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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 497
 
Location: MN | I'm looking for some exercises for an extremely lazy mare. She seems to get bored easily which I believe is part of her laziness. Anyone have something they would like to share to get her feet moving besides breezing? We've added that to our rides the last couple weeks. |
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
  
Location: Phoenix | Instead of having a set "trot" period then "lope" period I like to vary it up and do little bits of both with my lazy horse. I also ride as much as I can OUTSIDE the arena. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 788
| Most horses that people consider "lazy" actually just need you to teach them to move their feet quicker and respond quicker. I usually just get a small whip or use the over and under that stays on my saddle and when I ask them to speed up, I give them a couple seconds to respond and them tap them with the whip. Not hard, just enough to let them know that I really meant go faster. It usually only takes a couple days for me to take a horse like that and have them doing everything as soon as I ask it. Good luck!
eta: I am breaking a 3 year old right now that is super lazy. He is doing really good and I only had to pop him a few times with the whip.
Edited by horsiace1025 2016-06-22 12:12 PM
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Regular
Posts: 85
| Our normal exercise program is 20-30 minutes of long trotting 4-5 times a week. I have one gelding that is super lazy in the arena (and 30 minutes of "pedaling" him in a trot gets old pretty quick) but if I long trot him outside he really stretches out and I don't have to mess with him as much. I think he gets bored in the arena too, there is a lot more to look at outside lol. Maybe try getting her outside more, if you haven't already tried that. Good Luck :)
Edited by Lph88311 2016-06-22 1:30 PM
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 Expert
Posts: 1526
Location: Texas | Over and under |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 415
| Alright dumb question, what if they don't like being hit/tapped/whipped? Obviously not hard but my young mare doesn't like to be hit and is L A Z Y beyond belief. Spurs shes fine with and breezing she makes my eyes water shes so fast, her pattern is perfect, but we're SLOW. Shes 5 and mentally and physically ready, she just bunny hops when being hit and I want to get her past this so she doesn't think getting hit is punishment lol |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 788
| cheeka77 - 2016-06-23 12:40 AM
Alright dumb question, what if they don't like being hit/tapped/whipped? Obviously not hard but my young mare doesn't like to be hit and is L A Z Y beyond belief. Spurs shes fine with and breezing she makes my eyes water shes so fast, her pattern is perfect, but we're SLOW. Shes 5 and mentally and physically ready, she just bunny hops when being hit and I want to get her past this so she doesn't think getting hit is punishment lol
Yea if she bunny hops you may just have to try something else, or maybe just dont touch her rear. You can tap them on the shoulder as well. Spurs can work if she likes those a little better. I just personally dont like using spurs until I have to because I want their sides sensitive to light touches. So, maybe someone else has some good ideas.  |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 602
| if your mare is too jumpy with a pop on the butt, take your whip and hit your stirrup. (Yes I know that sounds goofy) but that noise will get her to move. |
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 Life Saver
Posts: 10477
Location: MT | spitzh - 2016-06-23 10:28 AM if your mare is too jumpy with a pop on the butt, take your whip and hit your stirrup. (Yes I know that sounds goofy) but that noise will get her to move.
Was thinking the same thing. I will wear chinks and then pop my rein off of my chinks to make noise.
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 911
Location: Northern Ontario | My mare is pretty lazy and we are loping a nice pattern now (we just started not to long ago) i find what works for her is not to drill her too much. I make her work really hard in a short workout and if she is good, I put her away and leave her alone. That way she knows that she is rewarded for working hard. Another way you could do it is work in bursts. So 10 minutes of hard work, and then a little standing break and then work again. This keeps my mare happy in her work and she tries harder. To get her fit, I do lots of loping and trotting on the trail. I have no problem with getting her forward there. If she is really lazy in the arena, I carry a dressage whip. She knows I mean business when I carry it
Edited by SuperTrooper 2016-06-26 1:35 PM
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