Help with youngster hacking please

Got exactly the same prob with my 4 yr old cob, he has been hacking on his own and in company and now refuses to go out the yard, so today I lunged him and then long reined him,was a bit awkward but soon went forward,tried him ridden again and still no-go,havent used a whip before now but will have a go tomorrow, he is driving me insane at the moment !!
 
You need a really good babysitter when introducing youngsters to hacking, both in terms of the horse and the rider.

Rather than 'making' the horse go in front, think more about working alongside another horse, with the buddy horse occasionally dropping a necks length behind and then coming back up alongside your horse. It's easier to do this more often than not in trot, and canter. Once your horse is happily doing this then you can do it in walk.

NellRosk said:
Also when I take her behind another horse hacking she is very forward and actually wants to overtake them. But then when she gets in front plants herself and grows root. Very frustrating!
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You always want to think about them working side by side.
 
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NellRosk said:
AdorableAlice, yes she long lines but the yard I'm at now is directly on to a busy road so don't especially want to take her out long reining, it's not safe at all
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Environment not on your side then, it would be very difficult to get a young horse going when your yard is on a busy road.

What I am about to say is not politically correct and will cause a lot of gasps and tutting, however I have broad shoulders and I have some very old fashioned views on discipline. The last four year we had (gelding) that did the planting game was hacked out in company and alone. He would stop and have half hearted napping moments, go a bit, stop again etc. I am not into tapping them or kicking them hard, I like them to be light off the leg.

This horse was put back on the long line. He had never stopped on the long line through the breaking process but after realising he could stop under saddle he then stopped on the long line. He received a substantial smack which sent him forwards, unfortunately straight into a roadside ditch, stupid boy was too busy being naughty and not looking where he was going. He did not stop on the lines again and did several more sessions (all on quiet lanes and in/out of yard), before he was ridden again.

On the first ride out, he went alone with someone in car a distance behind us. Sure enough he pulled himself up and as he did the only thing he heard was a sharp 'walk on' from behind followed by a long tom up his backside. He never ever planted again. Tin hat on and chin strap done up !
 
amymay said:
You need a really good babysitter when introducing youngsters to hacking, both in terms of the horse and the rider.

Rather than 'making' the horse go in front, think more about working alongside another horse, with the buddy horse occasionally dropping a necks length behind and then coming back up alongside your horse. It's easier to do this more often than not in trot, and canter. Once your horse is happily doing this then you can do it in walk.



You always want to think about them working side by side.
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Unfortunately the main roads I hack along do not have the space to ride side by side, we're not all blessed with grassy tracks. I know this isn't an issue of being scared or spooked by something, I just think she's genuinely trying it on and using her strength against me.
 
AdorableAlice said:
Environment not on your side then, it would be very difficult to get a young horse going when your yard is on a busy road.

What I am about to say is not politically correct and will cause a lot of gasps and tutting, however I have broad shoulders and I have some very old fashioned views on discipline. The last four year we had (gelding) that did the planting game was hacked out in company and alone. He would stop and have half hearted napping moments, go a bit, stop again etc. I am not into tapping them or kicking them hard, I like them to be light off the leg.

This horse was put back on the long line. He had never stopped on the long line through the breaking process but after realising he could stop under saddle he then stopped on the long line. He received a substantial smack which sent him forwards, unfortunately straight into a roadside ditch, stupid boy was too busy being naughty and not looking where he was going. He did not stop on the lines again and did several more sessions (all on quiet lanes and in/out of yard), before he was ridden again.

On the first ride out, he went alone with someone in car a distance behind us. Sure enough he pulled himself up and as he did the only thing he heard was a sharp 'walk on' from behind followed by a long tom up his backside. He never ever planted again. Tin hat on and chin strap done up !
Click to expand...

No I agree with you to an extent. When a horse has been hacked out alone and is no longer a baby who doesn't understand a lot of people will use a whip to get the napping horse going again, but they only really tap it and this leads to a prolonged argument that annoys the horse and gives it an unpleasant experience. Many people will carry on this pattern for years of the horse stopping, horse and rider having an unpleasant argument and then eventually moving off again, and it does not make for a pleasant hacking experience for horse or rider. I have always been of the opinion that if you are going to hit a horse who is genuinely napping out of stubbornness, then hit it hard enough that you never have to hit it again - it is much kinder in the long run and far clearer for the horse. When ridden for me the most effective method is to use a short whip, turn it upside down so you are holding it like a tennis raquet and give them a good whack on the bum.

I wouldn't do this with a newly backed though, particularly one that has never been given the opportunity to hack out on its own,

So, I hope you have a spare tin hat...
 
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