Lazy, unresponsive horse. Help?

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Recently started loaning a horse, 9yo tb. He's raced and won as a 3/4yo but he's lazy and unresponsive in the school and hacking out. Falls in on the inside rein when trotting, cantering and doesn't respond to most leg aids. Great temperament but just won't go forward. Topline hasn't improved one bit in 5/6 months. Tried different feed. Oats don't even give him any oomf. Any ideas appreciated!!
 
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Are you having lessons?
How responsive is he to moving from pressure with in hand work or lunging?
What do you do when he doesn't respond to your leg?
 
No lessons. I just ride with a friend. When lunging he is still lazy but responds well enough to a lunging whip and voice aids and when he doesn't respond to my leg i just use a schooling whip.
 
Are you rewarding the correct response to the aid? You could be blocking him so that he has become so insensitive to your aids because of this.

Try this in the school: long rein in walk and hold on to the pommel of your saddle so you are not blocking any forward movement. Take your legs away from the saddle and then use them together in exaggerated pony club kick until you get the correct response - to go forwards - cease as soon as horse goes forward. Doesn't matter what pace. Repeat and you will find that the horse should start to respond to go forwards as soon as he feels your legs coming off to avoid the pony club kick.
 
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I have an ex racer exactly the same!!

I cannot kick him, use whip or spurs as he backs off. We have found with him that if I use my seat then he is great. So to get a forward walk I use legs away. Of course you have to teach this. I have also found sitting trot to be our saviour. He responds to the slightest aid out of sitting trot. I have had him just over a year and had regular lessons so it won't happen over night. He is competing novice dressage so don't give up yet!! Get some help x
 
Thank you I will most definitely try this. Much appreciated :)

This will tell you how quickly the horse learns and how you could be affecting him or rewarding the wrong thing.

Another good one is from halt, small aid with both legs wait a second for him to respond and if he doesn't respond by walking forward smartly then repeat with stronger aid. When the horse reacts to the sharper aid, reward him (pat or good boy etc.. ) and allow him to go forwards for a good few strides - do not bring back too soon. Then walk and repeat starting with the lightest aid and with repetition and you being consistent then he should learn to go forwards off the lightest aid. You can do this in walk to trot and trot to canter as well
 
Are you riding with your hands nice and forward? Are you using forward aids with your seat? Lots of times I've seen people using leg without realising they are slowing the horse unconsciously with their seat and reins x
 
Transitions are your friend. Chop and change and don't stay in one pace for too long, keeps him engaged and thinking forward as he doesn't know what he is doing next. I have a very laid back girl and always start with direct transitions, gets her off my leg and wakes her up.
 
I would be ruling out a physical problem first personally. Reason I say this is my lovely well mannered co-operative horse just sometimes didn't quite seem herself. Nothing obvious, but I just wanted to get her checked out before upping the anti. Had her scoped and to my absolute horror, had grade 3 ulcers !! No wonder she was a bit 'off' sometimes - she was in an awful lot of pain. So do consider this, and also teeth, saddle, back etc etc. Once youre certain your horse isn't trying to tell you something, then crack on with some of the suggestions above
 
He's recently been vetted, and had a visit from the saddlers. Will look into his teeth but I doubt it as he's eating correctly and not showing any signs of pain/discomfort at anytime though.
 
I would also be ruling out pain! I only say this because my horse started ignoring my leg and then planting when he was in pain!

I didn't understand what he was trying to tell me, thought he was just being a 4 yr old testing his boundaries, so he started messing about when being tack up, wouldnt stand to be mounted and I eventually listened when he started rearing!
 
How experienced are you? Are you by any chance gripping with the part of your leg above your knee? If so, that's an innate 'slow down and stop' aid that you could be giving him without realising, maybe.

I might have him blood tested for a possible virus if he was mine.
 
Again 100% physical cause, sometimes it takes a lot of digging and prodding different vets to keep looking

Can I ask why you are convinced that the cause is 100% physical? Switched off horses, even ex racers, aren't all that uncommon. Do they all have physical issues, in your opinion?
 

Why do you believe this? Forgive me, but it seems pretty extreme. Bearing in mind that I'm on another thread right now arguing with people that far more horses are working in pain than most people realise. I really don't believe every shut down horse has a physical issue. Can you explain why you do in more detail to help the OP and others understand?
 
Again 100% physical cause, sometimes it takes a lot of digging and prodding different vets to keep looking

Gosh I hope not!!

My ex racer was lazy, behind the leg etc etc. It has taken a while but we have discovered how he likes to be ridden and he is now a different horse! No vets visits just regular saddler, dentist and mctimoney.
 
The lady asked for opinions

Opinions is what she's getting

Are you trying to start a row because I'm not interested



No, that's fine. No argument at all, i was hoping for discussion and something that might actually help the OP. You have an opinion that you are 100% entitled to, and absolutely no explanation to back it up. And no suggestions as to what she should do next. That's fine. And useless. But thanks for your contribution anyway :D
 
OP, do you know much about his post-racing education? It could be that he doesn't understand what you're asking. A racehorse's education as far as aids go is usually very, very basic. Falling in on the inside rein is extremely common at the beginning of retraining when they haven't learnt anything about balance yet. He seems to be responding to the whip and the voice and nothing else, which is exactly what I would expect of an ex-racer with no proper post-racing education.
 
Have you thought about getting him a blood test. I know he's a bit young for Cushings but it's not unheard of at that age. Or he could be lacking in iron or something up with his metabolism not giving him enough energy. Maybe worth a try if only to rule it out
 
OP, do you know much about his post-racing education? It could be that he doesn't understand what you're asking. A racehorse's education as far as aids go is usually very, very basic. Falling in on the inside rein is extremely common at the beginning of retraining when they haven't learnt anything about balance yet. He seems to be responding to the whip and the voice and nothing else, which is exactly what I would expect of an ex-racer with no proper post-racing education.

Totally agree with this, I worked for years in and out racing with racers and he sounds like a horse with no re schooling what so ever and needs re starting
 
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