Lazy horse?

[Amylaurenx]

As the saying goes 'you pays your money and you takes your choice'. You bought patent safety - you are not suddenly going to get wizzy. Work with your horse on hacking alone. Choose a short circular route and lead him round it, then long-rein him, if you know how to do that, when you are confident that he is confident enough, hop on for the last little bit of the route and then keep reducing the in-hand part gradually until finally you are leaving the yard on top.

oh yeah totally get that I know he’s never going to be a speed demon or show jumper which suits me fine but just a canter round the school he won’t do without breaking for at least the short end, and I would but the only route is a busy road that I don’t want to test him on his own in case he was to try run home so it’s a tough one

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

oh yeah totally get that I know he’s never going to be a speed demon or show jumper which suits me fine but just a canter round the school he won’t do without breaking for at least the short end, and I would but the only route is a busy road that I don’t want to test him on his own in case he was to try run home so it’s a tough one

In that case you need to do plenty of work on the gorund with him, so that youare confident that you can control him so that he won't try to run home. You really can't blame the horse for being bored of going round and round a school.

 

[Amylaurenx]

In that case you need to do plenty of work on the gorund with him, so that youare confident that you can control him so that he won't try to run home. You really can't blame the horse for being bored of going round and round a school.

I don’t believe he would ever put me in danger and I’m confident he would listen to what I was asking as he does in the school but the only way I’ll know how he strong he will be and how much he’ll listen is if I did it but don’t want either of us getting hurt on that road and no I dont blame him at all! Just wondered if anyone had any ways I could make it more enjoyable for him as I’m sort of stuck

 

[AmyMay]

I don’t believe he would ever put me in danger and I’m confident he would listen to what I was asking as he does in the school but the only way I’ll know how he strong he will be and how much he’ll listen is if I did it but don’t want either of us getting hurt on that road and no I dont blame him at all! Just wondered if anyone had any ways I could make it more enjoyable for him as I’m sort of stuck

I can absolutely understand your reluctance to take him on the road you’ve mentioned.

 

[Amylaurenx]

I can absolutely understand your reluctance to take him on the road you’ve mentioned.

if I could avoid it even if it meant a 20 min detour I would but its the only way unfortunately!

 

[scats]

Many riding school horses become deadened to the aids as they have so many different riders of varying abilities that they learn to tune out of the ‘white noise’ that comes with flapping legs, constant kicks etc.

You are in quite a difficult position given your hacking isn’t great and the horse is nappy. I’m all for getting them out hacking on their own, regardless of their napping, but I understand your reluctance with a busy and fast road between you and the hacking routes.

I think this is going to be a difficult problem to sort in the school though, in an ideal world you would use hacking to re-teach the aids and sharpen this type of horse up.

 

[Amylaurenx]

Many riding school horses become deadened to the aids as they have so many different riders of varying abilities that they learn to tune out of the ‘white noise’ that comes with flapping legs, constant kicks etc.

You are in quite a difficult position given your hacking isn’t great and the horse is nappy. I’m all for getting them out hacking on their own, regardless of their napping, but I understand your reluctance with a busy and fast road between you and the hacking routes.

I think this is going to be a difficult problem to sort in the school though, in an ideal world you would use hacking to re-teach the aids and sharpen this type of horse up.

There is a big empty field down the side of our paddocks where our hay is cut from that almost looks like a gallops now it’s bare that we’re allowed to ride in so I could try riding him around him there by himself not quite a hack but it’s about 7 acres and no road

 

[Goldenstar]

School sour horses need keeping out of the school .
At 15 he needs a job he likes .

 

[JGC]

I got my current mare at 12 and she's ex-riding school. There wasn't another solution for her other than not going in the school. She wasn't happy about hacking alone, so I did a lot of in-hand hacks, interspersed with hacking with another horse. Then gradually, I would lead her out in hand and get on part way round and gradual increase the time I rode. I still from time to time lead out the first hundred metres or so (usually when she's in season as she's extra clingy then). But generally she's a joy to hack now. Also getting a friend on a bike to give us a lead was helpful. I don't know if it would be feasible to go out in hand with that road (bridle and lunge line, not a headcollar obviously). We did one session in the school a week (dressage one week, jumping or polework the next). The only other time we went in the school was for in-hand work or lunging. You could try doing handy pony/trec type stuff in the school or desensitation work (balloons, tarpaulin, umbrellas etc.). Just to avoid doing any actual school work. Definitely a good idea to use that field you've mentioned and if you can hire transport from time to time to get to safer hacking, I think you could really get somewhere.

Mine's really coming along with her school work now (two years later), but I have to say, we still only do one schooling session a week, as anything more would just make her fed up with it again.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

There is a big empty field down the side of our paddocks where our hay is cut from that almost looks like a gallops now it’s bare that we’re allowed to ride in so I could try riding him around him there by himself not quite a hack but it’s about 7 acres and no road

That sounds like a good idea. Otherwise maybe find a yard with better access to hacking. Also make sure that you are not unbalanced in canter, many generous RS horses will stop if they feel that the rider is wobbling.

