lazy cob!

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Sophiecollins11

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I recently brought my horse from a riding school, I loaned him for almost a year and a half and I have now owned him for 3 and a half weeks 😊
He's a 15hh traditional cob and since leaving the school he's got so much softer in Hus neck and mouth and we have brought him a new saddle and new bits and bridles etc so there's nothing the same as the riding school (he is kept on the same yard)
However he's been sooooo lazy it'd unreal! I have tried everything, transitions, not using the track, lateral work, changing the rein, and even hacking he's so slow and doesn't listen to my leg! Even hacking now he's going backwards its so slow 😁
Any advice or excersies I can try?
Thanks in advance I'm running out of things to try in my own knowledge 😱
 
Sometimes horses who've been in a riding school a long time can just switch off and lose their enthusiasm. Generally hacking is good, maybe try going in company to see if that helps? (Or even go alone if he normally goes in company). Do some jumping? Try loose schooling? If you can find something he enjoys this will make life much easier. I feel your pain as my first horse I bought from a riding school and I had the same problem of him being very lazy but he did get better. I used to do a lot of long hacks with him which got him really fit so then he had more strength and power there when I did ask him to work in the school so he found it easier. I also changed his feed to something higher energy which definitely helped. Maybe get a physio to check him over as he may have some soreness from when he was in the school which is making him reluctant to go forward. Also do you have lessons on him? It might be he just needs a change of approach as he's gotten use dot always doing the same thing, maybe find a dressage trainer somewhere away from the school who might be able to help you. Has he got lazier since you took him out of the school? Maybe he just needs a rest or a change of scenery, maybe give him a week off or take him away for a hacking holiday if you can?
 
Thank you for your help :) he is due to have physio again as he had it regularly in the school and we would like to keep it up until he gains more muscle along his back as he wasn't really worked in a contact in the school, I might try some pole work as he can't jump right now as he gets a bad back from being over jumped in the past but we're trying to build him up to it again this year although he does love it! He was pretty good tonight but not quite off my leg I have an inhand show next Monday so he's got 3 days off this week (I'm busy and I thought it would keep him keen) and then after the show he has 5 days off as I thought that might pep him up! Aha yes I have lessons on him at the riding school with my instructor but I might have a look at som clinics for dressage or showing too :) my friend has a horse from the same school and said she had the same thing happen but he's got through it now!
 
My first horse I loaned from the riding school and then bought him and kept him at the yard as well so exactly the same situation as you. He was not a particularly lazy horse when he was a riding school horse but when I got him he was dead to the leg and the mouth as well, he practically had his nose scraping the floor he was so depressed.

That last word was key. He had been a "follow my leader" for so long he was shell shocked over his new situation and bless him confused and possibly a bit depressed, he was also used to being ridden 3 times a day. I turned him out for a month, for the first 2 weeks he stood by the gate all day but once he realised nothing was being asked of him he went off hooning around the field like a lunatic, it was a lovely sight.

After a month of that I started him in work again, inhand work and lunging, then hacks out and progressed up slowly to having my lessons. It was not an overnight change but after a good few months he started to get used to and enjoy his new life. I also discovered in that time that he really did not like jumping at all but he did infact love dressage. He also turned into a leggy 4 year old at shows (he was 21) and really loved going to the little riding club shows.

Has his feed changed or anything else about his routine like being kept in or turned out? You also mention all new tack (saddle, bridle, bits), have you tried him in his old tack to see how he is?


Patience is a virtue with horses, good luck, I hope you can find a way forward :)
 
His old tack was broken and all the wrong size so we wanted to get him out of it ASAP so he has a comfort saddle and a jefferies snaffle (rip of verbindend), his feed has been cut down as he has been putting on weight but it's exactly the same as his old feed? I got him a new supplement a while back but that was about two months ago now! He gets turned out with the same horses he used to just during the day and In at night as we think he may have a history of lami so while their in new fields were trying to prevent 24/7 turnout just while he gets used to his new life :)
He's been very hardworking in the school, he does outline really well now compared to a few months ago and in my lessons he works really nicely but on my own he's just dead to the leg! He did sunrise me today when I rode him indoors for once (it's a small indoor so don't go In their unless theirs school hire) and when I went back I the outdoor he seemed to go lazy again for the first 10mins? Not sure if he's bored of going round in circles ? :/
 
I guess it's worth checking out to see if there's anything medical going on. Red cell might be worth a try. And maybe feed a balancer too in case he's low in any vitamins or minerals. Does he have a salt lick? My boy was feeling very flat before his ulcers were diagnosed but there were lots of other symptoms with him. (grumpy, girthy etc)

The first thing I would try is hiring a gallops with a friend - see if that perks him up?

Otherwise you just have to be super strict about leg aids. Light leg aid > firm leg aid > stick. Hopefully after a while you will only need the light leg aid.
 
Yeah I spoke to some people around the yard as he used to be anaemic but everyone seems to think it's just him as he is still he normal self on the ground, begging for treats, doing tricks and inhand practise in the school he's fine which is even more confusing ��
Hoping to be hacking down to a gallop strip Saturday with one of his best horsey friends :) they always end up side by side flat out �� maybe he just needs a little time off schooling while he settles in?
 
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