very lazy friesian mare

[twinkle11]

have one of he most laziest mares on the planet she is a friesian mare six years old.fine in the fields but in the menage very lazy concently trying to get her more forward. The menage at our livery yard isnt great at all so in the summer mark some grass out with makers but no its getting wetter cant really do it have to use the menage which is hardly ever rolled (no matter how many people complaine about it) and quiet a few people use it so there is constanlty a track in the menage that you kind of have to ride in which is quiet small because no one uses the bloady corners(sorry to complain so much but really is annoying me).well getting back to my mare she is quiet unbalanced in canter so im hacking out quiet alot and doing lots of canter in straigt lines to start with and no we are doing circles so she has defently improved but as soon as you get in the menage its such a struggle to keep her going.menage doesnt help with haveing to stay to the track.her trot is lovely when she moves but she doesnt listen to my legs at all really and i hate using my whip i have lessens once a week and i find myself using my whip alot as instructer tells me to is there any other way i can make my mare more forward in the school without using whip to much or nagging with my leg.

sorry so long but need some help?:)

[LindaAd]

The only thing I know is something I read about, and then I saw it demonstrated, quite by coincidence, by an instructor in a lesson.

Basically, you do whatever is necessary to ask the horse to go forward, then you let it go. In other words, if you ask for a walk and you get trot or canter, just go with it. Let it go a couple of times round the school before you stop. If you don't get any forward movement, ask louder - use stick or whatever you need. And obviously you don't worry if the canter's on the wrong leg.

It sounds very simple, but the time I saw it, it worked. You need to be quite strong and confident though, in order to resist the automatic response "Hey, I asked for trot, not walk, slow down". I think it works because a lot of the time in the school we're asking horses not to go forward, but to go in a particular way or a particular direction or a nice round circle - this is clear and easy to understand for the horse.

You are lucky to have a Friesian, by the way; I'd love one, even a lazy one <grin>

[twinkle11]

thanks linda for you reply will give it a try thinking about hiring a menage somewhere near me that might make a diffrence maybe she findind it hard as it really deep.if anyones no one i can hire near romford essex would be great.
i no im so lucky to have a friesian would never get rid of here love her to bits sometimes finding myself just starring at her thinking how lucky and stunning she is even if she is lazy.

[inca]

i have an 8 year old friesian mare,and she is a nightmare to get to slow down, she jogs everywhere i have only had her since may and i am having my first lesson on her next week so hopefully we can progress,

twinkle11. i hope you manage to find some answers, sorry i am not much help,
i also cant believe i own a freisian they are very beautiful:D

[Daffy Dilly]

It might sound a little silly, but have you had her back/tack etc checked?

I spent all summer trying to get my horse more forwards and working with more impulsion. I couldn't hold him together in canter, and struggled to lighten him up in front. Got to the stage where he'd do walk to canter, so I realised it wasn't a laziness/schooling issue.

Had his teeth done last week, nothing, had him checked by a muscle release therapist, and he is misaligned in his neck and pelvis. Long reining him today I instantly noticed a difference with the work he'd done. Without me on his back/using a whip to push him forwards, he was working in an outline. It wasn't the fastest walk, but the impulsion, which is what you want, was there. I have a feeling that this visit will be one of the best things I'll ever do for my horse.

Just some food for thought :)

[Roxy Sew]

I have the very same problem with my 6yr old cob. In the field she is much more forward going and bendy, however as soon as she goes into an arena she goes so lazy, doesn't bend and refuses to go on the correct canter lead! Out hacking however she is very lively and jogs all the way home.
I don't really want to feed food which will fizz her up as I'm forever trying to keep her weight down, and it'll make hacking out difficult.
You are lucky to have a freisian btw, they are one of my favourite breeds!