Advice on how to progress with the napper PLEASE HELP!

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polopony

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So I can now officially report back that after a whole eight months me and polo pony have finally bonded and are firm friends :D I'm hoping that this will help me in controlling him in the saddle as he is a chronic napper, who believes hacking is the devils game and is definitely a horse that belongs in the school. But as we don't have that all important school (or a lorry to drive us to one) all I've got is a slab of concrete big enough for a 20m circle - so he gets 15-20 minutes of walking around on that as many times a week as I can just so he's used to having me in the saddle. But what I'd like to know is should I just jump back on and hope for the best as far as hacking goes? I'm desperate to do something with him as he was bought for me and I think people are beginning to think he was a waste of money/I'm wasting his talents. After my first 'scary' fall out hacking before Christmas I haven't hacked him off the lead rope since then and I would definitely appreciate advice in how to go further than this?
(p.s all health checks have been made regarding napping and there are other horses for us to hack out with)
 
Hi, What does he do when he naps? Is it something which could be ridden through like just standing still and waiting for him to go forward or does he spin and rear etc? I used to have a horse who would run backwards and rear when he had gone far enough so as soon as he felt like he was about to stop I would turn him round and back him up. Then would turn him round again and if he didn't go forwards we would turn and back up again. Eventually he realised that it was far easier just to go where he was told.
 
Thanks for the suggestion Mearas, that's what I'm trying to work out - do I need a professional? Somebody has recommended a Mickey Gavin to me, has anybody heard anything about him?

And he does spinning, rearing, bucking.. generally on his toes taking every opportunity to get home as fast as possible - as soon as we turn for home he reverts to plodding back like an old sheep! In the yard he will stand still for hours if I ask, but as soon as we head out the gates he's crazy!

I'm trying to decide whether to get a professional out or just jump on and hold tight?
 
Well I cheat - I acquired a polo pony with problems, and even this week she was doing mini rears and bucks at having to go round the farm alone

The answer is a stock saddle, if any good at polo they should be very quick and I have really seen the point in my saddle, as I would have probably parted company without it!!

Also if you get a stock saddle you can take up polocrosse which is the most fun!!!
 
Do you have an off road section near by? I would try riding a short distance and turning round and walking past home and turning again and stopping and backing and forwards, leg yielding etc until he is listening to you. Lots of praise when he behaving. Could maybe do some clicker training so he learns what you want. Is he good being led? Could get someone to walk with you and slowly move further away then come back. Gradually building up the length of time they not next to him for.
 
polopony said:
So I can now officially report back that after a whole eight months me and polo pony have finally bonded and are firm friends :D I'm hoping that this will help me in controlling him in the saddle as he is a chronic napper, who believes hacking is the devils game and is definitely a horse that belongs in the school. But as we don't have that all important school (or a lorry to drive us to one) all I've got is a slab of concrete big enough for a 20m circle - so he gets 15-20 minutes of walking around on that as many times a week as I can just so he's used to having me in the saddle. But what I'd like to know is should I just jump back on and hope for the best as far as hacking goes? I'm desperate to do something with him as he was bought for me and I think people are beginning to think he was a waste of money/I'm wasting his talents. After my first 'scary' fall out hacking before Christmas I haven't hacked him off the lead rope since then and I would definitely appreciate advice in how to go further than this?
(p.s all health checks have been made regarding napping and there are other horses for us to hack out with)
Click to expand...

hiya whats he like with company? do you wear spurs and carry a stick? try little by little i had a horse that napped on his own and was horrid so i had him schooled and really started to reward his good behavior which he really responded to but as i am not brave enough to hack him on his own through fear of not being able to win the battle should he start napping i always go with someone and make sure he goes in front i am sure he would be fine now but am to chicken !! you need to make sure you are confident enough to not let him win as for getting professionals in well would be interesting to see what he does but at the end of the day its you that has too ride him good luck
 
sorry for the negitive reply but i gave up on my ex polo pony that i had on loan. I could ride her in the school forever, but anywhere else ended up at 150 miles an hour. Got really sick off having no control, and nearly getting killed so sent her back. Hope you get on much better than I did, sometimes i feel like i should have done more but i was afraid in the end.

I've had other nappers that always ended up good, but i just didnt "Click" with her!!!
 
