4yr old mare won't move forward independently.

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BeBopTalulah

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My 4 yr old cobx mare is backed, and will happily walk around the school with me on board, on the lead rein. She will also lunge in walk. But when I try to move her forward on her own, she reverses. She is excellent on the lunge in walk, trot, canter, halt, very responsive. So she knows what I'm asking her to do. I think it's part laziness and part 'don't get it'. I've tried being firm, but she just goes in reverse. I've had an experienced horsey friend walk at her head, and she will follow, just not on her own. At these times I have a very light (if any) contact on the reins, so I don't feel like I'm forcing her back. What should I do? This has happened on two seperate occasions, and I really don't want to continue until I can help her move forward.

Any advice much appreciated, thank you.
 
She is confused by your leg aids. Can you have her lunged with you on her? Hopefully she will respond to being lunged as normal and you use your leg aids when the person lunging asks.

Alternitively can you ride her along side another horse? We used to ride the youngsters with them being led off another horse.

Make use of another horse even if it is just placed at the other end of the arena for you to walk towards.
 
Evelyn said:
She is confused by your leg aids. Can you have her lunged with you on her? Hopefully she will respond to being lunged as normal and you use your leg aids when the person lunging asks.

Alternitively can you ride her along side another horse? We used to ride the youngsters with them being led off another horse.

Make use of another horse even if it is just placed at the other end of the arena for you to walk towards.
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That's a great idea, thanks. The brakes are there, so do you think it would be ok to maybe hack her out quietly with another horse/horses? Tbh, I don't feel like I have much control at the moment, but I do have brakes and as I said her voice commands are great. Thanks again.
 
Have you tried long reining?? i found this really helped when we backed our youngster helped her to move forwards on her own without needing a lead. It really helps them to build confidence within themselves too :)
 
nixxyz said:
Have you tried long reining?? i found this really helped when we backed our youngster helped her to move forwards on her own without needing a lead. It really helps them to build confidence within themselves too :)
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I confess I have long reined her, but again she was reluctant to move unless it was in a circle around me. Sensing a pattern here :(
 
Agree with all above, get her to respond to voice aids, and when you are riding, watch the ears for "I'm thinking" and squeeze forward to prevent a nap [reversing].
I also rest my fists on the withers if there is a "fear" alert.
Ask your friend to walk at the shoulder, not in front as she is using her as the "leader", then your friend can just move out of the way after a circuit.
 
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I would try a small hack with another horse that she knows, and if she doen't go forward I would dismount & walk with her keeping the other horse in front but hopefully you won't need to do this. Be careful not to overface her and come back whilst still on a good note - even if you have only done 10 minutes. It's always better to build it up gradually!
 
sonjafoers said:
I would try a small hack with another horse that she knows, and if she doen't go forward I would dismount & walk with her keeping the other horse in front but hopefully you won't need to do this. Be careful not to overface her and come back whilst still on a good note - even if you have only done 10 minutes. It's always better to build it up gradually!
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Yeah I think I will try a short hack, been thinking about it. She's quite sensible for a 4 year old (if slightly huffy), and I don't feel like she'd mess about, but who knows! I suppose I just wanted some reassurance that this is a common problem, and that some day we will find forward momentum! :D
 
One of mine would refuse to move when I asked her to go, not really much walking backwards but just a general planting of feet. We could often sit there for 20 minutes or so and then something would click and we would move on. No amount of kicking, voice, the odd tap with a stick etc would get her to move.

When she was a real baby & this happened I would sit there until she walked on & then after a few forward going strides I would get off and lead her before it happened again. I gradually increased the time I rode her on after an episode until eventually we did a full hack out.

I was often told that by getting off I was rewarding her for stopping but I don't believe this, I always sat there until she moved of her own accord no matter how frustrated I was and I would ride her forward once she moved.

ETA: I think what I'm trying to say is that if whilst trying a small hack you have to get off and walk don't worry about this in the early days! It's the getting her moving on that counts

Of course it's horses for courses and we all have our own ideas, but I would definately hack her out in company. It will give her something to think about and may just break the pattern before it gets a habit.

Good luck x
 
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sonjafoers said:
One of mine would refuse to move when I asked her to go, not really much walking backwards but just a general planting of feet. We could often sit there for 20 minutes or so and then something would click and we would move on. No amount of kicking, voice, the odd tap with a stick etc would get her to move.

When she was a real baby & this happened I would sit there until she walked on & then after a few forward going strides I would get off and lead her before it happened again. I gradually increased the time I rode her on after an episode until eventually we did a full hack out.

I was often told that by getting off I was rewarding her for stopping but I don't believe this, I always sat there until she moved of her own accord no matter how frustrated I was and I would ride her forward once she moved.

Of course it's horses for courses and we all have our own ideas, but I would definately hack her out in company. It will give her something to think about and may just break the pattern before it gets a habit.

Good luck x
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I'm so relieved to hear a similar story. I think Lu goes into reverse because she's thinking "oh god, she wants something, but what? I know! Reverse!" I will look on this with new eyes now :) It's very frustrating, but I will remain calm. Funily enough, my sister suggested standing in the school until she got bored and made a move. I thought this was pretty ridiculous, but perhaps it's not. Many thanks for all replies. Forward gear hopefull will follow soon :D
 
It will all fall into place eventually, you just have to remember to stay CALM and CONSISTENT. I've hilighted those words because when it's happeneing that's what you need to think :D :D

I had the one mentioned above that wouldn't move once I was on & the next one would be fine with me sat onboard & the buck me off instantly the moment I asked her to go forward. They are babies & try all sorts of things when they either don't understand or don't want to cooperate.

It seemed like hell at the time but looking back now I laugh about it and you will in a few months too I'm sure!
 
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