Need more Omph - feed or more forcefull riding???

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pipper

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One of our lot is a very nice dressage mare. She can be a little spooky and likes to think that she is the one in control. She is a fit and well 20 years old. Back, teeth, feet, tack ect ect ect all checked on a very regular basis. Good turnout every day with a number of others. Hacked and schooled including lessons so not stale, and competed at low level dressage.
She is fed on Cool and Collected twice a day.
She is lazy in the school (also can be lazy hacking and likes to plod sometimes) - but is very capable and a nice flashy mover when pushed. I find her really hard work - leg leg leg, i have taken to wearing spurs but that seems to make her 'hollow' a bit. Tap with a whip doesnt have any effect. I fear that she is now dead to my leg.
Now my question is:
My trainer says i must make her work = she has ridden her and got a lovely tune out of her but her comments were that she is lazy and likes to do as little as possible. I can get a quite nice tune from her but-Oh Boy! its hard work!!
should i be more forcefull in my schooling or should i give her something to 'spice her up' energy wise? And if you think i should what would you recomend? Bearing in mind that i dont want her to be silly....
What do you wise old owls think???
Thanks
 
Presumably when your trainer got a nice tune out of her the mare hadn't been fed up specially? So get your trainer to tell you how to get her working properly, it's more likely to be technique than force that's needed.
 
jemima*askin said:
Presumably when your trainer got a nice tune out of her the mare hadn't been fed up specially? So get your trainer to tell you how to get her working properly, it's more likely to be technique than force that's needed.
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Good point Jemima*askin. But it was quite a lot of work from her too. I just wonder if it would be easier for both myself and the mare if she felt more energized and so didnt have to put up with the leg leg leg all the time?
 
From my experience feeding up a spooky horse that isn't forward going results in more spooks rather than more forward.
I'd work with the trainer in getting her more responsive to your leg but also do some things like hacking out in company to keep her interested. At 20 she's probably seen it and done it all before and knows just how little effort she can get away with.
 
Gloi said:
From my experience feeding up a spooky horse that isn't forward going results in more spooks rather than more forward.
I'd work with the trainer in getting her more responsive to your leg but also do some things like hacking out in company to keep her interested. At 20 she's probably seen it and done it all before and knows just how little effort she can get away with.
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Hi Gloi - yes you are probably right - more spooks! She is hacked out 3/4 times a week in company - between 2 and 4 horses at a time.... yes she knows she can get away with it, shes mummys little darling LOL!
 
Mine may not be typical but he was like this - always felt as though the handbrake was on, never actually "taking" me if you know what I mean. I am very very fortunate to have been able to order a Schleese saddle, made for us and fitted so well it took a couple of hours to ensure it was right. Still early days because it only came today but what a difference. He goes up into a contact, did a couple of huge trots in the school, offered canter a couple of times when I had barely asked.
So maybe the saddle (or the way it makes you sit) is blocking her? Mine was "fitted" and reflocked by another fitter last summer and didn't make any difference really but if you checked it over it did appear to fit. Clearly he didn't think so :D
 
I Think it would probably be a bit of a combination of both. SOME horses are just so laid back they are horizontal but I have found a combination of playing with feed and working on schooling beneficial. Lots of transitions, my instructor often chasing us with a lunge whip to teach him that go means GO! but he is only 5, not 20, so perhaps a little more open minded ;)

I have found D&H ERS pellets good for a little more oompf, without too much Fizz... they are low sugar and starch so you really shouldn't have too much trouble...I use them for the low sugar starch values as my boy is lami prone... also I have fed oats - small quantities of them (started with a mug a day and increased to no more than half a scoop a day) when I know I am going to need them... You will soon find a level that you can cope with... in terms of excitability and they aren't that expensive should the results be more explosive than desired...
 
pipper said:
Good point Jemima*askin. But it was quite a lot of work from her too. I just wonder if it would be easier for both myself and the mare if she felt more energized and so didnt have to put up with the leg leg leg all the time?
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Your trainer needs to teach you how to teach the mare that leg means go! Nag nag nag with the leg is NOT the way nor is tickling her with a whip.
 
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