Tricks to put the "go" button on stubborn Warmblood?

[Arcadien]

As you probably know by now, I usually ride TB's - the "go" is always there, in spades!

So now I'm teaching someone on this 7 yo warmblood(Hanoverian) cross gelding, and got on him tonight for the second time. He is so dull to the aids its not funny. His rider had fallen to just kicking & whipping him into eventually going (not sure how long this has been going on), but even then he is not really forward.

On him tonight, I tried to sensitize him the way that always works with my TB's - squeeze leg, if no response kick, if no response whip. I found I could kick & whip the hide of this guy! He is like "whatever". I finally got some impulsion when a dog scared him, then at least I knew he was alive (haha), and it motivated me to persevere. In the end I got some periods of decent forward but it took way more work than it should!

I got him where he'd respond before the whip, but not really before the kick. He's just totally not impressed and tuned out. (I can't blame him, after how he's been rough rode by this lady for awhile, but still, I expected to be able to soften him up a little, even in one ride - usually I can, on my TB types!) I need to be able to prove I can get him forward with light aids, before I can teach my student to!

So here to ask for help from those warmblood rider/trainers. Any different ways/tricks to teach/motivate a thick minded warmblood to go "forward"? Or will I get anywhere with my usual "ask, tell, command" method over time? (We've done the vet check/saddle fit thing, he looks & moves great in a field, but just "tunes out" under saddle.)

He's got a bit of a stubborn streak that has been noted on the ground. He's manageable though, and under saddle not bad, just tuned out. Made me glad to get back on my TB's where "go" is the least of my problems, lol! But he deserves a shot, obviously can move fairly well when free, has a decent jump as exhibited free jumping a few weeks ago.

Thanks for any tips, here or private,

Arcadien
arcadiafarm@juno.com

[Jazzy Lady]

For the flat, what seems to work with me when I warm up my lazy guy is tonnes of lateral work as well as trot to medium canter on a 20m circle transitions. REALLY push out the medium RIGHT away. It gets his butt in gear. Jumping... forward is not a problem... especially after steeplechasing at Midsouth!!!

[luise]

Big spurs? Seriously. I wear 1 1/4" spurs on my draft cross. I don't even have to use them that much--he gets the message and really goes with them.

[deltawave]

If he's totally been inured to the aids, it's going to take more than some "tricks". He may need a period of time when only you ride him, maybe some refresher sessions on the longe with voice aids, and some good old FUN out in the open: galloping, hills, following a group of horses, etc.

[Highflyer]

Yup, out in the open, in company. I'm riding a stock-bred Appy right now, and it is a huge adjustment. My own horse is a lazy TB, but even at his laziest he has nothing on this horse. What works with this guy is to take him "out"--which at the farm I'm riding him just means into the field next to the ring--and trot him over stuff. He's not at all built for jumping, sadly, but he really loves it. After he's done some cavelettis and a teeny rail road tie, he thinks he is hot stuff. And he suddenly comes in front of my leg, which is niiice. I've had TBs my whole life, and they've totally spoiled me for everything else.

[joharavhf]

I recently got a welsh cob pony who is very drafty....After years of having Arabs, I found myself having the SAME issue you're having. I think I FINALLY have him going now, so I'll offer some advice.

First, I put on spurs. I originally went with my 1 1/8" spurs (blunt end) and he was pretty dull to them. So I went and bought those "impuls" spurs which are a little kinder and "tickle" instead of stab. Those worked wonders.

Second, I took him to a foxhunting clinic!!!!! Wooohooooo!!!! Following all of those horses put the desire in him to move forward.

I go out on the rail trail quite a bit with him and it allows me to move along at a good clip without worrying about terrain. It's a WONDERFUL resource, and maybe you have something like that somewhere????

But I would definitely go with spurs and a whip. I ask first with leg, then I go straight to the whip and spurs together. I don't mess around when asking. I'm too old to nag.

Good luck!

[Bobthehorse]

I have a lazy QH who is also a grumpy QH, so no whips or certain spurs. Im big on the canter walk canter figure eights. Canter circle, simple change through walk at X. Revs him up real good.

