[Cowgirl1013]

I have the opportunity to work with a horse this week is a little arena sour. He will work well for about 20-30 minutes and then the fight is on. He mentally checks out and plays the "You can't make me" game. Do you have any suggestions on things I can do with him. The area I have to work with him is about the size of a 40 ft round pen so we won't be loping. I was thinking of doing just ground work with him for a while. Does that sound like a good plan?

[WRQH]

Mabey try come fun groundwork exercises like going over a tarp, ground driving, jumping some obsitcles, then try some different things in the saddle like going around cones in a pttern or try anything but going in circles over and over again it makes a horse sour and bored I hope this helps some

[Cowgirl1013]

Thanks. I am not too sure if I will get up there this week but I will try doing other things to make it interesting when I get a chance.

[alaskahorse]

Horses get burned out, bored or whatever you call it just like we do going to the bloomin office day after day doing the same old grind, so mix it up for him. Gymkana horses and horses and have to preform in arenas get this way very easily if their trainers and riders don't offer them a change once is a while. When going to the anrea, do something different then what is expected, if there is a lesson that you must do one him repetivily, get it done teh rest a day on that excersise and then do something else,try to put him away on a good note. Sometimes I will take a short trail ride after a workout, sometimes I do the workout or lesson outside the arena then go into the arena for some fun stuff like going over poles, introducing them to different things to get their mind going. I always dismount in the arena afterward and loosen my gear before I leave, If its barrel racing I am working on I someimes will ride to the first barrel and then get off and loosen gear. Anything to make it different when they cannot anticipate what is going to happen next.

[Auzzie Honey]

Spice it up if you can .. do 20 mins of flat work, then go out for a trail ride. Or do some games. Or jump off and lunge him over poles. Or ground work. Or jumping. Or bareback. Keep him guessing

[farmeress]

Personally...sounds like the boy needs a vacation or drastic change of scenary...just like most of us do from time to time.

Is there anywhere you can just hack him for a week or so?

[FutureVetGirl]

haha... sounds like the horses I ride. Except with these horses... they're rarely being ridden inside of an arena. Boy... my life is SO totally backwards. The horses I ride... the riding "faults" of mine...etc.

[Bratmare]

how much time do u spend on the rail?

[Vix]

I'm a huge advocate of trail time for horses that are worked in the arena quite a bit. alaskahorse had some great ideas for you.

[paintlver]

I just read an article some where about the benefits of taking a horse on a trail ride and how it will change a horses attitude..I trail ride pretty much all summer and school in the arena very little..My horses is balanced, happy, responsive and freakin amazing. Trail riding is just a mental break like going to a spa!!!lol