[kierababy]

I have been having problems with getting my new guy to keep going at a trot. He always wants to stop. He is not off or anything to my knowledge and he has always been this way, very lazy and will hardly move. What are some things I can do to get more energy from him?

[lbhugg]

Sqeeze cluck spank is the best way for me ask softly with your leg, warn with a cluck and if he still doesn't move off spank (enough to wake him up) as soon as he goes how you want back to a neutral position for you. That way he understands it is much easier to do it the first time asked rather than get spanked for it

[Dawn]

For a horse that's sluggish under saddle, I like to start on the ground (preferably in the round pen, but a lunge line will work in a pinch) instilling that move forward means move forward now at the pace I say until I say different. If I say change directions, it means now. Etc...Then I go back to under saddle work applying the same principles. I ask you once, if you don't do it then, you'll wish that you had.

That is, of course, after eliminating possible physical issues.

[Outrider]

Originally Posted by kierababy

I have been having problems with getting my new guy to keep going at a trot. He always wants to stop. He is not off or anything to my knowledge and he has always been this way, very lazy and will hardly move. What are some things I can do to get more energy from him?

I posted this on another thread and I have found on lazy horses it works quite well.

What I did to both wake up my horse and to get him thinking forward and on his rear end is a series of transitions that no one gait lasted longer than 6-10 strides. I myself did not know what I was going to do until I got there. In another post her I mentioned that it is the riders job to position the horse to do what is asked but after that has been achieved the next job is to RECOGNIZE when that position is right and act upon it.

For example you plan on doing a trot at the next corner coming up but the horse offers to you the right position and timing to do that trot 6 strides before you get there. The smart rider will take advantage and do it when offered (unless at a show but I am talking training here). The rider that waits until they get to where they plan to do the transition may be in the right position or may have lost the window and it is no longer there. If they force the transition it could (very likely) go wrong.

By moving from transition to transition and bending left or right with no designated "here is where I WILL do such and such" you (if you are taking note of what is being offered by your horse) realize that he becomes aware and more sensitive to your aids and you are becoming aware that position "A" results in a better transition to trot or whatever. Using the whole arena allows you to not worry about where you are going just that you simply ask for say walk for 7 steps, then trot with a turn to a walk or maybe a shoulder in to maybe leg yield to trot then canter. As you go from transition to transition you should find that your horse starts to use himself better and becomes quicker on the aids.

The key to this exercise is that you only allow the horse to remain in the gait if it is up to a certain level of standard and if in that gait the quality deteriorates you switch before it gets bad thus not losing the possibility of making a transition from a poor quality gait.

This actually becomes fun and what the rider learns from this bit of fun time is to recognize when the horse is right to do something and how to position the horse for the best response.

The exercise not only generates a more quickness to the aids but impulsion that was never there before shows up simply because of the whole learning experience between rider and horse.

[pippy]

There is also a similar exercise to what outrider posted that works wonders for impulsion - however that I believe isn't your issue - your horse isn't maintaining the foward - you need foward before impulsion will come

Little walk big walk, little walk, little trot. You want to only go 6 steps realy push for a massive walk stride and then halft halt down to the smallest walk possible before he halts, then progressing on from that just walking trans up to trot do 6 slow as possible trot steps and trans down to walk. This does a couple of things - shows the horse it is much more effort to go that slow than it is to move out more freely and it improves transitions - you do need to ensure you are getting the best transitions possible every time also.

However - maintaining foward - first rule DON'T NAG lol generally what most people revert to. The idea when teaching the horse to stay where you want him is that he needs to make a mistake so you can correct it. In trot - you transition up and get him trotting foward ASAP - use the stick if you have to, then keep your legs and seat very quiet go with what he does - the moment however he looses that foward seat, legs and cluck him back foward - no response use the stick again get him foward asap when he is there be quiet. He will soon learn to stay foward if you are consistant.
On the flip side - if there are issues with the foward button - retrain it from the ground. Many people will disagree with me on this training methos but it does work and works well to get fowards going.
Halting at the end of the arena and facing up the long side - ask for a trot nicely - no response get stuck in hiss and stick you want him jumping out into a canter - trick do NOT pull back and ask for a slower pace until your over halfway - and as soon as the horse takes off praise like mad. Repeat - soon he will anticipate the "whack" (i also thump both legs down on both sides at the same time as the whack so that eventually they associate the thump comes before stick in case i'm not carrying one) and will respond to the nice aids first - praise again like mad at any foward motion but again do not transition down or even touch the rein until you are over the half way mark. Reason being 9/10 riders kick and subconciously pull a tad at the same time, which is garnered from learning to ride when they ask for foward and there is to much foward - when training foward it must be reward with the horse meeting no resistance in the time frame it takes for them to register that they are moving up the paces and "settling" into the pace.

[kierababy]

He is also very slow in the round pen. I am thinking about taking a video to show you, he just doesnt want to move. He is extremely lazy.

[Dawn]

Originally Posted by kierababy

He is also very slow in the round pen. I am thinking about taking a video to show you, he just doesnt want to move. He is extremely lazy.

I'd look into possible body issues first, especially with his age. (Not that younger horses can't have issues. But the natural aging process brings on some of its own.) I'd love to see a video though!

[kierababy]

Hes 14 and I have talked to the owner and she says he has always been this way ever since she had him. She raised him from a colt so....

I will run out and get a video.

[Dawn]

It's probably just something he's learned from a very early age that he could get away with.

[kierababy]

Hopefully thats it. The video is uploading right now. Of course he was ready to go in this time but you can sorta see what I mean. He also looks a little off. I know he is tender-footed, we are waiting on the farrier to get some shoes put on him. I also think he is a little sore. I rode him yesterday and the day before not to mention he got kicked in the stifle area yesterday afternoon.