exersizes for a lazy horse

[Chloe1]

Anyone know any good exersizes for a lazy horse.

I have tried pole work, but she just runs without working correctly at these. When trying to slow her down she becomes resistant. ( Has no respect for poles as she used to be a grade C showjumper)

I have also tried transitions, but to many wind her up.

I have tried raised poles, but she can also refuses these as well.

She can be quite nappy and backward thinking when working alone, and very resistent, but when working corectly can produce fantastic work. As I am competeing at prelim level, but she is capable of far higher. (only if and when she feels like it)At the moment it seems to be ask and the answer is NO.

Everything has been checked, back teeth saddle and I have been told that she is actually in excellent condition.

[floppy]

what about hacking?
with my horse i do exercises both in and out of the riding school...
but it depends what sort of land is availble for hacking...if somehting doesnt work with my hrose i try it whilst out hackign and it seems to work betetr then i go back to the school...ther eis even an open filed i am allowed to use to do transitions and circles on and a bit of dressge...

[Showjumper]

Lots of turns and transitions are what I advise. Try the following sequence: halt, walk, halt, rein back two paces, trot. This engages the hindquarters and the brain! Less strenuous is simply: halt, walk, trot, walk, trot, canter, trot, walk, halt. Remember to use lots of turns to add variety, increase flexibility and build muscle! Don’t use poles until she’s working well for you, as they will probably cause her to get tizzed up! Hacking’s a fun way of schooling, as you can practice turn on the forehand, turns, and transitions, without the horse realising you’re training it!

[Lottie]

Hi,
Here is something to try. Lazy horses can be their own worst enemy, they ignore the leg so the rider uses more leg and then the horse gets annoyed at the rider for been so busy and objects further and so on.
So begin at halt and give your ideal aid for the horse to walk on, which should be light.If there is no response immediately give a clearer aid. For this exercise don't have hardly any contact with the mouth. When the horse walks on, sit quiet don't give leg aids. Then repeat the exercise again until she moves off from the ideal aid. Then do the same from walk to trot. The golden rules are:
1.Always ask first with the lightest aid possible.
2.When the horse reacts reward by ceasing the aid.
3.Make sure the hands are not pulling back as this confuses the horse.
4. Never give an aid and let the horse ignore it. You must be self controlled enough to keep the leg still when the horse is going forward.

Remember if you only insist that the horse responds to an aid 5 out of 10 times, he will only be obedient 5 out of 10 times. The same principle applies when working in a pace use a quiet aid to send the horse forward if nothing happens give a bit stronger aid, if nothing even stronger remember still keeping that contact light. Once the horse responds reward(no leg)until the horse begins to slow again.
You will soon find yourself with a happy horse wanting to go forwards off light aids because if so they get rewarded. Hope this helps.

[Jo]

Great advice Lottie. My horse pretends to be dead to the leg and my response has been to niggle and nudge until she becomes even more dead. I am trying to take her back to the beginning but old habits die hard. I concentrate for 5 minutes and then focus on something else and there it is again - push, push! It's hard but it's the only way. Just one point to add: a horse that ignores the leg is potentially a dangerous horse.

[Mossy]

Just a thought. Is she lazy or has she been jumped so often she is sick to death of poles? Sorry if you've had her since she was a baby and find the question offensive. If she could be jumped out I would forget all about jumps, esp poles and school work and take her hacking. Make life fun again. Lots of people do all their schooling on hacks, me included. I used to ride an ex Grade A mare who was actively dangerous if she was pointed at a formal jump. She would sail over anything when hacking. She'd had a dreadful experience though, but the same sort of logic could apply.
Good luck

[Somethingroyal]

Well, when I was riding schoolhorses they were always lazy, so for our warm ups we always did bending at the walk and trot to get them to be more responsive to hand and leg. Then we did all sorts of tighter turns and things over poles. Try doing a trot pole sequence that has a good number of tight turns it it. This will really make her work, and well as keep her from getting too fast. She may just need to take a break from jumping for awhile. You could also adjust her tack. Im not an expert on this but maybe just making a minor tack change will wake her up. Im not talking about more severe bits or anything, but a different saddle pad, or a different girth or a different bit, not more severe, but in a different metal or something. This sometimes makes them more alert when something changes. Make life interesting.

[Chloe1]

Thank you for all you help.

Firstly I have had her for 3 years now, and she was jump sick when i bought her but i didn't buy her for jumping as i am hopeless at it anyway.

Secondly I think our problem is she is probably stale as we are virtually confined to working in the school everytime we ride as she is very nappy when we used to go out alone, which should I suppose be posted in another thread.

