Hi everyone

I know I have asked quite a few tips on my new horse (well owned 5 months) Star but I am starting to loose faith.
I am sure this is something that occurs with everyone who has just bought a new horse which needs ALOT of work, But is it normal to think "its never going to work, I'm wasting my time!!"

She has improved so much since buying her with her weight, condition, and temperament but She hates being ridden!! She loves hacking but that is it. I have just started jumping on her because That is what I aim to do with her next year and was hoping it would lead her to enjoy being worked if its something as exhilerating as jumping but she is just really lazy and walks through them or just hops them.
I havnt jumped in 7 years so I am having to re-learn on her but I cant with her being like that. When she is free schooled she has a huge jump and is so talented but just goes into donkey mode as soon as someone gets on her!

She is fed Allen and Page Calm and Condition, obviously it is meant to calm them down. I am considering cutting it out of her diet and just feeding it in the winter if its needed, does anybody think this would be a good idea?

Any suggestions would be much appreciated because I am going out of my mind wondeirng what to do next!!

Honestly? It's taken me at least 4 years before I've completely settled with Kane so 5 months is nothing...sorry! I think maybe the time is right to add a little something to her feed, I'd be tempted to keep the Calm & Condition and add something a little heating maybe or change her over (slowly obviously) onto their Power and Performance feed. I'm a total Allen & Page fan and Kane is fed a combination for their feeds, currently because he's a bit of a fat fatty he's just on Fast Fiber and I might introduce Ride & Relax but I also add a half a scoop of basic course mix because he's a cob he gets a tiny bit whizzier with the mix added and gives him abit more energy for jumping and XC. Because Star is a TB I'd go careful on the feed changes as they do react more expressively than their fatter cobbier relatives!!

Maybe worth emailing Allen & Page and see what they suggest, I've always had great detailed replies from them regarding Kane's feed.

Thanks for the reply!!

I went to the local farm shop yesterday and scanned over every bag I could find lol And believe it or not the one I bought was the Power and Performance because it says on the bag that it still doesnt have the mollases BUT it helps with the digestion and retrieves the energy from the right places without adding too much!! It is a concern with Star, because of her breed, how far to push her on a feed to get the right effect wanted instead of an absolute nutcase but this to me seemed to have the perfect ballance!!
I total agree with you, Allen and Page is one of the best feeds I have ever used!! The calm and condition worked so well while I was trying to get used to her and trying to improve her condition that I would recommend any of their feeds to anyone! This is why I thought styicking to the same brand would be a good idea!
I am going to start introducing the new feed tonight, going to do half and half of the each and then slowly get rid of the calm and condition for good and replace it with the new one so I dont get a complete nutter or colic lol!
She just needs and extra bit of energy I think to be a bit more forward and to really work properly so fingers crossed!

Not sure if they are still doing it but Allen and Page were doing a trail scheme thing, if you register your details they send you a £5 off voucher and then 4 weeks you report back the difference in your horse and they send you another voucher! I registered for Kane, even though he's used their feeds for years!

O I might look into that!! They are definately my first choice of feed suppliers because there feed in my eyes is brilliant but they also give you alot of information on the bags as well as being able to contact them if needed!!

Do you think I should just stick at it then and it will come together eventually?

I dont know how it is going now but thought I would put my bit in here for anyone else who is reading it anyway. I think it is best to stick to the same feed manufacturer when changing feeds so that you still get the balanced diet. the manufacturers all use different amounts of vits and minerals etc in their feeds so it pays to stick to the same one when introducing a new feed.

It is best to change it a bit more gradually than half and half though. I would take about 7 - 10 days to change it usually. The trouble with horses is that their digestive system is a bit complicated and the bacteria in the gut which is used to break down food is produced for each specific food they eat so when you change the food the bacteria needs time to change too - and if you do it too quickly the bacteria cant keep up so they get colic or cant digest it properly, well not to its full effect anyway.

I wonder if the problem is something to do jumping in the school? what is she like out of the school with jumps I wonder.

Packhorse

Things have improved a lot now but I am starting to think she is just naturally lazy lol
In my eyes, who ever had her before has let her get away with absolute murder and let her do what ever she wants because when you get tough with her she does work properly but I want her to njoy her work enough to do it herself if you get me?

Jumping in the field she can be lazy too but not as much as in the school! We went for a sponsored ride last Sunday and she was really forward the whole time and my hands atually hurt after! We did a jump in one of the fields and she really went for it and enjoyed it and it was perfect! She loves hacking though!
She needs to get fitter and I am hoping once she is this will help her be more forward and exciteable!
I am getting more faith though and also doing a bit of work on the lunge with side reins to help her work her back end! I will post some pics later tonight!

Maybe she has done lots of schooling and jumping in the school and got stale. It could be that the previous riders couldn't handle her out on hacks if she gets a bit busy (which is what it sounds like) Maybe she is one of those horses who really needs variety in her life. Maybe previous riders got scared and didn't take her out much. I think we have all come across that situation at yards.

Perhaps doing the sponsored rides and fun hacks in between the school work is what she needs to keep her interested in life. Some people never ever seem to go outside the school and the poor horses get bored out of their brains. A bit like kids having to go to school every day and never having any play time I suppose - in the end they stop listening to the teacher. good to hear it is going better.

That is exactly what I am starting to think
I have been making her work more varied, some days we hack, some days ride in school, some days she is free schooled over jumps, some days lunged, some days ridden and jumped in field....
I do just think she has been let to get away with murder because half the time she tries her luck, ridden and on the ground, and its like she has never been told off!

She really enjoyed the sponsored ride and now I know she is great to take out it will stop me stressing so much!! I couldnt believe how good she was as it was her first time out for a very long time and her first time at all with me!

Yeah - perhaps the person was scared on the ground too !!! Be firm but fair and let her know you are the leader but without being aggressive of course. I find that with horses which are bored in the school you can do lots with poles on the ground. I have them dotted around so that you sometimes trot over a pole as you do a circle or change of rein or come down the inside track and sometimes not.

I kind of try to think of games to play if you like, just to make their life more interesting in the school. I try to think of different ways to change the rein too as you school them so never change the rein the same route more than twice in each schooling session. I find that makes them think a bit more and not switch off.