# I cant ride laid back horses. Anyone else?



## Elsa5 (May 4, 2014)

Im a quiet and confident rider, and prefer the high strung hot horses. Probably because thats what I grew up ridding and my current mare is also like that.

My trainer always asks me to lunge and ride this 5 year old gelding in training at my barn. I swear I have never met a horse as lazy and laid back as he is....and whats weird is that I find it frustrating. I get on him and I feel confused and unsure on what to do, I start to second guess myself and make stupid mistakes. When im riding him I feel like a beginner rider. Which makes me mad at myself because really he should probably be the easiest horse at my barn to ride! My trainer thinks its good for me because hes the complete opposite of my mare. Which I understand completely.

Anyone else with the same problem?


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## DuffyDuck (Sep 27, 2011)

I prefer to have to work for it, then hold it back. 

My first school master was very very well trained, and if you asked him correctly, would give the world. But he was a demanding horse who had to be warmed and worked towards the go.. then he gave it his 110%. He wouldn't, however, be the hot type. 

My next horse was one I had to hold back, and I spent more time fighting her than I did riding. I was exasperated.

My last horse was an eager pleaser. He worked, and still does, to please the rider. He was not lazy, not hot, he was just perfect and a good worker. Very easy off the leg, and very very pliable to new things at all times. I was super lucky with such a young horse!


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I like a naturally calm horse, but I also like a sharp horse. For me and what I do, it's much easier to urge a slower horse to speed up than it is to try to contain a horse that just wants to GOGOGOGO.

That said, I hate dull horses. I cannot stand to ride "beginner/kid safe" horses because they don't respond to light cues quickly enough to suit me and I end up frustrated.

I've worked my butt off to get my naturally very lazy draft cross responsive to the slightest brush of my leg or a lift of my hand, but I prefer him to my old guy Denny, who ended up being very hot and reactive due to my own ignorance in training (trained him when I was still a young teenager).


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

And I agree with your trainer. Sounds like you riding a calm horse is a good challenge for you and can only make you more well-rounded.

There's pros and cons to both. I have two horses and they are polar opposites. 

Red is a go-go-go-go horse. One thing I absolutely love about him is that he is always ready to go forward. In that I simply "adjust" my leg to cue for the lope and off he goes, no questions asked. One thing that has been difficult with him is to slow him down! I often have to keep a little contact on his mouth to remind him to keep his pace (and not speed up) when I would rather have him on a loose rein. 

Shotgun is a laid back 3-year-old. He'd be perfectly happy to stand all day. So the thing that has been difficult is to keep. him. moving. I've got to be real careful not to "sit" in my seat when we are trotting or loping, or he'll take the cue to stop. I'm always driving him forward, so we'll just call it a good leg workout!! But the part that has been super easy is his headset! He so relaxed that his neck is nice and level and I've got him on a loose rein. He never speeds up on his own without me asking, which is nice. 

So there are good and bad to both. I'd say if I have to pick, I'd probably pick Red because I do like a horse with get-up-and-go. 

But riding both types of horses can definately make you a better rider.


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## BlueSpark (Feb 22, 2012)

I like hot horses. I hate having to constantly ask for forward movement, and I find its easier and more enjoyable to teach a hot horse to slow down and travel at the pace I asked then to try and make a lazy horse speed up. I also like them 'sharp' and responsive, and I find its easier to get that with a naturally reactive horse than a lazy one. 

then again, I started riding horses I couldn't stop that were extremely forward with no stirrups or horn. If the horse got going and stopped listening, you hung on until they slowed down, then redirected. I went from that to ottb's and arabs. The first few lazy horses I rode were actually problem horses that balked and bucked and reared and stalled then spun, or stalled an refused to move. I developed an aversion to them from that. My first lazy horse I tried to start was the laziest horse I've ever seen, incredibly intelligent and had a buck that would have done a saddle bronc proud.

needsless to say, I don't like lazy horses.

any how, it is a very good thing for you to learn to deal with OP. I find lazy horses are the best for really nervous riders, because they tend to stall out if the rider panics instead of reacting badly.


