More forward going?

HairyCoblet

HairyCoblet

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I’ve had my cob gelding since he was 10months old. He turned 7 in May.
Has anyone got any tips on how to get him more forward going?

It seems lately that it’s constant kick kick kick even with a sharp tap with a whip he soon goes back into donkey plod mode! It’s getting to the point where I have more of a sweat on than him!

He’s currently fed 1 scoop top spec light balancer and 1 scoop of top chop light. Still out 24/7 at the moment but coming in overnight at the end of the month.

He’s more forward on a hack but at the moment there’s a lot of fallen trees so our riding is limited to the school until this is sorted!

Thanks 😀
 
It could be a vet issue, but there are quite a few other things to be looking at. It could be the warm weather, especially if his coat is now coming in as well. What's his weight like? If he's a bit porky after a summer on grass that will slow him down. How fit is he? Has the workload changed or has he had an easy few weeks for any reason?

Do you have lessons? I would be using lots of transitions - the single best tool for getting a horse forward, and making sure I never put up with lazy (at the same time, giving him plenty of breaks during work) or he'll just keep trying to get away with it.
 
He’s never been particularly forward going. I think it’s probably him taking the pee a bit because he knows I’m soft (and I’ve had a shoulder injury) so I haven’t been able to get after him and make him go forward.

I’ve had a few lessons and I have managed to get him going really well. He’s still a bit porky after the summer grass but he’s starting to lean out again thanks to a few very early morning lunging sessions before work!

This is pretty normal for him so I don’t think he needs a vet. He’s his usual docile self!
 
Have you got into the habit of nagging him a bit? And now finding him even more behind the leg because he’s switched off to you?

Some of them struggle a bit at coat change time, so perhaps that could be a factor.
 
I had exactly the same with my 7yo lazy cob too. My RI had me hold a schooling whip in each hand and reverse my aids. So as we came to halt I closed my legs on him and kept them there until I asked him to walk forward.... release, squeeze and if he didn't instantly react he got sharper leg and a double tap. We worked on walk and halt transitions until he got the idea and then went up to trot using the same principle. Once in trot I was not allowed to use my leg at all. If he slowed he got a double tap with the whip, the theory being that he should continue to trot until I ask for something else. And again, after practise, exactly the same principle for canter work. It was all about leg on to slow or halt, leg off for forward, quick squeeze or he got a tap. Yes, I got a few half bucks and tail swishes in temper from using those whips but within a couple of lessons he responded so much better, with no nagging! Worth a try...
 
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