Any ideas why she might be doing this? at a bit of a loss really...

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superstar565

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Recently my 4yo has refused to move when I get on her. Not even a few steps in walk.
Normally when I first get on she fidgets a bit and tosses her head around but once walking around she settles really nicely. Also when I first get on her she is normally quite sensetive to leg and moves forward really well.
Thursday was the first time she started digging her feet in, literally. We had already walked a few circles then she just stopped. We hadn't even trotted. I thought it was because she was just really tired as she had been working quite a lot(for her) during the week so I gave her a long weekend off.
Today I rode her today and she did the same thing, but it was as soon as I got on, not even after walking. We managed to get a few steps out of her with a bit of bribery(apple pieces!) but after a while that didn't even work.
I really could get nothing to make her move, I didn't use a stick but I only want to resort to that if it is really neccessary.
She has had her teeth done recently and the only thing I can think of is maybe it could be something to do with pain in her back. However she doesnt seem in any pain and is fine when she is cantering around the field.
Sorry this is so long but I really have no idea what to do. I also go back to school next week when I will be starting my A-levels so I won't have hours everyday to spend with her like I do now. Just ask if you want to know anything else.
 
seems to me to be two questions here:-
1/ is she in pain somewhere
2/ is she taking the p***

I think you need to check her over carefully, all over, get her saddle and tack checked.
If nothing can be found, I would think she may be playing you up. unless something else that seemed of no importance at the time, has happened recently
 
i would get a vet out and back person out working together, as if you just get a back person out. first off they need vets permission and they cant legally diagnose something. what ever it is it she must be in alot of discomfort to not even move with apple peices etc, it sounds like it subtley started a while ago with the figdeting and tossing head but that could just be her,
keep us updated
 
or like temsik said, maybe tying up? you said she has been worked hard and had a long weekend off, its a possibility
 
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how easily does she move once you are off her? could she be tying up?

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I thought about that at first but I jumped off and lead her around but she walked perfectly fine when I did this.
 
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How is she on the lunge? Will she work properly?

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Yes. Before I got on her today I lunged her first and she was totally normal.
 
I think for your piece of mind you need to make sure that nothing is hurting her , have her back checked etc etc all the normal things so you know she is pain free first.

Maybe she is bored. can you not hack her for a short time with another horse, maybe even walk her out inhand.

I study a bit of animal psycology and I am way from being an expert but I would say that if there is no physical barrier from keeping her from moving forward under saddle then it may be a psycological ..you need to find a way to unlock a mental block by way of diverting her attention so she is distracted into going forward.

you could try some (and please don't shoot me for this) parelli or similar games on the ground that she finds fun and enjoys. this way she forgets about standing still....maybe try putting a tasty snack on something in the arena and everytime she walks to it she gets the treat, this way walking forward or trotting as you get there quicker is rewarded. then she will be like where is the next treat then mum, put the treat in the same two places to start with so she gets the idea and have someone on hand to replace the treats either end she she is encouraged more and more to walk further and further then you can build to trotting and eventually cantering to the treats.

She will learn to love being i the arena.
 
If she has been worked a lot recently she may be changing shape? Maybe the saddle doesn't fit as well any more? My youngster is very sensitive to this and I am currently on my 4th saddle (begged and borrowed) in 6 months..!
 
Did you try clipping the lunge on her with a rider on board and seeing if that worked? Or using the same voice aids while mounted? I talk 19 to the dozen with babies, and it works well for me. I have never had an issue with babies that isn't solved with a firm leg and voice, but had an older horse once who did it, he came with the problem, and we just used to sit there until he got bored, took a few sessions, but worked it out of him eventually when he realised I wasn't going to get off and lead (which we guess his previous owner did).
 
I'll deffinately get her checked over, including her saddle.

And emma69, I did try riding on the lunge and that made no difference either and I also talk to her all the tie, using the sae voice aids as I do when just lunging her.
When she didn't move I sat on her for quite a while so she learned that couldn't get away with not doing anything.
 
have u tried her on a hack, if shes still does it on a hack then there is something, if she doesnt then maybe she is having you on. narrow it down abit.
 
As long as there is no pain related issue, it May be worth getting another horse alongside or in front of her to encourage her to move forward. This could give her a bit more confidence without having to resort to using over-strong aids. Has worked for me in the past.
 
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have u tried her on a hack, if shes still does it on a hack then there is something, if she doesnt then maybe she is having you on. narrow it down abit.

