Lazy pony

[kiera]

After some advice on what to feed if anything my daughters 11.3 sec a. He is a lovely boy not underweight nor over he is just right he is fed a dengie alfa a molasses free which says fuels work.
My daughter is a tiny 7 yr old, she has good leg aids and is a competent little rider. He is a if I have to type but also not today and not a chance type mixed into one. He is more than capable of doing everything but chooses as and when he does it. He is hard to get going and even with a good kick and smack doesnt fully go forward. On the lunge he is more forward but still not energetic. I'm upping his fitness and lunging daily after she has done her bit. Saddle has been checked and has had back lady, dentist was due to come out but in all this not happening yet. My little one is getting frustrated with him. Help please

 

[splashgirl45]

i would be very wary of feeding a section A at this time of year when the grass is coming through, how old is he and has he been tested for cushings? lethargy is one of the first signs that affected my mare, i didnt realise and just assumed it was because it was summer and she was warm. she also seemed a bit depressed, and when she started to get her winter coat early i got her tested,.. once she was on the right meds she went back to being her usual nutty self....mine was diagnosed at age 20 but they can get it much earlier than that....hope this helps

 

[Birker2020]

After some advice on what to feed if anything my daughters 11.3 sec a. He is a lovely boy not underweight nor over he is just right he is fed a dengie alfa a molasses free which says fuels work.
My daughter is a tiny 7 yr old, she has good leg aids and is a competent little rider. He is a if I have to type but also not today and not a chance type mixed into one. He is more than capable of doing everything but chooses as and when he does it. He is hard to get going and even with a good kick and smack doesnt fully go forward. On the lunge he is more forward but still not energetic. I'm upping his fitness and lunging daily after she has done her bit. Saddle has been checked and has had back lady, dentist was due to come out but in all this not happening yet. My little one is getting frustrated with him. Help please

He could be lazy because he is finding the work hard or the arena surface deep - you know how hard it is to run through deep sand yourself to understand what I mean. He might have physical issues that increase the likelihood of him being lazy like a previous poster said. He could also be overweight so you should look at reducing his weight first (speaking from having a horse who only needs to look at a blade of grass to put on weight I know how hard this can be!)

 

[Pinkvboots]

Horses and ponies are very clever at knowing what they can get away with and with whom, I think as long as the pony is physically ok it might be worth getting a bigger stronger willed rider to get on him and see what happens, it would really be worth getting a good instructor in for some lessons obviously not at the moment!

I have Arabs and they are very forward generally and are well schooled when the right buttons are pressed, stick a quiet novice rider on them and they literally don't take the hand brake off, have know some riders not even get them to trot more than 2 strides it's just a case of they sense they can get away with not doing very much at all.

 

[AmyMay]

It may simply be his nature ...

 

[kiera]

He could be lazy because he is finding the work hard or the arena surface deep - you know how hard it is to run through deep sand yourself to understand what I mean. He might have physical issues that increase the likelihood of him being lazy like a previous poster said. He could also be overweight so you should look at reducing his weight first (speaking from having a horse who only needs to look at a blade of grass to put on weight I know how hard this can be!)

As I said he isn't over weight and I'm increasing his work load to increase his fitness. He is the same on all surfaces. Weve had him since sept has had all checks no signs of Cushing's my old mare had it so know the signs

 

[kiera]

Horses and ponies are very clever at knowing what they can get away with and with whom, I think as long as the pony is physically ok it might be worth getting a bigger stronger willed rider to get on him and see what happens, it would really be worth getting a good instructor in for some lessons obviously not at the moment!

I have Arabs and they are very forward generally and are well schooled when the right buttons are pressed, stick a quiet novice rider on them and they literally don't take the hand brake off, have know some riders not even get them to trot more than 2 strides it's just a case of they sense they can get away with not doing very much at all.

I think this is it but she tries and he really does push his luck she doesnt let him get away with it but each week a new trick he is trying. Maybe he will just learn that it's easier to just do as she asks eventually.
Bot keen on putting a older rider on learnt the hard way with that with her lead rein pony. I know he can do it as I've seen proof with old owners x

 

[Birker2020]

As I said he isn't over weight

Apologies, I must have missed that.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I think this is it but she tries and he really does push his luck she doesnt let him get away with it but each week a new trick he is trying. Maybe he will just learn that it's easier to just do as she asks eventually.
Bot keen on putting a older rider on learnt the hard way with that with her lead rein pony. I know he can do it as I've seen proof with old owners x

She may just have to get tough 7 is young and tiny, I would definitely have some lessons and I bet in time they will make a great little team, it's early days his pushing boundaries it's typical of a lot of small ponies.

