Any ideas for this behavioral problem?

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Belle22

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The horse I have is a 15 year old TB x Irish sports mare, I've had her for 2 years, but knew her previously. The problem we have becomes apparant when we try to hack out. Usually I can take her out with no issues, but when it comes to turning round to come home she stops and freeze, and no amount of pushing forward or asking her turn using the reins will make her go; I have even tried completly ignoring her by simply sitting with no pressuring contact, This has worked a few times when she was in the school.

What she will do though is spin around in a kind of pirrouette, then freezes again.
Most often the only way she will go forwards is when she bolts from a standstill.
The only other way I can get her to move is by getting off and leading her, however I would like to avoid doing that.
This happens in company and when we hack alone, but she doesn't do it everytime.

Sorry for the essay but any ideas will be much appreciated.
 
Is it at the same spot each time?
Circular hack is a good idea.
Do you think it might be the act of turning that is upsetting her - has she been checked for pain? Can you turn her in a loop so she doesn't stop walking forwards but isn't "twisting" anything? When does she do it in the school?
 
How strange.. most horses stop leaving the yard, not coming home! Sounds more like a fear/confidence problem than outright napping.
Can you get off and lead her forward until she's calmed down?
How about asking her to back a few steps? If she'll do that sensibly it's worth asking her to back in the direction you want to go, just to break the 'freeze' habit.
 
Where im stabled at the minute we're a streight bridle path, but we have been on circular hacks in the past, and her behaviour was better to be honest, so ill find a way to do that again.
No she doesn't do it in the same spot each time, its almost as if when we turn, she thinks we have to be home right then, and she manages to get herself in to a conflitct with herself. She has even done it when i've been waiting for someone to open a gate for me when I was riding, and id stopped her short of the gate, as i need the room to be opened and she had a fit then.

In terms of the school, she did it the first time I rode her after buying her, which cut down to her being in new surroundings, and she only spun rounccd a few times and walked on.
The latest in time in the school, I halted her as I had to adjust my stirrup, and she was trying to wander around, and i continued to rein her in to stand, she span round then, but then I sat and ignored and after a minute or 2 when asked she waked forward.

I see what you mean about her getting upset from the turning as a whole, but when she's being led there are no problems, its only when she is ridden, and I can turn her in the school no problem.

In reclation to her being in pain: I've recently had a new saddle fitted, and she's also had physio. She does have an asymetrical hip, which an cause problems down one side if she's lunged, and she spins reguardless of which side you turn her on. But if she was in pain would she not display the behaviour all the time, in the shool and in hand ??
 
I have often thought about an anxiety issue in the past. I have gotton off some past times and I led her back the way we came, then I get back on, the first time it worked, the second time, I had to get off 3 times I think, before she would walk on.

I'll give the backing up a go though.
 
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