Also have a WB/TB, but he has plenty of go, just not in the arena. I attribute this to the fact that he is just 5 and was only green broke when I got him at 4 1/2. He just doesnt have the strength, or the clarity, for sharp transitions. He sure does respect the whip though!! Big spurs dont do a whole lot though, which just reinforces my suspicion that he just doesnt always get the whole "move off the leg all the time and right now" thing. I squeeze, he doesnt listen, I flick until he is going as forward as I like. If I only flick once, he darts and then slows back down (he's not stupid! haha)

[Arcadien]

Thanks guys, you all are giving me a lot to think about for him. He does have a clue about laterals, and seemed to wake up a bit when asked. I just kept feeling "forward first" should be established, but maybe I will try more laterals to wake him up.

Also a good point about jumping, even small stuff, during flat work - that totally wakes him up! He is a talented jumper, actually, so I'll come up with ways to bring small jumps into his supposedly flat sessions.

And put on spurs! With my TB's I save them for more advanced flatwork or jumping, but you have a point, it may help with this guy. And yes, I'll be riding him mostly for a bit, rider is (understandably) burnt out on trying to make him go herself, and seems to enjoy watching me on him.

Keep any tips coming, please! Definitely helping me think outside the "TB box", lol.

Arcadien
arcadiafarm@juno.com

[Hilary]

Big spurs and two dressage whips. Really - that way you always have the whip ready to back up your leg. And be relentless.

Teach him to react to the whip first on the ground. Tap his hind cannon until he picks it up. Then praise. You don't want him kicking at the whip, which he may do, so don't praise that too much, although sometimes you do praise to reinforce that sometimes ANY reaction is a good one. Sometimes they don't really understand that whip tap = lift your leg(and move it!)

I evented a warmblood once and still can't believe how much effort it took on my part to generate sufficient energy on his. If I ever used my aids that forcefully on my TBs I wouldn't be sitting here.

[Bogie]

I have both a warmblood and a TB, so I know what you're talking about ;).

My big Trakehner gelding really resents spurs. I don't know how the horse you're riding will react.

What works for me:

- a lot of lateral work in the warm up to get him loose and supple.
- very little arena work (I do much of my dressage schooling in a large field)
- integrating small jumps into the flat school (I make them part of the pattern)
- when I ride him on the flat, I think about keeping him in a rhythm that would be suitable for jumping. I'm always pretending there's a jump coming up. Sound silly, but it helps!
- definitely a dressage whip. I've gone the "two hands" route in the past and that's effective.
- not pushing him through his rhythm. My warmblood has a huge stride and sometimes he feels like he's not moving "fast enough" when in fact he's covering a lot of ground.

Good luck!

[LLDM]

Thanks guys, you all are giving me a lot to think about for him. He does have a clue about laterals, and seemed to wake up a bit when asked. I just kept feeling "forward first" should be established, but maybe I will try more laterals to wake him up.

Arcadien
arcadiafarm@juno.com

In my experience, WBs simply aren't as naturally balanced going forward at speed. Hence the reluctance to "move on out" like TBs do more naturally. Harassing them may get you speed, but often at the expense relaxed, willing and balanced. This IS why the lateral work helps so much with a WB - they balance well at this (unlike the TBs, who can really struggle here).

Outside the ring work does help. Lateral work helps. But none of it will fix the issue if you WB is pushed into "forward" when he/she is out of balance - either on the forehand, strung out or counter bent on the turns. It makes them very uncomfortable and backs them right off. You wouldn't want to do it either! Spurs, whips, etc. will not help you in the long run when you want a willing gallop. You will need to maintain contact all the way around. Don't let go of the rein contact and DON'T take you leg off - you WB wants to know where you are in all this. He isn't going to go on by himself like your TBs! ;)

Unlike TBs, getting up off their backs isn't the cure for most things! LOL! You can sit on them at speed (if you keep your shoulders back :D) and use a driving seat into elastic contact. Don't worry about where the head is at first, he'll find the most comfortable, balanced place. If you work on short (like long side) canters keeping them (really) straight and really pushing through from behind, bracketed by very balanced corners and the up and down transitions it can be a big confidence builder. Also, really think *uphill* at the canter and the up and down transitions.

As they develop the right muscles and become comfortable - watchout! You'll be back asking about brakes (which is also a balance issue for WBs). WBs LOVE to GOOOO. But they need to be fit and balanced in ways that come more naturally to the TBs. They will pay you back in the lateral work and collection work when the TBs are starting to struggle with their balance issues!

God I love 'em both! Heck, who am I kidding, I love all the flavors of horse! Good luck and have fun.