 

[LEC]

You want a slightly more reactive horse in a horse who has spent the majority of its life being taught not to be reactive. Its not impossible to sort but it would take someone quite experienced to sort out and won't be quick and then you risk losing what you like which is the safety and unreactiveness.

Just think about where you want this to go would be my advice. You might not like the outcome.

 

[Birker2020]

My friend had a horse who was exactly the same, wouldn't go forwards in the school, was really lazy. It turned out he had pedal osteitis.
Might be worth a lameness evaluation to check he is really sound and see if that throws anything up?

 

[Amylaurenx]

I got my current mare at 12 and she's ex-riding school. There wasn't another solution for her other than not going in the school. She wasn't happy about hacking alone, so I did a lot of in-hand hacks, interspersed with hacking with another horse. Then gradually, I would lead her out in hand and get on part way round and gradual increase the time I rode. I still from time to time lead out the first hundred metres or so (usually when she's in season as she's extra clingy then). But generally she's a joy to hack now. Also getting a friend on a bike to give us a lead was helpful. I don't know if it would be feasible to go out in hand with that road (bridle and lunge line, not a headcollar obviously). We did one session in the school a week (dressage one week, jumping or polework the next). The only other time we went in the school was for in-hand work or lunging. You could try doing handy pony/trec type stuff in the school or desensitation work (balloons, tarpaulin, umbrellas etc.). Just to avoid doing any actual school work. Definitely a good idea to use that field you've mentioned and if you can hire transport from time to time to get to safer hacking, I think you could really get somewhere.

Mine's really coming along with her school work now (two years later), but I have to say, we still only do one schooling session a week, as anything more would just make her fed up with it again.

I will definitely be getting him out riding in the open field just us and see how he is once his friends are out of sight then slowly take it to the road after a while we don’t have to walk down it for ages maybe 5 mins to get to bridleway but I know 5 mins is all it could take especially the way the idiots drive down there ! Thank you I’m sure we will figure something out!!

 

[Amylaurenx]

You want a slightly more reactive horse in a horse who has spent the majority of its life being taught not to be reactive. Its not impossible to sort but it would take someone quite experienced to sort out and won't be quick and then you risk losing what you like which is the safety and unreactiveness.

Just think about where you want this to go would be my advice. You might not like the outcome.

yeah I totally understand that

Many riding school horses become deadened to the aids as they have so many different riders of varying abilities that they learn to tune out of the ‘white noise’ that comes with flapping legs, constant kicks etc.

You are in quite a difficult position given your hacking isn’t great and the horse is nappy. I’m all for getting them out hacking on their own, regardless of their napping, but I understand your reluctance with a busy and fast road between you and the hacking routes.

I think this is going to be a difficult problem to sort in the school though, in an ideal world you would use hacking to re-teach the aids and sharpen this type of horse up.

That’s exactly it no matter what aid I give he will ignore it which he was obviously trained to do to be safe for being in a school so I cant moan about that, I’m going to get him out in the field and just see how he reacts just us out hopefully we can get to a point he realises I’m not taking him away from his friends forever he’ll see them again in an hour!

 

[JGC]

I'd certainly start small with going in the field. Just walk around for a couple of minutes the first time and then build up slowly from there.

 

[rara007]

I’d do lots of field work with him if you’re not confident hacking. People are very quick to recommend hacking but unfortunately the roads are not what they once were and for large proportions of us it’s just not safe anymore. Use the field and keep it varied and see how you get on with that.

 

[Amylaurenx]

I’d do lots of field work with him if you’re not confident hacking. People are very quick to recommend hacking but unfortunately the roads are not what they once were and for large proportions of us it’s just not safe anymore. Use the field and keep it varied and see how you get on with that.

Yeah I think that’s definitely my new plan of action!! It’s mainly the motorbikes they must wizz down it at about 100 because it’s just a straight road will fields either side really annoying, He does like t9 jump so I think school work when we do will have some poles or jumps out once a week and go out the rest thank you

 

[Wishfilly]

I don't have much useful to offer, but I totally get where you are coming from with the hacking. My yard has lovely hacking- but we do have to cross a NSL A-road to get there. Just crossing the road is tricky enough that I don't do it alone- I definitely wouldn't want to hack along the road you describe without company, especially on a horse that can be nappy. It only takes one idiot driver to cause you a real problem.

I would definitely go in the field, even if just for a change of scene, and try to do some different things in the school to see if they spark his interest!

 

[Amylaurenx]

I don't have much useful to offer, but I totally get where you are coming from with the hacking. My yard has lovely hacking- but we do have to cross a NSL A-road to get there. Just crossing the road is tricky enough that I don't do it alone- I definitely wouldn't want to hack along the road you describe without company, especially on a horse that can be nappy. It only takes one idiot driver to cause you a real problem.

I would definitely go in the field, even if just for a change of scene, and try to do some different things in the school to see if they spark his interest!

definitely isn’t ideal!!

 

[dlou1]

If you have to school, could you try setting something up in the field?