Advice for napping in school please.

[Anglebracket]

My seven year old mare has started napping in the school over the last week. She will put her ears back when asked to trot and try to go back into walk when she is near the gate. She will also buck when she is asked to go forward, especially near the gate. This behaviour will start after about 15 minutes of being schooled.

I had her saddle checked this weekend and it fits well. She went well in walk, trot and canter when she was assessed by the saddler (but the assessment only lasted for about 10 minutes). Her back was checked last month and all was well. Her teeth were also done last month.

I've had this mare for a year now and she has never bucked with me before. It has been suggested to me that she might be in season. However, her normal reaction to being in season is to be a bit more sluggish than usual.

She is ridden five to six days a week, both hacking and schooling. She is ridden in a jeffries hanging cheek revolver snaffle.

Any advice would be very much appreciated. I don't want to make the problem worse but am at a loss about what to do next.

 

[noblesteed]

Does she nap hacking alone or is it just in the school?

 

[Happy Hunter]

You sound like me 18 months ago.

We solved it with a week off, then 2 weeks only hacking - In which PLENTY of transitions up and down were made.

Back in the school after those 3 weeks, I had one 'disaggreement' - then I worked through it - 10mins of "I dont want to trot so ill walk/sidle sideways" - then the 1st trot trantition up - 3 more, then i patted and got off.

Next time inthe school 4 days later - Carl hester look at me go!

Stick with it - Something will cure it!

I know how frustrating it is!

 

[Ealana]

sounds exactly what my horse zach used to do( he was seven as well - must be an age thing!! h actually started doing it again today) - I spent ages hacking out/schooling on the beach and in fields and where away from the arena. think it helped him realise he wont only be asked to work hard when in the school. Variation i think will really be the key to everything with Zach's behaviour - maybe the same for you?

then did loads of work in the school with reins at the buckle just using the stick to make him walk forward - doesnt matter where he went in the school as long as he went forward. This made him more off my leg. And i was told have the fight - make them do as you ask regardless how they protest ( as long as you have the confidence). Maybe also avoid working her past the gate - keep up the other end of the school. also maybe when you are finished get off her in the centre at x ( or even at c) n lead her out (instead of at the gate as many people i know do) so that she begins to learn she can only get out of the school once you have finished and dismounted.

Hope it helps - we really just had to persever and eventually zach began to accept to work in the school. Now he has begun spooking in the corner where the door is !! weird horse !! xx

 

[Anglebracket]

Thanks for the replies. It is reassuring to know that I am not alone with this. To the person who asked about napping whilst hacking on her own, she did do this once about a year ago but never since. She has been hacked out on her own after napping but I mainly hack her in company. I feel more confident that way.

I was thinking about giving her a week off and hacking more afterwards (to get her thinking forwards). I am a bit nervous of this because even though her bucks are not all that impressive (I've sat to worse) I still worry about coming off her when out hacking.

At the back of my mind there is also the worry that there might be something physically wrong with her. If there is no improvement after a week off and increased hacking I will get the vet out again.

 

[noblesteed]

I would knock the schooling on the head and get her hacking out again like you say, to get her thinking forwards. See if she tries to nap hacking on her own. It may be a medical issue and it may just be downright naughtiness. When you do go back to schooling make it short, sharp and fun. Tons of transitions, circles, voltes, leg yielding, trotting poles etc so she hasn't got time to think about being bad! Shorten your sessions if you need to, and always finish on a really positive note.
Mine used to nap/spook/spin/buck in the school. He also napped hacking out alone too. It took a lot of work (on rebuilding my shattered confidence) but in the end I had to get tough with him. If he naps he is made to continue on his circle, in the same direction he has napped- we do fight it out but I always win!
If he bucks he is booted on into tight canter circles until he is tired out, they can;t buck on tight circles.
If he spins he gets a good smack from the whip on the side which he has spun towards, as if he has throw himself into the whip - you get quick at swapping your stick over!
I haven't had to do any of these things for a year now, because he knows I mean business.