Horse not responsive in the arena

[ifyoulikealotofchocolateonyour]

My new horse is so lovely. He's only 7. A connie. I rode him for the first time after getting him a week ago. I was a bit worried he would be a bit nervous as he's been slightly unsettled this week (understandably) but when I asked for trot nothing happened. I tried a few pony club kicks but nothing so we just worked in walk. He was the same for my instructor a few days ago. When I tried him his owner rode him in spurs and we (my instructor and I) also found he needed spurs to respond in the school. All this is probably better than the other end of the spectrum ie he's not overly bonkers or liable to run off with me. However I don't want to ride him in spurs and so I need to find a way to make him more responsive to the leg.

My questions are why do you think he's like this in the school at only 7? Is it just because he's used to spurs or something else? And secondly do you have any tips for me to make him more responsive. I don't want to be whacking him and kicking him.

If he is reluctant to go forward, he could have PSSM, Connie's are susceptible to it.
You can test for this via a sample of hair from the mane. I used Laboklin in Manchester.

I'd do a lot of lunging and get him responding to voice cues. I'd also swap the school for hacking for a bit and see if that helps get him marching out a bit more and you can match cues to response (might need to be in company, that's fine).

Mine wasn't particularly responsive to the leg but she was to the voice.
So I'd ask for trot by squeezing my leg and clicking at the same time. Would trot the long side and when going down to walk would make sure it was active. Do the same at the next long side.
Didn't take her long to catch on and now she trots off the leg beautifully.

If he’s not responding to the leg, after ruling out any physical issues - my friends very forward horse went very backward when he had arthritic changes in his hocks, I’d address it as a schooling issue, pony club kicking/spurs used to gee them up rather than for refinement of the aids is just giving them more to evade. It sounds simply like the leg=forward aid has been poorly taught

Will he trot up on the lunge or with someone running beside him? If his previous owner rode him with spurs, which often go hand in hand with other aversive methods, he may associate trotting with pain and/or stress. Not an expert, but I would try in-hand work with a lot of bending, poles, turns etc with a view to loosening him up and improving his balance.

Any reluctance to move forwards should always be investigated by vet first. Once you have ruled out physical issues you can then look at behaviour/schooling.
What is he like hacking? Are you giving him a variety of work?

It's not at all uncommon for young connies particularly those recently imported from Ireland to have done a lot on paper, jumping, hunting, competitions etc but really lack the schooling foundations and basics to back that up. They can be weak and gangly too and find schoolwork particularly in a small arena and/or on a deep surface very tiring and hard work too. It's not necessarily that they were started 'wrong' or rushed for sale in an iniquitous way, just a different approach really where not a lot is done in an arena, it doesn't usually harm them in the long run as they turn into lovely all-rounders in the end but if you're going to be using the school a lot you may well find you have to go back a step or two in his education to get there.

It's a bit of a red flag though that his previous owner was riding him in spurs, they really shouldn't be necessary on a young horse meant for an all-round/leisure home, even if the pro knows how to use them properly their amateur client almost certainly won't so why accustom the horse to them?

As others have said get the health checks done, even if he was 5 stage vetted he could well have banged himself on the lorry coming to you or given himself ulcers by stressing and not eating properly on arrival. Get his saddle fit re-checked as well even if he came with it, and his teeth looked at. Then if given all clear I'd go back to basics, lots of groundwork, lots of hacking. Keep ridden school work short, easy, fun and varied. Work on his fitness and forwardness in circumstances where he's working with you not against you, don't get into a battle as connies can be really stubborn personalities and you certainly don't want to teach him that he only moves forward when made to do so with schooling whips and spurs. If you can afford it I'd also get your instructor to ride him regularly as well as teaching you, basically treat him like a younger and greener horse than he is for a while...

I would also echo what maxelly said about Irish imports. I bought a mare unseen a few year ago on a whim, gorgeous horse with a wonderful “can do” attitude, she had hacked/hunted extensively and I could take her anywhere from day dot but she’d done very little in the school and lacked the balance and bend, so found it very hard work and she lacked confidence in it especially in canter, so could be a bit backwards and even a bit spooky (which she isn’t in any other context). Lots of basic schooling and she’s now mint in the school too.

