Slow and Lazy=Sorta Boring!

Sounds like a great horse who has your number   We have a pony kind of like that.  Sometimes if he doesn't listen to our leg, we get out the "pony beatin' stick...."  Usually all you have to do is carry it and he perks up but sometimes he needs a tap or a smack to convince him you want him to move along.  Be glad you have this horse as it is much better to learn on a horse you have to push rather than one you have to slow down   Also, remember to look where you are going, not down at his neck, head as this puts about 40 additional pounds on his front end.  Just keep upping your pressure, if you squeeze and he doesn't respond, squeeze harder, if that doesn't work, give him a boot, if that doesn't work, give him a tap with the whip right behind your leg, if that doesn't work, give him a stronger smack.  You should get a response, just be careful and watch him for signals that he is getting grumpy and be ready to control him when you do get the response

I carry a whip and I think he knows when I have it.....when I don't he's really lazy and doesn't listen! And he sometimes also needs a little tap, too. My dad says that...he's better to be calm than hyper. He's sweet too and sometimes he just doesn't want to work...but heading back to the barn he is up and ready...he walks faster and trots faster too! Thanx for you response! []

All horses are lazy by nature. They all tend to speed up when they think they are heading home. Do you use spurs? If not, consider it. Usually a light tap with them is all they need.

[quote=face]

All horses are lazy by nature. They all tend to speed up when they think they are heading home. Do you use spurs? If not, consider it. Usually a light tap with them is all they need.



I am not at all a fan of spurs! A horse should be going WITHOUT spurs, the spurs are there if you need a more precise aid for dressage for example... against what most people think spurs are NOT to make the horse move faster and don't belong on the feet of a rider who can't get his horse to walk without!!!!!


Looks to me like your horse needs to build up some stamina! Maybe lunge him more often, make him "angry" for him to go.... Try to roundpen him and don't give up when riding him, f.e.: don't stop riding until you had 5 min canter/lope from him, no matter how long it takes. It will teach him to listen to you because that's less work after all! Maybe he's uneasy with the bit you use, consider switching...

luvhorsesxo,
 
 
Buddy is lazy by nature...at least he's not wacko. I do use a whip as an aid, have tried spurs once but a whip is what i've used all along and am comforatable with. I need to work on motivating him to work, BUT on the other hand he is very modest and even tho he's slow and calm he jumps (and has a REALLY nice jump), he canters when i tell him to...tho  sometimes he breaks out of it...
*BL

Oh okay... looks to me like you just have to build up his stamina then... But don't nail me on that, maybe I'm wrong. What I'm saying is that the responsiveness seems to be there, so it's really about training, patience and work to get him to be more endurant (?) and forward.

Just because YOU are not a fan of spurs does not mean they are wrong. It is very common for them to be used in training. If used properly they are no worse than using a crop. They are not used to punish but to get the attention of the horse. Granted, there are some wicked looking spurs out there. I do not use wicked, unless I am in a parade and then they are for show only.

Proper spurring gets the horses attention so they pay attention to you with my goal being to get rid of them. The intent is not to raise my legs as high as possible and then come down as hard as possible. It is just a little urn of the leg and a gentle tap to say, "hey, pay attention to me." It is a training tool and as with ANY training tool it can be abused, just like the human hand!

I used spurs a lot on Fancy when I first got her but have not used them in ages, I don't even wear them anymore!

[quote=luvhorsesxo]

[quote=face]

All horses are lazy by nature. They all tend to speed up when they think they are heading home. Do you use spurs? If not, consider it. Usually a light tap with them is all they need.



I am not at all a fan of spurs! A horse should be going WITHOUT spurs, the spurs are there if you need a more precise aid for dressage for example... against what most people think spurs are NOT to make the horse move faster and don't belong on the feet of a rider who can't get his horse to walk without!!!!!


Looks to me like your horse needs to build up some stamina! Maybe lunge him more often, make him "angry" for him to go.... Try to roundpen him and don't give up when riding him, f.e.: don't stop riding until you had 5 min canter/lope from him, no matter how long it takes. It will teach him to listen to you because that's less work after all! Maybe he's uneasy with the bit you use, consider switching...

luvhorsesxo,
 
Yes, I do agree with what you're saying...he does need to be worked with to build up stamina. I'll definetely be working on that when he's better from his healing abscess (see Lame Horse...)
 
*BL

face,
 
You do have a point and I agree VERY much with what you have said. All training tools are great to use, it's just HOW you use them that makes them good or bad.
 
*BL

my friends horse is to lazy, wht should he do for it.
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Earl Nunes

Some technique are considered cruel, other methods are considered and gentler and more humane.
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James