This may be a silly question, but can a horse get sick of being trail ridden? I've ridden Daisy quite a lot this year. We've been to Shawnee one horse gap, Iowa/Shimeck/River Valley, Missouri 4-J Big piney, and lots of local rides.  She's done great.  She's the perfect horse.  When she was younger, we'd have little hissy fits and bucking episodes, she was full of piss and vinegar. But now she's six and grown out of that I guess and has become the perfect trail horse....but she just seems like one of those deadhead tail followers at a girlscout camp.   I've noticed this for a while, she will fall asleep while I'm tacking her up.  I don't need to steer her anymore.  I don't think I touched the reins hardly at all yesterday. We do a lot of solo riding. She acts like it's a death march, she defines DEADbroke... She'll walk trot canter, and stop.  She just looks like she's bored and bummed.  I always thought trail riding was the best thing to do with a horse, at least compared to doing endless circles in the show ring.   I'm leaving on Monday for a week of riding over at Midwest Trail Ride in Indianna.  Is there anything that I can do to make trail riding fun again for my horse? 

How is her attitude at home...have you noticed a change? If so, perhaps there is an underlying medical issue slowly developing.

Brenda

My horses seem to be absolute tourist.  They love getting out and seeing new things.

But like the above post, I suspect your horse has accepted her job and just does it.

Spice it up a little as suggested.  get off the beaten path and ask her to learn something new. Cross a log, stream, open a gate from the saddle, sidepass over and tie a ribbon on branch. Circle a tree with one hand touching the tree at all times. Then try it backing around the tree.  Back uphill between two obstices.  Load her up with a panniers and pack her for a day. I load my horses up with tents, sleeping bags, chain saws, and even a deer or elk on occassions.

Go to a Competitive Trail Ride.  Even if it's as a volunteer to help out and see all the things they ask a trail horse to do.

Just like you and I, ongoing learning invigorates the mind and causes a mundane job to be more exciting. Give her some challenges.

Try being a rider and not just a passenger.  Ask her for transitions, side passes, log crossings, collection, etc.  ride over obstacles that make her be aware of her hoof placement.  Ride around and under trees, leaning one way and then the other to clear the low branches.  In other words, wake her up!

Marla

I started her up on an additional vitamin/mineral/protein supplement just in case the hay and pasture wasn't enough.   As far as being depressed by the death of the other horse, it really hasn't seemed to have affected her any.  She's around other horses lots of times at the rodeos and such. She doesn't seem any more perky.  Her attitude is the same whether there are other horses around or not.   I'm looking to get a yearling or two year old  to start, but I want something NICE, cowy, registered, and not a naggy "oopsie" colt....so I'm still lookin. 

I'm going to try being less of a passenger. I think it would work best in non-group situations, mainly because the people I ride with are usually doing good to just be passengers.  Their horses probably wouldn't be too thrilled with me goin' off and sidepassing over things. 

Not every horse needs suppliments.  A lot of it will depend on the food value or the hay you feed. Depending on what part of the country your hay comes from, the type and mix of grass and/or alfalfa in the hay. Will determine whether they are getting the values they need.

I do not give my horses any grain or suppliments.  A good hay, an occassionally wormy apple off the tree or a misshapen carrot from  the garden is what they get.  In the winter occassionaly some soaked beet pulp, more to add extra water to their diet than feed.

My horses are in good shape, Almost on the fat side. I don't think they need any more calories.  They get rode frequently on tough trails and do well.

Taking a horse away from his "wild" enviroment means adjusting his diet and care to compensate. 

Most recent nutritional studies recommend adding fat to equine diets when additional energy and stamina are required.

Do some research.  Lots of info is available on the web. Honestly evaluate your horses activity level and feed accordingly.

There IS a happy medium between keeping your horse so hopped up on special feeds that he can't keep his feet on the ground, and feeding him a diet that optimizes his health and performance.  If your horse looks good but is still sluggish, perhaps something else is going on.  Maybe a visit by the vet is in order. 

Marla

Test her thyroid next time the vet pulls her Coggins.    

Carry a ziplock bag...with a mixture of treats...licorice..peppermint...alfalfa, etc.... every few miles..get off and rub her head...and give her a little treat.  (No treats on the way back to the trailer...or at the trailer). 

If all else fails...pack her off to Fla to me! :)