Do Nappy Horses Ever Get Over It?

[BonneMaman]

As above really. As some of you know, my mare is, I swear, half donkey and her mule-like attitude to work is very wearing....

She has the excuse of being extremely green having only really been in serious work from Autumn last year due to being a brood mare.

I am talking spooking, spinning and serious napping - no rearing yet......

 

[competitiondiva]

My mare went through her teenage years at 6, she decided she wouldn't hack out alone and refused to budge, backed into ditches and reared vertical with me. Not good, she was an angel in the school, we tried tackling it head on, but typical mare she was had her own opinion!!! So eventually just hacked out in company and schooled, about a year or so later she'd forgotten she ever had an issue and hacked out anywhere in company or alone. So yes they do/can get over it depending on how it is tackled..................... She was never very spooky though so your horse may remain spooky but the napping issues can be overcome with time and experience.

 

[LaurenM]

Depends on the extend of the napping i.e. being out of fear to habit. One it has become a habit it will be quite difficult to break unless you have the experience. I didn't so I send my gelding for reschooling.

 

[cobgirlie]

LC was very nappy, spinning, running off, standing still (for hours!!) etc. Worked for years with him..and honestly? He's still nappy now at 9 but certainly not to the extreame he was and it's not really an issue to me at all but he is very spooky and at nearly 10 I suspect he always will be. So from my experiences I'd say there is most likely to be always an element of nappying just depends on the horse and the rider what degree and how much it effects your riding. I guess you learn to deal with it like most things.

 

[ponypops]

i think they get over it but will revert back if given opportunity ie new nervy rider. i have almost reached conclusion thats its an inbuilt character trait in some horses which exhibits in napping when stressed/scared. those who get away with it in the first instance then develop it as a habit and try it out given any suitable opportunity.

someone once told me that each horse is like a book of varying length containing all their tricks and reactions so as a rider we need to work through the book in order to reach an understanding. napping could be in the book and hopefully once dealt with it wont be used again but never the less always be there.

 

[Tackytoe]

I had a very nappy horse come to me as a sales livery - Bordering on dangerous. Would spin round in a split second, he did a fabulous rein back in flat out canter....

I fell for him & bought him!!

A lot his bad behaviour came down to confidence, he was very unhappy in himself, bad back, sharp teeth & had been ridden by novice, nervous riders who would simply turn him for home if he spooked or attempted to nap.

After nearly a year of TLC and coaxing he now hacks out beautifully alone.
We did lots of long reining first, and took very baby steps, making sure we had a route to follow where we would never have to cross our tracks or turn back the way we had been.

It took blood, sweat tears & time but we got there.

I took a step back and assessed the whole picture, rather than just the ridden issues....

As Ponypops said, I think if I put a new rider onto my lad he would be heading back for home in a heartbeat....

 

[LauraWheeler]

My pony Horrid Herbie is the king of napping infact he's the king of being horrid. He will stand and refuse to move if you tried to make him he would Buck, rear, leap and spin. Herbs was 8 when I bought him so no excuse of being green. He was just used to getting his own way and his antics usualy scared people and they gave in. (When I bought him he had had 6 owners already ) He was the same on his own or in company. When in company the other horse could go on ahead and dissapear round a corner and Herbs would still refuse to move . It took along time (about a year) and alot of battles sometimes it would take us 1 1/2 hrs to do a 20min hack but we got there in the end. He now hacks out on his own and in company. He has his moments where he stops for a min but he has stopped all the leaping, bucking ect..... and I actualy enjoy hacking him out I'm not saying he's compleatly cured and if he was ridden by a less expereanced or nervous rider he will prob go back to how he was. But he's stuck with me for life so I don't need to worry about that It can be over come but it takes alot of time, Paitance and hard work.
A little vid of what can be achived with a lot of love and paitance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86BocQEPefo

Good luck with your horse I hope she comes good in the end.

 

[coen]

I believe they can do especially if they are green. My boy went through a ridiculous teenage stage last spring/ summer to the point where he went from angel to nappy teenage git. Main trick was rearing, alone in company, in the arena, on the yard. It escalated so quickly and I think that was because I was scared the first few times not sure what was happening and he though this works.
He isn't completely cured but vastly improved, you need to assess the situation and ride through it most of the time.

 

[vieshot]

I think if its a 'taking the p***' type napping then no they dont. I think they can become foot perfect for their rider who they have respect for and appear to have gotten over it, but I would lay money down that if a novice came along and rode the horse regularly then them old ways would quickly be remembered.

 

[canteron]

I think they do get better, rather than over it.

Also, really helps if you can encourage the horse to think a bit more left brain, so that when presented with something it does it more because it can than with any serious intent.

Things like ...

Walking under washing lines (I put one up between the field and stable so had to do it every day!!)
Putting feed in old paper horse feed bag (so it had to face the demon russelling to get food.
Getting used to cycles (I used to cycle to the field with her haynet!!)
Getting used to quadikes (on wet days took the quad bike)

.... and ever other bit of experience you can get under her belt.