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## ReiningCrazy (Jan 20, 2012)

Laid Back and Lazy are TWO totally different things. My horse is like smrobs described. He is calm and quiet but you add leg and he has get up and go but will stay (usually he is still young ) at the pace you ask unless you ask for faster. That is a horse I like, I hate fighting with a lazy horse but I have ridden a few of them to know what to do to get the best out of them. You might hate it but when you can get that lazy horse to do what you want you feel like you completed something. If I could get my lazy lesson horse to spin a nice +1 spin I was on cloud 9, sure it took a lot of work and fustration but he did teach me a lot.


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## Elsa5 (May 4, 2014)

I guess your right. Thinking about it a finished 2d barrel horse I use to ride was laid back and I loved him.

But the horse she has me ride is both. You could shoot fireworks off that horse and he wouldn't flinch. Good luck getting him to even do a normal speed walk. Usually he just slowly drags his feet. You really have to ride him every step or he just stops. The owner loves him because shes a nervous rider and he makes her feel secure. 

Shes working on my horse to slow her thinking down and shes working with him to speed him up. The 2 are just so different I dont know how to correct or ask him correctly because its different then what I would do with my mare. 

I understand why she has me ride him but I will NEVER own a horse like him!


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## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

I like a happy medium. I've had too many accidents with "hot" horses so I no longer enjoy riding them as much. 

I loved riding my first horse, as she was push button and sensitive, but not overly excitable. For a beginner she would get very lazy and unless they cued her correctly they would not be able to get her to go. Yet I could hop on and she would be perfect! 

The mare I ride now is very forward, but completely sane and not prone to silly stuff, so I enjoy her as well. 

I find extremely lazy horses very annoying now, but as a child I would always ride the lazy ones, as then I would have that lesson horse to myself. No one wanted to ride the laziest horse in the barn and I didn't have to share him! 

Currently, I would much prefer laziness over craziness. (Not to say there aren't crazy horses who are lazy!)... I worked at an Arabian farm, and the ugliest horse there was my favorite. He was so ugly his owner couldn't even sell him, but I preferred him, as he was rock solid and sane!


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## BlueSpark (Feb 22, 2012)

I guess I could add to my original post, I do like the horses that are virtually unflappable, super sane, take everything in stride and are happy to take direction, whether that is slow down, speed up or stay steady. They are few and far between. My Pickles is that way, plenty of gas if I need it, happy to chill if I don't. Pretzl is a bit more towards the hot end of things, but typically is pretty easy to rate and willing to walk when asked.

I guess either extreme sucks. no one wants a horse that jigs uncontrollably, likes bouncing and bolting everywhere, spooks at its own shadow and refuses to slow down and think.


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## Corazon Lock (Dec 26, 2011)

I personally like horses that are sane but will give some get up and go. I love my Arabian. He's got energy like you couldn't believe and prances through the trails even when he is out of shape. But, he's responsive and will slow right down when you ask him to.

My other horse is a lot more laid back, and getting speed from him really depends on the situation. On the trail, he prefers to go very slow, except up and down hills or over logs (working on the hill thing). You set jumps in front of him and he's very eager. He's super fast if you're racing with someone, but otherwise he doesn't really even gallop. He's a goon. 

That being said, I dislike horses that have absolutely no go, and I dislike horses that have no whoa.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Elsa, FWIW, how I successfully trained my lazy guy to be super responsive (he'll spring into a nice cadenced lope from a very faint squeeze and will fly as fast as his fat legs will let him with a couple bumps and a smooch) is to ask very lightly and then, if he didn't respond the way I wanted, get after him and force him faster than I originally asked. For example, if we were standing still and I asked for a walk and he didn't walk right off, I'd use my bridle reins and whip him up into a trot. I wouldn't use my legs except for the initial cue. If we were walking and I wanted a trot and he didn't oblige immediately, he'd get whipped up into a lope. Same thing with steering. I'd ask lightly with rein and leg and if he didn't respond NOW, I'd keep the rein on and start shagging his butt with the outside bridle rein.

