Can't battle for a 'normal' horse anymore :(

2

251libby

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 November 2008
Messages
1,307
Visit site
I know people have worse problems and this may seem pathetic in comparison.....but I'm at my wits end.
Theres no one at the yard or at home that I can talk to about this really so I'm turning to you guys.
I've had my horse 4 years, when I brought her she was in a 24 acre field with yearlings and had been for the last 3 years.
The first couple of months were a real struggle, catching her, going into the stable, alot of the time she would try and sometimes succeed in spinning around and galloping off to where ever she wanted to be. We have compleatly over come all the and now she couldn't have better manners on the ground.

When I eventually re schooled her she did the spinning round and galloping off all the time when I was on board, in the school, round the yard, out hacking every where.

She now is perfect in the school, on the yard and round the tracks........I just cant seem to crack the hacking. I didn't hack her for ages and only just started again before xmas, things were going ok, but then last night she span and galloped all the way down the downs
crazy.gif
and came to a slideing hault at the gate, I really do not know how i stayed on and was shaking after wards, I lead her back up to the top of the hill and got back on and continued my ride as normal.
I just dont know what to do, I just feel like I do not have the strength to crack this as the behaviour is so dangeruos!
I really feel like theres nothing I can do and will just have to accept that I will never be able to hack her, other than this shes perfect we evn compeate BSJA.

It's really making me miss my old pony, who was naughty but she was a bit naughty everyday rather than being perfect and then suddenly spinning. She was stolen and even though if I got her back I couldn't ride her I still really miss her. I could go for miles and hours at a time and I'm really missing it.
I just do not know what to do??

Really sorry this is so long
 
Poor you - and you problems are not pathetic at all! You have really progressed with the horse so should be very proud of yourself.
You need to decide whether you can live without hacking on your own. If you can accept this, and the horse is good in every other way, then enjoy what it is good at. If not, I would look at selling it on and finding something you can hack out on.
Are there other people you can hack out with so that you still get some hacking but without the risks?
 
I had a really nappy horse a few years back, we solved it by forcing him forward. Me on board, a friend in a car behind with her daughter in front of car with lunge whip. Everytime he napped my friends would block the way with the whip and car and stop him getting back the way he came. Luckily lived in very quiet lane with no traffic! He did throw a tantrum and bucked/reared a lot but somehow managed to sit it out. He gave in after about 1/2 hour and never did it again. Basicly you need help, can you ask a trainer or someone experienced with reschooling to assist. Every horse is different and although it worked for my horse, the confrontation method may not suit yours, depends on whats causing the napping, (fear, seperation anx, laziness).
 
She does this in company and alone theres no difference. She ok if its a huge group (like on a sponcered ride or hunting) and I fear she would just run though the whip or jump over it, I do think its fear because she really sweats up.
 
i know right now you just want to hold your hands up, admit defeat and stick to the tracks, but I think all it will take is some patience. You stuck at it in the yard/school and managed to get her sorted in every other way, the hacking will come too, she just needs to know you really mean it.
 
Then my method would definately not work. I really feel for you, sounds like she's great in every aspect, but no horse is perfect! I still reckon reschooling and going back to basics would be the way to start solving it. Almost treat her like a baby going out for the first time, leading her with a long line, (in case she heads home). Maybe working towards long lining her (with someone at her head). Shes got to learn that going home is not an option she can dictate. I'd certainly get someone you trust and respect o assist you, don't try it alone!
 
I think you did the right thing by getting back on and continuing your ride as normal, it lets her know that acting up doesn't mean she gets to go home.

I would stick at it, as it sounds like you've made fantastic progress with her in every other aspect, the hacking will probably improve with time and patience.
 
I think once you know your horse is very capable of totally pissing off with you, you know you are extremely vulnerable and not really safe. If your horse can go out of control I think you either need to stick to safe situations or change horses. If this horse is good and safe enough doing particular jobs, sell her to someone who's happy to stick to these jobs and not persist with the hacking.

Do you get plenty of enjoyment from her just schooling and going out jumping or would you be much happier with a safe hack? The trouble with changing horses is that we tend to assume the new horse will come with all our old horse's good points, with more besides. Its more likely that the new horse will have some problems, issues or limitations that hadn't even occurred to you. Might be better the devil you know?

Tough decision, but whether you sell or keep, my thoughts are she'll never be a safe hack.
frown.gif
 
I think you really could do with some professional help with this so you can get someone elses assesment of the situ. It might be better for her to be away from home for some schooling on this problem and then have help tackling it at home.

Give some of your local pros a ring and have a chat with them and see what they might suggest
 
Its not going to help you decide what to do but many years ago (25 plus) I bought a cheap little horse who won me a lot show jumping. He was though very difficult to hack out - would just nap and reverse etc. Did get him out and about a bit hacking but decided it wasn't worth the risk of accident or injury so accepted the fact that he lived in the field, schooled occasionally and went to shows. I know he had been passed from pillar to post before I bought him and I would have needed to read his mind to know what had gone wrong. When I eventually sold him I made it very clear to the person who bought him what his hacking problems were as I didn't want them to have an accident. He was a rosette machine in the jumping ring and had a lovely nature just didn't hack. To be honest he was hacking aside the easiest horse to do in the world as he would compete from the field and was really low maintenance.
 