Oh, and 7 is still quite young for a WB. He may have just stopped growing and filling out. Treat him a little like youngster physically, but like a grown up pony mentally! :lol:

SCFarm

[europa]

Start out with a strong trot to wake him up and suppleness exercises to loosen him up and get him flexible. Then I go ahead and canter pretty quickly. With my guy once we canter he is up for it. If he is still being lazy I put him through a grid or pop him over a single fence then he is looking for the next jump and is awake.

[Sparky Boy]

I have a young one that is very similar. I've found getting out of the ring is the only way to get her going on her own power. I always carry a whip and sometimes wear spurs. But she still wears me out some days.

So how do you get lateral work out of a horse that won't go forward in the ring?

[eventchic33]

If i understood you right he doesn't respond well to the aides given him and when he does it will finally move off them??
If so go way back to basics------ground work, and reteach from there. teach forward from the ground before adding all the extra aides from above. I have known many big solid dead sided horses of all breeds that do very well with it.

[asterix]

LLDM's post is great --
I've got BIG WB (see big man in my post) who will not go forward left to his own devices. I like to be mean to my TB-riding friends and put them on him for a dressage school :D they are exhausted when they are done.

Spurs. Always.
Lateral work is great. Get a marching walk, then begin leg yield, shoulder in, spiralling in and out on a circle, etc. I don't know if he knows half pass yet but that works well too.

Keeping the shoulders VERY straight and lifted, and engaging the hind end. You don't just want forward and on the forehand -- they need to push in order to go (technically this should be true for all horses, but for these guys it is really true).

The comment about just being done growing at 7 is true as well -- he may need more strength in order to carry you forward properly.

What has worked for me:
1. Horse has improved in strength and self carriage, over time. There is more to work with. this is a SLOW process
2. I have gotten MUCH stronger and am much more able to use seat and leg to engage horse.
3. No constant nagging. Change it up if it's not working.
4. Spurs. Spurs. Spurs.
5. Going out and doing something fun. My horse LOVES to bomb along trails and jump logs.
6. I did the T3d on this horse and WOW! He went from sort of meandering around xc to really having a serious go button.
7. Straight up fitness work. Once he was fit enough for the T3d or Prelim my friends would joke about pushing the go button -- if you are hacking out and you push that button, he's a whole different horse -- totally capable of blowing off most of his hacking buddies
8. Lots of turnout and a good diet -- in full prelim work, during the warmer months, my horse is on good grass 24/7 and hardly anything else -- a double handful of low starch/high fat food once a day, with some oil/sunflower seeds mixed in. In winter he needs more, but still less than you would think. They really shouldn't eat the same kind of diet as a TB.

Hope this helps!

[TheHunterKid90]

oh boy, uhm, are you meaning like...gets "Stuck" and won't go forward or literally dull and western horse like?
For either problem, I would try pony kicking...yes, sit there, let your legs flop on his sides like rags, and cowboy him into some forwardness. Most WB's are SOO resistant to strong squeezing and back off to squeezing even more. Pony kick and a whip in each hand behind the leg behind the leg.
Is he heavy in your hands too? Insist that he not pull on you and that he carries himself...walk around the arena and halt him when he pulls on you. Then restart. Don't let him take a wrong step. When they stop pulling on you, they are much happier to go forward and do the things that you want. Next, if you need big big spurs to do some schooling in the ring....then you need to change something. Take off the spurs and resensitize him. Once your horse is off your hand THEN and only then can you do lateral work...it's impossible to do good lateral movements with your horse on his forehand and pulling on you. Also, do alot of cavaletti work. Space them a little farther then comfort for your guy...approach with a tap of the whip behind the leg a few times...encourage him to reach forward into contact and open his stride over the poles...after the poles, try to keep that open free stride for even 5 strides.
For WB's it's all about freeing up their shoulders and making them more elastic....they are also very different from TB's in the sense that they feel like they aren't moving at all but in fact some have such a huge lumbering stride that they are actually covering more ground then you think. You just need to lighten their contact and making them pat the ground with their feet instead of thunder.
Hope this helps! =]

[KSevnter]

Just gallop him up a hill before you start every session (flatwork or otherwise) then he doesn't feel like he is on his forehand and it gets him out in front of the leg and engages his hind end. I have ridden lots of these types and i haven't found one this doesn't work on.

My dressage coach used to have me gallop the horses who were being introduced to a double bridle 2xs per week in the double. So that they associated the double with going forward into it.

[OneDaySoon]

I read somewhere that JW recommends a few laps at the canter for warming-up a WB (particularily before SJ) to get their juices going.

