Feedback for nervous rider if you please?

sleepykitten

sleepykitten

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Well, just been for my second ever solo hack with the big man , for those of you who remember, I bought a horse in April who refused to hack out on his own and nearly ended up selling him as was struggling to get him to go anywhere!
All went reasonably ok, we managed to open the gate and had a trot down the road, then we met a car so stood to let it past (narrow single track road) and he thought he might go home at that point, but a couple of circles and we were away again!

Then we got to the point where he turned round for home the last time when my mum was riding him, and he decided that that was enough and he would go home. So I firmly asked him to walk on, cue rearing , so I spun him round a bit again, and asked to go forwards again, more rearing. This went on for about 6 or 7 mins, then he went forward!! I won!! I could feel my leg shaking though!

Unfortunately, he did it again when we got as far as we were going, and reared quite high, I started a fight again, but confess that I didn't exactly see it through, this time I turned him, and asked him to stand quietly for a few moments before heading home. when he did as asked, I let him walk on.

When we got back to the gate, I had to get off to shut it, and after I shut it, he stood very still and quiet for me to get on. So I didn't feel like a complete failure!!

So, a four mile hack as opposed to a four minute one!!

Did I do ok??
 
Just to cover the bases, but he's all ok with back, teeth, saddle etc?

With regards to the rearing/napping I only have my friends exp to go on.
Her horse would rear and rear when it wanted to go home, and my mate would pick a fight with it. Then I saw endospinks (:confused:Sp) video on you tube, about just sitting there and waiting till the horse wants to move, but you don't let it.

However it worked wonders for my mate, no more wars, just stand still. Took a few months to get over it but it now hacks out fine on it's own. She's got to do it often otherwise it starts again.

Rearing can be very scary and my mates mare was only small-med and never a full height one.

How about getting an RI to help also.

http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=/&gl=GB#/watch?v=cBcQsVdxEA8
 
Hi MS,

yes, teeth done about a month ago, full vetting when bought and bought his tack with him too, fully fitted saddle.

When I first got him, he wouldn't go further than the first gate, tbh, with him, it seems to be a bit of a confidence issue, he has got better and better the more he has settled in, his last owner said he had never done anything like that when she had him.

FWIW, i haven't ridden him in two weeks either so not too traumatised, just the first solo hack we did, he was perfectly behaved, but that was a month or two ago!!
 
How about hacking out more often? It may help.

If it's confidence issues, how about someone walking on foot or on a bike. You could also get him walking over tarp, though things in the school, it may help him be be a little braver.

Walking out inland or long reining if you have a safe place to do it and helper.

Good luck
 
Unfortunately, he did it again when we got as far as we were going, and reared quite high, I started a fight again, but confess that I didn't exactly see it through, this time I turned him, and asked him to stand quietly for a few moments before heading home. when he did as asked, I let him walk on.
Click to expand...

I think that from this, that you are turning around and going home the same way?

From my experiance with several nappy/whip-around/rearing/backing-up horses that have all been trained out of napping (although they always have this tendancy - they became totally non-nappy apart from very rare occasions that generally involved either a new rider or something out of the ordinary eg a steam engine on the road) the number one rule is always ride a circular route. This can be a pain sometimes and I often got sick of the one short route that was available in the early days of training, but it really was worth it in the end.

Well done with your progress. :)
 
MS, that is how I have got as far as I have, I started out with my mum walking with me on foot, then she gradually started to let him go in front more and more, until he was leading the ride all the way.

Now I take my dog with me as well, he seems to quite like him! :D:D

Thanks Faracat, I remember you offered some advice to me before. Unfortunately, the only circular routes I can do are wide open fields and I'm just not quite that brave yet! I feel we are definitely making progress though, just wish he hadn't had a paddy at the end as we were going to go home anyway :rolleyes:
 
I can understand that. Would he behave if you dismounted and lead him through the open field and then re-mounted and carried on? Or if you have Mum available, could she clip a leadrope onto the bit and lead you through the field?

Or do you have something that could act as a roundabout? Once I had a lorry stuck on a canal bridge so I couldn't do my circular route. I used the war memorial in the village as a roundabout and then went back the same way, it didn't put the horse's training back, although I only did it the once.

I would prefer to go around an object like that instead of turning on the spot.
 
Well, the dog is better trained than the horse and just pootles along next to him :D, and no, not on any main roads, we live on a farm so just down the farm tracks as haven't got brave enough to round the fields yet!
 
I think you have done really well! I went through the same problems with mine and you sound like you are determined to keep trying and are doing the right things. When I first started my short hacks I used to have to turn around, and I always did it in a different place every time and used a field entrance or went round something so it wasn't an 'about turn'.
The more you do the more your horse will realise resistance is pointless as you won't give up. Your horse will also get more confident with you as it will begin to trust your judgement in that hacking is safe! Then you will be able to start enjoying your hacks.

One trick I used with mine that worked wonders on him is the waiting game - when horse naps keep it moving and turning in tight circles (might help prevent a rear - certainly stopped mine running backwards blindly!) until horse gets fed up and stops. May take a few minutes! When horse stops then you sit and do nothing. You might have to repeat it a few times. Horse soon realises it is hard work to turn in circles, and boring to stand still, so pick your moment and ask horse to continue.

