Impulsion ??

[amandal]

Hi just looking for some new ideas? Pony just seems to lack any oomph, I can ask her to go forward and she will but at her speed (slow), when I ask her for a bit more she will give for a couple of strides but then its back to slow. I have tried big pc kicks, backing it up with a stick both which work for a couple of strides but then back to slow. Any ideas on how to keep her a little more motivated, I am concerned that repeated kicking will just make her numb and dead to the leg. She's the same in the school or out hacking. Would you increase her feed? Currently on very little grass and a small bucket feed of fast fibre and good doer. Is not carrying excess weight but only 4 so still growing.
Thank you for reading

 

[KatB]

If she's 4 and like this, I would take her on a few hacks with a friend to get her thinking forward, and then turn her away for the winter

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

It does sound as if she may be lacking energy due to insufficient feed. I would increase the fast fibre and add a mug full of oats. A weigh tape used weekly would show if she's putting on weight. If she doesn't improve when ridden and gets fatter instead then its a temperament thing rather than a lack of energy and you should reduce the feed to what it was before.

If she turns out to be a bit lazy then you're going about it the right way to improve her. I'd change the kicking to a flick with a schooling whip though. Kicking will unbalance you and if you wobble when she goes forward she'll slow down again to rebalance herself.

Ask with a nudge of your legs. If ignored, ask again with a harder nudge and your voice. If ignored again, repeat but add the whip. Praise when she gets it right. If she slows down after a few strides you go back to the beginning and repeat the process.

Lots of transitions will improve her impulsion and responsiveness to the aids in general.

 

[amandal]

Thanks for your replies so far, I am going to look at her feed, I feel she is a little underweight, due to the restricted grazing and going into winter know she'll use more energy keeping warm. Will also try the flick of the whip method. Thanks again x