Sounds mean, I know, but it's hard to instill motivation in a horse that is naturally unmotivated and being nice and repetitive failed miserably.

Of course, all this was done in the snaffle bit during the early training stages. By the time I moved him up to a curb, a light bump with my legs was more than sufficient to "fix" any sluggishness he showed.

And, of course, any amount of sensitizing work like I mentioned above needs to be balanced out with desensitizing to keep them from getting scared of the bridle rein flopping around or you waving your arm out to the side. On my young horses, I am almost always flapping the tail of a rein like a crop against the outside of my leg or twirling it in a circle out to the side of them or over my head like a rope.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

The more trained a horse is, the harder it is to ride. This calm quiet horse probably has a lot of buttons and you've been riding hot heads which means, you probably haven't had time to learn it all....


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## Elsa5 (May 4, 2014)

Actually this horse is more green then my mare hence why hes in training.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

I don't get to ride many lazy horses. Calm, but very forward horses, yes. A few speed-crazed horses, yes.

If I have to do something on a lazy horse, I can wake them up enough to get the job done. I'd rather have to do that than stress about one running over a sick calf or charging into a group of other riders. 

My own will get lazy sometimes. I wake him up and then he's all business until we're done.


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## clumsychelsea (Jul 9, 2014)

With one of my trainers she had new horses coming through the barn all the time and I usually got a chance to ride each of them which was great because I got a lot of experience riding different kinds of horses. I discovered quickly that I DESPISE a horse that plants their feet and refuses to move. Give me a horse that wants to run any day, at least I can harness the energy that's already there instead of trying to create it in an obviously unwilling animal. 

My mare is a strange one, it really depends on the day with her. Sometimes she's the most stubborn creature in the world and will try everything in the book to get out of work, but other days she's very forward and excited to go. It's a little frustrating not knowing which "personality" to expect when I go to get her, but it certainly makes things interesting. :lol:

There's also another mare at my barn that I ride quite often (BO lets all the boarders ride his horses whenever they want, he's amazing) and she's the best of both worlds. She won't spook at ANYTHING and is content to walk as slow as you please, but when you kick it up a notch she can keep up with the hottest horses in the barn and puts her entire heart into it. That's my ideal.


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## Beling (Nov 3, 2009)

It can be much harder to ride the "cold" horse. It can show up a lots of faults in your riding.

In my case, I never realized before how unconscious I was of my weight, because my "hot" horse just _went_ no matter where I was sitting. My present horse is very aware if I'm in good balance or not.

The "cold" horse will also develop the strength and precision of your "pushing" aids. I also think you can feel the different qualities of moving better with a laid-back horse.

That said, I also like my other horse, who is always so ready to move on and go to work!


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## horseluvr2524 (Sep 17, 2013)

smrobs said:


> Elsa, FWIW, how I successfully trained my lazy guy to be super responsive (he'll spring into a nice cadenced lope from a very faint squeeze and will fly as fast as his fat legs will let him with a couple bumps and a smooch) is to ask very lightly and then, if he didn't respond the way I wanted, get after him and force him faster than I originally asked. For example, if we were standing still and I asked for a walk and he didn't walk right off, I'd use my bridle reins and whip him up into a trot. I wouldn't use my legs except for the initial cue. If we were walking and I wanted a trot and he didn't oblige immediately, he'd get whipped up into a lope. Same thing with steering. I'd ask lightly with rein and leg and if he didn't respond NOW, I'd keep the rein on and start shagging his butt with the outside bridle rein.
> 
> Sounds mean, I know, but it's hard to instill motivation in a horse that is naturally unmotivated and being nice and repetitive failed miserably.
> 
> ...


This is what I've been doing with my mare. We had a transitions lesson yesterday, and a little spat over whether or not she remembered what they were :lol: It was a lot harder to sit that ridiculous fast trot they produce when refusing to lope since I didn't have stirrups (they were on my other saddle, I rode my dressage saddle and was too lazy to move them haha) but its good for my seat anyway. I decided I was fed up with all the gimmicks everybody wanted me to use (whips, spurs, etc.) and I was going to train this horse to go whether I had an aid or not. The end goal is to go to our first jumping show without a crop!