Keep at it and you will get there, it is just a matter of time and patience. Take it at your own pace and you won't risk over-doing it and knocking your confidence. Good luck!
 
I'm also finding hacking nerve-wracking, as Mollie's nervous and I'm afraid she'll shy into traffic. Sadly there's no real off-road riding now everywhere's wet where I keep her. The roads round here are not very horse-friendly either.

Sounds like you're making great progress! :)
 
Faracat said:
I can understand that. Would he behave if you dismounted and lead him through the open field and then re-mounted and carried on? Or if you have Mum available, could she clip a leadrope onto the bit and lead you through the field?

Or do you have something that could act as a roundabout? Once I had a lorry stuck on a canal bridge so I couldn't do my circular route. I used the war memorial in the village as a roundabout and then went back the same way, it didn't put the horse's training back, although I only did it the once.

I would prefer to go around an object like that instead of turning on the spot.
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Faracat, its ALL fields where I am, we live on a farm. just going down the farm road atm..
 
FionaM12 said:
I'm also finding hacking nerve-wracking, as Mollie's nervous and I'm afraid she'll shy into traffic. Sadly there's no real off-road riding now everywhere's wet where I keep her. The roads round here are not very horse-friendly either.

Sounds like you're making great progress! :)
Click to expand...

Thanks, we're definitely further on, just when he starts messing about, i feel like messing myself!! :p
 
Bob was like this when I first got him - not rearing, just spinning. He always goes left though and I know when it's coming now so can deal with it. It was my confidence as much as his and I freely admit now that I shouldn't have bought him as he was too much for me. I wouldn't swap him for anything now though.

It took us a while but we are now there thankfully. We tend to hack out on our own purely down to the fact that I get up, get changed and go. If we ride out with other people most of the morning has gone and at weekends it's nice to do things as a family (apparently going to the farm does not count!). He is very forward going when he's on his own and I love that.

Well done for getting as far as you did. Hang in there and keep up the good work!
 
noblesteed said:
I think you have done really well! I went through the same problems with mine and you sound like you are determined to keep trying and are doing the right things. When I first started my short hacks I used to have to turn around, and I always did it in a different place every time and used a field entrance or went round something so it wasn't an 'about turn'.
The more you do the more your horse will realise resistance is pointless as you won't give up. Your horse will also get more confident with you as it will begin to trust your judgement in that hacking is safe! Then you will be able to start enjoying your hacks.

One trick I used with mine that worked wonders on him is the waiting game - when horse naps keep it moving and turning in tight circles (might help prevent a rear - certainly stopped mine running backwards blindly!) until horse gets fed up and stops. May take a few minutes! When horse stops then you sit and do nothing. You might have to repeat it a few times. Horse soon realises it is hard work to turn in circles, and boring to stand still, so pick your moment and ask horse to continue.

Keep at it and you will get there, it is just a matter of time and patience. Take it at your own pace and you won't risk over-doing it and knocking your confidence. Good luck!
Click to expand...


Thanks noblesteed,

yes, i have found that the circles do help stop him going up, the only thing is, as he whips round, i have to be quicker than him to get him onto the circle BEFORE he has a chance to rear! a couple of times this morning, i just wasn't quick enough! He seems to have stopped the running backwards malarkey, which was scary, i think because he ran backwards into a barbed wire fence one day and pricked his botty! :o

Not an ideal solution, but seems to have done the trick!!
 
Well done for sticking with it! Rearing is very scary but you sound as though you can spot when he's going to do it and know to pull his head round quickly.

If there isn't a circular route you feel comfortable with, how about doing serpentines up the lane? Then do a straight bit, then serpentines and so on. This will keep him guessing and listening to you and then when you want to turn back simply finish off a serpentine with a full circle and carry on home. Never turn back at the same place, try not to do the same things in the same place and just keep him guessing.

An elderly friend of mine solved her dales pony's habit of deciding when he wanted to go home by simply sittrng on him when he stopped, (in fact she smoked a cigarette and admired the scenery!) then when they were both relaxed and facing the right way she took a firm hold of the neck strap, suddenly clapped her legs onto his side and the startled pony shot forward and off they trotted. He never did it again!
 
Tammytoo said:
Well done for sticking with it! Rearing is very scary but you sound as though you can spot when he's going to do it and know to pull his head round quickly.

If there isn't a circular route you feel comfortable with, how about doing serpentines up the lane? Then do a straight bit, then serpentines and so on. This will keep him guessing and listening to you and then when you want to turn back simply finish off a serpentine with a full circle and carry on home. Never turn back at the same place, try not to do the same things in the same place and just keep him guessing.

An elderly friend of mine solved her dales pony's habit of deciding when he wanted to go home by simply sittrng on him when he stopped, (in fact she smoked a cigarette and admired the scenery!) then when they were both relaxed and facing the right way she took a firm hold of the neck strap, suddenly clapped her legs onto his side and the startled pony shot forward and off they trotted. He never did it again!
Click to expand...

So, i should take up smoking again??;);)

Yeah, i always do stuff in different places, just he seems to have a memory for the last time!! :o
 
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