Hacking problem!

[Flashypony]

Hello! Looking for some advice.. I was hacking out on my horse over the weekend ( he's new, had him for just under 2 months ). He's been really good so far, but this time we encountered some other riders and he would not go past them and started following them. Tried to circle him and get him to turn away from them just made him worse. We ended up riding in front of the riders ( going on the opposite way I had planned, towards home ).

 

[Sukistokes2]

It's a matter of sticking to your guns, you are the one in charge. He will naturally want to follow the other horses, it's your job to get him to go the other way. He has won this round, if you have to get off and lead him the other way then try that. If not you could try and find someone to ride with until you have built more trust with him.

 

[Barnacle]

When you say "he would not go past", what exactly do you mean? What did he actually do? Was he backing up or bucking or anything like that? If all he was doing was walking after them, the problem is simply that you are not being clear and persistent enough. Shorten you reins, carry a schooling whip and keep turning... Next time you should keep at it until he gives up. If you can get another more confident rider to hack him or arrange for that scenario to recur (e.g. get a friend to ride by) so you can practice, that would help. You definitely don't want to repeat that experience as it will cement the behaviour and it will get harder and harder to correct.

 

[ahorseandadog]

If he's following them then it means that he is not following you. Trying practicing with a friend walking past and keeping him listening to you. Does he back up though or rear when he refuses to go past?

 

[Milly101]

One of my horses did this last year when we 1st got him - he would spin, take hold of the bit and follow the other horses on a hack. He didn't care if there was a car coming and wouldn't listen to my aids. I ended up hacking out with others or getting someone to walk with me. He's settled down now and I can get him to go past with little fuss. I suppose we were both new to each other and we didn't have much trust/ bond there.

 

[applecart14]

It's a matter of sticking to your guns, you are the one in charge. .

I agree. I've had a nightmare with hacking my horse over the years and these things I have learned is a) never turn for home (unless the situation is dangerous) if the horse is playing up as it is giving it a free pass b) try to ride circular routes if you can as you may never get past the point you turn around at c) never shout or whip your horse if it is generally frightened as it will make it worse and d) never get off (unless its dangerous to stay on).

My horse would plant and refuse to go forwards at a certain point on my one hack so I used to turn him and walk him backwards past the object. This is 'reverse pychology' and the horse will think its actually going forwards because its facing the direction it wants to go, wheras in actual fact it is stepping backwards past an obstacle it doesn't want to pass.

I can honestly say I have never got off my horse once and believe me he has tried his utmost to spook/shy/spin.

Since moving yards over a year ago my horse has only planted once and spun around twice whereas at the last yard he would do it on a weekly basis.


It might be that your horse has lost its confidence in you for some reason, so you might need to establish this again before hacking out on your own otherwise you will end up in a vicious circle.