Alll the other posts are great ideas, and I ditto fox hunting and fun stuff. My dead-as-a-doornail WB discovered his TB side and suddenly there was No Stop Button.

I would work hard on the ask-respond-reward tactic and reward heavily for even a tiny improvement and give him time to adjust to the new strategy. You want him to learn to please you (and not his lazy self) and constant chasing with whips and spurs will not always achieve that result.

I would also have the rider do some of this on the ground outside of lesson time. For example, teaching him "back", "over", and "forward" using combined verbal and pressure commands (with reward) then progressing to just tiny hand pressure. Once in the saddle, you can repeat the verbal/small pressure and then progress to just small leg pressure. Remember that horses can feel a fly on their back, so training a horse to respond Willing, Respectfully and Promptly to the smallest and lightest request is the goal. Achieiving that respect bond is important between horse and rider.

[Sithly]

If he's totally been inured to the aids, it's going to take more than some "tricks". He may need a period of time when only you ride him, maybe some refresher sessions on the longe with voice aids, and some good old FUN out in the open: galloping, hills, following a group of horses, etc.

Agree with this.

I'd also cut out the middle step of your "ask, tell, demand." I'd ask nicely once, then wallop him. The middle step just gives him more of an opportunity to ignore you. Keep in mind that this is only fair if you are 100% consistent. The other person shouldn't be on him for a while.

If you're feeling unconventional, you could try a little clicker training. :D My horse tends to be lazy sometimes, but one day I got on him with the clicker and got some amazing, jumpy walk/canter transitions. I only did about 5 sessions, but the improvement has been lasting. FWIW.

[RiverBendPol]

http://www.chronicleforums.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=157844&highlight=emstah
Arcadian-My daughter posted this thread a while ago. She is still working with the 4 year old mentioned and things have changed a bit for them. The first great thing is that she moved him to our house. He is turned out on a big hill pasture with my 5 year old TB who is a complete nudge and tweaks the WB around all day so some actually useful muscle is building. We go hacking together, we have 'races' across our galloping fields. (keep in mind, my OTTB is OT because he didn't care to run fast at the track:)) BUT, the WB is beginning to see that there is life outside the ring and away from his home. He is trotting through puddles, he is the leader on our hacks, his flat work is MUCH improved. He now does about 10 minutes in the ring, max, every 3-4 days, with hour-long W-T-C's out in the fields and woods every day. He is accepting the bit, he has some nice gaits. Em has taken off the spurs and leaves the whip hanging in the barn. An occasional pony-club-kick seems to be getting the point across. When he does the WB-cement-feet-I-can't-possibly-move-thang, then my TB steps up and shows him the way, while Em does a soft-leg-on-get-going. The lighter the aids, the better, obviously, so see if you can intice yours with a bit of fun with friends. It is working a charm with this big lug!! :)

[max72]

My WB cross has the lazy gene too. But she gets better and better every day with consistent cues (like you describe) and holder her to higher expectations. I have to refuse to let her lean on me and she doesn't like it when she tries and finds no support there (this is the hardest one for me to remember). I am pretty short and she is 16.1; I wear baby spurs which she responds to better than a whip. (People with longer legs seem to have less trouble... lucky them)

As she gets more fit it is also getting better. she's now 6 and definitely better than a year, two years ago. Also a lot of transitions within the gait help us - trot and canter lengthenings and shortenings. And yup, keep it interesting, if exercises are not challenging, my horse's tendency is to forget about her butt and start looking for a cute gelding or bird or human or whatever to keep her interested.

[LSM1212]

Spurs. Always. Lateral work is great. Get a marching walk, then begin leg yield, shoulder in, spiralling in and out on a circle, etc. I don't know if he knows half pass yet but that works well too.

Keeping the shoulders VERY straight and lifted, and engaging the hind end. You don't just want forward and on the forehand -- they need to push in order to go (technically this should be true for all horses, but for these guys it is really true).

The comment about just being done growing at 7 is true as well -- he may need more strength in order to carry you forward properly.

What has worked for me:
1. Horse has improved in strength and self carriage, over time. There is more to work with. this is a SLOW process
2. I have gotten MUCH stronger and am much more able to use seat and leg to engage horse.
3. No constant nagging. Change it up if it's not working.
4. Spurs. Spurs. Spurs.
5. Going out and doing something fun. My horse LOVES to bomb along trails and jump logs.
6. I did the T3d on this horse and WOW! He went from sort of meandering around xc to really having a serious go button.
7. Straight up fitness work. Once he was fit enough for the T3d or Prelim my friends would joke about pushing the go button -- if you are hacking out and you push that button, he's a whole different horse -- totally capable of blowing off most of his hacking buddies
8. Lots of turnout and a good diet -- in full prelim work, during the warmer months, my horse is on good grass 24/7 and hardly anything else -- a double handful of low starch/high fat food once a day, with some oil/sunflower seeds mixed in. In winter he needs more, but still less than you would think. They really shouldn't eat the same kind of diet as a TB.

