Advise please - On my young horses hacking alone habits

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myrtle1982

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Hi All,
I'd really appreciate some advise and ideas with regards to my 4 year old Welsh Section D.
He is a lovely chap, loving, affectionate but he can be cheeky and a bit grumpy at times.
He is fantastic in so many areas, catching, handling on ground, jumping, in the school, hacking in company, traffic...however, hacking alone is a struggle, thankfully one that isn't getting worse but doesn't seem to be massively improving dispite my best efforts although perhaps slightly.
When hacking along, he used to nap when leaving my gate, after some long reining he now doesn't, then he started napping at the end of the road, after lots of leading a few weeks ago he recently seems to have stopped this, now he naps at the end of the next road! When I say napped, for me that is....he stops, he stops and absolutely refuses to move, if I kick, use voice or make any sort of fuss he'll walk backwards, he will occasionally put in little bucks but more ofter he'll put in little rears. Sometimes I can get him past these points by getting him into trot before hand but thats only a momentary fix. We have this fuss about 3 times on an average hourly hack. I never ever let him win and go back, however we can often be stuck for 30 minutes until either I get off and lead him whilst waving the schooling whip furiously behind him or by being rescued by a passing walker who is happy to stand behind and clap like a nutter!
I'm 100% that when he is doing this it is not because he is scared, he is being stubbon and lazy because its often quite hilly. There are occasions, although less frequently where he does it due to being scared but as soon as I get off and lead he is okay. If he does it due to fear then I'm happy to work with him on that because he's young and wants reasurrance of me in front but 99% of time he's just being damn naughty.
Aside from waiting, getting off and leading (literally almost dragging him and turning him to get him to put one foot in front of other) or someone rescuing me, its very difficult. I have had him 3 months and only once (apart from the first week) have we managed a ride from start to finish with no issues! He rides like a dream when we're half around around the ride (eg: homeward bound).
Anyway, if anyone has any advise then I'd love to hear it.
He's had his teeth, back, saddle all done recently so no issues there.
He rides in company at least 1-2 times a week and alone the other 1-2 times a week.
I took him to cross country a few weeks ago and he refused to go first or away from horses but otherwise was a dream.
He has lived with other horses and doesn't especailly have a strong pair bond. He's been riding alone and in company since he started hacking, about 4-5 months ago.
He was broken young but put out for a year until June this year so really he only really started everything this June...
Anyway, sorry for length of this, just wanted to give all the information!
Thank you so much.
Olivia x
 
I wouldnt hack him alone again for at least 4 weeks. Until he has a bit more confidence and is enjoying his hacking.
He's only 4, it'd be a shame to push the issue and create more of a problem now
 
He's 4.5 to be exact but yes I get your point. Sadly I don't keep him on a yard and its only him and my old pony.
I was concerned that if I only hack him in company then I'll have even more issues when I come to take him alone again, dont you think?
I only have neighhbours to ride with so obviously its hard getting someone to ride with on the exact dates and times hense why we end up alone.
My only options are ride alone and in company 4 times a week or in company only twice. I worry he'll get unfit if only riding twice a week.
Do you really think confidence issue, he knows the road so well now and he's not a nervouvy Welsh D at all, artic lorrys don't bother him!
 
I would say it's just a confidence thing with him being young.

Having been through this with 2 of my youngsters, I have encouraged them to move by turning them. Not turning them around, but turning their heads and asking them to walk on, both vocally and by leg. When they have moved, I then turn them back to the line I wanted to take.

So, I kind of zig zag down the lane for a bit if you see what I mean
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My youngster is getting better now as she realises she is going to have to move, planting herself just isn't going to work
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Hi, that is exactly what I do do! But I really have to pull him into these zig zags and I'd say on average it takes about 6-7 minutes to get a step or two. Eventually it works but neither of us enjoy the experience....
 
You certainly wont have more issues when you take him alone, no. Stick him in front and only use the other horse as back up but dont give him the chance to stop- if you feel him slowing ask the other rider to trot in front of you so you keep him moving.
For the sake of a month's lighter work I think it's worth a try. I have dealt with countless nappy horses and getting into a fight is not the answer.
 
I would agree that it is a confidence problem. I'm in almost the same situation as you, my boy is kept with one other and I have no one to hack with during the week so if I want to ride it has to be alone as I have no arena. Maybe just hack to the end of the road and back, keep the rides short so that you can build his confidence slowly. Good luck, you will get there with him, it's just going to take time i'm afraid xx
 
He sounds like a typical Sec D to me - stubborn, opinionated etc
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I agree with bossanova on the break from solo hacking for a while. He is still a baby and still growing even though he is 4

Is it possible to go out on your hacks in a different direction? Or even take him for a walk round the route you normally take? With you walking beside him it will slowly build up his confidence

Good luck with him and don't forget to give an update
 
As above
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.

Also, do you have anyone who will walk with you? I found this useful when Little Cob was going through the nappy stage; also when first riding Dizz out on her own - we both took comfort from there being someone on the ground, even though they often ended up a few hundred yards behind!
 
Yes my partner comes out with me as often as he can but again, this isn't all the time!
I think everyone seems to be agreeing that its a confidence issue so I'll try to stick with hacking in company or leading him on foot or long reining....
agh! naughty horses!
 
How would you feel about riding the 4yr old and leading the old pony? Is that an option?
Would maybe give the youngster that confidence boost

Whatever you do, dont start just hacking to the end of the road and back, he will think he has won and then you will have an even bigger struggle getting him to go any further.

Hes started his hacking career quite late on so I would have to agree to some extent with the others that sounds like a confidence issue, but it also sounds like hes trying his luck a bit!

you seem to be doing all the right things though, keep at it and he will be OK!
 
Sounds like my recently broken welsh D cross.

He'd do the exact same planting. He too is stubborn and opinionated, which doen't help, but he was doing it because he was nervous and unsure.

Making a huge deal out of it and trying to force him will most likely make him worse - it just makes my boy stressed and even more determined that he's not going. Not only did it confirm that whatever is was IS scary (it must be if mum's now hitting and shouting at me!) but he'd start to fret about it in advance.

3 months really isn't a long time for him to have learnt to trust you, esp if most rides ends up with a battle - it'll just lessen his trust in you each time.

The thing I found helped the most was just going out and seeing places, in hand, under saddle and on the long reins.

I would go back to lots of inhand walks and a bit of long reining. Time spent with just him and you, out and about and no battles. I used to take Toby out on a rope, tacked up (and a hat on! )and if he was good and feeling confident I'd get on and ride for a bit. If he wasn't we'd just walk. We did all the hacks we were going to go on like that. Sometimes we'd long rein bits instead.

A couple of months of that and I now have a horse I can and do hack everywhere and anywhere. When he sees something that worries him now he stops, has a good stare and a snort, then walks on on his own accord needing little more than a touch of the leg.
 
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