tips to make lazy mare more forward going?

[midi]

Does anyone have any tips to make a lazy horse more forward going? or should I just accept that this cob will forever sloth around.

She doesn't respond to anything.
I've tried quiet aids and gradually building the pressure,
She doesn't respond to the crop.
impulsion ball ended spurs - which she didn't like at all.
transitions, but hard when I can't even get an active trot.

alternative methods I tried is tying a plastic bag to the end of the crop, this worked for about 5minutes.

I don't know what to do anymore, she's starting to become very nappy as well.
But there appears to be no pain issues, or any unhappiness just attitude! I know she has it in her and its probably my riding and her preference to eat rather than work!

 

[autumn7]

Any chance of taking her hunting? Most cobs adore it on the hunting field - gives them a raison d'etre! Also fittens them to the hilt which results in more forwardness in other areas of their life.
Just check that she's not carrying too much weight as this makes any horse lethargic.

 

[Toffee44]

Agree with the hunting!!! Sorted my cob out lovely.

 

[VioletStripe]

lots of hacking to mix up the schooling? What sort of ridden work is she doing? xx

 

[Herts05]

A bit of jumping could fire her up a bit.
Agree with hacking/hunting. Maybe she's just bored.
Also, what's her weight like? Is this stopping her ability to have any oomph? e.g over rather than under weight

 

[Chestnutmare]

I too have this issue have tried every trick in the book too.
my boy has varied work, even lunging he's a lazy so and so, he'd rather eat and be out in his field, even tried the polework, even putting up a small x pole, which he seemed to enjoy a bit more to be honest.

 

[JenHunt]

hunting hunting and more hunting! teaches them so much more than just going forwards! teaches them to find a fifth leg across country, teaches them to think forwards and to cope with rough ground!

 

[midi]

she isn't my horse btw, shes a family friend's although they're very open to ideas and let me get on and do anything I like,they don't have transport so thats the issue about hunting - I would love to try we all reckon she'd be great minus the big jumps but unless its hacking distance ( rarely) going to be hard to get there

interesting or scary sights she really marchs on and forwards and it's great haha, so I know its physically possible within her.. its just inspiring her to do so.

shes just started driving again, not driven since last home - Idk if shes any more forward going with that, not seen yet.
I've done a bit of jumping with her but it doesn't really do anything for her, & its a job for her to get her over properly as there is seriously no impulsion absolutely none.
Shes just a very intelligent and tricks are soon burnt out.

Weight wise I think shes lost quite a bit, in recent photos she looks quite slim to me considering shes a dale.
There is one thing though, I can't help think shes uncomfortable in her mouth - dentist is coming soon so hopefully if there is an issue it will be sorted, but do you think this would effect her? she seems happy however - ears forward etc, but I've noticed weird head shaking sometimes and shes started to become really nappy - though she has always been slow I feel the way she is atm its ridiculous and somewhat dangerous at times when she naps ( plants feet,walking backwards into ditches/roads etc) however owners never experianced this, so it just might be my bad riding.

 

[B-B]

Mine stopped going forward when he started to change shape and the saddle pinched.

 

[Toffee44]

AAaaah ok driven.


My mare was driven, I drove her to start with but now she is mainly ridden now. She was very reluctant to go forward and didnt respond to anything. I did lots of longreining and then lots of voice on the ground, dont underestimate ground work she can do some rather fancy moves in long reins now. Although she had been sat on before she hadnt really been schooled to any degree. I struggled to get her going forwards.

I started using voice aids as I would to drive and then as she became more relaxed (she had a few bit and mouth fears going on as well) I introducted my legs she clenched up again. So what I did was ask with a leg aid, reenforce with voice (keeping leg aid on) and then I had a old bit of rope I flipped either side of her neck and then as soon as she went into trot took the pressure off. Very quickly she learnt to respond to the leg aid. And then instead of going into canter next I focused on half halts and re opening her trot etc. Might just be the driving in her, I dont think it will make her go anyfurther forwards in ridden work if she doesnt understand the aids she is being given during ridden work.


PS small highjack we had our first 20m circle canter today very proud mummy moment has taken me from Junes first canter till now to do that

 

[Alyth]

You need to always start with an aid that is lighter than you know she will react to. Then escalate in phases and the nanomoment she responds you release. That way she knows you won't give up and she will get lighter and lighter. So your starting aid will need to get lighter as well. But this will take time, patience and consistency on your part.....For example to go from halt to walk you squeeze gently, then continue squeezing harder and then add crop - tap tap TAP TAP until she goes forward. Then you stop squeezing and tapping and just your body movement goes with her. She will try slowing down and stopping - allow her to make this mistake and start again - squeeze, squeeze harder, tap tap TAP TAP. If you spend some time working on this transition so she understands you will reap the rewards.....of course with the "go forward" cue being worked on you are simultaneously working on the "stop" cue...!!! Lift one rein and stop riding the movement with your body. Soon she will stop the moment you relax and lift one hand very slightly!! Good luck.

