stamina issue!

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harrihjc

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Poor Flash really doesn't have much stamina bless him, when we go out for hacks he's so shattered after a couple of miles that I'm practically carrying him home! He slows to a painful pace and no amount of anything regains his enthusiasm! He's nearly 6 now, is ridden about 6 times a week, typically one jumping lesson, 2 or 3 x 45 min schooling sessions and 2 or 3 hour long hacks, so I'd expect him to be pretty fit
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He's turned out about 10 hours a day and in at night, but doesn't make any difference if he's kept in. He's fed sugar beat, slow release mix and oats, and lots of it! What he's fed makes very little difference to his laziness when ridden, but he does become more of a handful on the ground! His 6yr old ex racer only friend is much the same. What would you suggest??
 
That is really surprising! From what you have said there seems to me to be no obvious reason why he should act like that. Might be a silly suggestion but if you ride in company is he more enthusiastic? My horse is great on his own but sometimes quite fizzy if I ride with my sister because we are gossiping normally and he has a mate to play with too.
Maybe Flash wants some fun, maybe your routine needs changing? Have you tried having him out at night, I am a great beliver in how this helps there general well-being! Maybe try doing shorter spurts of exercising 3 hour long hacks could be a strain. Also they get to know the route and he might benefit from bring a new and fun aspect to you riding. x x x Let us know...
 
I wonder if he is either physically not mature enough to do the amount of work you are asking (unlikely), needs more food, or is aneamic???

May be worth having a chat with your vet perhaps.
 
sorry I meant 2 or 3 x one hour long hacks
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3 hours really would be asking a lot! He's usually ridden in company, we never hack out alone and there's usually at least one other horse schooling or jumping with us. He's no different at shows either. We vary our hacking route, if we go the same way 2 days we'll just do one back to front if that makes sense?? Our schooling is mainly focussed on him going forward so involves poles, and lots of changes of direction and changes of speed, we try to make it a bit of a game. Don't really ask any questions of him yet, need the basics first. In the summer he'll be living out, so maybe that'll make a difference. He's been like this since the day he was broken in, super laid back and not fussed, which is great in so many ways, but a little more sparkle and stamina would be nice!
 
He isn't a roarer by any chance? I just wonder because my youngster was very similar to yours. he would just become exhausted and an hour was just too much. I would find him lying down in his stable or the field and he was so tired. I then realise that he was a roarer, the more he worked the more he struggled. He was lacking in oxygen. He was hobdayd and tied back and that solved the problem.

You probably need to get him checked over by the vet, make sure he is not anaemic or a roarer. If everything is clear then you need to start a fittening programme involving hill work, loads of trotting up hills, interval training and distance riding. To build up his muscle and stamina.
 
Didnt he BSJA before you had him? MAybe he was asked alot very young, so they can sometimes be a bit "not bothered" by life if that is the case. Is just about doing what you are doing and trying to make life fun for him
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Diet does play a massive part to, try givving him Guinness and seeing if that perks him up? The iron in it is very very good for them and can help if he is slightly anaemic
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He did a bit of BSJA as a 4yr old, and we took it really easy the first year I had him to give him a chance to mature and time to just be a baby. I'll try the guinness, he'll eat or drink anything he can find.

A roarer? I've never heard of that? He's never lying down in the field or stable after work, he's just as manic as he usually is, chasing his friend and harrassing all the other horses and dismantling the bonfire

Unfortunately we actually don't have any hills around, it's all really flat, but it is lovely cantering round the orchards
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Another one for checking out if he is anaemic. My guy was like this and he was anaemic, vet gave him b0vits jab and now he is on red cell never looked back. Also not sure if your feeding will be providing him all the vits, trace elements etc that he requires, This can have a very real effect. If you aren't feeding the recommended level that it says on the back of the bag of slow release mix then you need to get a GP min and vit supplement, or a balancer pellet of some description.

The other thing is maybe he is bored. Try taking him to the beach or soemwhere else for a hack and see if it perks him up a bit.
 
Mine was like this about the same age and vet tested him and said he was slightly anaemic. he too BSJA'd etc when 4 and is a laid back chap (although hashis moments), some are just naturally chilled (my sister's horse is practically asleep until he has to jump!) but worth getting him checked. Mine is fed Kossolian blood salts and (although he's 17 now and fitter anyway) doesn't seem to suffer anymore. We took him off it several years ago when he'd perked up and noticed a while later he'd become a bit lethargic again so put him back on it.
 
I think I will get some blood tests to check for anaemia, I can't really see him being bored as his work is really varied and even at shows he's the same, makes no difference if he's ridden every day or once a week or what we do
 
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