Cure for Horse Running backwards

[bkeeble]

Hi,

Have a 5yo HanovarianxTB, he is quite green, we have taken him out to dressage regularly and he is a really good boy, bit fizzy but not to bad (been winning quite alot). We took him X country a couple of weeks ago and he was as good as gold bit green but not major problems, anyway went x country yesterday and he completely blew his top in the warm up arena could not cope with all the horses cantering around everywhere, he got him self in a complete state, the problem I have is he stops and runs backwards regardless of what or who is behind him (he done this alot when we first got him but has not done it for ages (he is very nappy)), no matter what I do, talk nicely, be calm, kick, shout, wack with whip he just continues to run backwards the only thing that stops him is somebody on the floor chasing him forward with lunge whip. Any ideas how I can cure this or what to try? Did not do the X country in the end cause he was in such a state, really frustrated as he jumps anything you put in front of him so jumps are not a problem.

Help/ideas anyone?!!!

B
x

 

[serena2005]

i have the same problem with my TBX (not quite as bad thankfully) and so does friend with her Tb,

she suggested to make them go backwards... if they want to go back dont stop them keeping pushing them back... then when they want to stop, tell them to keep going. her Tb soon learnt it was earsier to go forwards. i understand that this may not be possible at a show if lots of people are around

i know fighting doesnt work and does get extreamly frustrating, i really feel for you.

 

[_April_]

My horse used to nap quite badly too and if you tried to make her go forwards she would just back up quickly, even if you had no rein contact at all!

When she started the going backwards I found that strangely the best thing to do was nothing, then after a few paces when she calmed down I could make her go forward again.

The only thing I could suggest would be to whip him right round hard in a circle and try to break the habit.

Once they realise it doesn't get them anywhere they normally give up!

 

[samp]

I know exactly how you feel I had my horse for 10 years and never managed to get him out of this bad habit. Just used to clear the area. He would rush back so quickly and rear. At one XC I had to get off as he was too dangerous and my dad chucked me up in the start box - not good practice. If he did it out hacking I used to reverse him into a tree or something or make him go backwards past whatever he was freaking at. I hope you can get him out of this habit. My mare goes back sometimes if not sure and if it is going to be dangerous I always have to elect to get off - this maybe frowned upon but I do not want to risk myself or anyone else

 

[bkeeble]

Problem is once he starts running backwards he does not stop until he either hits something (i.e.) fence or until I have to spin him round to look at ditch he is just about to step us both into. Dad suggested cattle proder and am seriously thinking it might be the only way ha ha! He was dangerous yesterday not looking after himself or bothered about stepping on people of other horses, spinning him in circles does work a bit but I can't get him to go forward by doing this. He started out alright it was only after about 5mins of warming up it all got to much for him, so going to give him less warm up time and less time to think about things next time. But he does run backwards as his evasion of things he does not like so need to find a cure for it somehow.

 

[bkeeble]

That sounds exactly like him, when he could not go back any further yesterday he went up in the air and like you elected to get off before he trashed the poor spectators and little ponies! Luckily they had a back field that was not being used so we took him in there with stepmum loaded with lunge whip and made him canter forward so finished on our terms but just so frustrating. Have you ever tried the calmer pastes you give them a couple of hours before competing? wondered whether that would help take the silly edge off him.

 

[_April_]

If spinning him round gets him to stop running backwards then at least you have a way of overcoming that particular danger!

What about if you focus on preventing him on running backwards as the first step and work on that for now.
Then take a time out and let him calm down till before asking him to go forwards again. He is still young and I'm sure you will get it sorted

Just out of interest how long have you had him and is it just at cross country events he does this or does he do this at home and other places too?

 

[_April_]

[ QUOTE ]
so going to give him less warm up time and less time to think about things next time. But he does run backwards as his evasion of things he does not like so need to find a cure for it somehow.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry I just re-read this bit...

Don't think that's a good idea personally, because then you aren't actually dealing with the problem you are just finding away around it.

I would take him there much earlier and let him wander around till he is totally bored of it all! Then maybe he won't get so overwhelmed.

 

[flyingfeet]

Giant mexican spurs stopped ours from running backwards.

They were polo ones, so nice round rowels. The sheer weight of them seems to make them much more effective than english ones with less pressure.

You horse has to learn to move away from your leg, as its unacceptable to back into fellow competitors.

Also worth saying that most warmbloods seem to think backwards for some reason!

 

[samp]

I used to lunge mine for 30mins at home before we got to an event to take the edge of him. It stemmed from going to our first show with another horse and him napping. I have insisted the new horse went to her first show on her own - this has helped and not too many drama's. She seems easy compared to my old horse that terrified me. Ont he course or ring he would not put a foot wrong

 

[bkeeble]

Problem I had yesterday was could not really spin him round as there was too many people about and he is not bothered about going into anyone or anything and when did do that he went up in the air too.

