Hacking home help

[Als_01]

I’ve got a gelding that does everything, however he’s always been a bit of a nightmare to hack, in general hacking home causes tension, excitement, jogging (mostly) and when asked to listen to rider and to walk throws tantrums of cantering on the spot , turning bum wherever including into bushes. I just don’t know what to do, it’s only on the way home. We’ve tried half halts, feeding before rising out,treats, other horses, backing up, turning away from home and back again, ignoring the behaviour, just wondered has anyone done anything to stop there horse becoming in a rush to get home.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

How long have you had him? I say this as my tb did this when I bought him near4 years ago. He stopped doing it about 2 years in. Found non of your methods worked with him, just made him worse. I found flexing left then right, LY , etc very helpful. I also found letting eat yummy grass on the way home really helped. Being an ex NH horse if I had short reins I was doomed!! Sat nice and relaxed. Also I found my neck strap helped. Rather than ask on his mouth to slow down I used my neck strap to steady him..

 

[Als_01]

I’ve had him for 9 years, just thought he would’ve grown out of it but hasn’t , he’s a hot headed horse, he’s tbxcob and all the methods seem to make him worse like you stated.I just find no enjoyment in hacking because the way home is just a nightmare. Did your horse only seem to do this on the way home aswell?

 

[ihatework]

The only one I’ve had like this was when I was a teenager, a little ex pony racing Arab. By god that pony was wired. Came home jig-jogging & bouncing sideways even aged 20.

Whilst I was an uneducated teenager at the time, I couldn’t seem to change the pony, it was just him. As a teenager it was just funny. I’m actually not sure if as an educated adult now I would be able to have much influence - sometimes they are just like that.

All I would say is do circular routes. Do the bulk of your harder work on the way out in the vague hope horse tires a little, see if you can train a woah off voice/neck strap. Keep with the half halt & release. If gets really daft steep leg yields side to side. But if yours is anything like mine was and it’s 9 years ingrained, I think you are just stuck with it!

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I’ve had him for 9 years, just thought he would’ve grown out of it but hasn’t , he’s a hot headed horse, he’s tbxcob and all the methods seem to make him worse like you stated.I just find no enjoyment in hacking because the way home is just a nightmare. Did your horse only seem to do this on the way home aswell?

Yes only on way home. Complete snail going out, as soon as he sensed home we were off. If he is greedy the grass method may help? Another method i was advised to do but was honestly too knackered when I got home, was to take him in the school and work in there. In the hope that if the horse thinks he has got more work to do when getting home it may well in him down? Might be worth a try.

 

[J&S]

What about using this energy and instead of putting up with the jiggy jog stuff get him into a really good strong but rythmic trot. Have him on the bit, use the suggested flexions, diagonal changes, shallow loops, leg yeilds, what ever you can fit into the terrain. I would expect that after a few weeks of working him like this he might be happy to take the option to walk on a long rein! I also assume you don't do a "there and back" type ride, a circular or atleast a lolipop is necessarry.

 

[18hhOlls&Me]

That's so stressful- hacking is so great, for fitness, and just such a beautiful way to spend time with your horse. Have you tried schooling first, lungeing then schooling get him listening then just ride out??x

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Have you tried going past the yard rather than turning in and making him go on further into another lollipop?

 

[Red-1]

Charlie Horse was like this, jogged home. I used to just sit the jog. He was so perfect in every other way, I just rode with it. As long as I just sat the jog, it stayed as a jog.

When working with other horses, I have 'cured' them, different strategies for different horses.

I have started with a short ride, maybe only 30m up and back. If they still jogged at that, we did 10m up and back, ad infinitum. So, walking a circle outside the gate, and gradually enlarging the circle to an oval and longer.... and longer. I would always pass the yard entrance and ride the other way too, so not going straight home. Sometimes back and forward quite a few times, so never returning straight to the yard.

Hard to get excited about going to a place to walk up and down...

I would I have also allowed a quick return home but then worked hard on the school as soon as we got home. Made home less attractive.

I also have taught them to stand still for long periods of time somewhere 'safe' such as on the yard or on the arena. Then stand near the gate standing still. Then outside the gate. Then standing still wherever I would like. Then, if jogging commenced, standing still was in order, and already trained in. We would stand until they relaxed, then walk just a few steps and halt again. The number of walk steps can gradually be increased, but always halting before the walk turns to a jog.