I'd go right back to basics and start with long reining :)

Get him first long reining on a circle in his 'happy' environment, then long rein him out off the yard. Twice a day, if possible. I'd then move to long reining every morning and hacking every afternoon for a couple of weeks.

When he naps, I would chuck your reins at him (to make sure you're not inadvertently hanging on to his head) and really kick on, backed up with your stick if necessary. It doesn't matter if he shoots forward, as long as the movement is not up or backwards.

I would also stay 3 steps ahead and keep his focus on you at all times - lots of leg yielding, flexing etc while you're hacking. If he tries to focus elsewhere, again kick on and get his focus back on you, not what's going on around him. It's about pre-empting the napping & not giving him to chance to get started.

I know it's easier said than done, honestly, and it's bloomin' hard work. I've just gone though this process with a horse I bought that 'doesn't hack' - just reared and reared and spun. Old owner couldn't get her off the drive. A month of long reining and hacking bootcamp, being worked twice a day, and she's now hacking nicely (although I do have stay 3 steps ahead of her all the time!)

Good luck with him, whatever you decide to do :)
 
polopony said:
So I can now officially report back that after a whole eight months me and polo pony have finally bonded and are firm friends :D I'm hoping that this will help me in controlling him in the saddle as he is a chronic napper, who believes hacking is the devils game and is definitely a horse that belongs in the school. But as we don't have that all important school (or a lorry to drive us to one) all I've got is a slab of concrete big enough for a 20m circle - so he gets 15-20 minutes of walking around on that as many times a week as I can just so he's used to having me in the saddle. But what I'd like to know is should I just jump back on and hope for the best as far as hacking goes? I'm desperate to do something with him as he was bought for me and I think people are beginning to think he was a waste of money/I'm wasting his talents. After my first 'scary' fall out hacking before Christmas I haven't hacked him off the lead rope since then and I would definitely appreciate advice in how to go further than this?
(p.s all health checks have been made regarding napping and there are other horses for us to hack out with)
Click to expand...
It's slightly unnerving that you feel you need to ride this horse because of what others may be thinking. Don't be so desperate to put yourself at risk just because he was bought for you. Has he hacked out with anyone else? If I were you I wouldn't 'just jump back on' unless every fibre of my being was committed and thrilled at the prospect of reschooling this horse. Trust your gut feeling:)
 
If you can regularly hack out in company, then I would do so, rather than try to hack him alone. Polo ponies are usually exercised in a big group, riding and leading, and generally at a flat out trot or canter (depending on the ground) so plodding along on his own may be slightly alien to him. You could perhaps try hacking with one person, and once you've got your confidence, work on taking the lead or even going off on a detour from your partner.
Regarding the napping, walking backwards or spinning them round in a tight circle can help, as can sitting it out, if it is safe to do so. But I wouldn't advocate tackling a napper anywhere but on extremely quiet lanes or off-road - it's just not worth the risk with the idiot drivers around!
I do sympathise - my mare is a complete pain to hack on her own, worse on the road than on tracks.
I would echo the comment about a stock saddle or a western saddle if you can find one that fits - my mare is an american quarter horse and can whip round as quickly as a polo pony. We wouldn't have a chance on an English saddle!
 
I totally agree, he'll never have been out on his own before. Find someone to hack out with or borrow someone's pony to lead with him!
 
My horse is nappy and will do the same in company, he will start for no apparent reason at any given point and he rears like a b***h once you are over the first battle he can repeat this behaviour if in a particularly bad mood. I have found the best way to keep on top of this is to make sure he isn't feed too much and that he is in consistent work, even one slack day can make a difference. Also found that a martingale makes him much worse, the pressure when he throws his heads around irritates him and he over reacts.
I usually try to nip any half hearted nappiness in the bud before it gets too much.
Unfortunately the only way is to ride through it but it may help to get a professional to help you do this.
Don't worry a lot of horses are like this and you can get through it but get yourself some help. Best of luck
 
Looks like there is lots of good advice on the way forward here.

If you can afford it then having someone to help would make it a lot more fun - but be really picky with who you use!! I might be quite reserved about sending him away at this point, as he has only been with you a short time and I feel as a polo pony probably has already been shunted around a bit? But if you can find a person you can enjoy working and is good and sympathetic then it will make it quicker, easier and more fun. (Ask for recommendations at Tack Shops, Feed Merchants, Farrier, etc, etc). It is also great to have a jockey to test ride new things!