Only had him since beginning of year and he was terrible when I first got him, the old owner had to back him upto fence to get on cause he just kept walking backwards, cured that by putting mounting block in middle of school and just kept tapping him forward with whip until he stood still and did not go backwards.

He does it out hacking when unsure but has gotten better as he has started to trust me can normally talk him round hacking now. Competed him loads dressage and he is fine. Just think it was all the horses cantering round that he could not cope with, its obviously something he has learnt as a youngster and unfortunately it has not been corrected early enough and he now uses it as his evasion.

 

[AmyMay]

Obviously mentaly all a bit too much for him. If it were me I would be sitting soo quietly (I think) if he started running backwards - to the point of doing nothing. But I would also be inclined to just try and turn him - which will make him stop.

Do you ever take him to competitions just for a look and a wander?? He sounds as if he could be getting totally over awed by the whole experience and needs to just go and experience it 'quietly'.

 

[Peanot]

Hi, could you not warm him up by walking around the horsebox area/park, along the line of boxes flexing him to get him warmed up and then a little trotting where there isn`t any boxes, out of the way a little, so as when you go into the collecting arena, you could just canter him round a couple of times on each rein, then pop a couple of fences before you are off? As when he is cantering and going forwards, it is harder for him to go backwards because it sounds like he`s more likely to do it in the presence of other horses.
This isn`t the ideal solution but it may get better by doing this. It is worth a try.

 

[samp]

Warming up in a different area is something I always try to do with any horse, especially a tense one. My mare is normally good but at dressage recently some kids were galloping around and shouting my mare had a complete freak out. I got her to stand for 5 mins, pulled myself together then went in did first prelim and got 72% - horses who would have them. I agree warmbloods are nto for the faint hearted and not always completely honest

 

[bkeeble]

There was no hope of this yesterday I'm afraid he was just getting worse and worse and worse and winding himself up the more I was on him, tried walking him round but he would not go forward just kept running backwards into anyone and anything!, tried standing him near the other horses but he just reared. I think I could have been there 24hours yesterday and he only would have got worse. The first time we took him he started off a bit stressed then settled. But defintely would not have settled yesterday.

 

[_April_]

You haven't had him terribly long then, but you sound as though you are making progress and getting him to trust you so you should be proud of that!

It takes a long time to build up a relationship and I'm sure you will be able to stop it, mine was 20 when I started riding her and I managed to get her out of it lol. He's just a baby in comparison!

I agree 100% with AmyMay that maybe you should take him to some things just for the experience of being amongst more horses, not to compete.
If you aren't competing yourself then you won't be nervous either and then it won't rub off on him.
Sounds as if he is just getting so over excited that he can't cope!

 

[bkeeble]

I know unfortunately yesterday there was only one warm arena and the horse box park was on concrete and jam packed, going to try to pick future events for the time being with lots of warm up space where I can warm him up away from the main warm up arena which I think will help keep him calm. Could just do with something to cure this backwards thing as he always reverts back to it at times of naughtiness!

 

[samp]

Also I recommend exercising at home first, if you can wear a magnetic rug then do. Then when you get to the show get someone to lead him around whilst you are getting ready then his muscles should be warmed up enough to start trotting. Ask him to be forward and responsive to lots of flexing of the neck. if flexing they can not run straight backwards. Have to think one step ahead and do lots of transitions etc. Is he better in company? Do a couple of dressafe comps and see how he goes. If he is not strong maybe worth attending a mock hunt as this will encourage him forward etc

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
he always reverts back to it at times of naughtiness!

[/ QUOTE ]
This doesn't sound like a naughty horse - but a highly freeked out one. I don't think you will help him unless you can be a little more sympathetic to his mental state.

Don't get me wrong, I'm no tree hugger - however, you do need to appreciate the difference betweeen naughty and upset. He definately sounds upset to me.

 

[bkeeble]

Hi Samp,

He is super at dressage currently doing affiliated Novice level so think it was purely the horses cantering around that he could not cope with. Yes did think about taking him hunting but unfortunately he is EXTREMELY STRONG! I'm 5,10 so not a little rider either and think my hope of stopping is 0! but then again may get him thinking forward rather than backward. Did think about getting one of the hunt hands to take him as they are bigger and stronger than me!

Thanks for all the advice/sympathy guys!

