If you felt your horse wasn't happy?

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bellaboo

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What would you do?

I have owned my mare for 6 years now and she has been fantastic. She's the sort of horse who everyone loves as she can be ridden by anyone, but certainly not ploddy, has manners and a nature to die for and is just a lovely allrounder.
The problem is that i love the flatwork/dressage side of this and she dosen't. She tries her best but i always feel like she isn't happy, put a jump or or hack out, she loves it, ears pricked off she goes!! I feel she would probably be happier with like a mother/daughter share with the daughter being into pony club etc. But she is my baby and i would worry like mad who she will go to, i also have a rising 2 year old filly who is intended for the flatwork but of course that isn't going to be for the next couple of years so options:

1. Carry on going like we are going, do some more jumping with her and wait untill the filly is ready and get over the frustration.

or

2. Loan her out to a fun loving family.

Or, well what else could i do?
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Just mix her work up a bit. To only flat school her is bound to make her a little bored. You wouldn't like to do the same thing every time wouldn't you. Do flatwork but take her for a hack at least once a week. Pop her over a couple of jumps at the end of a schooling session. Basically just vary the work & she'll be alot happier.
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She does get varied work, she gets ridden on the flat maxium 3 times a week, then she is hacked, jumped, lunged, loose schooled!!!!
 
In your dressage tests that you have done, what has been your scores?
That mare is happy doing whatever you want her to do and you have been told by several people that she is more than capable. Why not, get out there over the next two years and do as much as possible with her and see how you get on.
Don't forget, you bought that dippy filly for the flatwork side of things
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To be honest, if she is no pain and there is no other reason for her not "liking it" i'd keep going. We all have to do things we don't like and she has to earn her feed somehow
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I think it sounds like she is a really lucky horse and in mine opinion can put up with 3 flat work sessions a week!
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Could there be a physical reason why she's not enjoying the flatwork? Might be worth investigating.

But I'm not sure I could honestly say either of my horses really enjoys flatwork. They're both amenable and get on with it, but they don't get excited about it the way they do when they're jumping or racing around the countryside!

It's like a work-out at the gym is for us - not very inspiring, but necessary. Jumping and cantering out in the open is probably like going skiing - much more exciting.

Just tell her to stop moaning and get on with it, she'll feel better for it in the end!!
 
Is there any way you could make the flatwork itself more interesting/fun for her? With maybe lots of transitions, loops, lateral work, extensions, trotting poles, learning new movements, even incorporating a jump or two, etc?

It could be that she's just a bit bored with the flatwork, and if you livened it up for her by making it more interesting/unpredictable, she would perk up?

(Sorry if you are already doing all this.)
 
Feel free to PM me

I was in exactly the same position as you .. mine is now happily out on loan hacking and having fun.

And i'm sorry to say that some times telling them to 'get on with it' doesnt help.
Dressage/schooling made my girlie unhappy.
 
If i was you i would just carry on and see how it goes, it may be more the fact she isn't as use to doing it and may need more work doing with her.
 
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