In the meantime, is there a short circular route you can take him out on and start with leading in hand, then long reining, just to build up both your confidence.

You could also try bringing some of the outside to him, so when you get hacking you know he can cope. For example, riding a bike (take it slowly) around the yard where he can see, putting his feed on an old paper feed bag, tying flapping bag to a post in the field. Michael Pearce's book on despooking has some inspiring ideas.
 
I have ridden a few nappers, regular riding horses and ex polo ponies. IMO the polo ponies have been the hardest and in some cases it just doesn't work out.

Please don't feel like you have to hack him out alone just because you are worried about what people think. Is there no one else you can hack out with at all? Polo ponies are usually hacked in groups so going out alone would be very alien to him. Echo getting a stock saddle if you can.

If you have spent the last few months bonding with him at the yard, have you tried to take him for walks in hand to allow him to trust you on the ground away from the yard? Can you also try to hack out with another person, and eventually try to take the lead or take a detour away from the other horse?

Slowly slowly catchy monkey, please do not just get on and hope for the best! If you do look into professional help, then look for someone who has worked with ex polo ponies or racehorses in the past.
 
A quick word of advice...Be very careful if you intend to lead in hand as you can get really hurt and the likely hood is he will also nap in hand. I got hurt last summer doing this and it was foolish they are too big to lead around like dogs. If you want to help his confidence then get someone to walk out on foot while you ride or get someone to help you long rein.

Also to clarify, when I said get help if you can I mean't someone experienced enough to help you deal with it. People do send them away but I do not think there is a quick fix to this type of behaviour and I found that I need to know how to deal with it when it does arise.
Be careful who you get the person really needs to know there stuff and have experience with problem or young horses.
Where abouts are you? I am now based with Kevin Woods and he has been great.
 
I have had many messed up polo ponies sent to me that I have reschooled and moved on...I haven't found one yet that hasn't been able to be turned around with patience and understanding! Some take a while but you need to realise that what makes them naughty is pretty much always fear.

If I were you I wouldn't send him away. No one has more of a vested interest in your pony than you. There are some good pro's out there but often they have a schedule to keep/limited time.... if you do send him away, vet the individual thoroughly and make sure they have experience with polo ponies.

I would start with quiet lanes (I assume that you are not near an A road?!) and a little 20 minute block ie a short hack route. Then I would lead him off another (quiet!) pony around this block, just walking. I would do this a few times on days with nice weather, to get his confidence around this block so it is all very familiar for him and he is nice and relaxed. Then, I would swap and tack him up and lead the (quiet!) pony around the block. Choose a day with calm weather and maybe a friend to walk in front. He should not make a flap about this if you have got him nice and chilled out with being led from another pony, as he will have been used to this process in the past. It's what I would do if he were mine. I don't think he'd react favourably to being long reined either, just my opinion. Let me know how you go!
 
Okay, so firstly thanks for all the replies guys :) I really needed something to spur me onto persevere. I spoke to grandad recently (he bought polo pony for me) and he tells me that he wants a safe, sane hunter for me that I go on alone without him worrying/ having to follow me in the landy. He says he's willing to pay good money if we can find such a thing, but he cannot afford to keep two; meaning Bea would have to go :/ I love this gelding dearly, but at the same time I don't think it's fair for me to waste a good horse by just letting him get fat in the field. To make matters worse our old legend of a mare (32yo) who polo pony is besotted with is on a downward spiral and we're wondering if it's fair to let her suffer another winter - but without her Bea would no doubt be even worse behaved :(

But on the cheery side me and mum had a short trek the other day with me on him and her leading him with a lead rope. And he was superbly behaved, we even passed a huge tractor that somebody was power washing! and he didn't even bat an eyelid, he just carried on :D
 
Horses learn by repetition. The more you go hacking and its a nice experience the more he will get over himself and enjoy it!
The only think you have to ask yourself is can your confidence take anymore knocks?
Izzi x
 
Thanks for replying Damnation :) Yes hopefully we will eventually find riding enjoyable! And I honestly don't know about that, sometimes I think I'm making him worse by being worried :/
 
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