Help!! Bad Napping!!

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pollypock1211

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Has anyone got any advice or tips on napping?

My horse as been on box rest for about 6months and is about 3months back into work and has just started napping and everyday hes getting worse and its getting more frequent.

I have to ride out on my own as there is no-one to go with. I did manage to get someone to come out with me a few weeks ago for a few days on the trot and he was fine never napped once, however since then he seems to have got worse on his own.

I cant make my mind up if hes scared or just trying it on! he seems scared as his eyes go wide and he snorts etc. but most of the time theres nothing there to be scared of ! Today i only just got of the yard and he wouldnt go pass a gate hes been pass loads of times!

He digs his heels in, spins round, rears (mini) but on the slippy steep road it gets quite frightening. I try using my whip but he seems to get worse and rears worse when i use this. The more i use my leg the more he backs up not having a care in the world for traffic, ditches, trees and walls! So far i havent gave in but its taking up to 45mins each time and im not sure whether to be patient or get madder!
My biggest concern is he only had an operation in March this year (on both stifles) and where only half way through his strict fitness regime surely it cant be no good on his legs spinning round in tight circles ?? although his legs should be fully healed by now.

My other option is to get off him and lead him which i know he will follow me, but then if he plays up ive no control as he can be very head strong - and not sure if he will do it all the more if he knows i will get off ??

Overall its so fustrating as i feel he has no respect for me what so ever or he just doesnt trust me. I was getting so excited that i could finally ride him after all the problems we have had and now everyday im dreading it as i know its just going to be one big performance.

Anyone had anything simular - what did they found best worked ?? Thank you.
 
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Have you tried a nicely nicely approach?? i find my big bruteish ISH is actually a massive poofter and the more pressure i put on him the worse his napping and spinning becomes.

I now drop the contact and let him look saying "what a good boy, oh my your so clever, wow look how brave you are" whilst giving him lots of pats, and maybe some gentle leg pressure just to keep him going.

At the moment my gelding is genuinely scared of things, so sorry but no experience with a naughty horse and naping *touch wood*
 
Did your horse nap before his injury? If not it may be worth getting the vet to check him over, as my friends horse suddlenly started napping really badly and it turned out there was an underlining problem that wasn't obvoius, even had a couple of vets telling us he was just being naughty and we should send him away to be sorted out, fourtantly we didn't listen to them and she got a second and third vet before the thir vet found the cause.
 
I would get the vet back out to give his stifles a check. Would be interesting to know if he naps on bute?
My mare naps out hacking and it was a pain response to an old injury that has taken nearly 2 years to diagnose. However she is alright now.
Since he has had so much time off I would get all the checks done. Rule out absolutely everything. If he then continues to nap and there is no physical reason for it I would get a good instructor out to help you both deal with it. They may see something in the napping that you don't.
Izzi :)
 
doratheexplorer said:
Have you tried a nicely nicely approach?? i find my big bruteish ISH is actually a massive poofter and the more pressure i put on him the worse his napping and spinning becomes.

I now drop the contact and let him look saying "what a good boy, oh my your so clever, wow look how brave you are" whilst giving him lots of pats, and maybe some gentle leg pressure just to keep him going.

At the moment my gelding is genuinely scared of things, so sorry but no experience with a naughty horse and naping *touch wood*
Click to expand...

That approach has worked best for me too.
If I were in your position PollyPockets, I would consider all the previous replies,
then if all physical problems are ruled out, I would got with DoratheExplorer.
(and Damnations instructor)

Once the sillyness if rearing and spinning is done, the horse often calms if you just sit there.
One of my first successes using the softly softly approach was nearly 40 years ago.
It meant sitting there for well over 1/2 an hour, but it worked.
Previously I had dismounted to lead the horse past his "spook", but remounting was often difficult and unsafe.
It was getting to be a bit too much of a habit with this dear horse .
.
Something else which seemed to work for us was lots of groundwork exercises and schooling from the saddle.
(just in walk, reverse and half pass).
.
This method (or a variation of it) has succeeded with most horses I have worked with over the years,
'though every horse is different,and I must admit, I HAD to dismount my ex-racer recently as she worked herself into a frenzy
rather than walk on, and was likely to fall. Even trying to lead her past the offending articles (new pigs in field),
she was difficult, but I spent time leading her to and away, to, away, reverse etc.etc.etc.
She eventually calmed and we enjoyed the rest of our ride without incident.
.
Am not saying any of this is the right way,
but it is a way that worked for me without stressing the horses or causing danger to self or others :)
.
Hope all goes well with you and your horse. You'll soon be working as a team again I'm sure
Teg:)
 
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Have you ever tried just sitting there, every time he backs up spins etc when you ask him forward, drop the contact and make him stand there? Sometimes works as they just get bored with standing in one place for all that xx
 
I havent any advice but the replies have been useful. I have just got a new pony which does the backing up thing regardless of whats behind, havent hacked him alone yet but so far hes fine in company. At least I know what to do if it happens now, thanks! (Have started in hand at home and he tried to kick me and rear past his field gate - Norty pony!) Good luck with yours pollypock!
 
My boy sounds very similar to yours!

So far i have found the nicely nicely approach works best too, but it can be very frustrating! I have found that just completely letting go and just sitting there as after a few minutes he gets bored of standing still!!
Then when he goes he gets big pats and cuddles.
 
When my big lad decides NO - i stop him running backwards - make him stand looking at where i want to go - and look at the scenary.... and wait and wait and wait - as soon as his head moves to look "somewhere" i put the leg on and off we go - he only does it once at the same place and has now figured out that he may as well walk as stand there.

