My horse won't go forward...

P

Pinto Lover

New Member
Mar 1, 2006
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USA - WA state
Hello,

I have a three year old half arab / half saddlebred gelding. He's a wonderful boy, but he's been very naughty the past few times I've ridden him.

At the beginning of a riding session I lunge him a little to see what kind of a mood he's in. He always does fine, just a little lazy.

As soon as I get up in the saddle, he won't move. I can squeeze my legs, click to him, tap him on the butt with my crop, but nothing works. He literally just stands there.

When he DOES get around to taking a step, I praise him to high heaven. HE doesn't care though, and it is making riding him incredibly difficult.

I know he feels fine because he runs around in the pasture like a mad man, and he will lunge beautifully. Does anyone have any advice? I'd like to start having fun with my horse again...
 
Hi,
I have a 3 yr old (nearly 4) half-arab, half saddlebred - mine's a mare though. She was just like this last week. No go forward at all. In fact, quite a bit of go back rapidly down ditches etc. I think you just have to be patient. Start from where you are at. For me, although my mare was 'broke to ride' - by me, last year, I found when I started riding her again after a layoff over the winter, she was not ready. I had to go back to basics with her. Groundwork - as in every exercise you can possibly think of from the ground - forward backward, left and right, at liberty and on a line, bending, flexing etc etc - reestablishing trust - reestablishing our 'pressure-release' agreement. Then from the saddle, just patience. Like you say - every step forward gets a heap of praise, then for my mare, every step away, trying to duck back to the barn resulted in flexing left, right, step one foot here, one foot there... over and over again. She got bored of that, and found it was less hassle to stand pointing down the road as requested. I allowed her to just rest as long as she was facing the right direction, then after a minute or two, she was asked to go forward with a squeeze, cluck, spank of the reins ... and I stopped her again after 2 steps. Then 4 steps, then 6 ... always stoppiing her before she decided to. And I brought her back again, the first time I stopped and brought her in way, way before she thought about getting sticky. It's taken a week of really patient, persistent calm rides to get her going again. Now she's fine, but last Monday, it took us an hour to go 100 yards down the road.
 
I'd say start off with lunging, then some stretches, then some good ground work so he is intune with you .. then try to ride.

A few methods have been tried: Pressure from behind (tapping with the crop), pain from behind (belting with the crop), pulling the horse off balance ... I dislike any of those, though the pulling off balance might help, I dont see it helping for the furture :)

How long have you been riding him?

Maybe he doesn't understand full the cue to move off the legs .. have you tried having someone lead you on a short line .. then gradually (after days/weeks of riding) getting on to the end of a lunge line just walking .. then you can take the lunge line away .. etc.?.

I hope all works out for you.
 
I wonder if maybe he's not quite sure what you're asking? He's still young at 3, and you haven't said how long he's been trained to be ridden, so perhaps he just needs taking through the basics again from the beginning.

If you know he knows, then perhaps have someone leading you around for a while. It may he that he just needs a little reminder. :)
 
He was trained by a professional, and in training from October through January, so he was in training for about four months. I've ridden him about three times a week for the last month and he does very well. I'm pretty sure he knows to move off my leg as he's always done fine with it in the past.

Thank you all so much for your replies. I think I'll give it one more patient try this afternoon, and if that doesn't work, we'll do some groundwork again...

Please let me know if you all think of anything else. I sure appreciate it!
 
Not sure if it applies here but found how to wake a sluggish horse up on the computer i have no idea about young horses :eek: but here's something anyway:

- you have to let the horse know that he is expected to move with a little purpose in life and you must make it light-hearted, fun and enjoyable for him; then it will be enjoyable for you.

- Adopt a cheerful yippee this is great for a let's go attitude and use your voice in this way.. Get on and from his first step talk to him in a cheerful, upbeat way, asking "walk on" or "go on"

- Give clear aids at the same time keep the vocal encouragement and the instant you get an improvement stop the aid and say"goooood boy" in a very approving tone

good luck :)
 
Don't forget that he's a real baby.. As he lunges, he must respond to voice commands, so try using those when you're mounted. You could also try getting someone to stand in the middle and pretend to be lungeing, so that he gets the idea..

But don't try and do too much with him at this stage - his bones haven't finished developping yet, and he might find it quite hard. It would be worth checking his teeth, back and saddle, just in case ther is some physical problem - when Rohan was 4, I let my father sit on him, and he wouldn't move at all, and it was just because Dad was too heavy for him, so any physical discomfort could cause it (not saying you're too heavy or anything, just that it's worth checking everything out :))

Ross
 
my friend has a level 3 NSH (arab x ASB) who was not always that good. He reared he bolted he didn't go. Why you may ask? Beacasue of boardom, he KNEW what the day is like so he strived to make it difficult and he basicly "playing" with you. They are, too smart for there own good. What i'd sudgest doing is mix things up, sometimes do some ground work or teach him tricks and then longe him. Longe him outside of the arena if possible, ride him outside the arena as well. Try to teach him and expose him to different things and less routine, that is, if you want a resposive, great all around horse, if you want to stick where you are, keep smacking his rump everyday
 
I agree about these NSHs being too smart for their own good .. well, almost. My NSH mare is exactly like that - easily bored and always trying to 'get one over on me' always pushing the boundaries, always testing. She keeps me on my toes for sure. Compare her with the other coming 4 yr old, who's arab x QH and he couldn't try harder to please - never wants to put a foot wrong, always wants to figure ou what it is I'm asking. I'm not sure the mare is cleverer, but she certainly tries harder to push my buttons !
 
Thank you all so much for your advice! I rode him yesterday, and he was much better. I traded in my crop for a dressage whip, and literally all it took was a tap on his inside shoulder and he moved out. I'm wondering if he was annoyed at the crop, and knew it wouldn't bother him if I tapped him with it. Him just knowing that I had the dressage whip in my hand prevented me from having to use it.

I really like the suggestion of doing new things with him. He is VERY smart so I wouldn't doubt for a minute that he is bored with riding in the arena and pasture. Maybe it's time to start on a few easy trails?

Again, thank you all so much. Very generous. :)
 
A little arab mare at my yard was exactly the same except she would rear up and roll on you! Only concussion so don't worry!

We long reined her for about a week and the problems sorted.
 
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