Yesterday I would ask nicely with a little squeeze one time, and if no response then I really got after her, even smacking her with the reins several times barrel racer style. I hated doing it, I really did and felt bad the rest of the night. But if we are ever going to move past this, it has to be done. By the end of the session she was extremely responsive and I wasn't having to cluck like a chicken constantly. I had decided to get off and cool her out in hand because I didn't want to let her turtle walk while I was riding. I want to get it in her head that if she is being ridden, then she needs to be forward. She was even responsive to the little clucks while being led in hand (she always was responsive to them but more than normal), immediately speeding up her walk. I praised her like crazy every time, without stopping. I've discovered that the biggest mistake I made over the years training her was doing the majority of praising whenever she stopped or was walking. No more! Only forward movement is praised now haha.

A big part of success with this mare though, has been giving her alfalfa to make her a bit hotter. Its worked, but I have to make sure I keep up with her and ride her or else she is a basket case due to not expending the extra energy.

My mom's mare is that perfect inbetween everybody is talking about. Sweet and sane, responsive and super light off the leg. She's a QH, her gallop feels like riding a freight train lol. As long as she stays off hot feeds like alfalfa, she can sit the whole week and come out just as sane and sweet and responsive.

I'm not a huge fan of "hot" horses. I like energetic horses, but not hot. What's the difference? "Hot" horses are the ones that the riders are spending more time trying to harness the energy than they are riding. The old BO had a young arab. Taking that horse someplace new, she often spent more time trying to get him to cool his jets than she did riding. I remember one trail ride in particular, I didn't ride but the other riders told me he spun in circles the entire time. What's the fun in that? I think when a horse is too "hot", either they have the wrong diet for them or are not being ridden, trained or exercised correctly or enough.


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## Palomine (Oct 30, 2010)

Your prior threads on your background with horses is vastly different from this one.


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## Elsa5 (May 4, 2014)

Ya shes still is in training and is improving fast. Shes turning into a great horse. I feel like with how much time and training ive put into her that I know her from the inside out. So switching to another horse that is so different is a little hard for me.

But as far as training, shes further along than the other horse im talking about. He needed corrective shoe work so he had to sit for awhile


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## Elsa5 (May 4, 2014)

Sorry thought you were talking about my horses background.

Ive been riding off and on for several years (parents hate horses). Never took lessons on an actual lesson horse, I usually got stuck with the green ones. Would show random neighbors horses in 4h. When I turned 16 I started paying for barrel racing lessons and rode several of his horses. He had 4 personal finished barrel horses and he also would buy and resell a few so I would ride whatever he had at the moment. With my current trainer I apprentice with her and help with the other training horses. I also ride a lot of the boarders horses at my barn. 

This is the first lazy/laid back horse ive ridden and Im having a problem with it


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## amberly (Dec 16, 2012)

I am not a laid back person. I ahve one horse who is, and it drives me crazy because he is so lazy. My other horse, who is the same age and is half brothers with brisco, is fun. His behavior isn't good and we work on that - but that is what I like. I like having to work with te horse instead of sitting back lazily. Golley - the "fun" one - when I first get on likes to get his energy out in bucks. he is very moody and cranky. No I don't want any mean comments to this because I am working on him not doing that, and I don't get on him and make him buck or whatever. He has gotten much better as I wrok with him more.

But yes - I fell the same way!


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## BreezylBeezyl (Mar 25, 2014)

I don't like to ride lazy horses but I also don't like to ride hi-strung horses. My mare is a very forward thinking horse and has lots of go, but isn't hot and uncontrollable. She has energy, but also has a brain. She is sane and I need that in a horse.

Contrary to what some others are saying, I find it is way easier to control a horse with more go than woah as long as you have the tools and confidence to deal with it. But I think this also depends greatly on the personality of the rider. I don't have much patience and as long as I am busy and moving I am happy - because even if I am not getting the desired result I can keep trying as long as my horse also has try.

