Need help with lazy pony........

[joey_olop]

Blackie has always been lazy since I first bought him 3 years ago. I need some help with some exercises to help get him going :)

What exercises can I do to wake him up?? And make it fun too as we both find schooling really boring :D

He always has a why me attitude about him & Id like to make everything a bit fun for him!!

[shandy84]

Lots of transitions, walk - trot, walk - canter etc do circles serpentines, gymkhana games etc :)

[cazrider]

How much hacking do you do? Sennie is much livelier out hacking and it means I usually do most of my schooling out. You'd be amazed what you can achieve on a wide bridleway or in a field.:)

[Joyscarer]

I'd say you need to look to your horse for this one as what would work for Joy (trotting down the long side) might not work for you. When is he at his spritliest? Is there a pattern to it?

[joey_olop]

I'd say you need to look to your horse for this one as what would work for Joy (trotting down the long side) might not work for you. When is he at his spritliest? Is there a pattern to it?

He is never spirited-just lazy all the time, he is a bit like me-he dosnt want to over exert(sp??) himself bless him!!

He has always been like it & Im not sure if it is a habit Im likely to change?? He dosnt even get excited on hacks:o

He once got excited on a sponsered ride but I think it was because he had lots of horse's around him!!(I normally hack oyut with my OH & his horse)

[Sammii]

Red is like that (not just in the school, everywhere :rolleyes: ) and what I do, especially in the school, is do lots of halt-walk-trot transitions, and really mix them up and mess around. Lots of flapping and YEE-HAAing (aswell as he's ok with that) really gets him all excited and razzed up.

And then i'll only do some canter once he's all excited because he just goes better. :D

It's great fun!

[joey_olop]

Thanks for the tip Sammii, will do some of that tonight me thinks :D

[Fanshawe]

Also do extension/collection. One week focus on getting one thing the next the other. Do shallow loops, leg yield. Do work without rein contact some times. Keep the work varied and don't do too much of one thing. Give lots of praise and have fun!

[Bling]

If you're allowed, it's fun to put up obstacles in the arena, like open umbrellas. Interesting things. Gymkhana of any kind can be fun. Sometimes a bare arena can just turn an intelligent pony off.

[SJ wanabe]

Transitions are very goo to wake a horse up and get them listening to you, and as they get better you can wake them up more by missing out a pace eg, walk to canter ect. also teaching the horse to start quickly in gymkana games will wake them up!!:D

[Sammii]

How did it go?
I did it with Red on the lunge tonight and he was a right rodeo clown :D

[joey_olop]

I didnt ride-it was pee-ing down with rain :(
Will try tonight if the weather holds out!!
Thanks for all the tips guys xx

[wonkeywoody]

Get a copy of P Parelli's "my horse wont go". I did off ebay. Worth EVERY penny!!!!!
Works a treat. Tried it on a few 'candidates' so far!!!