Hacking question, what would you do?

RedDevlin

RedDevlin

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Hello all!
I'm just curious as I almost had a meltdown today. Decided to take Dev for a stroll on his own, now he has been out on his own a couple of times but never on this hack (he has done it in company) as we started out there was a cat ahead of us, he saw it, and stopped dead, the cat then trotted around the corner and out of sight. Could I get him to go forward, could I hell. No amount of telling, pleading, waiting and eventually crying worked. At this point, thought I am a bit wary to say I whipped him. Still. Nothing. Didnt bat an eyelid. Eventually started stepping backwards. Waiting for another couple of minutes and asked again so I got off and walked him. He was fine. So I hopped back on and we were off again.
We then met a car who very kindly stopped and switched off his engine. Same saga as the cat, I didn't want to get into an argument in front of the car so I got off and lead him past it. He wasn't keen but I stopped to have a chat with the driver as I knew him and then got on. He's not overly keen on vehicles but will pass and let them pass in company. We then went the whole way round and saw salt bins, cows, tin sheds, al pacas and quad bikes (at a distance, up close I might have died!!)

So, did I do right, what should I have done? He's a forward boy and will lead when we are with our buddy. I'm just not sure what I could have done differently. He has just turned four and has only been hacking out for about 3 months. I got so exasperated! The rest of the hack was a dream on a long rein and he was a delight!

Have I made a mistake in getting a youngster... do I just not have enough patience? :/
 
i would and did do the same when mine was starting to hack out, now she goes anywhere i ask without question as she has realised i wont beat her but will show her things are safe

i would say you did the right thing
 
Yours sounds exactly the same as mine, if not, a little better. I've been getting off and leading him as there's not really any point in staying on if he's just not going to move. We've been doing a little bit of groundwork on the road (just simple 'stand' when I tell him to and 'get on' when I tell him to, and then when I've been leading him home I've been doing random U-turns so he learns to listen to me more) and tomorrow we're hopefully going out with another horse. I've come to the conclusion that I've been too soft on Ben and now he realises he has the upper hand, he can decide where he wants to go (or doesn't want to go...) It's slow progress and can be very, very frustrating but I'm pretty sure we'll get there one day.
 
Thank you, for putting my mind at ease!
I just had the voice of an old riding instructor in my head as I was getting off scolding me for 'giving in' !
Thing is he's a chestnut through and through and is stubborn when he wants to be!
 
FlaxenPony05 said:
Yours sounds exactly the same as mine, if not, a little better. I've been getting off and leading him as there's not really any point in staying on if he's just not going to move. We've been doing a little bit of groundwork on the road (just simple 'stand' when I tell him to and 'get on' when I tell him to, and then when I've been leading him home I've been doing random U-turns so he learns to listen to me more) and tomorrow we're hopefully going out with another horse. I've come to the conclusion that I've been too soft on Ben and now he realises he has the upper hand, he can decide where he wants to go (or doesn't want to go...) It's slow progress and can be very, very frustrating but I'm pretty sure we'll get there one day.
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I'm glad I'm not the only one that gets frustrated! It's times like these when I think I could never have kids, I get s exasperated! The groundwork on the road sounds like a good idea that I may have to utilise! We've got banana'ing around things down to a T! and stepping sideways suddenly when he spots a drain is also a speciality of ours! I think we have a long way to go I think! Thanks for making me feel better!
 
I teach my horses from the very start that I can get on and off at will - not just "on" at the start and "off" at the end. For the first time in YEARS I got off my young gelding as he started dangerous behaviour in the road because of a building site. I didn't even think twice, vaulted off, led past, then back on. An hour later we passed the site again, and though hesitant, he was willing to walk with me on board this time.
 
i could have spent days trying to get my mare to go over a particular bridge, instead we rode to it i got off we walked back and forth over it then got on and rode over it then carried on our planned route, now it is still a spooky point but she trusts me and goes over it no question. i want to be able to tke this mare anywhere and if i beat her and/get cross why should she trust me in the future

the other thing is by getting off and getting back on you teach them to stand still and wait for you if you fall off
 
I would have done the same. I take a route that we have already done in company, and if we can't complete it ridden, we'll do it with me leading her. My horse walks really well in hand as I have done so a lot before I even started hacking her out and I still it occasionally e.g. as a reward after schooling as she likes going out much more!

I will use a whip sometimes though. I don't really use it if she is afraid of passing something, but I have used it for napping when schooling, or napping out of the gate/path. I just think it should be used sparingly so if you're left standing in the way of oncoming traffic you can use it and move immediately.
 
Yes my youngster is fantastic on his own luckily so we never have any problems out and about . My previous youngster was very much like yours though and he was being naughty ! We actually used spurs on him and he stopped the silliness
 
Young horses who nap and won't move are pretty annoying but horse love they are not being naughty, they are lacking in confidence, there is a huge difference.

My youngster was backed at Easter and we are dong short hacks alone and longer hacks with a friend. He did have the odd nap when he first started hacking with a buddy, now he only naps when we're out on our own. He is allowed to stand and stare, he is allowed to step sideways, he is not allowed to go backwards. I tend to try and not get in a fight with him about it, I just let him stand for a little while and then he either moves off of his own accord or I will ask him to move - even if he only moves one foot then that gets praised. I tend not to get off if I can help it
 
Wheels said:
Young horses who nap and won't move are pretty annoying but horse love they are not being naughty, they are lacking in confidence, there is a huge difference.

My youngster was backed at Easter and we are dong short hacks alone and longer hacks with a friend. He did have the odd nap when he first started hacking with a buddy, now he only naps when we're out on our own. He is allowed to stand and stare, he is allowed to step sideways, he is not allowed to go backwards. I tend to try and not get in a fight with him about it, I just let him stand for a little while and then he either moves off of his own accord or I will ask him to move - even if he only moves one foot then that gets praised. I tend not to get off if I can help it
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I know most of them do lack confidence but my previous horse was very naughty !
Lots of groundwork is great to build up the trust , had a lady at my stables with a nightmare of horse that did lack confidence ! Worked wonders for her
 
If anything, he seems to stop dead and nap worse in company than he does on his own. Once we had those two out of the way today he was fine and forward and lovely. Though I would love for him to not go backwards I didn't have a whole lot of say or control in the matter :/ He gets praise when/ if he moves forward but he is so darn stubborn.
I think even if I were to attempt it with spurs I doubt it would make a vast amount of difference. Once he has made his mind up he plants, and nothing will alter that but I agree with the sentiment that spurs are for refinement and would only use them on well trained horses that understands their use.
It's nice to have reassurance from others, as I tend to worry that maybe I'm instilling the incorrect things in his mind! Thankyou
 
Oh yes, it's a common problem for youngsters and inexperienced hacking horses, there is usually a way through it, you just have to work out the best way for you and your horse
 
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