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No, I haven't hacked her yet.
I'll try and find some company, one of her field mates maybe, to go on a short hack with.
 
I had this problem with Doug, he literally just stood there for an hour I could not get him to move at all. I didnt go in the menege for about two weeks, hacked around fields and on the roads, went in the menege two weeks later and he was normal again
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I think Doug was a bit bored with walking round in circles
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I hardly go in the menege now, I hate it
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Haven't read the above posts- however my physio's 4 year old started doing this- first thought was saddle (obviously taking the p* was thought of but for a sensitive young arab not wishing to move forward is not often seen), however as shes a mctimothy chiropractor she was concerned- vet called- suspected pelvis fracture- bone scan confirmed hot spots- field rest- declared fine- all fine then he started doing it again now it seems hes done a bit of damage around SI area- has been on box rest for 4 weeks hopefully all fine again now.
This would be immediatly rining alarm bells for me. Haven't read above posts. Good Luck
 
My boy used to do this when he was first backed - I had all health and tack factors checked out to make sure he wasn't in pain and all was ok there. Basically, as Donklet suggested - he was taking the p***!

All of the back and tack checks obviously need to be made, but it really does sound as if she is just throwing a rather large teenage tatrum. If all is ok health wise, I would bring in the stick, in a very mild way - basically just using it to nag her until she moves.

Presumably your mare has been taught to move away from pressure and the whip on the ground, so when you get on do the same. Take a very loose rein contact, then first use leg, then voice and leg and then tap her with the whip (schooling whip, so not heavy and easy to use lightly) behind the leg, very lightly - keep up the tapping until she moves. As soon as she moves, praise with the voice and the take off all pressure. My trainer advised me to do this with my boy and it worked pretty well - it might take a fair bit of tapping, but it's a rare horse that doesn't get sick of it and move away. Basically, not moving forward is one big evasion, extreme napping if you like and a last rebellion!

Hope this might help!!
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Someone earlier asked if you had hacked her out - which will mirror my post - get her out of the play pen (the sand arena / indoor school) and out in the wide world with a nice steady / sensible companion. Sounds to me as if she is bored / not sure what the point of life is. Did you long rein in her breaking - much better than ever decreasing circles on the lunge - and again - out on the roads. You might have to go back a few stages to get her back on track - off her back, more long reining - maybe even have her led off another horse? Jazz it up a bit - be brave, go for it!
 
From what you say about her behaviour before this refusing to move thing, she may be a little cold backed. What you describe - fidgeting when first mounted, tossing her head and needing a few minutes before settling - is fairly classic low-end cold backed. If she IS cold backed, then she may have altered her response to try to deal with the situation. Worth investigating - I'd try going into a forward seat the instant you mount her and stay off her back for a few minutes. Thick sheepskin numnah and tightening the girth slowly may also help.
 
Sounds to me like she is taking the mickey out of you! Youngsters tend to do what you ask for the first wee while til they realise that they could have some say in the matter. Then they can start to act up. I would do some hacking out, lunging, diff stuff in general but keep up with the school work too. Get someone to lead you if poss and dont be too soft! U mite think u r being kind but it could lead to probs with napping if she gets away with it for too long. Be strong with leg and voice and use a stick as a back up. Being tough doesn't have to mean giving her a beating!
 
obviously the first things to do would be to get tack, back and teeth checked to rule out pain as others have said. Ten there's the link between a pretty coloured pony and the name Flash... and from my experience of those they are lazy beyond belief, completely take the p1ss given half a chance, and get bored very quickly and then try new tricks on you. Vary work as much as possible, with hacking, and try to make any school work as fun as possible with lots of changes of direction and within and between paces. My Flash had a phase where he would stop, lean against the fence with you on him and your leg hopelessly crushed between his fat belly and the fence, and flatly refuse to move no matter what you did. Turned out to be nothing wrong with him, just a variation on his other attempts to get out of work and go back to the field. Good luck sorting it
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Get her hacking, she is probably a bit bored, working in a school for a baby is also hard work. You need to make being ridden fun for her.

Good Luck
 
My young ID mare had similar issues when we started working her but it was more out hacking on our own. She'd just plant her feet and would have nodded off if I'd let her! After all the usual checks and no physical problems found my instructor rode her in spurs during a lesson to get her moving forwards (I'd never really liked the idea of wearing spurs up to that point). I got myself a pair and from then on whenever I wore them we had no further probs and I rarely needed to apply them. I think my mare's problem was more not going off my aids and being a bit stubborn with it.
 
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