Others I have turned round and ridden away from home if they have jogged, only returning to home in walk. You need a lot of time and patience for that, and no annoyance. More, oh look, we are jogging, that means we turn this way.

I have had some success with really riding the walk, half halt, really feel your body in the walk.

I also make sure the horse won't be Hungary (make sure access to hay or grass prior to riding out) or need a pee. I would train to pee on command, so we could pee when out if necessary.

But, with my own, I just sat the jog. It never got worse, it never got better. I got fitter though

 

[Wheels]

You say he is sluggish on the way out so I would start off with not allowing this, and really make him walk or trot on nice and forwards to get him concentrating on you.

On the way home when this nonsense starts then it's time to put him to work, pronounced angle shoulder in, changing to travers, do a little half pass or steep leg yield zig zags if there is not much traffic. Then try walking on straight. Any rushing and it's back to the lateral work

 

[Alibear]

As per Red-1 , I seem to be having some success by starting and finishing every hack in the arena, so arrving home doesn't mean instant rest, it means more work.

 

[oldie48]

My previous horse did this and I tried most of the usual stuff but found what worked for me was learning to have proper control ie on the bit and on the aids. Yes I thought I had but actually I hadn't as he ran away from the leg but was still behind it, if you get my drift. The solution came from a good trainer who helped me ride him better so that as soon as he started to rush or chuck his head up I could put him on the bit and make him work, a bit of shoulder in also helped. It changed our relationship for the better too. this might not apply to you but it's worth considering.

 

[nikkimariet]

Fig never grew out of it. This morning he politely passaged his way round for 60 mins.

He’s infinitely better on circular routes. Better on his own. Better on roads. Very safe just excited.

I’ve found he’s more sensible now he’s not in full fitness. I genuinely don’t know if you can ever train them out of it fully.

 

[Skib]

Clover leaf routes, repeatedly reaching home and turning to set off again.

 

[Als_01]

Yes only on way home. Complete snail going out, as soon as he sensed home we were off. If he is greedy the grass method may help? Another method i was advised to do but was honestly too knackered when I got home, was to take him in the school and work in there. In the hope that if the horse thinks he has got more work to do when getting home it may well in him down? Might be worth a try.

Yeh that’s a good suggestion, ive tried schooling and lunging before a hack , just doesn’t seem to do anything. Also if he does play up and jog I go back in the school or lunge him.

 

[Als_01]

What about using this energy and instead of putting up with the jiggy jog stuff get him into a really good strong but rythmic trot. Have him on the bit, use the suggested flexions, diagonal changes, shallow loops, leg yeilds, what ever you can fit into the terrain. I would expect that after a few weeks of working him like this he might be happy to take the option to walk on a long rein! I also assume you don't do a "there and back" type ride, a circular or atleast a lolipop is necessarry.

He’s happy to trot home, leg yields etc seem to wind him up and tends to start doing his own moves. Walking on the buckle helps but then he jogs off and becomes silly .

 

[Als_01]

That's so stressful- hacking is so great, for fitness, and just such a beautiful way to spend time with your horse. Have you tried schooling first, lungeing then schooling get him listening then just ride out??x

Yes I do this almost everytime and it does help a little although this pony seems to never get any energy out, he’s worse in winter but it out all night in the field. I normally give him a good schooling session before I ride out.

 

[Als_01]

Have you tried going past the yard rather than turning in and making him go on further into another lollipop?

Yes I’ve been doing this recently as soon as we’ve gone past the yard he walks normally and slow. Like yesterday he jogged and messed around going to the yard and then I went past it and he was walking again then did the same, I did around three times of going past the yard in different routs and was out for about 2 hours doing this

 

[Als_01]

Charlie Horse was like this, jogged home. I used to just sit the jog. He was so perfect in every other way, I just rode with it. As long as I just sat the jog, it stayed as a jog.

When working with other horses, I have 'cured' them, different strategies for different horses.

I have started with a short ride, maybe only 30m up and back. If they still jogged at that, we did 10m up and back, ad infinitum. So, walking a circle outside the gate, and gradually enlarging the circle to an oval and longer.... and longer. I would always pass the yard entrance and ride the other way too, so not going straight home. Sometimes back and forward quite a few times, so never returning straight to the yard.

Hard to get excited about going to a place to walk up and down...

I would I have also allowed a quick return home but then worked hard on the school as soon as we got home. Made home less attractive.