B
x

 

[bkeeble]

Hi Amymay,

Yes do agree I do need to be sympathetic to his mental state but also on the other hand we do need to cure it, he does it not just when he is stressed like yesterday but also when he just does not want to do something for instance when we first got him if a friend walked past the menage to the field where he was being ridden he would run backwards and try to nap to them. Its mainly a nappy thing but yesterday was obviously because it was too much for him mentally. Unfortunately it is something he has learnt as an evasion and it needs to be cured sooner rather than later.

 

[Sags_Deer]

well i no massive expert but i would be inclined to go back a few steps and treat him like a baby he is young and still growing!! so therefore he was obviously scared, horses are fright by flight and often the nap is there way to run away from something, okay i know some can be naughty. I think the lunge whip idea is good and every time you ride him have someone there with it, im sure you will find if he has this up his bum that he should soon stop it. Also try one of those calm remedies before you compete him, maybe try inhand classes with horses running around behind him, get people in your yard to ride behind him. Also get your saddle checked out and his teeth. good luck

 

[AmyMay]

Did the person you bought the horse off break it in?? You posted that the horse used to do it with them.

I hate a nappy horse - but you do have to understand where some naps come from. In your horses case was he just poorly started - not allowed to adjust to things in a quiet and stress free manner and so reacted by running away in the only way he could - backwards.

Don't want to get in to a whole debate about how we may perhaps do things differently - but the whole thing sounds a bit sad to me tbh and I really don't think that force is the way to go.

Hope you manage to sort it one way or another though.

 

[Sags_Deer]

remember horses never forget if they are treated badly. so be very careful with this one. I had a horse that napped mildy, was just very quite with him took about 2 years in total to cure it. Def check tack, teeth even have his back checked out. you say he has done a lot for a young horse that is more than probable your main problem.

 

[chestnut cob]

I sympathise, mine has had days like this at shows in the past. He's fine if it's dressage but gets quite upset when working in for SJing. He hates the other horses leaving the ground, horses cantering towards him quickly, things he can't see going on etc. Working in for dressage is always so much more sedate, no kids on whizzy little ponies galloping flat out everywhere

I took him SJing about Xmas last year and he ended up bucking and rearing in the warmup, then refused to jump a stick because he was so upset. Ended up calling it a day and going home - sometimes you have to admit defeat!

For mine the best thing for him has been to take him to as many things as possible so he gets used to it. We SJed two weekends ago and he is getting better. He still doesn't concentrate as much as I'd like in the warm up but at least he now comes through the stressing and can do his round!

Hunting really helped my boy. He had to learn manners, had to learn to stand when he was asked to, go when and where I asked him to etc. The first couple of times out he was awful, really awful, but now he's an angel and his behaviour at shows is better. Something else that helped me was to try and school at home as much as possible when there are others in the school. I've worked out it's the other horses jumping when he isn't that he doesn't like, will just bolt round the school when something jumps. So he's been worked as much as possible in the school when someone else is jumping in there and he's getting much better.

Also look at maybe trying an instant calmer. Equine America's So Kalm paste is v good, I've used that a few times on my boy for show days.

Good luck.

 

[bkeeble]

SammyJ,

He is fine at home have a little sister and her friend on 13.2 ponies who are normally galloping round the school at the same time past him and round him and he does not bat an eyelid.

Have ordered the Equine Amercia So Calm plus paste this morning to try that before the next x country. Saddle/back and teeth have both been done very recently so no problems there.

Have you used the calmer pastes before? do they work? My sisters JA pony is on a calmer powder as he gets really anxious and that works. But my one is calm at home and dressage so don't think he needs a calmer all the time.

Not done loads as in hammered him but done probably a dressage comp twice a month without any problems. He gets 2 days off a week.

 

[Sags_Deer]

ok fair enough but remb a dressage compet is far quieter than a xc where is buzzing big time. I think horses get stressed when competing however lively they are, i mean if we went on the stage we get like it so bear that in mind. naf do a calmer cant remb the name of it i think some people say its good, what works for one doesnt work for another. Have you got a good instructor to help you. also does your horse go very fast jumping that can be a sign of pain. are the ears back a lot.

 

[bkeeble]

Think I'm just going to try to pick the x countries where there is lots of space to warm up so he is not on top of everything galloping around the one we done a few weeks ago the warm up was not as condensed so perhaps why he was so much better. In terms of his jumping, no no problems there he LOVES his jumping ears could not get any further pricked forward! Does go fast but not out of control fast, just excited! Jumps not a problem. Just the running backwards bit.

 

[ticobay831]

havent read other posts but have you tried long reining some more, drive him forewards a bit.

 

[jcberry]

my horse used to walk backwards, someone suggested i make him go backwards when he did it and even if he didnat want to. It worked! he hasnt done it scince *touch wood!*