any advice please???

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Pixxie

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after 3 months of hard work and problem solving, i have come to love my boy very much and he has come on so far.

but over the last few days on hacks, he has started severely napping, throwing his shoulder out and mini rearing on the spot or moving sideways. i have to work very hard to get him moving forward and really take control of his shoulders. on sunday when he was doing this, i managed to get through it twice. and today i got him going forward 3 times and each he was napping again and each time worse. so i ended up dismounting and walking the hack (i was NOT going home) got home eventually and lunged him.

his back is fine, his saddle is fine, his teeth are ok and being done on thursday so its none of these and like i said it has only been over the last few days. i just dont know what to do with it. hes not spooking at anything, its just pure stubbornness and so unnecessary. before today it was at one spot in particular and it is a spot that is the opposite way from home that we usually go. today he did it when we had only got about 10 minutes from the gate. he has never done it here before.

the new fields we have jsut moved onto (yesterday) are outside of the gate so we have to walk around them to get onto the trails, which hasnt been a problem until today, i thought it could be because they were a distraction and it was all a bit different, but after the continuous way he did it and then walked on with me on foot after a short argument on the ground i thought perhaps not

any suggestions? please? i need to crack this

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his back was checked on saturday, and i was told to carry on doing things as normal

his saddle fits well it was done jsut over a month ago

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ETS: cellie, i trotted him forward today and no better at all, he just waited longer until he did it again
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When my horse was young I used to get similiar.Instead of asking him to walk I asked him to trot until I had movement forward it was the only thing that worked.He doesnt do it anymore.
 
hmm could be pain related? what bit is he in? my mare used to hop on the spot and tug at the reins when she was in the school nd my trainor at the time said she was doing it cos the bit was too strong so we moved her to a hanging snaffle (she was in a pelham) and she stopped doing it. I'm not sure what to suggest to be honest!
 
he's in a french link snaffle (shortly changing it for one with a thinner mouthpiece as his mouth is quite pony like and thats slgihtly longer although i think we will keep the french link, my trainer is going to be recommending me some at the end of the week if she thinks he needs a different one)

it seems like pure stroppyness as its been so recent but he cant tell me
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Mine went through this phase (very stroppy & bolshy). Not out hacking, but in the school. Once spent a 45 minute lesson just trying to get him to walk past the gate without napping/digging his heels in/spinning/bucking.

The key with him was to keep him going forwards in whatever direction. As soon as he stopped, we would turn him the other way & ask forwards again. If he digged his heels again, we would turn & go in the other direction & ask forwards again. He did eventually get bored & hasn't napped in 3 or 4 years.

I also worked to get him in a routine so that he accepted it was time to work when asked. He is quite bright, so it is also important to make sure when schooling that it wasn't predictable. I had to keep him guessing to keep his mind working. With him, if the exercise became predictable, it freed his mind up to think of naughty evasions.

I don't know if this helps at all, as I know you have specified it is the hacking which is problematic, but good luck!
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Could you try riding out in company? and see if he is doing it then, He could very well just be trying it on with you if you have had his back etc checked, horses can be very clever animals,

How old is he?
and how long have you had him?

Sometimes if horses are used to going on a certain ride and you always turn back at the same place they can tend to start napping, when you want to go further. I can see why you got off and lead him but if you keep doing this he will learn that he has got his own way by making you get off ( I prob would have done the same and been concerned that he was in pain if this was out of character for him)

if there are certain points that he naps at try turning him around before you get to it so you dont end up getting in a fight and then try going a bit further the next time or turn him in a few tight circles (if safe to do so) as to confuse him as to which way he is going. then send him forwards with the back up of a schooling whipif needed.

