Napping during schooling...

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Dizzle

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Heeeelllllp! Little horse has gone back to napping whilst being schooled, saddle, teeth, back, feet, brain etc have been checked... basically he's just bored and being a piglet.

What on earth can I do? I need to make schooling more exciting, this evening I gave up with the school as he wouldn't do anything and went and schooled in the field, which was a bit better, there were some moments of amazing work from him and quite a few moments of absolute cr@p.

I do try and vary his routine but at the moment it's one day off, two days hacking and four days being schooled as he needs the work put in before next weeks comp.

H.E.L.P
 
Don't take him in the school, instead insist on his best efforts in all paces at all times whilst out hacking, rather than letting him just slop along (not that I am suggesting you do, but you get my drift I hope).
 
My friend used to have a MEGA nappy mare, she was awful.....when schooling she incorporated games, like trot to the cone at a certain letter, pick up a ball, canter to next letter, put ball down pick up small flag.

She found that by incorporating games, she was so focused on the next part of the game, that the schooling just seemed to flow......

I think its horse picks up on the concentration and didnt feel as pressured as it was more fun.....
 
Yep mine does that as well. Is either taking the p or can see ghosts.....
I've solved it by only schooling once a week, that he can mentally handle and I can get more decent work done in that session than in 3 or 4 nappy/spooking sessions. Other tactics are putting poles/small jumps and schooling around them ( he prefers this but still gets bored if over used) schooling on hacks, always make him move correctly rather than slopping along, be a bit more accurate with transitions eg. trot at lampost and down again at the gate if you can get a smooth bridle path for leg yields and minii serpentines and if you can find a handy grass field for 10 mins circles work your sorted!
 
Does little horse nap more when schooling on the right rein than the left rein? If so, check for ulcers. You can test for them by giving him a whole pack of ranitidine (Tesco £1.38) a day, split into at least two feeds. Most horses respond within 24-48 hours. If this indicates that he has ulcers (ie the napping is less, or gone) then you need to get him treated as ranitidine isn't the best drug to cure them and you'd need more than Tesco stocks!
 
We have been a bit lazy in our hacking recently. Sadly the big event of the year (well, our first show since 2009... about the last time he was schooled properly!) is next Sunday. Day off tomorrow and then I think I'll school him on hacks, apart from one lesson in the school and my RI schooling the night I'm away.

I know I've been pushing him a lot in the school but I only managed to sort out getting to the show three weeks ago so have had to make up for 18 months of not schooling!

Might start hacking him to random fields and riding the tests in them :D
 
I disagree. I don't care if they're bored, I'm only asking for 30 minutes out of their day, you need to tell him to get the hell on with it. What is he actually doing, stopping, rearing, drifting?
 
LouS said:
I disagree. I don't care if they're bored, I'm only asking for 30 minutes out of their day, you need to tell him to get the hell on with it. What is he actually doing, stopping, rearing, drifting?
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Stopping/planting/refusing to move forwards, what ever gait your in if he refuses to go he'll drop down a gear until he's stopped. Nothing nasty unless you give him a tap with the schooling whip and he might kick out.

Annoying as sometimes he will be really light off the leg but when he's in a stubborn mood you can't do anything to get him to move, I could PC kick and smack with a stick, turn him in circles, you just have to sort of wait for his brain to kick in again, it's almost like a child saying "I won't do it, I can't hear you" sort of thing.

I've got a fab book called 'Schooling the Young Event Horse' and it says to "avoid full tb's as they are renowned for being lazy during schooling" :D
 
My gelding was like this, kicking made absolutely no difference, smacking with a whip made him stop dead and kick back. And I'm not one to bray a horse so I wasn't going down that route. On advice of a trainer started riding with a piece of leadrope (clip cut off) and using it behind the saddle on each side as soon as he didn't go off the leg/tried to slow down/planted etc. Works wonders. Rode with it 3/4 times just in case but didn't need it any more.

So just use the lightest leg aid and if he doesn't respond use the rope. Alternatively I've found slapping the end of the reins down either side of their neck effective. Just be aware with either of these they're likely to shoot forward. It just takes the resentment out of it. But make sure you're not nag nag nagging with your legs. Ask once, then use the rope if he doesn't respond, and once he's going leave him alone.
 
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