It really does help them not to be so unconfident and for you to know that they have faced something similar before, so they have no excuse.

Michael Pearce book on despooking is quite interesting!

 

[Magicmillbrook]

My pony Horrid Herbie is the king of napping infact he's the king of being horrid. He will stand and refuse to move if you tried to make him he would Buck, rear, leap and spin. Herbs was 8 when I bought him so no excuse of being green. He was just used to getting his own way and his antics usualy scared people and they gave in. (When I bought him he had had 6 owners already ) He was the same on his own or in company. When in company the other horse could go on ahead and dissapear round a corner and Herbs would still refuse to move . It took along time (about a year) and alot of battles sometimes it would take us 1 1/2 hrs to do a 20min hack but we got there in the end. He now hacks out on his own and in company. He has his moments where he stops for a min but he has stopped all the leaping, bucking ect..... and I actualy enjoy hacking him out I'm not saying he's compleatly cured and if he was ridden by a less expereanced or nervous rider he will prob go back to how he was. But he's stuck with me for life so I don't need to worry about that It can be over come but it takes alot of time, Paitance and hard work.
A little vid of what can be achived with a lot of love and paitance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86BocQEPefo

Good luck with your horse I hope she comes good in the end.

God I jusyt cried my eyes out - good on you (and horrid Herbie)

 

[coen]

My horse was definitely taking the p he is not at all the scared spooky type and I think when they are a real baby they do everything you ask then they get bigger stronger more independent and want to be the boss.
I agree that a novice shouldn't ride him but I think that can be said for every young green horse not just the nappy ones.

I think you need to establish whether they are lacking in confidence or trying it on.
Good luck

 

[ChestnutConvert]

My horse was definitely taking the p he is not at all the scared spooky type and I think when they are a real baby they do everything you ask then they get bigger stronger more independent and want to be the boss.
I agree that a novice shouldn't ride him but I think that can be said for every young green horse not just the nappy ones.

I think you need to establish whether they are lacking in confidence or trying it on.
Good luck

I am going through this right now as my previous posts will show, and i totally agree with you. I'm not a novice rider but after my loan horse's last napping performance i have lost all the confidence i built up with him. As a result i rode him in the field today where he was perfect but am almost too nervous to go out on road again (and we can't avoid roads).
I now have to decide if i should leave him before my confidence and his tricks get worse or stick with it and hope that i have enough time to build up our relationship again.

 

[eggs]

I do think that a nappy horse will also have the tendency to be a nappy horse as that is their basic character. However I do think it is possible to work with them to eradicate this habit but given the 'right' (ie. wrong) situation their first reaction would be to nap.

As a general rule - the best indicator of future behaviour is past behaviour.

 

[Solo1]

I've had two nappy horses, they were medium nappers though, as opposed to some of the serious napping described here! Spinning around, darting to the gate, bolting back to the group, refusing to leave the yard. I was 9 at the time, and used to get off and tow her. Hours used to be spent in the driveway as I wrestled with her, pleaded, shouted whilst mum looked on fondly. Finally she got the idea and would go out the yard dragging her heels, trying to spin around at every oppurtunity and dart back to the yard. Then I'd either jump off or run her into a hedge, turn back around and trot her briskly down the road, keeping a tight hold on her martingale incase she did her speciality whip around. I think she eventually realised she was going to have to go down the lane without napping to get back (whenever she napped, she was run into a hedge, turned around and had to go all the way back to the end of the lane before back to the yard!) and so just got on with it. I went a bit further every time, met up with other people etc. She could still have her sharp moments but I just growled and shouted a bit and she soon fell into line. However I think it was mainly naughtiness on her part, not fear.

 

[starbagtherainbow]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86BocQEPefo

Good luck with your horse I hope she comes good in the end.

What a great wee video, I had a small lump in my throat when watching it Well done for persevering with him and not taking notice of what everyone else said! He gets away with his cheekiness a little more because he's so cute

Mamam - My last horse was quite green and had a bad habit of napping when I first got him. The worst thing you can do is to keep letting him/her get away with it as it reinforces the behaviour. Although there are times when there is no other option but to turn around and go home (ie if the horse puts itself/you/other in danger).

 

[Penny Less]

I am 9 months in to trying to get a nappy horse out alone, so seeing Laura say it took her a year has made me feel a bit better! Had mine nearly 18 months, and he would go out alone initially but very spooky and I feel that I didnt help because as he was an unknown quantity I wasnt as confident as I should have been. However, having discovered that the only way to tackle it is to sit tight and wait for him to decide to go forward, I feel more confident with him now as I know he wont rear etc. buck etc unless I use a whip, just plant himself. I rather hoped my increased confidence would have got through to him by now. He also is the same with a strong rider though. I dont think he will ever get over being nappy but hope I can get back to the first few months with him when he was unsure but would actually go out alone.

 

[Kao]

Yes. With correct training.