Lavenders_Blue Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 Hi guys, hope one of you can help me out with my horse riding question. I've been riding for approx 20ish years, so I'm (hopefully!) not bad at what I do, but certainly in recent years I've not had much by way of lessons or formal instruction, preferring to enjoy the countryside we have locally by hacking out. I'm an experienced rider but certainly not an expert. I ride at a local riding school, and have been riding one particular pony a lot over the last couple of years. He's a very sweet natured pony and very forward going when he wants to be, but has recently started to become quite lazy. He has never walked out very well, but in trot and canter is usually quite zippy, but lately it's been hard work getting him to shift! He's better when he goes behind another horse so he has one to follow, but I don't want him to get into the habit of this as he can lead very nicely when he's not being lazy. My question is, I've tried all the usual things I can think of to get him shifting - leg on, quick wake up with the whip to get him listening (which it doesn't, and I'm not really a bit fan of whips anyway) and so on. So what else can I do? I really enjoy riding this pony, but know he's capable of a lot more than he's giving at the moment, so how do I get the best out of him? Or do I have to accept that I'm just one of many other people who ride him and he's just being allowed to get away with too much generally! I know it's difficult to help by remote control! But any tips or pointers would be really appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 Its hard as he isnt yours The best way to get him moving is to keep him interested and sharp with lots of transitions, really he needs some intensive schooling in a schooling area but realistically this probably wont happen I guess in your position I'd try to vary the hacks that you go on so he isnt following the same routes and keep him moving from walk to trot quite often but this depends on who you hack with If he has suddenly become like this perhaps he is being overworked or needs his back checked etc.. - not easy to broach from your point of view though! Perhaps you need more of a challenge and a change of horse is in order? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhapsody Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 he's probably just going sour- it happens to most riding school horses eventually, they just shut down nothing I can suggest as he isnt yours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted February 20, 2011 Author Share Posted February 20, 2011 Thanks guys for your answers, to be honest I thought this was probably the response I was going to get, but I was hoping that there might just be something I hadn't thought of that I could try! Wishful thinking really. Quite honestly, he's probably bored. He doesn't get worked an awful lot, probably no more than 4-6 hours in a week, mostly in a school. It's usually me who hacks him out as no-one else seems to like him! But the routes we take are limited. He's certainly a lot sharper when we go somewhere new (as all horses are) but this doesn't happen very often due to time constraints. I think you're right Tasha, I need to be riding some different horses for some variety. I used to ride a different horse every week until this little chap arrived and I took rather a shine to him... I'm sad that he's become spoiled but I guess that's the way of riding school horses. Still hoping for the day when I can have my own horse... but DH is absolutely at the moment - it WIILL happen one day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coco Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 I have been riding on and off for the last 35 years. I went to the local riding school just to get the chance to ride and they had a young pony in called Smartie. When he first arrived he was lovely and willing but after 6 months or so he became like all the other horses. I eventually gave up going as I didn't feel that for £20.00 an hour I was enjoying it enough. Maybe one day I will have enough time and money to have my own horse again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 Could you come to some agreement with the riding school whereby you lease the pony? Years ago, I did this at a riding school. It meant for a higher amount each week I could go and take 'my' pony out whenever I wanted (as long as it didn't clash with any booked rides). It meant we could vary our routes more, and also get more involved in the pony's care. Because we were doing our own grooming, tacking up and tack cleaning we were more able to spot any other concerns such as ill fitting or worn tack. It's so sad to see a feisty pony getting bored and depressed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted February 21, 2011 Author Share Posted February 21, 2011 That's an interesting idea Snowy. I'd have to have a think through whether this would work for me and of course find out if the stables would agree, but it could be worth pursuing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Discomfort is a common cause for a normally zippy horse to suddenly become sluggish. Saddles are usually the culprit even a saddle that has been professionally fitted needs regular checks, but also some health issuses can cause this Eg : laminitis. These REALLY needs to be checked out by the School themselves, Have you mentioned it to the owner? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinsk Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 My bet would unfortunately be on him having enough, going a bit sour and as you said other people have probably let him get away with it. Other causes could be tack, his food could have been changed. Could also be the time of year, mine hates winter with a passion, he hates getting his feet wet and muddy, he hates the rain, but he hates not going out too. In a few weeks when spring kicks in and it warms up a bit he will be a completely different boy, he just hates winter. Definitely mention it to the stables though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted February 21, 2011 Author Share Posted February 21, 2011 It's not a sudden thing, he's been 'calming down' for a while but is now getting noticeably 'ploddy'. He can shift when he wants to which to me would suggest not a tack issue (?? correct me if wrong). I would have thought it pretty unlikely to be laminitis this time of year! I think, as others have said, he's just become sour. A real shame, I was kinda hoping I would be wrong about that. I'd love to get him out and about somewhere different more often to freshen him up, but not sure how likely that would be. I'll have to have a think about it then ask the stables. Thanks for all your help everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coco Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 I used to work in a riding school and occasionally swe would take the school ponies out on a hack. The difference in them was instant, as soon as they got away from the school they became different ponies and were hard to hold back. As everyone has said unfortunately its probably down to boredom on his behalf. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarlettohara Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Saddle, teeth, back or could possibly have a low grade virus. Trouble with riding schools these things aren't always checked as often as they should be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 Saddle, teeth, back or could possibly have a low grade virus. Trouble with riding schools these things aren't always checked as often as they should be I agree with you there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
