Am I wasting my time?

[Sunjunkieme]

So, Ned. He’s an over height Connie. He’s beautiful, he doesn’t buck, rear, bolt or plant. He hacks out alone or in company. He goes first or last, he loads, clips no vices, jumps….. I love him dearly, he’s a lovely person.. but…

I hack alone most of the time. We live on the south downs. He’s great in wide open spaces, he walks out freely & will trot. No worries about mountain bikes or hikers, he HATES noises he can’t place, but we‘ve worked through his anxiety and he relaxes much more quickly now.

My problem is that unless I’m in company, he won’t canter or gallop. He’ll happily canter in the school, and in company, no problem.. alone, nope, not happening.

I’ve had him 2.5 years, and I’m starting to think that age 10, this is him. I wonder if he really would be happier in a home with friends to hack out with, he’s not strong.. never silly, I just miss a blast. I feel like he can’t let himself go in case the monsters get him..

anyone else had similar experiences?

 

[ycbm]

I have a 7 year old who has only just learned to let go. He was simply too afraid of what might jump out and bite him until this year. I have to admit that if he hadn't, I would have been very torn about keeping him. At 10, I fear yours might be set for life. I understand your hesitance about keeping him.
.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

He sounds a lovely boy!

However I can feel your frustration.

Just a suggestion but if you feel he is lacking in confidence it might help to do some confidence-boosting exercises such as some groundwork such as some TREC obstacles, etc., at home, so you build a bond together and he gets used to trusting you as his Herd Leader.

Perhaps a professional could throw some light on this?

 

[Orangehorse]

Well, I think he is worth a fortune!

 

[w1bbler]

Can you pay an instructor to ride him, might help to see what the issue is, might be something you are doing/ not doing or might just be him. Don't sell before at least some basic investigation, could even be a pain issue &when in company adrenaline takes over & he forgets.

 

[Sunjunkieme]

I have a 7 year old who has only just learned to let go. He was simply too afraid of what might jump out and bite him until this year. I have to admit that if he hadn't, I would have been very torn about keeping him. At 10, I fear yours might be set for life. I understand your hesitance about keeping him.
.

Ah, thanks. I was wondering if I was asking too much. Lovely to get a response from someone who gets what I mean ?

 

[Sunjunkieme]

He sounds a lovely boy!

However I can feel your frustration.

Just a suggestion but if you feel he is lacking in confidence it might help to do some confidence-boosting exercises such as some groundwork such as some TREC obstacles, etc., at home, so you build a bond together and he gets used to trusting you as his Herd Leader.

Perhaps a professional could throw some light on this?

yup, been there and got that T shirt. It helped loads, when I got him, he wouldn’t even stand to be groomed, now he’s relaxed and happy in his stable, accepts flags and all manner of bonkers things, and I can ‘talking him down’ when his world explodes.. but I fear he’s just on edge when he’s alone. Makes me sad ?

 

[Sunjunkieme]

Well, I think he is worth a fortune!

And that, is my dilemma. I’m 53, he’s fabulous In so many ways…

 

[Sunjunkieme]

Can you pay an instructor to ride him, might help to see what the issue is, might be something you are doing/ not doing or might just be him. Don't sell before at least some basic investigation, could even be a pain issue &when in company adrenaline takes over & he forgets.

I don’t think it’s pain, I have a wonderful holistic guy who treats him regularly with osteopathy and acupuncture (he’s also a qualified Vet) so I feel like we’d pick up issues. He’s also very sensitive, so any discomfort and he lets me know.
if I ask him to canter or gallop, he doesn’t appear to be displaying any pain, nothing typical with ears or tail, he just feels reluctant, hesitant even.. I‘m Not in the least bit unnerved by him, so while I won’t rule out rider error, I don’t have this issue with other horses ?‍

 

[Arzada]

if I ask him to canter or gallop, he doesn’t appear to be displaying any pain, nothing typical with ears or tail, he just feels reluctant, hesitant even.. I‘m Not in the least bit unnerved by him, so while I won’t rule out rider error, I don’t have this issue with other horses ?‍

What's his history? Did he feel the need to 'look after' his previous owner and continues to 'look after' you?

 

[Sunjunkieme]

What's his history? Did he feel the need to 'look after' his previous owner and continues to 'look after' you?

No, I don’t think so. I bought him from a reputable UK dealer, he was sensitive so not suitable for kids. He’d hunted in Ireland, been to a few shows, but I don’t really know much about his life before he was imported in Feb 2020 & I purchased him in May. He happily pops fences with me, he just feels like he can’t let go ?‍

 

[ycbm]

Ah, thanks. I was wondering if I was asking too much. Lovely to get a response from someone who gets what I mean ?

