Ideas for giving lazy TB some more spark?

[BronsonNutter]

Please! I feel like my legs are about to fall off after working at the kennels all day, walking/getting towed around by several dogs and then trying to school a horse that felt like it was about to lie down and have a snooze at any moment

He's always been quite chilled out when in regular work, but lately he's been a complete dope on a rope, and I just am struggling to get him to go forwards at all on the flat. He's not too bad jumping (but I always jump with spurs on), or hacking, but lately we haven't really been able to hack out 'properly' due to strangles - we've been going round the fields but tbh, that's pretty boring unless we're galloping, and I don't want him to think 'this field = gallop!' all the time as my mum hacks him too. He physically struggles with flatwork as he isn't put together all that well.

Could there be anything physical/healthwise to cause a massive slump in his energy levels? He lives out, gets a scoop of calm&condition each day + chop + some linseed, and looks a little skinny but is nice and shiny. No snottiness etc, and he hasn't been in contact with the strangles-pony (they are in fields near each other, but no shared water/buckets etc, plus we have been very careful).

We're getting towards the bottom of the bag of C&C; would it be worth trying him on something else? I am assuming the feed and quantities he is on provides him with all vits/mins? Or are there any schooling exercises/things I could be doing with him to try and perk him up?

Recent pic to show condition levels:

Not-quite-a-week-old birthday cake on offer to any helpers

 

[mrsk29]

My tb is very laid back hes almost horizontal at times he sounds very much like yours.... mine is on calm amd condition and alpha oil at the mo.. what ever i feed doesnt seem to change how he is to ride, but he can go very daft and spooky to handle. hes also a bit ribby but its just the way he is..he also really struggles with flatwork and he doesnt have great confirmation....

I found to wake him up when i ride always carry a schooling whip (and use it if he ignores me, hes soon learned) and for warm up a good extended canter in the arena to wake him up (he loves this!! )..not always as sometimes he expects it and is awake straight away. after that he is usually quite awake and we can go about our task for the day....
since ive been doing this he has been fab (most of the time)... good luck

Ps your boy is gorgeous

 

[gunnergundog]

If this is unusual for him then get a blood test done to check there is nothing viral going on or any anaemia.

 

[Cazzah]

My TB can be a lazy toad when schooling - finds it all too boring! I try to have a good fast canter/gallop to wake him up and will often pop a fence when I'm schooling if I feel him going 'off the boil' and this seems to work well.

Feed wise, I normally feed my lad conditioning cubes, a handful of chaff and a mug of stud balancer twice a day with a good glug of soya oil. When he's in very regular work, needs a bit more condition or is competing I'll also give him a scoop of TopSpec conditioning flakes which I think are brilliant - give him a bit more sparkle without sending him daft and condition almost instantly. Calm and condition did absolutely nothing for my lad - but different feeds work for different horses

Would also keep an eye on him and if you have any concerns would agree with getting bloods done.

 

[BronsonNutter]

Thanks all, I will try the gallopyness and/or popping a fence mid-schooling session next time I'm on my own in there! I used to have to do that with Bronts (before he went senile/slightly mad) but hadn't thought of trying it with Wilby

Having cantered him in the fields yesterday I'm now 95% certain its just a schooling/evasion thing - little monster decided to cock his head to one side and start twisting and trying to bronc! Just a little bit full of himself, toad pony But will def think about bloods if he gets any worse.

 

[wench]

I found Spillers instant response energy mix was perfect for my idle tb.

 

[KatB]

Id avoid anything too starchy, which rules out a lot of mixes! Replace half the ration of c+c with the power and performance if the feed generally suits him, should just give him a bit more energy for weight and work!

 

[marley and danni]

hi i have been doing a lot of schooling latly and my TB started getting super lazy which then lead to bucks... i thought he had ulcers or sore back had them both checked and found nothing! it turns out after lots of trial and error hes bored in the school!! as he doennt get lazy or through a buck if wre at a show jumping or hacking just purley school work xx

 

[BobbyMondeo]

My horse sounds very much like yours i felt like i had to coax every single stride out of him.
Ive put him on instant response energy mix...seems to working a treat.
Hes anglo arab and hasnt blown his brains yet.

 

[amandaco2]

my big chap is quite lazy.
i had his teeth, back and saddle checked and then i decided to feed him the following-
badminton 'readi grass'
baileys competition mix
and soaked rolled oats.
he seems to have more energy on this (was on just grass plus a chaff- happy hoof before)
he certainly isnt unfit....
i would see if you can improve general fitness with hill work and hacking out? once he is stronger generally, he may find the flat work easier? maybe try raised poles?

 

[BronsonNutter]

Thanks for the feed recommendations - just bought him another bag of C&C, but will think about changing if he carries on being flat! Is the spillers stuff really expensive? I know CWG's own brand of conditioning mix was rocket fuel for Bronson, maybe that would work on Wilby if I can't find the spillers stuff anywhere.

Amandaco - I do several fast canters up a slight hill with him each week (go out with jockey length stirrups; the other liveries laugh at me ) so he is fit in a 'go quick' sense, but we haven't been able to hack out 'properly' for six/seven weeks now so might have lost a bit of endurance (mentally as well?) - hopefully later this week we'll get the all clear (fingers crossed! )
He struggles to really work over his back and uphill as he is 16hh behind and 15.1/2hh in front! Raised poles might be fun for him (or confuse the hell out of him!) - will give those a try as he does like pole work

 

[asyouwish]

I take it from other peoples posts that he doesnt tolerate cereals well like oats or corn? Some of the competition horses get what looked like cornflakes for a little pep in them over and above what they normally get if needing a little spark.

I think its just flaked corn but dont quote me on that. From reading this forum people are recommending the topspec racing range, cant remember the name of the product though sorry

 

[wench]

Last time I bought any of the Spillers stuff (couple of years ago) it was about a tenner a bag.

It didn't send my TB crazy - it really suited him. The only thing I found that didnt agree with him feed wise was Redmills conditioning mix.

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

the saracen re-leve has definately given CS some more spark, compared to the winergy conditioning mix he was on before

 

[BobbyMondeo]

The spillers mix was just under £10 a bag at my local feed store. So not expensive

 

[MRich]

I find plenty of upwards transitions, e.g. halt to trot, halt to canter, gets my TB more responsive and active in the school.

 

[mystiandsunny]

I find that living out in summer turns my TB into a real donkey! If she's in at night then there's more energy, feeding making very little difference - oats do nothing lol. Galloping/jumping help, as does keeping things varied, but generally she's just mega relaxed when out with nice warm weather (wakes up when it rains lol). Could you try bringing your lad in for a little each day, perhaps before riding so he gets a snooze and perks up a little?

 

[BronsonNutter]

The spillers isn't too expensive either then, about the same as C&C. Thanks Don't think my local place stocks saracen feeds? Had some good news - third strangles test clear D) so we should be able to get out hacking properly again from tomorrow so that might perk him back up a bit

asyouwish - I've never tried him on straights so don't know how he'd react to them - the C&C is barley free though. When I first got him he was on a bog standard mix and whenever I rode him he was a bit wild for about 20mins then would just go completely flat, but I think now that those antics were probably more down to his age?

MRich - thing is, he will do the transitions (although not halt/walk-canter! That's too confusing for his legs ) but there's just no spark to anything within each gait. Will keep trying...

mystiaandsunny - he always falls asleep when I'm tacking up, then walks off at 1mph yawning I might have to try leaving him in a bit and see if that helps!