There is no way i would smack him - he would go vertical and i would have a fight that i cant win with this lad! my other one is the exact opposite - put your leg on and kick and if necessary a gentle tap and off we go.... sometimes its just a question on working out what will work - good luck its a scary experianc
 
Thanks for all your advice - i have tried the nice approach but hes the type of horse who walks all over me, he has no manners at the moment drags me to the field, turns his bum on me in the stable and squashes me etc (im sure its all this spring grass thats changed him) - its difficult as ive only had him a year n from the week i had him i havent been able to ride him due to his stifle problems so i never really new what he was like to ride before :(

Really worried hes napping now due to pain but surely if he was in pain due to his backend he wouldnt be rearing and spinning round. He has had his back & made to measure tack checked. Hes never responded to bute even before his surgery (not to say he wouldnt now though) but hes been fine up until 2 weeks ago :/ although he has moved back to his old home ??

The last time i just sat there on him in the woods and i phoned a friend for advice and was sat there for an hour everytime i tried to turn him around to the direction i wanted him to go he would just spin back round the other way. Like i said use my leg and he just goes back i dropped all contact but this still didnt work. My friend had to come in the end and led him pass!

He has to be continued to be ridden as the vets need to see him back in full work to see if surgery worked and his joints can cope under pressure. Also cant do any schooling or flatwork with him at the moment.

Very confused just want whats best for him ..x
 
I home in on all the napping posts! Still trying to sort my napper out. I wish I could sit for a few minutes and hed go forward but longest so far 2 hours! I tried a bute trial to see if any underlying problem but made no difference.May be worth trying for you ? As you know there has been an injury.
 
alicemary said:
I home in on all the napping posts! Still trying to sort my napper out. I wish I could sit for a few minutes and hed go forward but longest so far 2 hours! I tried a bute trial to see if any underlying problem but made no difference.May be worth trying for you ? As you know there has been an injury.
Click to expand...

OMG two hours?? you must have the patience of a saint!!!!!!!! Well done for that :-D
 
I dont think hes in pain - he has physio once a week and she seems to think hes not. Although its worth a try with the bute trial just to see.

I am trying him again today in a standing martingale to see if this will help and just going to try and not let him spin around.

Thanks
 
This sounds oh so familiar. I am in the process of turning my nappy mare into a happy hacker. The more pressure you put on her the worse it gets. Rears, runs backwards into cars, houses, horses, people - anything! She knows as soon as she does this I will panic and she wins - well not anymore!

I did a lot of work in hand and ridden just walking up to unusual objects and everytime she made the tiniest of movements towards them I would praise her (a ridiculous amount at first but it does decrease as time goes on!) She responds well to lots of praise and seems to build her trust in me and her confidence grows quickly. After this I tried going out on my own and when she starts to nap I just stay calm and gently ask her to walk on or sometimes used my reins over her neck - be prepared to shoot forwards. If she started to run backwards I just kept saying no very firmly with my voice and now she responds to that and hardly does it. If she does do it I spin her around and make her walk backwards a few steps and turn her round to go forwards and continue the process until she walks forwards but I only do this if she starts backing up. The other times I just talk to her and praise her and confidently ask her to walk on - she usually makes a small step after a few moments and I find clicking at her keeps her going.

After 2 months she is much better. I will still get off and lead her past certain things that just arent worth a battle over and this seems to build her trust in me more.

The trick is not to be scared yourself and I know how hard this is but if you stay relaxed and try to ignore the rearing etc after a few sessions you will realise that nothing happened, you are both safe and making progress - even if its a few steps further down the road its better than nothing.
 
WIsh I could see some progress with mine after nearly 4 months now. Even a tiny leetle step forward would do !! You could try threats, I threatened my dog with a behaviorist when she was being so naughty and she changed overnight without having to get anyone in. Having said that threatened horse with being sold to meatman and hasnt worked!
 
Thanks for good advice. Tried him today with my partner out walking. I didnt take my whip, i used standing martingate (which helped with the rearing and spinning) and i also used my spurs. He napped around 5 times at very silly things! i tried to stop him from turning round but this was very difficult as he drops his sholder and spins quite unexpectadly however he did respond to the spurs. My partner had to lead him a couple of times and he was fine following my partner. I did find everytime i took one hand off the reins to pat him and praise him he took advantage to spin back round :(

I will be trying him again and riding early in the morning hope i have not got a problem for life with this as it is seriously knocking my confidence. Hopefully it will just be a phase he needs to grow out of. .xxx
 
Hi, I have had a couple of horses who have done similar things and have found that the most effective way to stop them doing it is to make them go backwards whenever they spin round. Even if they just stop i turn them round and make them back up for A few steps then turn round and try going forward again. Eventually they get fed up of going backwards and just get on with it. Might not work for every horse but 2 I have done it with worked brilliantly. Good luck.
 
Yep maybe this is part of the problem. However i tried him this morning and he was so much better. I gave him lots and lots of praise as soon as i got him to take a step forward and he responded really well. Hope he continues to respond to this and it wasnt just a one off!

The secret with him is lots of leg pressure and reassurance at the same time and also trying to prevent him from turning around in the first place which is quite difficult but a friend pointed out to me my hands came up quite high as he span around. Something i never even noticed. The lower my hands are the better, even if it means puting them on my leg it manages to stop him spinning around so sharply. Overall i think the madder you get the worse he is, frim reassurance is alot better with plenty of exagerated praise as soon as he took a step ahead his confidence grew. :)
 
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