Lazy horse? Pause for thought

[Wagtail]

It's a very common problem. Something we see all the time, and hear about all the time. Horses that are just lacking that oomph! However, whilst it may be something as simple as a schooling or boredom issue, or even a rider issue, very often it is the first symptom of something quite seriously wrong with the horse.

Several summers ago, my mare suddenly went really lazy and totally dead to the leg. She looked totally sound and could do a good dressage test, but she was REALLY hard work. In the end, after her not seeming any better for several weeks I got the vet. I would have done it sooner but she was her usual cheeky self, eating well and acting normally except for not being so 'off the leg'. The vet did all the usual checks, and in the end, as by then, she was also breathing quite heavily, he put it down to a virus and she had to have the rest of the summer off. I now realise that what she actually had was her first ever bout of laminitis.

More recently, a gelding here also became very 'lazy'. He should have been better than ever as he was nice and trim, and his breathing was consequently better, but no change of food or routine improved him. He had lost his spark. This went on for around three months. Sadly, he came down with a sudden, severe, and fatal bout of colic caused by internal melanomas. We now suspect that he had been feeling ill for some time.

Anyway, I just wanted to put my thoughts down on here, in the hope that others may consider investigating these problems before labelling a horse as lazy. I feel terrible that both these horses were still being worked because they had no obvious symptoms. But then how else can they tell us they are not well?

 

[chestnut cob]

I do think some horses are naturally lazy, but there can often be an underlying problem. An minor lameness that hasn't been picked up on, or just a bit of stiffness that means the horse doesn't want to go forwards. It is down to us to try to work out what's going on. They do tell us they feel unwell - we just have to learn to read their language.

 

[amandap]

I 100% agree with you Wagtail. x Horses aren't lazy generally, especially if the whip comes out.

 

[LeannePip]

it is interesting you should bring this up as i was only thinking/worrying about this the other day as i am a worrier.

my horse could be described as lazy. it is usually on her terms! i.e something fun=endless bounds of energy something where she has to work hard=no energy. but then a post on here made me worry more when they said that their horse performed better away from home because the adrenaline hid the problem that he had. so this made me worry even more as at home we can have major dramas about cantering on the left leg, away from home shes won or been placed at all her last 5 dressage tests! I have an Equine Massage Therapist who comes out every 6-8 weeks to keep her in tip top condition, the vets been out and not found anything i should worry about and teeth are done and up to date saddle is next to be checked but EMT couldnt find any soreness that would be related to saddle. shes also had 3 different but very very good farriers in her short life and i've never had any problem wih her feet and all have commented on how good they are so, from my point of view i think im trying everything i can think of to rule out her lazy ness being down to pain but it is deffinatly something i consider alot!

Her schooling is deffinatly improving the lazyness and as i learn to ride her more effectivly its alot better but there are deffinatly days when it all goes to pot and i start looking at pain related issues again! am also aware i am probably a big hindrance at times so have started exercising more and am booked in on a 'Balanced Rider' course! so we'll see what happens!

 

[Sleipnir]

My horse used to be very, very lazy, before I bought him. Actually it was just malnourishment, lack of vits and mins, and an ongoing issue with contracted front hooves and never-before-cleaned sheath, that had left him with a huge bean, and a job that bored him to death. However, when you see a 4yo, you don't normally expect the horse to be dead to almost any stimulus! Now, with the problems solved (hooves still in process!) he's unstoppable.

 

[chestnut cob]

and a job that bored him to death.

This is a good point.. my last horse was lazy in the school. He hated it. He was a totally different horse out hunting, which was he much preferred job!

 

[Sleipnir]

My horse was being used as a riding school horse. For a young horse that actually loves speed, jumping and doing all kinds of active work, carrying kids who are just learning to walk and steer, and have mostly hard hands, must have been horrible! He still dislikes most children.

 

[w1bbler]

I'm going through this at them moment. My normally bouncy, front legs in the air when she wants to canter etc horse was being well behaved, all at the yard kept sayin she had finally responded to my training & not worry. She seems fine in herself.
Vet can find nothing wrong on a physical exam, but bloods show she is slightly anaemic, slight raised white cells & markershowing chronic inflammation. Retest in a month as vet says could be so many causes doesn't know quite were to start!

 

[scheherazade]

Very interesting post OP. As a paranoid serial panicker, area you referring more to horses that have a sudden dip in performance, or that lazy, laid back horses in general are likely to be masking or feeling some kind of pain / discomfort, even if there are no other obvious symptoms?

 

[Wagtail]

Mainly referring to horses that have a dip in performance, but also to some where it may come on so gradually that they can be like that for years. For example the cob at our yard. I used to ride him often and he was always very forward going and responsive to the leg. But then I didn't ride him for nearly three years. When I got on him a few months ago it was like riding a block of wood. Absolutely dead to the leg. I had noticed with his owner he had not been very forward for a long time, but owner thought he was fine. When finally she decided to get him looked at, he was found to have PSD. So here was a horse that didn't suddenly drop his performance, but it was so gradual that his owner did not notice! It was only when I said to her 'Do you remember how forward he used to be, and how quick off the leg?' that she suddenly realised. He was bilaterally lame behind and so it was difficult to spot, though a trained eye could see he was not using his back legs effectively.

 

[eahotson]

I

I 100% agree with you Wagtail. x Horses aren't lazy generally, especially if the whip comes out.

I was always taught that the whip was an aid not a weapon.

 

[Flame_]

I completely agree but a horse going stuffy can be caused by just about anything and starting investigations at this point is unlikely to show up any definitive cause of the behavior. It is likely to show up lots of red herrings and your horse might "need" five different proceedures before the problem is solved, if it ever is. If you can get a horse to work through a problem, that is very often the best way to overcome it IME.