Getting a backward thinking youngster thinking forward

[Twiglet]

New horse is a very chilled chap, albeit isn't enormously confident yet. Understandable as he's still quite a young 5, and has new owner, new home etc.

How did you deal with youngsters who aren't as forward as others? He's not nappy or anything sinister, he's just quite backward at going forwards - both hacking and schooling. Hacking in company he's pretty bold, and will go in front or behind, until it comes to cantering, when he'll refuse to go in front. Hacking alone it's a battle to keep him in canter....I've never had a horse I've had to push to canter on a set of gallops! In the school he takes a lot of work to get going forwards, and is very easily distracted - again a symptom of his greenness and lack of confidence. I suppose it's just a question of time, and waiting for him to feel comfortable and confident, it's just difficult to get him too fit when fast work can be quite a battle. He's doing a mixture of hacking and schooling at the moment, and whilst our hacking is excellent, there is a LOT going on, and for him to look at....and look at he does!

Any suggestions?

 

[Tallante]

Looking forward to seeing some answers to this one myself.

My boy has been hacking out mostly alone and occasionally in company for nearly 2 years and still struggles with confidence. He'll be 6 this year. Hindsight tells me I have taken him out too often on his own and he has learned to be unhappy when he gets a big surprise or fright. I haven't done him any favours by forcing him out alone. He isn't naturally brave and still naps a lot.

That being said I can pursuade him to go anywhere at all. He trusts me enough to get on with it.

Regarding cantering on hacks, we made progress by doing something you wouldn't normally do insofar as we always cantered in the same place so he learned to predict it. When he anticipated it then I progressed to choosing when he cantered and when he didn't at that place.