I have a five year old Thoroughbred that is in training with an eventing trainer. The trainer says he is too lazy / laid back. Not fanatical enough. Though he is a good jumper and never refuses a jump. But he also likes it a lot when he can go back to a walk.
What could be going on and what could be done to make him more enthusiastic? Most Thoroughbreds love cross country, to run fast and are foreward horses. I must add that he is hardly ever ridden outside of the arena. And he has only competetd twice because he is still young. After his second (and last) cross country the vets could not believe he is a Thoroughbred, his heart rate was incredibly low. However he did get spooky a few times during that cross country. During his first competition he did not look at anything.
Blood work.
Get him outside.
I once had a 2 year old at the track who I had to wake up in the morning…
Was that 2 year old too lazy to race?
I had a two year old colt who was acting like a 30 year old plow mule. He looked the picture of health with great weight and a coat that literally glowed but I did an ulcer treatment trial anyway. He was bucking in the stall by the 3rd dose.
Maybe we should give that a try Laurierace! I know he has never had such treatment.
I know he is eating well enough but you never know.
Blood work and a fecal egg count. Horses can look good and eat well in spite of ulcers or a heavy parasite load.
Slow heart rate, plus lethargy and/or exercise intolerance are issues I would bring to my vet’s attension
Thank you for your r esponses. I will have him examined.
Good advice above. I should have added that we treated for ulcers after all the tests turned up nothing.
Some horses - thoroughbreds included – are just super quiet, which you might translate to lazy.
I have a homebred tb who is kick along quiet. I never ran him though he did train ‘up to’ ready to work, but he was so damned quiet I went direct to sport horse/foxhunter route.
Another in the barn was a super claimer - Penn National and Pha Park - won 12 at the bottom, favorite every time out - but he, too, is dead easy, dead quiet. A kids’ horse from the moment he arrived here. (Though I’m told he ‘looked like a walking tack shop’ headed up the ramp to train - apparently he was really tough and up in the bridle when he was on the flat. I trained him 2 seasons to run over hurdles (he was a winner) and he was amateur quiet to jog, to gallop, to work, to school and to run. Not lazy at all, but just so damned quiet.
I have another - retired huntsman’s horse - Mountaineer/Presque Isle runner - same. Kick along quiet.
The only not lazy horse in my string is a big fat 22 year old Irish Draught horse. Pulls like a locomotive.
I agree with Hunter’s Rest - some TB’s are just dead quiet. Mine is. I attached his CANTER video. It made me laugh, so I bought him. He raced until he was 7yo. He’s healthy and sound, but just a big, sweet, quiet slug.
Also - get him out of the ring, A LOT. Jack hated ring work, but slowly became forward, engaged, and interested during our hacks. That translated to the ring, as long as ring work was fun. Keep him guessing, keep him thinking. And keep him hacking.
Jack the Slug’s video (taken after 6 months letting down): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_z60rzsem1Q&feature=youtu.be 
I am glad to hear that my five year old TB stallion is not the only quiet/lazy TB. Stljl it would be Nice if he would be a bit more active and lively.
Nope. I also have a super lazy, slug-like OTTB. I have zero doubt about why he didn’t make it at the track. I’m having a very lucky, good day when I can get him to canter.
Mine is an eventer and he is doing nicely but there is doubt he will make a two star horse because of his lazyness.
