help with backing issues needed!

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lisa_lou

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Me and my mum are in the process of backing a rescued 14h welsh x new forest 5yr old gelding,
We were told he had been backed and has been hacked out, he had had very little handling as the lady had 20+ horses that she rescues from the meat man and just puts in a field and tries to rehome them with a view to buy. this one tho is an absolute cracker, hes very striking with the most fantastic paces so definately worth persueing! She has had him 4 months now and he has improved a great deal with groundwork, yard noise etc and chilled out but when we come to lean over or attempt to get on he just tenses up so much and looks terrified, weve been doing the leaning over and really praising him every step of the way and i have had my 5 yr old daughter sitting on and walking around (all safely of course) had an adult on once but looked set to 'ping' and he went mental when she got off gently looking very worried, what can we do to get him to understand we are ok and to relax? I cant wait to be able to box up with him and my mum and go out for hacks!
 
My youngster was very tense- turned out the saddle we had fitted didn't fit, and this was part of the problem, so double check that. Also, don't know what you're doing with him, but I ended up sending my boy away to finish off his backing while we moved house (huge lack of time!) and the lady there swears by long reining them first, and lunges with stirrups flying free- basically, by the time she actually gets on they are so relieved that all the flapping things have stopped that they are actually quite happy, and accepting a person is so much easier than what they were being asked to do! My boy came home so chilled! Also he never liked leaning over, he was much happier when I just put my foot in the stirrup and got on- this was before all the bombproofing!
 
You should put some side peices on him so he cannot see behind at what your doing, make sure the clothes you wear aren't a crackley material too! When you lean over let him have a good smell at your feet and get lead around quietly while still leaning over, plenty of work before hand though and keep giving him a titbit , he may be very sharp to sound when your on his back so ride him very quietly :) good luck
 
Long reing- help him to become familar with voice and commands coming from behind him out of sight.
Deffo check saddle and back.
Dont be to precious tacking him up etc, put the saddle on and off several times, throw polypads on and off his back. Do a lot of leaning over, standing still and walking about before you attempt to get on, then practice sitting up, kind of side saddle ish, so you are higher in the saddle but not 'on' and can slip off quickly.
Personally if he is still 'freaking' out and would be doing a lot more groundwork, especially long reining and lots of leaning on him, and jumping up and down around him etc.
If you still encounter problems send him to a professional. Good luck!
 
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