Hacking Help - please

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sherbet

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Today I thought I would be brave and take my mare out by herself. We are on very quiet lanes so thought we would be fine. We hack in company and she will march on in front and lead past scary monsters, so thought all would be good.
We have a long drive to get off the yard so set off with the plan to get to end of drive and then take it from there. Half way down the drive she planted and would not move so I just sat she had done this in company once or twice and normally a 2 min sit out and it’s finished. Not today, every time I put my leg on she went backwards or to spin so I would spin her face in correct direction and sit still.
After about 20/30 mins the owner came out and lead us to bottom of drive where I made her stand then turned round all good.
So should I keep going alone, hack with others again for a while then re try, hack with a walker
 
We had a pony at the yard very similar she used to kick out if you got to close with another horse to lead past or if you used the whip on her so instead of a battle they just turned her round to face home and backed her up the road then turned around and asked her to go again after a few times she got the message that they wouldn't give in and she went round the rest of the hack lovely. May or may not work but it did avoid a big battle.
 
Try going with another horse and take it in turns to go in front ie swap around even out on the ride. Just keep practising. But you sound like you are doing ok, dont give in.


Main thing is not to go back home and not to get into a battle either as it will end up a habit. Go out with and without regularly. It will become easier, practice and practice. You sound like you have been really patient. Try to vary the route sometimes. If they are missing the other horses just go out for a short time even 10 minutes & slowly build it up. As long as they go where you want them to.

If you feel happier with a walker do it, whatever makes it easier for you. Great believer in making life easy. good luck
 
I had a horse who used to do something similar whenever he thought he had gone far enough. What really worked for him was when he turned round i would make him go backwards. So he was still going the way I wanted just backwards instead. After a few steps I would try turning him round and carrying on. If he didn't go then would turn him and back up again. Usually after a few attempts he would realise it much easier just to do what he was told to start with. I have recently had to do this with another horse too as she was trying to spin when she saw something she didn't like. Worked wonders with her too. good luck
 
I'm in the middle of getting my Boy to hack on his own. I started hacking with others, then putting him in front (fine with that, almost better tbh). Now he's back in work again we've been hacking with a walker or a cyclist (so we can trot) and so far so good!

Next step which we're sort of starting is to go in front of the cyclist, we've only been at it a week but he's going well and we only had one wobble last night where he could hear a car but not see it (behind a hedge) and he planted, then went backwards, then tried to nap right. As he naps right as I did was turn in 2 small circles on the right rein and then walked him on out of that and it seemed to work okay. We only do short hacks and I try and change the route so he doesn't get used to it

Good luck :)
 
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