 

[midi]

I believe the driving is probably a factor, I don't know if she was broken specifically to drive which explains her lack of schooling but she came from a driving competition home, however she didn't meet the standards as she didn't have the "stamina" apparantly (lol lazy).

She also very difficult to canter and quite stiff on one side, I've only found myself being able to do it on tight corners and open fields, but not being able to produce an active trot is just making it impossible really - I'm not entirely sure if she always understands what I'm asking either tbh as when I do get a canter out of her she does seem to enjoy it and fizzes up. But I don't know if from driving she has also been discouraged to canter, thus never learnt the aid anyway?

I drove today with cart, she did seemed a bit better but she did need a bit more encouragement with whip to trot but she respected it and went quite nicely.

Toffee you mentioned about using a bit of rope I was thinking this after hearing about "giddy up ropes" concept and the like.
The problem with the plastic bag trick is that it rustled in the wind or at once at a speed so the "pressure" couldn't be released as precisely, so she eventually just tuned it out I guess and this was only after a couple of rides, she is a quick learner.. just seems to learn the wrong things atm haha.
So I'll try have ago with the rope as max pressure whilst using clear voice aids, see if she connects the two - she does regonize trot on, woah, walk on from driving but lacks any true impulsion from it.

I do start with the lightest aid and increase pressure . I'll keep your post in mind Alyth when I next ride, problem I do get is that I may get her going forward a few paces then it instantly collapses again, exhausting. But I'll try to be more consistent.

Owner rode out yesterday also and she started napping, pulling on reins - which she hasn't experianced before so I'm slightly relieved it isn't just me.
But this why I'm concerned about her mouth, why would a horse that would happily hack on her own for miles suddenly start to become like this?
She has progressively become worse each time shes gone out, few weeks ago I literally made her walk backwards around an entire corner of a bridlepath just to get her past it and moving again but obviously most napping tricks aren't practical for some roadwork I need to get past without becoming a danger.

About schooling can anyone give me any tips of excercises to start out? really basic, I feel I should totally start from scratch with her. However I'm not a very good or knowledgeable rider so will be a learning curve for me also.

 

[B-B]

I would still check the saddle as this is the type of reaction you get to pinching.

 

[midi]

Hm I've never thought about the saddle before as shes the same without it and shes never appeared unhappy, or resented the saddle nor do I see any discomfort or weird sweating/marks, though saying that I'm not sure if would be able to recognize it if it was pinching and I can't really do much as shes not my horse so could only mention about the saddle and I will if it continues.

if there is any discomfort going on I reckon its the mouth, she chews the bit and her tongue goes out alot. I 've also experianced an odd random headshaking whilst riding her, when it first happened I thought a bug had gone into her ear or something as it wasn't your typical headshake. It rarely happens and it comes out of the blue, but its def a recent thing.
However her owners don't think its her mouth at all and just her being stubborn, so I don't know really.. don't want to push the idea too much but I've pretty much been the only one riding her lately so I guess I've noticed it more.

 

[mirage]

What bit is she in? Knobberpony threw her head about a lot when she had a Happymouth.She was such a chewer that she was making them rough and consequently they must have made her mouth sore.She got through 3 bits in 5 months,so I changed her to a sweet iron french link and she is so much happier in it.She isn't forward going,but hunting really gees her up for days afterwards.

Is she any better hacking in company? My daughters struggle to get a canter when we are on our own,but in company she livens up no end.

 

[jesterfaerie]

What bit is she in?

I was just about to ask that as well. I have recently changed my TBs bit from a french link to a NS Verbindend and although he wasn't particularly unhappy in the first bit nor was it a strong bit but since the change he a lot more forwards because he is happier in his mouth.

I would make sure you have had her teeth, back, and tack checked first to rule out any discomfort.

 

[1Lucie]

I had a loan horse like this! Very frustrating!!!!! I found plenty of hacking helped, he hated the school! Also, transitions but was seriously hard work!

 

[midi]

Shes in a simple eggbut snaffle as far as im aware.
Today she went beautifully, light in the head, so responsive to just seat aids, forward going but not silly, totally different horse.
I was in awe.. UNTIL.
Had a another canter she got quite strong so went back into trot, started doing a circle in a trot then walked and then she randomly spooked sideways ( though I think it was a small car that went past on the road, excuse to spook at I suppose.. since shes normally bombproof plodcob) at a canter and did the an almighty buck thus me flying straight over her head and splat on my back !

little sod, never predictable!
First bad fall I've had so called ambulance out but okay just sore thankgod.
But I guess fresh from the frosty grass, I assume the problem is like I said an attiutide as she went so lovely today, nothing can be perfect I guess.