Ridecamp: Re: [RC] Lazy horse?

In a message dated 6/19/02 11:11:36 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
allegrac@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:

<<    Ever day usually.  >>

This is probably too much for him and he starting to get bored with the idea 
which makes them barn sour.  The same thing happened with my horse.  I was 
riding him far to much and he not only would start out walking extremely slow 
and looking back over his shoulder at home but he would also do this 180 spin 
towards home at any chance that he could get.  There were quite a few things 
I did to change his newly acquired bad habits.  1)  Started using a German 
martingale on him so his head stayed in the exact direction that I wanted it 
to.  Once he realized he couldn't spin like he used to, he stopped doing 
that.  2) Starting riding him less and giving him days off so he could 
reenergize.  I ride him now about 3 to 4 days a week with days off in 
between.  3)  Changed my exit areas from the ranch.  Instead of taking the 
same exit out to the same trail, we would take a different exit on a 
different trail so it was new and exciting to him.  4) Changed his 
conditioning schedule.  We do not go out and do a hard conditioning every 
ride.  One day will be an easy trail ride.  One day will be a moderate 
workout.  One day will be a hard workout.  This way the horse does not feel 
as though every time he leaves the ranch he has to work hard. 

I also will just take him out of his stall some days and pamper him instead 
of ride him.  This stops him from that pain of "here she is again" every time 
I walk up to his stall.

I hope this works for you!  Talk soon!

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