Benjamin27 - that is pretty much describing my girl. I'm thinking it would be unwise to get a proffesional involved and I dont think they would jump at the chance to get on her and try it for themselves, the behaviour is just too dangerous.
I'm leanient to sell because she is 100% is all other areas and I feel very much responsible for her, and if I sold her she would get passed from pillar to post.
I might just have to accept she will never be the horse i wanted her to be
frown.gif
 
That doesn't sound like a silly problem to have at all and one that many people have in fact.
My mare had never been hacked when I got her, and she is sharp and quite spooky and was prone to go into panic mode and get the hell out of anything scary. After all horses are prety animals and that is what their insticst tell them.
She does now hack out not alone, and I only ever take her out with a very good reliable horse.
Does your horse have a close bond with any other horses out with her. What I did with my girl was take her out with a friend and we used approach and retreat method. It took a long time to crach but she was never pushed. The fact that youre mare is happy in a larger group could mean she is lacking in confidence. I would take her out with a friend and the minute she gets tense or worried (she should give some signs before bolting even if it is just pricking ears raising head). The minute she feels worried turn her around and head her home. Even if you get a few steps at a time. Her confidece should grow slowly. You just approach and retreat it might take 50 times on the first go at one point but gradually she will move past it. Aim on a short little hack and just build up.
Her behaviour does sound quite extreme though and if you don't feel safe then maybe the best is to consider not hacking her out and just enjoying her other benefits. If she is very good in hand and easy to control maybe try building her confidence that way with approach and retreat.
Best of luck with cracking the hacking
 
Well done for getting so far with her! I think you might have to accept that she doesn't 'do' hacking. Many years ago we bought an appaloosa mare who was stunning to look at and had a very affectionate nature. We soon found that she was a nightmare to deal with in all sorts of ways, we managed to sort out most of her issues with perserverance, consistency and patience BUT we never did manage to hack her on her own. She relied totally on others to take her past all the scary things that she found when out and about. She would accept a lead from a person walking alongside also.
Have you any idea what your mare gets frightened of? Can you acclimatise her slowly maybe with yourself, or a helper, on the ground? Is she worse when she's in season? You do need to 'think outside the box' with horses like this but you also need to make sure that you stay safe, don't take unnecessary chances.
 
I'm really going to try and give it one last crack and hopefully wont kill myself in the process. But, if it doesn't work this time then I will admit defeat and not 'do' hacking.
Thanks for all your help and I will let you know what the next few weeks of trying will bring. Spellbound I will try your way because it's something I have not done before and maybe that will increase her confidence
smile.gif


Thank you everyone
smile.gif


wish me luck
 
Have you had her back,teeth and saddle checked incase she's running away from pain?
And are you riding her in a strong enough bit? you need to make sure you must be with someone when you hack out and have a phone on you, and wear a body protector.I know with my boy i have to keep my leg on, as soon as I relax and just sit there he takes the micky.
Im moving mine to a yard with other people as need someone to ride with, but you already have someone so at least you know it's not a case of her being on her own.
Good luck with her.
 
Moomin I don think you realise the scale. She is in a universal bit wth a flash, if you catch her while shes spinning then i can stop her but ofter its far to quick, her back, teeth and saddle are fine and as i've said she only does it out hacking, not hunting or on sponcered rides or at shows.... just hacking, I always ride with someone else.
Thanks for the luck I will need it xx
 
What is she like with other horses? have you ever tried getting someone to walk out with you, maybe even initially just lead you. We have a pony at my yard that can be appauling to hack, but is perfect if someone is walking with him, not ideal but has meant she has gradually managed to get him hacking properly.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Moomin I don think you realise the scale. She is in a universal bit wth a flash, if you catch her while shes spinning then i can stop her but ofter its far to quick, her back, teeth and saddle are fine and as i've said she only does it out hacking, not hunting or on sponcered rides or at shows.... just hacking, I always ride with someone else.
Thanks for the luck I will need it xx

[/ QUOTE ]


Just a thought, my horse used to spin at the speed of light and I have come galloping downhill off the downs back to the yard on more that one occasion, not nice at all so I know how you feel.

I used approach and retreat but I also found quite by accident that my horse reacted far worse when I tried to stop him - ie grabbed at the reins on the spin and pulled to try and stop him ( as you do in the heat of the moment).
I now give him his head when he gets worried and just talk to him and scratch his neck. I will let him stand and look if he is really worried ( shaking and heart racing) Then I just ask him to walk on with a longish rein so it is his responsibility to carry me past. I just stay passive and calm and wait.

To start with I had a couple of spins but he stoped as soon as I dropped the rein!

Worked for me, he is still a complete wuss out hacking but getting calmer and more accepting of things all the time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top