Backing my 6 year old.

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WinstonsGirl

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I will try and supply as much information as possible so as not to cause confusion. I am starting to get the basics in place for backing my 6 year old however she is very different to what I would expect and have dealt with in the past. I'll break this down as best I can:
What I've done so far:
  • I have attempted to lunge her - she doesn't walk forward and "explore" so tends to just stand next to me or turn in on me.
  • I have attempted to long-rein her - Again doesn't walk forward freely and will turn round to look at me ending up tying herself in a knot. I will not profess to be an expert in long-reining but try my best and have done it a few times in the past with my old mare.
  • Loose schooled her - by chasing vigorously we just about get going into trot but she doesn't stay on any kind of circle (I know this isn't an issue to begin with) and it only lasts a few seconds. She does this fine in the round pen but as soon as you add a line, it all goes out the window and she won't walk on.
A bit about my mare:
  • We think she was used for driving by the gyspies but wasn't quick enough (trotter) and so was beaten with a whip/ stick (scars suggest this but she is not reactive to the whip, will just stand stock still and not move)
  • She has had a bit in and been long-reined by the RSPCA and had a bit in with me but for some reason will not just walk forward, have tried walking by her shoulder or flicking the line at her, using my voice etc but nothing, just won't walk forward.
  • She is a kicker - she kicks forward but I haven't seen her go back. She isn't malicious but its a warning that I'm outside her comfort zone.
Everyone at the yard is saying she will have been sat on before and that I just need to get a saddle and jump on but due to her past with the Gypsies and being abandoned, I want to make sure I do this correctly. I don't have a lot of detail about her past so I'm struggling with what she has done and what she hasn't.
With regards to help, I have some help at the yard when people are around and not busy however everyone else has their own horses to do so spending an hour with me to help me out doesn't seem fair. On the lead rope she is fairly sharp and alert but in the school she doesn't appear to be spooky or anything like that. I thought about doing some Natural Horsemanship stuff with her with desensitising and getting her paying attention to me but I don't know if that would work.
Basically I just need some ideas of where to go from here because every session is getting frustrating and I don't want that energy around her. Shes in her stable at the minute so I want her to have some time with me using her brain in the evenings. Please help!
 
I'd look for a good trainer like Richard Maxwell, who does that 'natural horsemanship type stuff.' You're right -- it can be very useful for training a horse to focus on you and installing ground manners, but if you don't know what you're doing and your timing and feel are out, you will confuse the horse even more. It's impossible to know via the internet all the subtle interactions between you and the horse and how that may be affecting the horse. You really need eyes on the ground.
 
I have my old riding instructor coming out on the 13th to meet her but need to get her brain working between now and then to get her working so she doesn't get bored. External factors mean the situation is fixed and I'm doing my best!
If not lunging and long-reining, is there anything I can do with her aside from putting her in the horse walker twice a day? that was more my question. Apologies again for more confusion - I don't seem to be very good at asking questions on here!
 
WinstonsGirl said:
We think she was used for driving by the gyspies but wasn't quick enough (trotter) and so was beaten with a whip/ stick (scars suggest this but she is not reactive to the whip, will just stand stock still and not move)
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This does sound like 'learnt helplessness' so I have to agree that a professional trainer who has worked with this kind of issue would be wise. I would be wary of any method that uses 'flooding' as part of desensitising work as it just feeds right back into learnt helplessness again.
 
You need professional help but if your horse has been driven she should long rein and will probably have been ridden too possibly far too young but there you go that is why she was with the RSPCA. You can teach her to respond to a halter and pressure release which will start you on the correct road but you do need to get timing right. I suggest you leave her out of the equation and get someone to teach you how to long rein an established horse
 
I agree you need professional help and until then I would just be making sure she is turned out as much as possible, I think under the circumstances doing much else could potentially do more harm than good I would just wait until you get the help you need and take there advice on what you should be doing with her.
 
We can't turn out as much as possible at the moment due to all the fields being completely water logged hence the need to get her out and thinking. I am currently hand grazing her but until the weather is better my hands are tied.

windand rain said:
I suggest you leave her out of the equation and get someone to teach you how to long rein an established horse
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I don't know if you read the last bit in my post, I have long-reined before on my horses with no issues previously. The issues I have with her is that you try and push her to walk on and she will turn round and/ or reverse.
As stated in a previous reply, I am having my instructor out in a few weeks. He can only do in a few weeks because I've moved away. I want his help and support before anyone else as he has taught me for the last 13 years, know me and my capabilities and I trust him. THEREFORE, back to my comment above, any suggestions on getting her thinking before I can get my instructor to me?
 
windand rain said:
You can teach her to respond to a halter and pressure release which will start you on the correct road but you do need to get timing right.
Click to expand...
WinstonsGirl said:
THEREFORE, back to my comment above, any suggestions on getting her thinking before I can get my instructor to me?
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given that you are restricted on turnout then I think WAR's suggestion is a good place to start. I'm assuming she's bitted so you could also do some simple exercises walking with her in hand in a bridle so she gets some exercise.
 
Long reining and lunging is usually best started with 2 people, so agree with what others have said re getting a professional in to help and teach you how to teach her.

Whats the hacking like around you? Can you take her out in hand on some hacking routes? She'll see a few different things off the yard which she will have to think about. She'll learn to trust you along the way. I do this in summer months with my nervous nelly but you may need to waterproof up and get on with it.
 
Things you can do while waiting for you RI are putting a saddle on and taking her for a walk (with you on foot), look at clicker training to teach her to stop and walk on with your voice, you can also get her to step over poles or other "desensitizing" exercices using the clicker and treats. See if she reacts positively and wants to get involved when treats are involved.
She sounds like a smart mare who likes your company but isn't too bothered about running about.
 
I'd also recommend some clicker training. She sounds like she is quite shut down and this could help make training something she enjoys and looks forward to. I would start with things that she is unlikely to have been taught in another way before e.g. target training. Then once she gets the idea that it's a fun game with rewards you could start to retrain some of the stuff that she hasn't enjoyed in the past (perhaps everything?!).
 
Is sending her away to be backed an option? (Please don't think I saying you aren't capable! Just a suggestion)

The start is so important for them and as owners we want them to have the best start. I sent my youngster away to be backed, I'd done ground work with him, sat on in the stable etc but I had to be realistic about the fact i was by myself, no facilities other than a field and that's not the right recipe for starting a quirky 17hh horse. It was one of my best decisions, sent him to exactly the right person (came via recommendation) and they did exactly as needed. He is the trickiest horse I've ever ridden so it's been challenging I won't lie but I'm no less proud of my achievements with him just because I didn't back him myself.

Things like poles in the school maybe to help her perhaps? Walking out in hand?
 
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