Off-the-Leg Exercises for Little Cob?

[MrsMozart]

Right

. Further to my post below, we need all the help/guidance/advice we can get

Little Cob is wonderful. An absolute star

. But, he does have one fault... at a show he naps towards the collecting ring/other horses and completely switches off from the rider

I don't understand it as he is keen to be with Daughter1. He'll follow her about and he'll come to her call, but at a show he seems to need the company of other horses.

We've had him since he was three, he's now rising seven. He'll hack out and travel on his own. He likes people. He likes to go out and about. In the menage he will sometimes nap towards whatever other horse is in there, but we've been working on that by ensuring there are other horses are in there whilst he is working, and he is getting better, but so slowly lol.

He can jump very nicely and pretty reasonably, and he seems to enjoy it, but we've been at shows where once in the jumping ring he has just walked through almost the whole lot!

He does better when the jumps are higher.

Sorry, going into woffle mode! Daughter now has a good instructor, but we are open to suggestions

.

 

[Lolo]

If he's a grown up lad who's not in pain and is just being a bit of a d!ck, then maybe an occasional smack behind the leg? And never stand around, just keep him moving so he can't attach to any new found 'friends'!

 

[ChesnutsRoasting]

I think when horses desire the company of other horses in those sort of situations its due to a lack of confidence. You are not helping him gain confidence having other horses in the school with him all the time. He needs to learn to work on his own. Try and work him in the school on his own, whether ridden or some groundwork/longreining/lunging with maybe another horse nearby, but outside the school. I would suggest taking him to lots of little shows, don't necessarily enter any classes, walk him about, get him used to other horses going to and fro, just get him used to the atmosphere of horse shows.

 

[MrsMozart]

NS - he's completely immune to the stick. I think that he could be flogged and still not notice/bother. He does respond to spurs, but as D1 is under sixteen she can't wear them at the local riding club shows.

BS - on his own he is fine

. Usually no issues to getting him working properly, unless he's in one of his 'don't want to do it' moods in which case... Will do the going to lots of shows/gatherings and see what happens

. He's been to a few in the past few years and he's been fine: happy to hack or trailer there, happy to leave again, it's just this napping towards the others when he's in the mood. He switches off fully from the rider, though won't bomb off or do anything dangerous.

He's better than he used to be

. At one stage he wouldn't go away from the stable block without another horse in sight, and if you rode in the school with another horse he'd practically glue himself to it

So, we are getting there

But it's so slow and I'm sure we can be doing something better/try something different

.

 

[Spudlet]

Plenty of transitions, changes of rein, circles, serpentines, shallow loops and whatever else you can think of to get him listening to his rider, not worrying about his mates? That's probably what I would try.

I have heard it suggested that rather than use the stick to slap,you could tie a little plastic bag onto the end of a schooling whip and rattle it BUT I have never tried this myself so am not recommending it, just chucking it out there as a suggestion!

 

[Lolo]

I reckon she can tbh, just not for area quailifiers (at least, my sister used spurs for all sorts on one of her littlies she used to ride. Never pulled up on it, and our club is pretty anal about what's allowed)?

 

[MrsMozart]

Ta S

. She's giving it all a go, but it's good to hear it from someone else (what does her mother know lol). Her instructor will only give her so much time - she's convinced LC will do well at WH and wants to see them win lol

.

NS - will give it a go and see what happens

. Hopefully by then he will be listening without them, but if not...

 

[bex1984]

He sounds so much like my Murphy coblet!! If Murphy is being a bit nappy it's essential that I am thinking positive and being very assertive. The second I feel him think about napping, he gets a firm smack with the whip followed by lots of leg. He is often fairly immune to a whip too but it tends to take him by surprise

You just have to think that you are in control and ponio needs to get the f*ck on with it, pronto... as soon as I take that attitude, Murphy always decides it's not worth trying to argue!!

Another thing you could try is teaching him voice commands - it's just another thing to use to get his attention

ETS: I have sat there before when he was napping and not wanting to go forwards, pony club kicking and repeatedly just saying/growling FORWARD FORWARD FORWARD....there's only so long they can ignore that! My friend was looking at me as though I was bonkers at the time, but it worked

 

[Dubsie]

Agree with Spudlet, keep him busy and he'll listen to her rather than paying attention to what else is going on. Was interesting as my daughter has a similar problem with R who is too nosey for his own good and the old eyes go out on stalks. She got him going lovely the other day with lots of transitions and changes of direction, really making him think and listen to her so much so neither he nor her noticed the 2 old biddies and their dogs viewing from the 'grandstand' (raised area of park next door). Normally his eyes would be on stalks and his chin in the air if someone was watching from there.

 

[MrsMozart]

Ta B and D

Love the image of the Thelwell kicks and the growling

, and the audience

.

Will get D1 to read all this thread and make notes

.