I also have taught them to stand still for long periods of time somewhere 'safe' such as on the yard or on the arena. Then stand near the gate standing still. Then outside the gate. Then standing still wherever I would like. Then, if jogging commenced, standing still was in order, and already trained in. We would stand until they relaxed, then walk just a few steps and halt again. The number of walk steps can gradually be increased, but always halting before the walk turns to a jog.

Others I have turned round and ridden away from home if they have jogged, only returning to home in walk. You need a lot of time and patience for that, and no annoyance. More, oh look, we are jogging, that means we turn this way.

I have had some success with really riding the walk, half halt, really feel your body in the walk.

I also make sure the horse won't be Hungary (make sure access to hay or grass prior to riding out) or need a pee. I would train to pee on command, so we could pee when out if necessary.

But, with my own, I just sat the jog. It never got worse, it never got better. I got fitter though

Yes it’s a really good suggestion, walking back and fore I tried around 3 days ago in the soaking rain and we did not succeed. Around a week ago I made him stand away from the yard and only let him turn and go to the yard if he walked but by that time he was already worked up. I’m a calm rider and pretty much ignore it but now I want to do something about it but it’s just the frustration that it’s only towards home.

 

[Als_01]

You say he is sluggish on the way out so I would start off with not allowing this, and really make him walk or trot on nice and forwards to get him concentrating on you.

On the way home when this nonsense starts then it's time to put him to work, pronounced angle shoulder in, changing to travers, do a little half pass or steep leg yield zig zags if there is not much traffic. Then try walking on straight. Any rushing and it's back to the lateral work

I’ll have a go of this later in the week, because he walks and listens away from home so I’ll give that a go. Thankyou

 

[Als_01]

My previous horse did this and I tried most of the usual stuff but found what worked for me was learning to have proper control ie on the bit and on the aids. Yes I thought I had but actually I hadn't as he ran away from the leg but was still behind it, if you get my drift. The solution came from a good trainer who helped me ride him better so that as soon as he started to rush or chuck his head up I could put him on the bit and make him work, a bit of shoulder in also helped. It changed our relationship for the better too. this might not apply to you but it's worth considering.

We do a lot of dressage, mainly eventing, but he works very nice, I’ll have to give this a try. Thankyou

 

[Als_01]

Fig never grew out of it. This morning he politely passaged his way round for 60 mins.

He’s infinitely better on circular routes. Better on his own. Better on roads. Very safe just excited.

I’ve found he’s more sensible now he’s not in full fitness. I genuinely don’t know if you can ever train them out of it fully.

I know exactly how that feels, I feel like I’m at this point of it’s never going to be solved, its just really irritating especially if you want to hack places with other people, and just to go for a quiet hack around the forestry.

 

[Als_01]

Clover leaf routes, repeatedly reaching home and turning to set off again.[/QUOTE
This is a good suggestion, it doesn’t seem to be working at the moment however I will keep at it to get him used to not going straight home.

 

[Als_01]

Thankyou everyone for your help and suggestions I’ll give everything a go and see if it helps, he’s a stubborn pony with an attitude but just hope he gets better.

 

[Als_01]

Going to try some long reining out in the forestry tommorow to see if there’s any difference.

 

[Flame_]

I’ve got a gelding that does everything, however he’s always been a bit of a nightmare to hack, in general hacking home causes tension, excitement, jogging (mostly) and when asked to listen to rider and to walk throws tantrums of cantering on the spot , turning bum wherever including into bushes. I just don’t know what to do, it’s only on the way home. We’ve tried half halts, feeding before rising out,treats, other horses, backing up, turning away from home and back again, ignoring the behaviour, just wondered has anyone done anything to stop there horse becoming in a rush to get home.

Try endurance. I've only ever done the lower distances but when me, my horse and my friend were feeling the effects post half way round, her mare would always come to life on the route home and carry the rest of us along, lol. ETA Turn a negative into a positive!

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Is he good to lead? Wondering if hopping off and letting him snack if he will settle. Its not ideal but you need something to break the cycle and get him thinking about something else.

 

[Als_01]

Is he good to lead? Wondering if hopping off and letting him snack if he will settle. Its not ideal but you need something to break the cycle and get him thinking about something else.

Yes I suppose because when he is in the excited frame of mind it’s hard to calm him back down , he would probably love a snack, will give this a go