Good luck
 
it could well be the reverse with him in terms of bordem out hacking, i just dont really know, especially as i know nothing about his past

i may well spend the next few days working him in the school

usually i wouldve has a good mix of hacking and schooling but we have a hole in the middle of our arena where some membrane has come up, so its a bit tricky, but i will work around it

ETS: the only other direction was home which was the way he was napping so, not winning that one
nikkinoo he only ever goes out in company, probably wouldnt get through the gate if he didnt which makes me think its jsut naughtiness, and ive ahd him 3months and he is between 9 and 11 (according to dentist) but was sold to me as a 7 yrold . i dont know how he'd react with a whip as im fairly sure he has been beaten before


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He is probably testing the boundaries. How long have you had him? Some of them are pretty determined! Keep consistent with him & don't give in. Some will test you for a short time & if you are unbreakable give up quickly. Others (mine being a case in point!
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) will throw everything at you to see who gets the upper hand. He still tests me from time to time to keep me on my toes, but I went through a really rough time with him when he was in this phase. My sheer pig-headed obstinacy & determination eventually won through & it was worth it in the end!

ETS - 3 months is no time, and I think he is definitely testing the boundaries!
 
i think it is more than likely him testing me (he is a welsh D cross) and has the intelligence trait down to a T. it just worries me as he can get quite dangerous, and ive never actually experienced a horse that rears before, and i jsut really dont want him to discover he can properly go up, rather than just mini rears on the spot

its just devastating and confidence crushing when i have worked so hard with him and got over so many obstacles. he has every ability to be my superstar, but is so heartbreaking at times, he just makes me cry and i cannot give up on him. i love his stupid face lol

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Pixxie - i think its like all his other little things - not standing etc. He is trying things on with you - I think if you expect that for the foreseeable future every time you work through one issue there will be another it won't get you down so much - just remember how you have worked through the other things. Patience, taking a step back working out a way through the latest 'issue' - for instance if you can't use a stick (I can't on mine) try spurs - try and keep calm and quiet (hard I know) if you stay confident (sing as it means you are breathing and not so uptight) he will have confidence in you and like the other things he is a bright little pony and will soon realise that you are not giving in so he will.
 
Was it you who had the mounting issue? If so, this was probably the first of your tests!
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. He does sound bright to me. Don't lose heart. You need to keep him moving forwards at all costs. I know how hard it is to do this when they are making you nervous - enter good instructor!

Everything you say in this last post is identical to how I felt 4 years ago. When they back off you, tense up underneath you into a coiled spring, and you sit there terrified of whether you are going up, down or round it's awful
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. The "min-rears" never turned into anything else for me - it was just another evasion. I never gave mine too much of a smack as it just made him more evil tempered, but I had to develop vice like legs, and do lots of work to get him "straight" as this was also a problem.

He is, however, the superstar horse that I knew he could be now. Just persevere. 3 months is no time. I hate to say it, but he could well have a few more tests for you yet! It is my belief that the more tests you pass, the greater the reward at the end!
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oh no bless you dont give up., keep on at him remember little steps turn in to great big footprints,. I had a pony that used to rear, I got so used to it that I am now terrifed if a horse bucks with me I will be straight out the front door lol,

If you can though do have some company for him to follow, once he realises he is going out to have fun he will relax and enjoy
If he doesnt have a martingale get a neck strap or a stirrup leather done up around his neck so if he does go up you have got something to grab hold of, and use your voice and literally growl at him.
 
biggest mistake you made was getting off
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I would suggest taking him out with something else...but making him lead
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....sounds like he just being naughty.....if you have the opportunity and feel him tense up under you to nap....make him stand,do nothing else...if he wants to move dont let him...make him stand
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yeah it was me with the mounting issues (solved more or less i am pleased to say
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) but may well have reappeared tomorrow when i try and mount him in the school which has had a hole in it for the past week and i have avoided using for said reason. so wish me lcuk for that lol

SU, i will try singing may even get whoever im hacking with to sing too so i dont feel like such a tw@t. and thankyou for the encouragement and patience and perseverence is the key i need to remember.

and Natalie_H, i think he could be how yours has turned out and i am almost convinced i will have many many more tests from him. id jsut appreciate a month or two with no problems lol so i can enjoy him and crack on with his training as he has been fairly poorly educated
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ETS: i know i shouldnt have got off but i felt os bad for my friend who was out with me as her horse was starting to get agitated and it couldve quickly become dangerous. and i didnt go home i did make him walk the whole thing. i do feel stupid for having got off though. i knwo it was wrong
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