Check for physical issues
hacking can help
direct transitions so trot halt trot
lazy horses need less leg, not more. Ask once nicely, ask twice firmly then third time whatever you need to do to get say trot. Then come back to walk and repeat
your job to pick the pace, horses responsibility to stay in it
if you’re cantering try a light seat and go go go down the long sides. Basically rev up a bit and get them waiting for the aids
serpentines, walk the short sides, trot the straight bits

He isn't imported he came from a private home. I've done nothing much with him so far as I've only had him a week so wanted to give him time to settle. All I've done is a tiny bit of in hand work and he's had me and my instructor sat on him for 10 minutes twice.

I'll have a proper read through all your posts when I get a minute but thanks for them all some interesting thoughts.

Can your instructor get him to trot?
Does he trot in hand with no issues? Tacked or untacked ?

Does he trot when asked to on the lunge? ie does he speak English lol 😂 I had an Irish ride and drive cob and he only responded to the Irish driving word for trot on, which Ive now forgotten but someone will know. 🤣

@TalulahJP Lol, I discovered that DHorse goes into a speedy, stargazy trot for a clicking sound. This is unfortunate as I habitually make a clicking sound to mean “good boy, keep doing what you’re doing”. This has led to a few surprises!

Did you have him vetted ?

A clicky noise means go faster! Not good boy. You need to stop making that noise!

What's his gait like? Is it opposite pairs or same side? One of mine was off trotter stock and did the unbalanced head up both legs on one side moving together trot and didn't break into canter easily!

@TalulahJP yup, I know that now! 🤣 He’s a stockhorse, so he doesn’t pace, but he is still unbalanced and stargazy at the trot. He was trained when young but was then a paddock ornament for some time, then he had a bad hoof crack which kept him out of work for longer, so we’ve been bringing him back with low and slow work - that is, except when I accidentally ask for his speedy trot!

Yes. He passed a five stage last week with no issues.

Instructor struggles to get him to trot too! Is he just used to spurs?!

Did you get bloods done to check for drugging?

I'd say it's more likely he doesn't fully get what is being asked of him. For instance, when I was riding a driving horse he could appear dead to the leg, but actually had never learnt leg aides. I'd go right back to basics and effectively restart him. It sounds like there are some big gaps in his knowledge if he's sound and passed the vetting.

How about riding on the lunge for a bit, or having someone in the arena? You probably need to reinforce the aids with groundwork

Yes agree with this he just doesn’t understand the aid enough

@Lastqueenofscotland2thanks for this. How can I teach him that a squeeze means forwards then? I've never broken a horse before so I don't know how you go back to total basics.

Start on the ground, and get him listening to your voice cues when you are leading him. walk, trot, halt etc. Once this is established, use those same voice cues when you give your leg aids.

I think to be honest while back to basics is a good approach, if you're not sure what you are doing with it you are going to need professional help - not necessarily forever or even for a long time, but if (as it sounds) there's a fundamental gap in his understanding and he needs to be re-trained to fill that gap, that sounds a job for a professional rather than muddling through on your own and with MN advise (no insult to you and your ability, I have been exactly the same of effectively needing to restart a pony that has been badly broken in). What does your instructor think, I know you say they can't get him to trot without spurs too but haven't they offered some thoughts on what to do about it, or is their suggestion just that you ride in spurs? If they aren't the right person to re-correct his schooling and teach you how to maintain and continue that you may need to approach someone different with more experience with young/green horses, maybe even look at sending him away for 6-8 weeks intensive reschooling by a pro?

Have you tried riding him with a schooling whip and just giving him a little flick with that , if that works use the appropriate leg / seat aids and a cue word or noise at the same time and perhaps after a few goes he will get it without needing the schooling whip . If that doesn’t work I think you need a professional to restart him either regularly at your yard or even better send him somewhere local for a few weeks so that you can stay involved . I’ve always found with unresponsive horses that getting them really collected in the walk helps massively but you do need to be really effective .