Lazy horse

[malibu211211]

My boy is extremely lazy in the school and because he is quite big it makes him even harder to get him up together.
We have another dressage comp coming up on the 19th Sept and was wondering if you all had any ideas on getting him more forward?

Short of carrying an oxygen tank with me I'm running out of ideas. I cannot feed him much more as I don't want him being silly out hacking, he already has 1 whole scoop of Hi-fi Original and 3/4 scoop of Pasture mix twice a day

Any ideas please

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

Is he lazy or has he just got no fuel in the tank? Pasture mix does not put much oomph into a horse so you may need to reconsider what you're feeding him.

There are feeds that will give him more oomph but won't hot him up. Have a look what is available on this site & what the various feeds are suitable for & it may have an answer. Other feed manufacturers will have similar sites.

http://www.allenandpage.com/Products/Which-Feed.aspx

 

[sarahdante]

Hi- I had exactly the same problem and was ready to give it all up- tried allsorts, but even Spillers quick response had no effect on energy- in the end put him on Baileys Number 14, Hi Fi lite and Propell. Not suggesting your horse is over weight, but putting mine in starvation paddock for amonth also helped- as for schooling we did lots and lots of transitions, at random, different places, out hacking, in the school- you don't say if you ride in spurs or not, that helped for me, and a quick tap with the whip if reaction by him was not quick enough. Sorry to go on- I suppose each horse is different o a combination of different thing may or may not work- my trainer alo pointed out that my tension in trying to get more energy out of him was actually having the opposite effect- making him tighter as I was working too hard!!! I now ride to music...the difference is amazing!! Good luck, let me know how you get on

 

[canteron]

I have the same issue in the school, my girl just turns off and is clever enough to just do the minimum. I second riding to music, it certainly helps me relax and enjoy it all more. Obviously music in the school is great - but not always feasible to arrange so just using an ipod helps me to relax and ride to a rhythum.

Spurs, whips, help if used with great consistency ... and as my girl has a big thick strong neck, I have found using in a gag/double bridle also helps as I can convince her I am in charge and she takes more notice.

 

[Puppy]

How fit is he? I find the fitter they are, the more forward they are!!

 

[malibu211211]

Thanks everyone.
He is pretty fit, he is ridden 6 days a week and I try to do 4 times in the school with one of those being an hours lesson. I ride with a schooling whip all the time and have recently bought some Impulse spurs but have only worn them once. I always worry about my lower leg not being secure enough to use spurs

Monty has never been very forward, when I first had him he was quite backwards and my instructor spent quite a long time just getting him to move forwards. He is so much better than he used to be but I find I am still working too hard. Yet when my instructor is in the middle of the school we don't have a problem

I have tried transitions but cannot get him to move off straight away. I have tried giving him a sharp tap with the stick and it's almost as though he says 'yeah whatever!!!'
He perks up a bit with trotting poles but has no enthusiasm for jumping either.
Any suggestions please?