 

[FlyingCircus]

Not great for him to be lunged everyday

 

[be positive]

I think this is it but she tries and he really does push his luck she doesnt let him get away with it but each week a new trick he is trying. Maybe he will just learn that it's easier to just do as she asks eventually.
Bot keen on putting a older rider on learnt the hard way with that with her lead rein pony. I know he can do it as I've seen proof with old owners x

Is she balanced enough to use a schooling whip? these little ponies generally are either inclined to be on the lazy side or too sharp and I know which I prefer for a child.
Use some lunging to get him more reactive to your commands, lots of transitions with you using a very clear voice aid, backed up with the lunge whip until he is going forward, then get involved when your daughter is in board, some time on the lunge may also help her as she can have a bit of fun with you getting him going, I try to get ponies responding to me on the ground as a back up to the childs aids, gradually you do less and the child expects more so the pony keeps going, having a genuine first ridden working sweetly is a real challenge and sometimes needs a bit of outside the box thinking to stay ahead of them.
I wouldn't be feeding him for energy as it is unlikely to make a real difference, it could tip him into laminitis or go to his head and make him too sharp, better getting him fitter, keeping sessions short, sweet and interesting with as much variety as possible.

 

[kiera]

Is she balanced enough to use a schooling whip? these little ponies generally are either inclined to be on the lazy side or too sharp and I know which I prefer for a child.
Use some lunging to get him more reactive to your commands, lots of transitions with you using a very clear voice aid, backed up with the lunge whip until he is going forward, then get involved when your daughter is in board, some time on the lunge may also help her as she can have a bit of fun with you getting him going, I try to get ponies responding to me on the ground as a back up to the childs aids, gradually you do less and the child expects more so the pony keeps going, having a genuine first ridden working sweetly is a real challenge and sometimes needs a bit of outside the box thinking to stay ahead of them.
I wouldn't be feeding him for energy as it is unlikely to make a real difference, it could tip him into laminitis or go to his head and make him too sharp, better getting him fitter, keeping sessions short, sweet and interesting with as much variety as possible.

She rides with a long whip shoulder ones do sod all.
She has weekly lessons so practices what taught when riding at home. She was bang bang banging so now I've said kick every 2and or 3rd sit weve gone from one extreme to the other and I def prefer this slow one but I can see he is just taking the biscuit, even with a bigger rider he isn't forward. She still loves him so I think transitions are a good step the downwards are easy it's the upwards that seem harder to get

 

[Shay]

Its so disheartening. I've a lovely first ridden / PC compeition pony who will not move if his rider cannot make him. I do not mean as in hitting or kicking - he can get cross and dump them if they take it too far. But by being effective with leg and seat aids. He was / is SO frustrating for them until they get the hang of him - then he's a flyer!

Partly reassure your daughter - when she gets the hang of his buttons he'll be astounding for her. Partly - good instructor who isn't going to get her kicking and kicking. Sometimes two schooling whips help - one each side. But only if her hands are big enough. Try the sequence of tap, nudge, double kick - not both sides, well yes both sides but not what I mean... two sharp inward nudges in quick succession. They get so used to kick kick kick in rythm the double can provoke a response. A handler in the area holding a lunge whip can help - our always knows it is there. I wouldn't actually touch him with it with her on board unless you are very sure of the reaction. But a wave or crack can help. Longlining him and teaching him to respond to voice aids can help.

He knows perfectly well what he can get away with. And right now he is. But it will get better!

 

[millikins]

Does he get to hack out at all? I know that is probably not an option right now but prior to the lock down? If I've read your post correctly I only see him lunged or ridden in the school in which case I'd suggest he is bored and has switched off.

 

[kiera]

Does he get to hack out at all? I know that is probably not an option right now but prior to the lock down? If I've read your post correctly I only see him lunged or ridden in the school in which case I'd suggest he is bored and has switched off.

He is hacked 2-3 times a week if not ridden I take him for long hacks in hand.
Since writing this post we have comenonnleaps and bounds her legs have grown a hole and her kicking seems to have improved too. He is responsive to her aids. We have the right length whip now and he is respecting her so much more. Thanks for all advice we will get there rome wasnt built in a day as they say lol

 

[eahotson]

You see I have a saint of a welsh D and believe you me 98per cent of the time he is, both under saddle and on the ground.Very occasionally, if he is feeling a little unsure he does test the boundaries a little.It is easily settled but he is not being naughty or trying to see what he can get away with,he is simply insecure.I don't think, generally, horses think like that.It is us that put these interpretations on their behaviour.