Any tips for a horse who runs backwards?

[Kittykins]

My mare is perfectly lovely 95% of the time, but as soon as she doesn't want to go somewhere she stops dead, and then races backwards about five steps. If I put my legs on she goes backwards faster. If I ask her to simply stand (in the hope of boring her into going forwards, or only giving her that option), she gets bored and starts going backwards. If I try to turn her, she goes backwards on a bend.

She doesn't buck, rear, or bolt - but I can't seem to find any way of winning these arguments other than having someone grab her head and walking forwards with her, whilst I put my leg on. And there's not always someone around.

Any ideas?

 

[ilvpippa]

Mine does this, when shes scared, only does it out hacking, when she gets impatient with gates etc. She did it once on the road after seeing a scarecrow!.

I tried the nice approach, leg on, a step forward = reward etc. However she soon learnt backwards at speed ment i took my leg off. So when she went backwards i made it really uncomfy for her, i kept my leg on turned her head in different ways, circled etc, this worked for some while, but still a pain when on the road etc when you have cars, thankfully its a very quiet rode.

On one occasional, she did it walking down the drive at the livery where she walks to her field everyday, did the leg on etc, she threatened to rear, so i got my whip & i did smack her,, ive only had to do this once, & now on, when she is scared, i just keep my leg on & she stops & goes forward. Sometimes she does still go backwards, but a few stops, & mainly at gates!

 

[YorksG]

The old Appy was a champion backwards walker! Until she walked herself backwards into a hawthorne bush, backed up with barbed wire! She decided that it was not a good idea anymore, this wasn't planned, but it worked. We had another mare who decided backwards was the way to go, turned her round and continued on the hack backwards, she decided that forwards was the better option.

 

[courage_uk]

How fast are you at round the world

i agree with the last post, best thing is to let her back into something that isnt pleasent but not too dangerous, so she learns that it isnt a good idea,

like a rearer and the old egg on the head trick, xx

 

[noblesteed]

Mine does it too. We have backed down ditches, into fences. It's just nappy behaviour. I have learned to feel when he gets 'sticky' and about to do it and then I kick him on, growl or tap my boot with my whip. I can preempt him 95% of the time now.

Michael Peace suggests carrying a rope to flick across the horses butt when this happens - my friend said this worked with her horse.

 

[doonrocket]

As soon as she has taken a couple of steps back, turn her round and reign back past what ever she is spooking at.

Do it quickly and definatly, you are taking her control of the reverse gear away, making it no longer an effective spook for her and giving you the control back. Works a treat.

 

[NeilM]

My gelding does this when he gets REALLY excited, especially at fun rides or similar. He wants to go forward fast, but instead sits right back on his hocks and shuffles back a few paces. If I ask him to walk forward, he just shuffles back some more.

I have found if I sit right at the back of the saddle and lean back he stops, calms down and listens. After a few seconds I can move him forward normally, or I will sometimes move him forward while still sitting at the back of the saddle.

 

[Kittykins]

Thanks guys! Not sure about backing her into a bush, but reining back or sitting back seem like a good idea.

 

[Allover]

Thanks guys! Not sure about backing her into a bush, but reining back or sitting back seem like a good idea.

Sometimes it really does help, i found that when horses misbehave like this we as riders try and protect them and in the process make the "habit" worse. It is not about you backing her into a bush, it is about her backing herself into a bush, when she hits it she learns the consequences of her actions.

 

[hairymolly]

My mare does this too. We have backed up into fences, bushes, other horses, down ditches, up verges. I am pretty much getting on top of it now, I can feel her get sticky and she gets a smack/boot depending on situation. Really getting her forward off my leg in the school helped, think hundreds of transistions and if she is not sharp enough off my leg then she gets a smack. I have however had to have it out with her a few times, It generally goes

hmm mum I really dont fancy going out a hack today
I say welll tuff we are going leg on
she goes no dont fancy it think ill start to drift/bulge in the direction she fancies
I put leg on firmer/give her a wee smack
she goes what are you stupid or something i dont want to go think i run backwards/shake my head about a bit that should give silly mum the message
i will boot/smack her and insist she faces the direction i want to go
she will run backwards faster, snort, stamp her feet, buck
i persist until she says well if going out a stupid hack means that much to you, you should have said sooner

With my mare though its temper and attitude, she has had everything checked and there is nothing wrong with her other than she is an opionated welsh madame! Her reaction when scared of something although similar is actually less naughty and i can tell the difference between attitude and fear. I obviously dont get after her as much when she is scared but running backwards is not alllowed and dangerous and needs to be corrected. My rule is she is allowed to be scared, she is allowed to stop and look but turning/going backwards is not.

 

[Sparkles]

Ditto,if it's just napping...then just one well timed smack on the arse would be my port of call [I'm not a stick person FTR, never ride with one generally unless on a known napper] and failing that, backing into something 'uncomfortable' [but not dangerous obviously!]. Failing both of these, I'd turn and keep spinning her on the spot so she's not going backwards until she's bored of going round in circles and then ask her forwards again....generally more oblidging to go forwards rather than really be working harder turning on their hocks

 

[jesterfaerie]

Mine used to be a real sod for doing this with me out on a hack when I first got him, he has done it a few times since. You couldn't send him forwards or hit him because it would just send him back faster, he has backed himself into several walls which worked but the best one was he backed himself into a prickly hedge....going forwards was defiantly they easier option!
I found that reining him back past whatever he is napping at has helped. He was nappy but he also had confidence issues so I found that in hand leading and long reining him helped him.

 

[ladyt25]

Ha ha, my old pony still does this (he's 23 now and I've had him 16 years!), he used to be really terrible for it though and it was usually if he got worked up/excited about something (that's why we gave up showjumping - it was no good if you couldn't even get to the first fence! Lol). What i was told to do and still do if it happens is, as someone else said - MAKE them go backwards. If they start backing up put the pressure on and force them to keep going backwards until you decide they must stop. If you then ask them to go forwards and they do it again then again MAKE them go backwards. They do eventually get it. However, it can take time and we don't always have this on a hack so, if they will not go forward (maybe they find somethi g ahead 'scary' or are just being nappy) I would try and turn them and make them reverse in the direction YOU want them to be going in.

My pony did this not so long ago on the steep hill up from our field - he kept reversing down at high speed so i turned him and made him reverse UP the hill. i did this for a few strides then would turn him backa dn ask him to go forward again, he wouldn't and just reversed again so back round I turned him and backed him up the road again. eventually even he decide it was preferable to walk forwards up the hill!

I do have to reverse him past things he's scared of quite often - ie tractors, lorries etc. He is rather an erratic soul!

 

[SpruceRI]

I had a napper/reverser too... and walking him backwards down the road, the way I wanted to go worked. Only had to do it once, and he never bothered with it again.

He wasn't a speedy reverser though.... that's a bit more of an issue. Mine was just bloody-minded, slow motion, arsey!

The car drivers thought I was nuts no doubt!!