Very lazy

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charlie55

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I am schooling up a horse for a women at my yard. He is 15.1 4 year old tbx. We have always thought he was just extremley lazy but its got to be more then that, i can just about get him into a fast walk, thats with spurs and a schooling whip (im not kicking him or beating him before anyone mentions that) but in my experience, if i ride a lazy horse and carry a schooling whip they liven up a bit without having to ever use it. She has even put him on liquid blood incase its low iron as that makes a horse very lathargic, she put him on energy feed, the vet came out to do jabs and gave him a check over and she said he seems fine.... Im stuck. I even tryed lunging him incase its just when he has a rider on board and hes still the same. BUT.... out on a hack hes a different pony, forward going and evens manages to buck... Is he just being a stubern git in the school?
 
Sounds like a stubborn git in the school! Have you tried making his schooling as exciting (ie unexpected!) as his hacks out? You could tie balloons round the fence or play loud bouncy music or put something in the middle of the school that he's never seen before (eg a wheelie bin lol!). Wake him up and get his adrenalin flowing! Try a wip-wop rope to surprise him into a different pace and then praise him to high heaven. Can't remember where I read it (latest Horse mag?) but good advice from the professionals is that you do this every single time: you ask nicely 1st time, if no response, you do Pony Club kicks the 2nd time, if no response you do what ever it takes the 3rd time, even if this is a smart smack on the neck (or the wip-wop). If you do this with religious fervour every single time, your ned will soon realise that he might as well respond to the 1st polite request coz he knows with total certainty that if he doesn't he's gonna end up getting a smack. Good luck coz he sounds a sweetie! xxx
 
Although you have had some sound advice I would have him looked at.In my case and I was experiencing the same problems in the school it turned out to be spavin problems he just couldnt manage the soft ground work in the school.I also had bucking out hacking which might have been discomfort or excitement.I had very experienced instructors telling me my horse was lazy and I wish I had listened to my gut instinct.A flexation test is the first stage of investigation if you are experienced you can probably do this yourself.
 
George is like this in the school. His previous owner used to showjump him and he'd been very well schooled, but then he fell into the hands of a woman who owned a few loose boxes and some land. Someone had G on loan as his owner had a back injury, and the loaner didn't pay the livery so he got sold to me to recoup the YO's losses. He was massively unfit and very lacking in suppleness, but worse than that he'd been really badly treated by this witch of a yard owner - left in his stable, smacked and kicked (when we collected him he tanked off with my husband when we came to load; the YO had a go at us saying we weren't firm enough and we let her take over. He was still reluctant but she kicked him and hit him with a stick to get him in the lorry
frown.gif
There in lay the problem). SO anyway, we began to see where his problems lay.

6 years later I still have to work damn hard with him in the school, but he's no longer nappy on hacks or in the school and he doesn't try any tricks. He's just really hard to get going. Making sure he was in the right bit helped, as did carrying 2 schooling whips, keeping it fun and varied using poles and jumps, doing circles to help his suppleness and fitness so that he finds work easier, being kind and encouraging to him and also LOTS of transitions initiated by ME not him. He is great in walk and trot but I struggle with canter, the main reason being the school we are in is very hard, the liner comes up and it's totally inadequate... but hey, we won't go there (grrr!). When we are away in a straight sided school with a proper surface, he does a lot better. He'll never be an easy ride, though. I don't doubt he may have been at one time as he was so well schooled, but the way he was treated, I feel, has made him stubborn I guess... if you want it you have to come and get it with him - he won't give it on a plate. However, he is fantastically loving and affectionate and 150% to hunt/hack/gallop in open spaces!

I have had his back checked on numerous occasions; the vet is happy with him and he has his teeth done regularly. He's just a lazy sod!
 
I also have to agree with box of frogs: I always ask calmly and quietly, then pony club kick, then kick and tap and if he still won't go it's whatever it takes. But I only allow him a couple of strides then halt him again and ask again. I may have to do this a few times before he goes forward from my leg, but he does get the message. I've spent an hour in the school with him just doing transitions like this before now.
 
1. Make sure there is no problems with tack etc. and get a vet to check him over?

2. Make sure he is 100% fit

3. he sounds bored! I agree with boxof frogs, liven it up a bit! School him on a hack, jump him, gallop him around a field screaming your head off [okay, maybe not...!] and when schooling to a billion and one transitions. Keep it interesting.

Halfway through a flat session put a jump up. Half way through a jump session do some leg yielding! Just get him AWAKE!!

Good luck!

EM
X
 
I would get tack etc checked by a qualified saddler and teeth by EDT. I would get the vet out again to check his hocks and other joints to be on the safe side.

If he is still being stubborn, make schooling fun for him, poles and some jumps, some work in hand in the school. Setting up a course of bending cones used to wake my horse up.

Lots of transitions, changes of rein, riding shallow loops. Riding with 2 schooling whips (not using them) usually peps my horse up too.

Include lots of hacks and if possible let him stretch his legs. Do some schooling on hacks too to keep his mind active.
 
Hi,

I agree with most of the comments on here. Firstly I would check that there is definately not a pain related reason for this.

If not I wonder how much of the horses history you know. If the horse is basically well schooled (when he will move), then I have found it may just be that they are fed up of the school.

I have had a horse who was a very good dressage horse, however he had spent most of his life in the school and there is no doubt he was sick of it.

I spent 2 months hacking him, and never went near the school. After this I used to finish my hacks with a fast canter around the school making it fun. Then slowly introduced a bit longer and poles etc. It didnt take long before we could get back to doing proper schooling work but I never actually did flat work more than once a week in the school with him. I also swopped things around a bit by doing some of my schooling on hacks.

Hope this helps a bit.
 
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