Advice please (hacking)

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sherbet

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I have had my new horse for a month and done abit of everything, hacking with anouther, lessons, xc

Today I thought I would hack her alone as so far she has been a very good girl, there is a short hack we can do which is on a nice loop so thought that would be a good start. Only thing is there is a "bridge" part of the path is made up of sleepers which she has never liked but follows other horse straight over.

Today she would not go over so I stood her, walked and circle tried again etc in the end I got off and lead her over no problem, rest of the hack went really well

Advice on what to do, go again alone or wait to hack with someone and keep trying, stay on, get off etc
 
Ditto what Fransurrey said. Don't let it become an issue (don't worry about it before you get there). Next time if you have to lead her over it, go back and forward over it several times in hand, then get on after you've done it several times and try and ride over it. If need be sit there until she gets bored and goes over.
 
I always go for the easy and soft way out. This is what I would do. Go again alone and jump off before she has time to play up at the bridge, pull a sugar lump out of you pocket and give it to her, walk her in hand across the bridge, another sugar lump and jump back on and give her a big pat. After once or twice she will associate the bridge as a good thing, and next time you can lean down and give her a sugar before crossing without getting off until she is 100% o.k with the "scary" bridge. This is what i used to do with my youngster when she panicked and it worked fine. Within a year I could hack her anywhere alone. We did endurance for a few years and it was very important for me that she trusted me as there is no time in the competition for "scary" bridges etc.
Sorry if I went on a bit.
Good luck :)
 
Agree with what has been said so far, don't make an issue over it. Do alternate between going alone and following another horse, and plenty of treats. You can also give treats while mounted (I would get nowhere without this!)
 
Agree with the advice above although I do try not to get of some horses (the ones I'm unlikely to be able to hold when something is bothering them!) when hacking but you obviously know yours well enough to make that call.

Other things you can try are
- going backwards and forwards over that part a few times (depends on horse not getting frustrated/more wound up) when you do cross it either on board/in hand
- distraction - trot towards it, leg yield in zig-zags towards it, anything you can do that will occupy the 'being scared of sleepers' part of the brain with something else!

Good Luck!
 
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