I remember mine at 6 cantering up a lovely wide grass track through a forest, or trying to. He just wouldn't. We had another try at a track on top of the hill that was more open to one side, but he almost decked me by suddenly sticking the brakes full on for no real reason. Walk and trot he was lovely, canter was too much for his brain to cope with. This year at 7 he's at a place with a big wide farm ride and right from the start there he's been happy to canter wherever I've asked him, and recently he's been anticipating where he's going to be allowed to go faster.

If you have the option, I would try yours in different environments, but at 10 I would really have expected him to have got it by now. I do love a solo whizz, I think yours would frustrate me as much as he does you.

ETA the entire rest of your description of him I could also say about mine word for word except he not a Connie.
.

 

[stangs]

Presuming he canters in an arena, would he canter if you schooled in a field?

Just thinking that you might be able to shape the behaviour by asking for canter as if you were schooling, in an area with few distractions so you can keep most of his concentration on you. Then slowly building up to hacking routes with more distractions, in the hopes that he's not only building up his confidence in canter, but also in hacking alone generally.

 

[Highmileagecob]

There was a thread running on here ages ago about the native breeds always being on high alert, and every sparrow could possibly be a tiger in the tree. Does he canter comfortably (when you can get canter) ? Tend to agree with stangs that you may have to move his schooling sessions to the big outdoors. Is there any opportunity on the ride out to throw in a few transitions and leg yields, then turn round and retrace your steps, continuing the 'lesson' and then finally ask for canter to end the session - even a few steps should be massively praised. On the other hand, you may have a horse who needs a leader and is not comfortable being the sole look out. Hope you can work through it, he sounds lovely.

 

[Sunjunkieme]

There was a thread running on here ages ago about the native breeds always being on high alert, and every sparrow could possibly be a tiger in the tree. Does he canter comfortably (when you can get canter) ? Tend to agree with stangs that you may have to move his schooling sessions to the big outdoors. Is there any opportunity on the ride out to throw in a few transitions and leg yields, then turn round and retrace your steps, continuing the 'lesson' and then finally ask for canter to end the session - even a few steps should be massively praised. On the other hand, you may have a horse who needs a leader and is not comfortable being the sole look out. Hope you can work through it, he sounds lovely.

Hmmm, I can’t school in the fields, but I can and do while I hack. There are a couple of places where I can get a short canter, and I always praise him for it, I think I’m going to try and hack out more in company, maybe he’ll get the hang of enjoying himself ?‍ It’s such a shame, breaks my heart when I think about selling him, he’s such a complex little character I’d worry that somebody else wouldn’t ‘get’ him and he’d end up being sold on, I don’t think I can do that…

I have a 2 year old with similar lines who is so different! When I lead them in in the morning, I can count on the baby to be the sensible one ?‍ Poor Ned, I think it’d take a lot of therapy for him to unload all his ?

 

[SantaVera]

Sounds like an absolute angel, I'd count my blessings and keep him forever.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I had a similar thing with my tb, i trained him to canter in certain places. He was always on alert for anything that would jump out a tree, hedge! So he knows now when I pick up the reins and say lets go , thats his queue to canter, took him about a week to master it but now its fab! I can canter on the buckle ?

 

[ponynutz]

Can't really help but can reassure he's not too old to teach new tricks yet - I taught mine to hack alone at about 10/11 and she picked it up really quickly.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Its perseverance! Do the same thing for a few weeks, get his confidence built up ?

 

[Zoeypxo]

Mine is 14 and doesnt like cantering out hacking, also thinks monsters will be around the corner
Ive started doing 2-3 strides , make a big fuss of her, then a few more strides next time. She is slowly getting more confident with the idea. Ive had her 8 years but my previous yard didnt have anywhere suitable for canter work, so we only cantered in the school

 

[Sunjunkieme]

Sooo, update. I have found Neddy Nu Nu’s 5th gear! Turns out he just needed a bit of polite encouragement ? he was always happy to pop into a few strides of canter / gallop, and evidently, the secret is to use my short whip on his shoulder just at the point he starts to slow. We both really enjoyed our blast on great ground - I’m a happy bunny!

 

[Barton Bounty]

Sooo, update. I have found Neddy Nu Nu’s 5th gear! Turns out he just needed a bit of polite encouragement ? he was always happy to pop into a few strides of canter / gallop, and evidently, the secret is to use my short whip on his shoulder just at the point he starts to slow. We both really enjoyed our blast on great ground - I’m a happy bunny!

Sounds like you had a great day! So happy for you ?