Hope this helps!

Have to agree with this... I don't have a warmblood but an Appendix. Who can be quite lazy on the flat.

PS - I love this picture: http://community.webshots.com/photo/2404006560070922539NGHUzZ

For my guy, it was about building him back up first. He's much better now that he is more fit.

I read somewhere that JW recommends a few laps at the canter for warming-up a WB (particularily before SJ) to get their juices going.

100% agree. This is what I do w/ my guy. I do the walk/canter warm up just to get him going... trot is so much easier if I do this. And I add a random small jump here and there. Keeps him alert... and listening... and more apt to listen to my aids.

God love him! :)

[asterix]

Thanks -- that was such a cool moment, at our first prelim, realizing he was TAKING me to the jumps. Go button indeed!

Going to third the canter work -- we now canter down the long side, on the opposite lead, before trotting up center line in our tests (so coming down the long side to turn right into the ring, we are on the left lead -- keeps us straight through the turn) -- because he is SO much more engaged in the trot after a good canter. Actually, first time we did that, we got a 10 on our center line!

If he's stuck, canter first, then trot.

[goeslikestink]

your aids have to be quicker and sharper try kick and click and send the horse into gallop
pat and praze him well so he gets it in his brian to go off your heal

once he has then bring him back into the school as no doubt prvious person didnt have clue and horse is dead to the sides
and work the horse in trot with plenty of transtions with the half halt stride so your leanghtening and shortening his strides and use a square arena using the fulll lenght and width

if the horse hasnt a clue to the half halt stride then pratice in walk to halt ie walk half halt - halt
let the horse do it in walk, to halt its easier for a horse to learn down gears to halt as there no where esle to go but stop then work up gears using all the walk strides ie free walk medium walk and extended all the trot strides then a mix of the two then add canter and counter canter go large with the horse when doing circles ie go all around the arena then slowly introduce 20mtres dont go any smaller as the horse is a big boy and might be difficult to peform so go large and wide
keep your hand soft and light and work the horse from butt to poll into a relaxed yaw
work from an independant seat and secure leg

[Donkey]

I have a young WB who was sucking me into kick, kick, kicking every couple of strides and she wasn't too phased by the whip. I went back to the lunge and taught her to move forward off of voice commands and now when I ride I ask, if no response I use voice and ask again, and if that doesn't work I ask and use voice and whip. I start this the moment my but touches the saddle and in less than a minute or two she's tuned up (I praise her a lot in the beginning when she gets it). Of course it orginally took her a couple of days to learn the routine and realise that she's a star if she listens to my subtle cues.

[wanderlust]

With my big, lazy WB, I don't ask for any kind of lateral work or contact before a couple laps each way at trot and canter on a loose rein. I pay attention to his shoulders and haunches, making sure he is straight, but I don't touch his face until we have two-pointed around at canter for a bit. Then he settles in and does good work. But if he didn't have that "left alone" warmup time, we'd never get past a mincing jog.

My trainer says the difference between TBs and WBs is the reaction time. TBs react instantaneously. WBs, they take a little time to process and think about it before they react. Hence the slow warmblood spook you can feel coming for miles before it actually happens, vs. the "holy crap that TB just spun out from under me" spook. So in your flatwork, you need to prepare him for what you want well before you want it. You want a canter in the corner? Ask for it 3 steps before you'd ask your TB for it.

[tikidoc]

I had a major problem with no 'go' button with my lazy Belgian WB gelding. Then I took my first lesson with Nick Larkin, who I am lucky enough to lesson with every 1-2 months. After a couple of minutes into warming up, Nick asked me, on a scale of 1-10, how much effort I was using to get the horse to do what I asked. I admitted it was often a 6-7. He instructed me to start with a 1, a subtle command. If the horse did not listen to that, do NOT slowly escalate - a 2 then a 3, etc. That just teaches him that he only needs to listen to me if I start really pounding him, when it gets to the point that he is uncomfortable. If he does not listen to the "1", I am to let him have it with a "10". Turn my toes out and use the spurs. As soon as the horse responds and does what I asked (and that took like 2 seconds), remove the cue. I was consistent with this, and in very short order, he would listen when I asked him with a "1". On occasion he needs a little reminder, but not with anywhere near as drastic a cue as the "10" I used on day one. My local trainer and I still refer to that as my "epiphany lesson".

