help with flat work PLEASE!!!

[bizzytizz]

hi..i was riding my mare the other day, and usually, she is as good as gold...but then she desided she diddn't want to do any work, and so i just kept walking round and changing the rein...she was extremly hyper, and i dont no how to calm her down...i have ruled out all pain sites, and she doesn't seem to be in any discomfort...any tips would be great...

tizzy!!!!!!

 

[GoingStraight]

Usually good as gold? Was it just yesterday that she wouldn't calm down or do any work? Hey, some days are good for shopping. In other words, maybe she just wanted to do something else? If she settles down and gets on with it next time, just put it down to One of Them Days.

 

[cvb]

hi..i was riding my mare the other day, and usually, she is as good as gold...but then she desided she diddn't want to do any work, and so i just kept walking round and changing the rein...she was extremly hyper, and i dont no how to calm her down...i have ruled out all pain sites, and she doesn't seem to be in any discomfort...any tips would be great...

tizzy!!!!!!

what was different i.e. at what point did she "decide" not to work, and what were you doing immediately before that ?

 

[bizzytizz]

well, she's been like it for a few weeks now...and i dont know whats wrong with her. she's not in season, so it aint that...
and before id began riding, i lunged her as i always do. it normally calms her down, as she can get rather exited...all she ever wants to do is fast work...

tizzy!

 

[cvb]

OK - but I'm still not clear what she does to indicate that she's "decided not to work" ?

You say she's is hyper - so it doesn't sound like she's just digging her heels in ?

 

[Nikki_biscuit]

variety is the spice of life

the lunging before work is a good idea so is worth continuing with. alternatively if she still won't settle try doing some different things before schooling to settle her mind. maybe take her for a quick trot around the roads or a short hack with cantering work then try just ten minutes in the school at the end when she has the edge taken off a bit. altenatively do some fun exercises in the school and keep challenging her mentally, use blocks or poles to do simple exercises but make them harder with circles and lots of transitions in all school work to concentrate her onto your aids. hope that helps

 

[Lenvale]

I'm not sure whereabouts in the UK you are but if your weather has been anything like how it's been down here in Kent it will have been bitterly cold with quite a bit of snow for a while now? If she is usually good as gold and you've ruled out possible pain, in my mind there is a possibility that she could be cold (unless of course you're already taking measures to prevent this in which case I'm sorry for the suggestion)! Think how you feel in really cold, miserable weather. Chances are you want to keep moving quite actively to keep warm, from my experience with my horse he is exactly the same. With the snow I've found George has seemed a bit more 'hyper' but with him at least this is just that he wants to get moving to warm up, once we're on to trot and canter work he's much better.

If there is a possibility that her hyper behaviour could be influenced by cold weather I would keep an exercise sheet on her when walking in/off (particularly if she's clipped), try to get moving up in to trot as soon as you can, try to keep her moving around actively and try to avoid prolonged periods of walk. In my opinion if she is being more hyper because of the weather, keeping her in walk is likely to make her still more hyper as she is likely to start feeling the cold more.

 

[Eli_Jay]

it could be anything! from what you've said she's normally a good but 'goey' horse. It could be a range of things... if she's turned out, maybe something spooked her in her paddock? maybe the feeds different? - the brand or type doesn't have to be different, maybe you've just started a new bag or bail? it can be a range of things. my gelding - who is a gentleman/schoolmaster - started bucking recently and it turned out to be a combination of things that singly i doubted he would have been bothered by.
also, try to alter the routine... if you always lunge her and do the same things, she may be bored. maybe get on her straight away and work her differently to normal.
I hope these suggestions are of use to you, otherwise - sorry to waste your time!!