I find the lazier horses don't have as much try in them and getting them to be forward thinking is just too frustrating for me to deal with. Some people with different personalities probably prefer lazier horses, but not me.

That's why there are different horses for different riders! 

PS: I look for the same traits in my spouses... No lazy boyfriends for me! Haha.


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## GreySorrel (Mar 5, 2012)

Elsa5 said:


> Sorry thought you were talking about my horses background.
> 
> Ive been riding off and on for several years (parents hate horses). Never took lessons on an actual lesson horse, I usually got stuck with the green ones. Would show random neighbors horses in 4h. When I turned 16 I started paying for barrel racing lessons and rode several of his horses. He had 4 personal finished barrel horses and he also would buy and resell a few so I would ride whatever he had at the moment. With my current trainer I apprentice with her and help with the other training horses. I also ride a lot of the boarders horses at my barn.
> 
> This is the first lazy/laid back horse ive ridden and Im having a problem with it


I am a bit confused...you have had no lessons til now, then only barrel lessons, you ride someone else's horses, you also ride a lot of the boarders horses at the barn you board at. 

If I boarded my horse at a boarding barn, there would be NO WAY anyone not experienced or is a trainer, would get on my personal horse. Your untried and unsure. Reading your other threads you don't have the experience nor the patience for exercising other horses, as you give the impression all you want to do is go, go, go. 

Hope you signed a release too that gives you the right to be on horses other than your own in case you get hurt, or in the event that you hurt the horse your covered as well. What experience do you have to be riding others horses?

I DO ride other people's for a living, part of my job being a barn manager and part time groom/barn girl for another lady. I have the experience, the training, and can back up what I do with a resume if that was also needed. I have had to sign waivers releasing the owner from any legal action should I hurt myself and/or their horse.


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## Elsa5 (May 4, 2014)

GreySorrel said:


> Elsa5 said:
> 
> 
> > Sorry thought you were talking about my horses background.
> ...


All boarders have to sign a waiver, which covers everyone for any horse ridden on the property. I have permission from all the owners to. And the horse in training is owned by a friend which is best friends with my trainer.

And its not that im impatient and just want to go its just a different mindset that im not use to


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## BearPony (Jan 9, 2013)

I also prefer a forward horse and would pick very hot over lazy any day.

Both of my horses are naturally forward thinkers, so as a result on the days when I take lessons on my trainer's school horses rather than trailer one of mine in (sometimes, the time saved by not trailering is the difference in me being able to squeeze in a lesson or not) she very often picks one of her lazier horses for me to ride as it is a good challenge and a way to push me out of my comfort zone a bit and be a more adaptable rider.

However, I've found that even the lazy school horses sharpen up quite quickly if you are firm and consistent. With the trainer's ok, of course, on the lazy horses I carry a jumping bat or dressage whip. If the horse does not move off a reasonable leg aid, I use the whip to back it up. For a really lazy horse, we may even resort to pushing the horse up into a faster gait, perhaps a hand gallop to instill the idea that me asking for forward without a doubt means go forward! Usually it only takes a few transitions before the horse is much more attentive to my aids. The ride is then more pleasant for us both.

Perhaps you could have your trainer coach you through something like this? It is pretty easy to describe, but as in so many things with horses, timing is everything!


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## gigem88 (May 10, 2011)

You must be young!! I was the same way many moons ago, but with age I find the more quiet horses are what I crave now...lol


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## Roman (Jun 13, 2014)

I hate horses that just lumber along like they're dragging their feet. I want to feel like we're going somewhere and we'll be back by dark! But I don't want them walking too fast, just calmly but with purpose.

