My guy seems to have an “off button” at about 45 minutes. This is not a new thing. It is slowly getting better but it’s been a year and I am over it. While he knows all the upper level stuff we are working at about 3rd right now.
He stops. Just stops and won’t go forward for a minute until he is convinced to take a step usually into an opening rein. Rinse and repeat. Sometimes almost threatens to jump up a bit. He does this with my trainer as well. She waits it out. (See reasoning below). Then either a bit more work or some walk and good transition to halt and dismount. The dismount is the reward for going forward.
Not hocks. Not saddle. Not bit. Not ulcers. No pain response along the back or girth area after unsaddling. Not teeth.
I/we are hesitant to really pop him one because 1. He is very anxious due to past strong riders. He is slowly learning to trust himself and don’t want to hazard that.
2. He is super athletic and really smart.
Those of you with kissing spine experience, is this something I should look at?
Thanks all.
I wouldn’t think kissing spine if he works hard for the 45 minutes.
Maybe he’s tying up?
He sounds burnt out because he’s a physically healthy horse shutting down. Do you take him for rides outside the ring?
I am not a professional or upper division level rider, but I second this (just take my seconding it with a grain of salt).
Ditto… what’s his full diet? What’s his breeding?
This was next on my thoughts! 
I feel 45 minutes of focused arena work is more than enough for any horse. Does he shit down on trails?
Second this, My barn is home to two very upper level dressage trainer. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them actually work a horse longer than 45 minutes. Most sessions are fairly short 20min, lessons they teach might go a full hour but there is a lot of walking throughout the lesson. What is your 45 minute ride like? Is it hard work the entire time?
Thanks all.
Burn out is what we think but wanted other opinions.
Other training ops are in our future.
He is a PRE. His former riders are very strong riders. He was pushed and not given choices. He has shown GP. I have watched them ride at a few local shows and now I see things I recognize-just another sad example of “if I knew then what I know now”……
Iberians are super sensitive and have opinions. They try really hard within their capabilities and they love to do the right thing. But they aren’t capable of shutting down and putting up with force or boredom or drilling the way some WB, QH or draft crosses will. They are not stoic. They are communicative and flourish when you listen to them.
One way to sort out behavior from a low key physical issue is to change the situation. If the horse shuts down in the arena but is forward on the trails, he’s got an issue with the arena, he’s not lame.
He may have been sold on because he was starting to protest his former rider and life.
This behavior is more common than you realize especially in dressage barns.
A fellow boarder had a beautiful imported upper level WB who eventually totally shut down from the pressure of a heavy handed trainer. Fellow boarders claimed this trainer was known for this.
Horse refused to even walk a step under saddle.
Check out the better books online on Horse Behavior and how they learn.
How does the ride start?
How is his breathing, weight, and condition? Makes me think airway and/or muscle abnormality (or both) if he begins work forward and willing.
It is better to ride 20 minutes a day twice, morning and afternoon than ride 40 minutes once a day.
Sounds like a muscle issue. Get video for your vet, run some blood tests. Easy enough to rule it in or out.
For those of you saying 45+ mins is too long, are you including walk time at the start and end of the ride? I’ve always been told to do 10-20 minutes of walk before trotting, and then ~10 minutes of cooldown walk at the end. Do 20 minute rides exclude these phases in counting the ride time?
My guy will occasionally protest in a similar way (mid-ride) and I’ve been wondering if I’m overworking him. He never stops on our post ride trail walk.
Just to ask the question, what is the problem with this behavior? Not confronting you or being argumentative in any way … just wondering what you wanted to accomplish the “over 45 minutes” part of the ride. Maybe there are other ways to accomplish those goals, or prioritize differently, etc. Just asking because I think we all can fall victim to the, “I must ride for x minutes and do y things!” when maybe there is something to be said for more flexibility. Just an idea. I’m sure you’ll figure out the right thing!
Really sounds like he is tired of continual grilling / arena work.
Can you not work for about 30 minutes on arena work and then get him out into the open ? I am not a dressage rider but I know smart horses need change.
Update. Went to a clinic with a trainer I have worked with in the past. The good part - he was much steadier int he contact, and he was using his back. Everyone agrees that he looked better than ever. Otherwise every evasion and some new ones appeared. Even walking at the start he began the stopping behavior, but I kept his feet moving and we worked through it. Then, when that didnt work for him, he started noticing EVERY little thing going on outside the arena… that was very new.
We ended on a good note.
He had today off.
And thanks everyone for supporting the idea that he is just bored.
I have talked to my trainer about setting up some cavaletti and maybe a few ground poles to do some obstacles such as working eq. She was open to it and that is encouraging.
To those who think 45 minutes of work is a lot, it is made up of LOTS of walk looser rein, and trot with little if any collection. He barely works up a sweat even in our 85 degree weather. His muscles are building nicely. He also gets PEMF treatments every two weeks.
I’m not saying 45 minutes is a long ride. 5 hours is a long ride :). But you don’t need to school for 45 minutes. You can warm up and cool down on trails.
I don’t think your horse is bored. He is burnt out, completely different issue. The new evasive behaviors you experienced at the clinic will escalate until one day he blows up completely with a rear and a flip.
Is there a large paddock where you can walk around on him, is the driveway long enough to make walking up and down it worthwhile or are trails nearby that you could ride on? Are you comfortable riding outside an arena?
