Advice on young horse planting itself/ napping towards home please

applestroodle

applestroodle

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Ok my 5 year old welsh cob has always been great to go out hacking on its own away from home has never thought backwards. Today there was shooting on so she was a bit jumpy so I thought id take her for a short ride to the end of the drive and back less than a mile, 10 mins, again great going out but on the way home about 100 meters from stables she planted her self wouldn’t budge the only was she would turn was away from home which I did a couple of times but each time was stopping further away from home. Lots of gentle persuasion, just sitting there tactic but after 10 mins later I resorted to pony club let kicks and growling. . . Nothing glued to the spot so I got off her and walked (marched) her home. So do any of you kind lot have any ideas and suggestions, did I do the right thing getting of her, im worried now she starts doing on the way out. Should I try and go out with someone else, maybe she wanted to go for a longer ride in the sun lol!!
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thanks
 
I'd say that whatever you do, don't let her turn away. Allow her to stand and have a good look, and then be firm and kick her on.

I have nothing against getting off a horse if in a dangerous situation, but otherwise I'd stay on if in no immediate danger.
 
I agree with bmb. I know it only felt like 10 mins to you but (unless you timed it of course!), it was probably a lot less. Patience will win the day. Stay there and keep persisting until she takes a step forward, then make a big fuss.

However, IF you do 'give up' and march her back, work her like an absolute dog back at the yard (I'm assuming you have a school back at the yard?). She may have the thought that once you have turned her for home, she will get to do nothing and eat back in the stable/field.
 
Try walking your horse backwards in the direction you want to go. Then turn the horse and ask him to walk forwards. If he still refuses to go forwards turn him around and walk him backwards some more. Continue to do this stopping to turn the horse and asking for forward movement. Once the horse walks forward give lots of praise. It will feel funny walking backwards fro the first time but the horse should soon get bored of walking backwards and it won't be long before he realises his life will be made easier if he walks the direction you want to go in a normal forward movement! It may take a little patience from you and you may need to try the exercise a number of times over a few days but it will work, I can guarantee it. I spent 20 mins with my last horse trying to persuade him to walk through water and after him repeatedly running backwards at high speed I turned him around. The expression on his face when he ran backwards and found himself in a foot of water was hilarious. From that day on he would walk, trot, canter and jump into out of and through water without hesitation. Sometimes you have to use a bit of reverse phychology on horses!!
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Thanks guys, i no i shouldnt have got off and led her home but was short of time and stables only about 20 or so meters away. i should have prob just taken her further on a ride if that was the way she wanted to go but had my dog with me and the end of the drives goes on to a road! I have never had a horse that didnt want to go home, home is were her field companion is, field and stables. so it a safe place lol
 
lol, the horse I ride at the stables is like that too, he's always better going out than coming back! I'd love to try all the patience advice but unfortunatly I pay to hack out with a group and they wouldn't be very impressed if I spent 20 mins trying to get him to go forwards. I have to either resort to pony club persuasion or get somebody to give me a lead.
 
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I agree with bmb. I know it only felt like 10 mins to you but (unless you timed it of course!), it was probably a lot less. Patience will win the day. Stay there and keep persisting until she takes a step forward, then make a big fuss.

However, IF you do 'give up' and march her back, work her like an absolute dog back at the yard (I'm assuming you have a school back at the yard?). She may have the thought that once you have turned her for home, she will get to do nothing and eat back in the stable/field.

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Exactly.

I found with youngsters that they seem to know when you are short on time and I could never put a time limit on when I was going to ride. If I was really short of time (e.g. only 20 mins) then I would do inhand schooling or stretching. My boy was incredibly nappy alone, going out and coming back so I could only hack out if I knew I had the entire day to sit at the end of the drive. He could turn a 30 min walk round the block into a 2 hr session of going forwards, backwards and sideways the entire way.
 
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