Going backwards really quickly!

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racytrace72

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Hi has anyone got any good tips on stopping my 6 year old ISH going backwards really fast when he's not sure of something or when he doesn't want to do something ie leave his friends behind in the yard. I've tried turning a very tight circle as soon as he starts it but it doesn't really make much difference. He does it in company as well and there is nothing worse then be being backed into by a horse at speed!!

Any ideas greatly received - thanx
 
Have you tried getting someone to follow you out of the yard when he leaves his friends with a yard brush - they often don't like the prickly bristles in their backside!
 
I have a horse that does this too, he's a bit nervous horse and his reaction to anything scary is to go backwards rather than look at it and assess it, doesn't matter if he's first or last. I'm a bit concerned about how safe he is with this as he doesn't seem to care or even have time to assess whats behind him when he does go backwards.

If OP's horse is like this I can't see how it can be helped apart from repeating all the rides over and over till he just gets used to them and over his nerves. I can't see the brush helping as if someone was walking behind him and he decided to go backwards it'd be so quick they'd be squashed before having a chance to get the broom out!!

Your horse is very young and he'll prob grow out of it as his confidence grows :)
 
Sorry about my previous post I had typed a few words and pressed enter by mistake.

My mare can do a very good run backwards and in the past has backed down ditches and into electric fences. She has improved loads in the three months Ive owned her. My rule out hacking is that they are allowed to be worried by something, they are allowed to look and if need be stop and look but they must not turn or go back.

Getting her to respect that leg means go forward has helped. She spent the first four years of her life only hacking and as a forward going horse she dosent really need leg. She would happily go forward most of the time but it was on her terms and actually had no respect for your leg at all. In the school I ride loads of transistions and if she backs off my leg she gets a smack.

This has helped out hacking and I now feel that most of the time I can catch a nap. However with her its also an attitude thing, she like to be in charge, so it has taken a few "arguements" if she starts it I ask her to go forward with my leg if she ignores/run backwards faster she gets a smack, I keep this up till she goes forward, she generally persists for a while then bucks and goes forward.

She has had her saddle/teeth etc checked.

Hack out in company for a while if possible getting the other horse to take the lead with you and him taking shots in front to build his confidence, spend time in the school insisting that when you put your leg on he goes forward back up with a smack if need be. If he persists then it may well be that he is like my mare and it will take you to have it out with him. At the end of the day its disobedience and can be dangerous.
 
One further suggestion, one of my mares used to do this and I then used to keep her backing up until I wanted to stop rather than her stop when she wanted to. She was a very quirky warmblood.

Although her choice to start with was backwards, after a week or so she realised that to continue backing was hard work and it was easier to stand. I could then have a chance to calm her and get her working forward. On going forward if she was really in one of her bad days, I would ask her to start to turn and go forward a step or two as this seemed to be a lot less stressful then asking for just forward.

I have been known to do a very wriggly line out of the yard more than once, half turn, a step forward, repeat.

She still had issues which needed lots of working on, but the backing up did stop and I could get going after a fashion. Once she was going, then she was fine, it was the intial first 20 feet or so. I also found very gently nagging her with my voice, heels jiggling her sides, the end of a schooling whip being prodded (never hit) on her bum was far more effective than a head on approach. After a few minutes she would get irriated with the gentle nagging and go off. Had I taken a real kick on, she would turn angry and all hell would break loose, she was a mare that you discussed things with rather than told. May I suggest you try the continued backing up - at least 10 - 15 feet each time before you say stop.

Her mother would also do the fast backup when very excited, but with her a kick on and a tap would have her go forward. She was not upset, purely excited, hence this approach worked.

Stinky - very different little horse. I have the rule they can take a quick stop and look at something new, but backing and turning is not acceptable and they must go forward when asked. As long as I am aware that he is not genuinely frightened, he gets asked to move on nicely, and then will get a sharp heel, and if that fails one sharp tap to the backside, rarely do we get to stage 3. I have had him since a yearling, he is not a nervous sort but on occasion likes to see what he can get away with, hence the stronger approach. If I sat gently asking him, I would be there for hours until he got bored and went off.
 
My horse used to do this as a youngster: he would run backwards incredibly quickly and then spin and gallop home unless you were very quick to stop him.

A combination of things really helped: teaching him to be very 'off the leg' in the school with transitions, leg yield etc was one. Another was keeping him very together when hacking - I insisted he track up, rode transitions, asked for more collected walk for a few steps then back to medium, asked for a few sideways steps etc. If he gave any hint of dropping behind the leg I would send him firmly forward, with lots of praise and reassurance when he went. The short term 'trick' to stop him from running backwards was to react very quickly to the first sign of hesitation - which for him was the first moment of tension through his back just before he started his shennanigans!

In the long term though the issue was one of trust and respect: as we got to know each other better he did it less and less. I've had my boy for 12 years (sadly he's retired now), and haven't had this problem for the last 11 and a 1/2 years!

He's a very quirky warmblood and has thrown plenty of other challenges at me since! :) But I managed to solve this one so I'm sure you can! Good luck.
 
keeping them straight is the key as going backwards is their blind spot, mine used to go back quicker than forward, but when he was made to be kept straight (quite hard at 1st!) and back your leg up with a schooling whip
 
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