And I will long rein him on the road to keep him listening. Thank you for the reply. Xx

 

[Chinchilla]

If he responds to voice commands pair those with the leg aid, and try working with a rider on the lunge too with the handler giving voice aids.
When backing a horse a week is no time!!!

 

[Melody Grey]

Does the horse respond to the leg when you’re bareback? Just wondering if saddle fit is feeling more confined and blocking forwards movement? I know you’ve had it fitted, so don’t mean a poor fit, just a different feeling? This happened with Very green horse I had recently.
Definitely agree with being patient and using your voice commands though as others have said.

 

[TheMule]

This is the most crucial stage of his training and what you are describing is totally normal, but how you respond to it and educate him to the leg will shape his whole ridden life. Please get experienced help on the ground ASAP.

 

[Lois Lame]

Rescue, I just saw your thread about when you first got your boy. How lucky you found him.

 

[Abby-Lou]

long line get him used to voice commands and moving forward

 

[Deleted member 150717]

Does the horse respond to the leg when you’re bareback? Just wondering if saddle fit is feeling more confined and blocking forwards movement? I know you’ve had it fitted, so don’t mean a poor fit, just a different feeling? This happened with Very green horse I had recently.
Definitely agree with being patient and using your voice commands though as others have said.

He does respond to the leg when I nudge him but I mean barely.... if I was standing and nudged him on he would walk but when I’m walking and I’m riding him he doesn’t walk a faster. And I have the saddler coming to my yard soon so I could always ask advice from her/him.

 

[Deleted member 150717]

This is the most crucial stage of his training and what you are describing is totally normal, but how you respond to it and educate him to the leg will shape his whole ridden life. Please get experienced help on the ground ASAP.

We have had experienced help on the ground since I’ve had him and he is very good with manners and long reining but lunging is a weaker point.. he does do it but we need to work on it. I only had the saddle fitted because a lady at my yard had the saddler out and we had a saddle that might as well be fitted to him. So I’m going to focus on riding when groundwork if perfected maybe have the odd hack but I’m not fussed about riding him. And rushing it would be the worst thing to do to him. So when lunging is perfected and voice commands are better... he hopefully should pick it up better hopefully????. Hope that makes sense and I can always long line him in the field and hacking etc. Thank you for your response

 

[Deleted member 150717]

Rescue, I just saw your thread about when you first got your boy. How lucky you found him.

I know he’s so sweet bless him.

 

[Deleted member 150717]

If he responds to voice commands pair those with the leg aid, and try working with a rider on the lunge too with the handler giving voice aids.
When backing a horse a week is no time!!!

I’ll work on this thank you.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Be careful not to lunge him too much, you don't want to put too much strain on his young joints. You need to teach him that leg aids mean the same as voice aids, by using both together for some tie. Have you tried hacking him with another horse? It will boost his confidence and mean that he can concentrate on what you are asking him to do.

 

[Deleted member 150717]

Be careful not to lunge him too much, you don't want to put too much strain on his young joints. You need to teach him that leg aids mean the same as voice aids, by using both together for some tie. Have you tried hacking him with another horse? It will boost his confidence and mean that he can concentrate on what you are asking him to do.

He’s ‘hacks’ alone and in company but most of the time in company. For the same reason you said to boost his confidence. Yes I won’t lunge him too much either, mainly work on voice commands etc. Thanks x

 

[AmyMay]

https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/threads/backing-3-4yr-olds.787629/

 

[little_critter]

He does respond to the leg when I nudge him but I mean barely.... if I was standing and nudged him on he would walk but when I’m walking and I’m riding him he doesn’t walk a faster. And I have the saddler coming to my yard soon so I could always ask advice from her/him.

I know nothing about backing so bear with me but I wonder if he doesn't understand that more nudging means you want a faster walk? He's figured out that nudge = walk. So if you nudge again when he's walking maybe he thinks "I'm already walking...what more do you want?"
For experienced backers, is there a way to train "yes I like this but I want you to do MORE of it"?
Sorry for phrasing so badly :s

 

[Chinchilla]

I know nothing about backing so bear with me but I wonder if he doesn't understand that more nudging means you want a faster walk? He's figured out that nudge = walk. So if you nudge again when he's walking maybe he thinks "I'm already walking...what more do you want?"
For experienced backers, is there a way to train "yes I like this but I want you to do MORE of it"?
Sorry for phrasing so badly :s

Have a command for 'more' with the voice. E.g when lunging/leading/long reining 'trot on' = Trot. 'come on' is for faster, a double tongue click is my command for more energy/extension within the gait the horse is already doing. Ditto with walk. Then 'steady' with a downward inflection in my tone is the command for more collection and 'woooa' is request for slower.

 

[splashgirl45]

are you sure he doesnt have a problem with his feet, he may be fine not ridden but may be sore when he has the extra weight to take......he shouldnt be tripping and 3 to 4 weeks trimming sounds too much to me. there are lots of people on here who know more than me about feet so why not post pictures just of the feet from the side so the balance can be shown and from the underneath... your farrier may not be trimming him correctly, maybe taking the heels too low and leaving the toe too long which could be a reason for tripping. he looks like a lovely horse so try not to do too much too soon....