Nagling
Well-Known Member
Hi all, I'm after some advice!!
My four year old has been progressing really well and has been hacking out solo for a couple of weeks with no problems. However at the weekend I was leading her off another horse (something we have done regularly) and after about half an hour it was just like she'd had enough and was bored so stopped dead. She wasn't scared of anything just looked like she couldn't be bothered. I asked her to walk on and nothing happened. Then she plunged into the hedge. She walked forward again for about 10mins then same happened again. I gave her a tickle with a schooling whip and she leapt forward before trying to climb the hedge and rearing. Again no look of terror or anything just looked cheeky. I ended up getting off (luckily we were in a very quiet lane) and got her moving forward using pressure/release (just in a headcollar). She was fine for the rest of the ride (i didn't want to turn back as it really looked like a temper tantrum). I rode her out the next day with no problems. Next day I thought I'd lead her out again off another. Same thing happened about half an hour into the ride, only this time it was nappy rearing. She got over it a bit quicker this time but then on the way back did the same thing at a spot where there had been some flapping plastic for a while previously (she'd been ridden past this lots, although it was not there this time). Anyway I got back to the yard and tacked her up and went back around the same short loop - good as gold!
Has anyone experienced any behaviour like this? How did you progress through it? It looks like tantrum/nappiness but its odd as she is fine with me on, and is lead off her fieldmate so no reason to nap away from her. She also has her ears pricked the rest of the time and looks like she enjoys herself. She has recently had a checkup anyway and I can't blame it on the saddle as its when she is led not ridden!
Thanks for reading. Sorry its been so long just feeling a bit stuck for ideas!
My four year old has been progressing really well and has been hacking out solo for a couple of weeks with no problems. However at the weekend I was leading her off another horse (something we have done regularly) and after about half an hour it was just like she'd had enough and was bored so stopped dead. She wasn't scared of anything just looked like she couldn't be bothered. I asked her to walk on and nothing happened. Then she plunged into the hedge. She walked forward again for about 10mins then same happened again. I gave her a tickle with a schooling whip and she leapt forward before trying to climb the hedge and rearing. Again no look of terror or anything just looked cheeky. I ended up getting off (luckily we were in a very quiet lane) and got her moving forward using pressure/release (just in a headcollar). She was fine for the rest of the ride (i didn't want to turn back as it really looked like a temper tantrum). I rode her out the next day with no problems. Next day I thought I'd lead her out again off another. Same thing happened about half an hour into the ride, only this time it was nappy rearing. She got over it a bit quicker this time but then on the way back did the same thing at a spot where there had been some flapping plastic for a while previously (she'd been ridden past this lots, although it was not there this time). Anyway I got back to the yard and tacked her up and went back around the same short loop - good as gold!
Has anyone experienced any behaviour like this? How did you progress through it? It looks like tantrum/nappiness but its odd as she is fine with me on, and is lead off her fieldmate so no reason to nap away from her. She also has her ears pricked the rest of the time and looks like she enjoys herself. She has recently had a checkup anyway and I can't blame it on the saddle as its when she is led not ridden!
Thanks for reading. Sorry its been so long just feeling a bit stuck for ideas!