[Sithly]

After a couple of minutes into warming up, Nick asked me, on a scale of 1-10, how much effort I was using to get the horse to do what I asked. I admitted it was often a 6-7. He instructed me to start with a 1, a subtle command. If the horse did not listen to that, do NOT slowly escalate - a 2 then a 3, etc. That just teaches him that he only needs to listen to me if I start really pounding him, when it gets to the point that he is uncomfortable. If he does not listen to the "1", I am to let him have it with a "10".

That's a much better way to explain it. :) Might have to steal that.

[tikidoc]

That's a much better way to explain it. :) Might have to steal that.

Just credit Nick :)

I believe when he was discussing the "10" cue, he said something like "When I say ten, what I mean is, I want your spurs to meet in his pancreas". I think the horse now recognizes the New Zealand accent, because as soon as Nick starts talking, the horse goes into a higher gear...

[Sithly]

Just credit Nick :)

I believe when he was discussing the "10" cue, he said something like "When I say ten, what I mean is, I want your spurs to meet in his pancreas". I think the horse now recognizes the New Zealand accent, because as soon as Nick starts talking, the horse goes into a higher gear...

Bwahaha! He sounds awesome.

[tikidoc]

Just to illustrate the degree of laziness this horse is capable of... When I was pregnant with my now almost 3 yo daughter, the horse was 3. I sent him out to be started under saddle for a couple months then let him have a break. Once I was postpartum and comfortable in the saddle again, I took the WB out for a ride. It was a brisk day (40's) and the wind was blowing a bit. Given the weather and his age (and my still-recovering bottom), I didn't wear spurs or bring a whip - the last thing I wanted was to get him too amped up. Soon after I got on, the wind whipped up, with gusts of over 25 mph. With much pounding on him with my heels, I finally got him to trot (more like a Western jog). I was sure he was lame or something, but no, he was just being his lazy self. Granted, he had gotten much better before the "epiphany lesson", but now he truly has an engine.

[cosmos mom]

Lots of transition work and directional changes, gallop work and, as Doug Payne once said to me,"If he gets behind you leg, murder him for it every time!"- Oh yeah: spurs and a stiff whip for every ride :yes:

[Jazzy Lady]

People say that the long format wasn't meant for WB's... but it was the best thing that happened to my horse!!! lol.

[wolfmare]

I read threads of this type with a great deal of interest. My guy is only five, he is about 17.1 now I think- still growing Percheron cross. I am still trotting jumps, and trying to develope a good canter. Last saturday we did a 2 foot baby event- while I was a little disappointed in his not really clicking on cross country, which he had last month- he really came alive in stadium- I didn't even ask and he wanted to gallop, It was definately the most forward he has ever been, I pulled him back to a trot at the fences, and he went back into a strong canter on his own after. I am very comfortable taking my time with him growing and getting balanced. It is his first year of doing anything. I do however continue to tell him I want forward! :) I appreciated the comments recognizing that it is often a balance/strength issue, not just a lazy issue.
Meanwhile- I keep reliving the wonderful feeling I had in stadium actually having a horse under me!

[sisu27]

Ok, I was at an Ian Millar clinic today (awesome by the way) and this was clearly a pet peeve of his so he spoke of it often. He spent a lot of time saying "ask, tell, demand". Work was done at the walk/trot before any jumping to get the horse in front of your leg. So if you give a squeeze of like 3/10 and you get nothing you squeeze and use your stick...hard. Cluck then cluck and stick. Just basic exercises that I think we all sometimes forget. Point was to basically stop what you are doing and get this fixed first. No kicking, no nagging. He said he never wears spurs at home. He schools his horses to be responsive.
It sounds like this horse is just tuned out and has not been ridden by the ask, tell, demand rule. You call it lazy horse, I call it lazy rider. I think someone said that you should be the only one to ride this horse for a while and I think they are right.
Have to admit my coach is always all over me about schooling the walk and she is right and it does pay off. I found it irritating today to see some pretty fancy horses plodding along like they'd lost their cart. School the walk people and see how much better your canter is.

If this post is incoherant I appologize...long day+redwine+typing on blackberry=rambling incoherant post:))