a "what would you do?"

[Firehorse]

my pony has hacking issues. she lacks confidence and will half-rear if spooked when alone, i usually have to get off and lead her passed. but is ok in company. she's had osteo treatment, her tack fits, teeth are done, everything else is fine. i don't know if i'm the person to give her the confidence she needs. i bought her as a family pony and she is fantastic when my kids ride her in the school. but i just want something i can hack out without a problem and enjoy. i love her to bits, but cant decide whether i should continue with her or get something easier.

what would u do?

 

[Bowen4Horses]

It depends on what she's like the rest of the time, and if you want to keep her...

if you're desperate to keep her, and this is her only issue, i'd find someone who was confident enough to hack her out alone. and give her the confidence she needs.

however, if you're not enjoying her and can't imagine ever enjoying her... i'd sell her (being honest about her hacking issue) and find something more suitable.

personally, i'd battle on and try to fix the problem x

 

[xapplex]

Can you not get someone to walk (on foot) with you and just go out in little hacks like 10mins then built it up by doing more each week ... but when you feel more confident then get that someone to start to walk behind you

 

[nobbster]

i have the same problem mine s 16hh and a 6 year old what i am doing with him to get him better hacking out alone, is walkiong down the road in hand a coupld of times and then having someoe walk on foot with me to give him a little bit more confidence, then gradually they will pull back so he is on his own.

what bit do you have on her?
x

 

[251libby]

Do you have someone you could hack out with and then (when your horse is nicly settled) you could carry on for home alone??

What is your horse like in company?

 

[Firehorse]

she's ok in company, a little spooky maybe, but what i call a fun ride. if for one minute she thinks the other horse is going away from her, she will try to rear. i've spent the last yr leading her out, riding home, doing short rides etc. I have ridden her out alone on occassions, but she's so unpredictable, i think she needs someone with more confidence to help her. i'm also a single mum, so my time is limited. half of me doesnt want to admit defeat, and loves a challenge, but i think in reality, she needs a more experienced rider and i need a more predictable pony.
she's in a full cheek, french link snaffle.

 

[Flame_]

How old is she?
Do you have transport?

 

[Firehorse]

she's 11. no transport.

 

[nobbster]

see i have the same problem when out and a horse goes the other way it ends up in a fight but i end up winning and he has to go the other way but if anyone knows how to stops this i would love to try it.

 

[Flame_]

Hmmm. Well, IMO its unlikely she'll change at 11 and will always need a very positive, confident rider for her to go out alone. If she'd been five I'd say get a pro in to develop her confidence then she might turn out quite bold, but its doubtful that would work with an 11 year old.

You could resign yourself to only hacking in company, but I appreciate this can be quite restricting. I think its tolerable if you have an arena to ride in whenever you've no one to hack with, but if you don't, you need to be able to go alone.

If you could get transport, you might find if you hacked from the box and not from home, like around farm rides, she might be less nappy and you'd feel a bit more confident.

Have you tried trotting around the block? With nappy horses lacking a bit of bottle, keeping them forward in front of your leg is half the battle. It takes more effort and stubbornness from them to jam the brakes on and put up a fight if you are riding forward than if you are ambling along.

Plus ditto the suggestion of having someone walk with you.

Good luck.

 

[martlin]

[ QUOTE ]
Hmmm. Well, IMO its unlikely she'll change at 11 and will always need a very positive, confident rider for her to go out alone. If she'd been five I'd say get a pro in to develop her confidence then she might turn out quite bold, but its doubtful that would work with an 11 year old.



[/ QUOTE ]
I will disagree with that strongly, I have an 11 year old that came to me 18 months ago being absolutely impossible to hack, be it alone (he would nap and panic and not go at all) or in company (very nervous, spooky and shying away from everything). Now he hacks alone and in company, I even use him as a 'tow horse' for my nutty youngsters. It wasn't particularly difficult to get him like that either - just perseverance and a lot of patience