How to Make a Stubborn or Lazy Horse Go Forward

Reasons a Horse Is Reluctant to Move Forward

If a horse won't go forward، then it might just be lazy—but there are several possibilities that may be causing the behavior، and you should check for them first. Here are a few of the common ones.

1. A Medical Issue

Sometimes the symptoms of a medical issue، pain، or discomfort are mistaken as "laziness"; back pain، ill-fitting tack، or an overly-harsh bit can all make a horse reluctant to go forward.

This was brought home to me a few weeks ago when I arrived at the barn I help out at. The owner told me G، a notoriously stubborn Quarter Horse، had "gone for" one of the grooms when she went to saddle him. On the assumption he was in one of his moods، she asked me to take a turn riding him.

I got on him and found the animal was lame on all four legs! Seriously. He was completely unable to go forward، which an inexperienced rider could easily mistake for laziness. A week later، we had a diagnosis. The poor horse had Lyme disease. No wonder he didn't want a saddle on his sore، aching back. In fact، at one point، he didn't want his nose petted. (He's completely fine now after a course of industrial-strength antibiotics).

2. You Might Be the Problem

If you've determined the behavior isn't caused by pain or discomfort، ask if the horse is always like this. If not، then yes، it's probably you. This could mean that the animal is prone to "testing" strange riders to see if they really mean it.

Or it could be that you aren't using the aids effectively for some reason. For example، I have a bad tendency to let my legs drift too far back when riding in a western saddle، which sometimes means they aren't effective، and، especially if the horse is prone to laziness، the horse has the perfect excuse to ignore me.