I would love to take her hacking as we have moved yards and now have the opprtunity to use an off road track and ride in the fields, however, i can't yet bring myself to actually go and do it as my stomach gets in knots at the thought of it. I am planning to lead her round a few times in hand for a few weeks first as I have a lot of confidence with her on the ground, do you think this is a good idea, also apart from a good brandy do you have any suggestions for my poor stomach and nerves. I can take her to a competition but as soon as some one says hacking i nearly die.

I know for my horses sake we need to get out and relax a little but it worries me when she refuses to go forward, (She is not scared) she is fine on the homeward stretch (very forward going then, but i can cope with that as she would go past an army of plastic bags and horse eating obstacles as long as she is going home.)

HELP.

[Murphs]

if you are nervous - stick to the off road track first rather than the open fields - she may be lazy in the school but i bet she won't be in an open field! Just do a little at a time - perhaps lead her out for 5 mins and then ride her back increasing the time you are out and riding her very slowly. Is there someone that could go out with you - either riding or on foot, sometimes it helps just to have someone else around. Good luck

[Maria]

Chloe

Is there someone with a safe horse that you can hack out with. One of the delights of hacking is that you can pootle round at walk and/or trot and still have a fantastic time. You don't have to gallop everywhere!

When I first had Carrie I dreaded hacking out and tended to stick to the school. Much to Carrie's disgust!

One Sunday, my instructor at the time was teaching his god daughter and suggested the two of us hacked round the farm. He walked down to a large field with us and stood in the corner while we belted round the perimeter (twice!), with Carrie and me following Pepper and Anna. He then sent us off round the block before going back to the yard.

We had a fantastic time and it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. I soon started hacking Carrie out on my own and enjoying it.

It's more difficult hacking out where we are now as there is a lot of roadwork to get to the bridle paths etc. I tend not to hack Carrie out on her own on the roads because she isn't very brave on her own and I don't like riding on the road. But in company she is happy to be lead horse!

Hopefully once FMD is under control we'll be able to hire a trailer or a box and go and hack out off road!

Maria

[Chloe1]

The track I mentioned is actually a track around an open field. If I take her with other horses she races them, but if I take her by herself she walks for a while then plants her self still for a while sometimes trying to turn for home.

I had this problem at our old yard when we went out hacking.
I did however manage to take her for a 2 mile walk in hand on the roads succsessfully, but moved yards just before xmas and haven't had the opportunity to try the off road track yet as it was to wet.

[floppy]

my horse is pretty good alone to hack..but with other hroses she always has to race them so we (me and some friends) are trying to make her more forward going so we cn ride int he lead because she is easier to control...
i have two suggestions -
1. get someone with a docile horse (if possible) to go out with you on a light walking hack...then after you feel confident with that try some trotting..or just leave it at walking so that you get confidence and then you can go for walks easier by yourself with the horse...sing or talk to your horse to try adn control your nerves..and if neccessary dismount and walk a abit round the track with her until you feel soemwhat calmer...noone said that when you ride a horse out you have to stay on its back the whole time :) OR...
2. see if you can swope horses with someone who wont mind if your horse spooks etc...then while out riding you will get to see how you horse copes with differnt things...and it may put your mind at ease when riding your horse yourself..mayeb someone can give you some tips ??
i only sugegst the second one because it works for me working out how to eduacte 'my' horse...sometimes i swope horses with my friend and she refreshes me on the best approach to deal with a probelm!
good luck :)
i knwo hwat its like to be nerous out when hacking...espeically alone...but i have realised my horse is lazy and brave when out alone...when out with other people she is a speedy gonzales!

[laurel]

Everyone who gave you ideas are totally right. Your horse could just be bored or...everything people have suggested above. My horse is the same. She's been off for FIVE months cos of a problem with her left hind. Now that she's back to work (for a month already) she seems to have no interest whatsoever. Either that or she acts all nervous and highstrung. She's not really, she's just trying to scare me. It doesn't work though, it's just annoying. My teacher told me something that to be honest I never really heard of till I moved here (i moved to Romania a while ago). Not only do u have to make sure your horse doesnt get bored of doing the same things over and over again, u have to keep his mind on what it is you're telling him to do. So my teacher showed me this...thing with your hands, and it works. You have to keep the bit moving in her mouth continously, something to do. It helps your horse accept the bit. Squeeze the reins (not tug...squeeze) left, right, left, right, slow easy movements at first. It's tough cos sometimes you have to go on forever and your arms ache but your horse should eventually really accept the bit. But dont stop squeezing when she does or she'll just raise her head again and stop listening to your aids. Once she gets used to the constant squeezing it wont be such hard work, you'll barely have to squeeze the reins! And you can see her head moving slighlty left right left right. I know it sounds strange and unusual but it works. Your horse concentrates on what's happening with that metal thing in her mouth, forgets boredom and really concentrates on your aids. Hope no one thinks I've got funny ideas!!! Good luck.