Sluggish TB

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FabioFrench

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I have a 13 yr old TB which i have had for 2.5 years. I bought/rescued him very underweight and in bad condition from a horrible dealer that i was told about from a friend who rescues horses. It came apparent at the beginning that he has a very mild case of arthiritis in his hocks. He doesn't suffer much with it and is never lame. I had turned him away for over a year for rehibilitation purposes and then coming up a year agao he got very ill with a protien dificiancy. He is all better now and i have finally returned him back to light work wich consists of light lunging, light schooling and light hacking. He is however very sluggish through out all work. He seams lazy. His health is great now and nutrition is spot on. You would just never imagine he was a thoroughbred. I'm kind of asuming its due to him being very unfit but just wondered if anyone had any ideas to poke behind him to get him going. I'm a natural horse person so no restraints or whip ideas please.
 
Have you considered getting some bloods done? You could also get his arthritis reassessed - my 13 yo Tb has recently been retired, he also had very mild arthritis in his hocks, but had stopped going forward at all, including hacking out and jumping, both of which he had always loved. It was like wading though glue trying to ride him.... He did have a history of other problems though, which had occurred over a long period of time, so I wasn't prepared to put him through any more treatments. I think he was trying to tell me he'd had enough - happy as larry as a field ornament now...
 
Its interesting what you say as that does sound like my boy (wading through glue). He does enjoy hacking and is much more forward going then in the school and i wont allow him to jump, so i think we might just have to settle for that. Maybe he's saying he just wants an easy life. Seams like he probably had a tough one before he came to me.

He has had his bloods done but i have considered reassessing his arthritis.

Happy hacking here we come...
 
I've got a very lazy TB also!

If you haven't already, I'd get his teeth looked at and get a good chiro/ McTimoney out to see him. I'd also be looking at the fit of all of his tack, to further rule out any pain related issues.

I think you are spot on with doing work he finds intresting, at least then you are working with him, not against him
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Feed wise, I've tried everything going with my boy! I don't think anything has made a big difference, not even scoop after scoop of oats/ barley etc, and as feeding quantities of cearels isn't something I especialy want to do, I'm now sticking with a good balancer and a forage and oil based diet.
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Simple systems Red bag grass nuts are high energy, so I feed those with alfa a, speedi beet and extra oil.
 
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