I do like a horse that throws challenges at me, whether be bad habits, spooks, desensitation, etc. Because, it makes me learn. Now ya'll would probably disagree and say a 20 yo, lazy/laidback horse is better to learn. Yes, if you're just starting. But as you advance I would like a horse that could spook and then you learn how to keep your seat.
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## 2140lacy (Mar 31, 2014)

I like to have work but not TO much work like i dont want to be worrying every 2 seconds that im going to be bucked off but i still dont want to just sit there i like a horse i ave to correct a little bit


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

There is a big difference between laid back and lazy/sour/dead to the leg, just as there is a big difference between forward going and hot/sharp.
To me it sounds like you've only ever ridden forwards horses, hot/sharp horses tend to put you in hospital if you twitch wrong. I've ridden many many hot/sharp horses and it is never fun, you can never ever relax and you can never ever lose concentration, if you do they have a lovely tendency to explode in spectacular style.
Laid back horses can be very forwards, my current lad is extremely laid back he takes the world in his stride and at 4 yrs old and broken less than 9months he is bomb proof to hack out on even in horrific conditions, I can slop along with loops in his reins and not end up on the floor yet he is extremely forwards from my leg and a tiny twitch of my calf will get me a walk to canter transition. I can leave this just broken youngster for 9 weeks and then scramble on board and go for a hack.
You need to be able to ride a lazy horse to be able to call yourself a rider. A lazy horse can do far more for your riding than any number of forwards horses. You have to learn to get your leg on properly without compromising your position, and to realy ride. It helps with all other horses, if a horse spooks sideways whilst on a road clamping your leg on on the road side will prevent a horse swinging it's backside into an on coming car. Being able to send a horse forwards or clamp each leg on independently is important to prevent refusals or run outs when jumping and in dressage strong legs help to bend the horse wrapping it round the inside leg.
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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Faye, I know you miss Reeco and I know he taught you a ton, but overall, it sounds like Lenny is a better horse. Or at least a more enjoyable one :wink:.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

I've spent years trying to turn my horse into a laid-back horse. Yesterday, she spooked for the first time since March. Did a sideways jump, and tried to turn around. My leg caught her about halfway thru the turn. Stopped her, and turned her back to the "threat" - *a guy pulling weeds in his yard*. 

"_OMG! OMG! A HUMAN! IN THE WILD!"_








​ 
Yeah, well we eventually got past that terrifying sight and finished our ride. I'm not a fan of lazy horses, but riding a drama queen has its drawbacks. :?


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

This is the lout yesterday
He was sat on for the first time at the end of April, I have taken him to my mothers house for Christmas so he has been here for all of 4 days, and this was his first solo hack, we've always previously gone with someone else! Oh and this was the first time he had ever seen tinsel let alone had it wrapped around his browband and in his tail



He is very very forwards and quick off your leg but there is never the dangerous/ explosive edge that a hot/sharp horse has. He also met cows and sheep for the first time and seems to believe they are funny shaped ponies as he kept calling to them
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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

​ 
Oh my goodness! Mia wouldn't slow down this side of the Mexico border! Of course, I'd also have no chance to mount her, so at least I wouldn't need my passport. I can imagine the Craigslist ad:

"_Lost: Arabian mare with Christmas decorations on her tail. Last seen doing 45 thru the Nogales border station..._" ​ 
Sounds like you have a heck of a horse!


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

Reeco wouldn't have tolerated it either and probably would have decked me the first time it rustled. 
Wish me luck tomorrow I'm introducing the lout to the beach!
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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Ah yes, the soothing, restful beach:










Good luck! My horse keeps her distance from puddles a half inch deep...


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## Iseul (Mar 8, 2010)

I prefer more of a "go". Not too much of my riding is done at a walk, so I'm not usually holding back too much. By the time our ride is over they're more than happy to walk the last half mile to the barn.
I like a responsive, willing horse that can feed off my energy. Alahna will take off as soon as I put my leg on her if I feel a certain way (maybe a car flying down the road toward us and obviously not paying attention). If we're just going for a casual ride, she'll go off my leg/verbals accordingly. She does get laid back if I'm lazy and/or tired that day. If I'm tired, we're probably just strolling and she knows that.
THAT is what I like in a horse. I like a horse that can be laid back when I am and can amp it up when I do without a ton of extra cues.
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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

Here is the thread with the results of our beach trip
http://www.horseforum.com/horse-riding/lout-goes-beach-524121/#post6775857
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