Bringing a horse back into work.

[Nonyabusiness]

I have recently taken on a horse of 17 years old that hasnt been in any sort of work for years. Has been hacked out and done jumping in the past. Helping the owner out ive started to TRY and get it back into some sort of work so that her 10 year old grand daughter can start to ride him as shes coming off ponies. Anyway.

Hes a nice horse on the ground, easy enough to tack up, and has become more willing to leave his stable friends (one of five others) No trouble mounting. The problem i seem to have with him is getting him to walk. we can get a few strides but not straight normally sideways and he has a bad habit of spinning and bunny hopping & he napps to the door, although ive managed to over come the napping more recently. (he got me off first time he did this but not since). Once up into trot he will go no problem, circles change the rein ect but soon as i ask for walk it halts end of, i can get it walk but stop start stop start, moves off the track. I work him in an indoor menage. I use a schooling whip but find im now over using it. Hes almost dead to my leg. he will stand until he wants to move but he just goes up into trot. Yes i know its a case of p taking. But want to know how i can over come this, without working him up. As im new to him and work is relatively new to him too.

he wont lunge as ive been told he charges at you!. He sounds in legs and back.

Any advice would be helpful.

 

[Abbeygale]

This sounds an awful like my mare! She only does it if I try to ride her in our field at home, and she will usually walk off, but I can't get her out of walk. If I force her to trot, she will either grind to a halt entirely and threaten to rear, or go steaming off trying to bronc! Isn't she a delight! lol

The main thing I found with my mare is that she does ONLY do this if I try to ride her in our field. I can ride her in other fields, just not our field. I just stopped trying to ride her in the field and took her out hacking. Once we were out hacking, then I started to work on things like stopping and starting, transitions and eventually working into an outline. Yes - its not ideal, and I can't say it would help your boy - but just what I have done. Can you take him to another school to ride him in?

Can you long line him instead of lunge?

(FWIW even after owning my mare for 9 years, she still has a complete wobbly if I try to ride her in our field at home!! lol)

 

[Polos Mum]

What happens if you lead him out whereyou want to go? Long rein or even get someone to lead you until his confidence comes back

 

[PorkChop]

I personally wouldn't be working him in the school until he is fitter, he is probably finding it rather hard work!

If he is napping when he leaves the yard to go on a hack I would long line him, far better than getting into an argument.

If I was bringing a horse back into work after a long lay off, I wouldn't be thinking about going into the school for at least a month.

I apologise if you have already got past the hacking and fittening stage. If you have then try long lining him in the arena, you can really get them going forward with the lines, don't worry if it is a bit wild to start off with, just get him really thinking forwards!