horribly behaved horse today - ideas?

[atot]

I took my mare down a nearby path today just to cool her off after a schooling session - All was going well, she was a little 'backwards' as she didn't particularly want to leave the yard, but it was fine. We then get to a point where she could see and hear some dirtbikers doing their stuff. She has been past them before once, but only with another horse who was fine with it. She made a feeble attempt to turn round, put I blocked her and pushed her forwards.

I could feel she wasn't just playing around, and she was actually quite scared. I pushed her onwards a couple of steps and then she would just stop dead if I took my leg off even slightly, although she would always shoot forwards for a step or so if I squeezed with my leg, so she never actually properly planted herself. She then managed to spin round but I made her halt, and wait. She then started going backwards, fast. she would shoot forward again, if I applied my leg just to get her to stop going backwards. I then made her halt, and it started all over again. When I 'trapped' her inbetween my leg and hand, she would stand there getting very cross and flicking her front leg out and shifting forwards and backwards.

There was barbed wire either side of me (a fair distance though), and she was getting a bit too close for my liking to it when she reversed and span round, so I decided to go home. I feel utterly defeated, and quite cross with her. I knew she was only winding herself up over the bikers and making herself very worried, and although they're loud and were flying through the air making strange shapes, she's lived on a farm with plenty of tractors around her for half her life, and I just think she was using it as an excuse to head home (she isn't particularyl keen on hacking by herself). She was very nearly fine going past them last time with another horse, which is why I think that.

What would you do? Would you go down the path again when there weren't bikers and make her go down and around it no matter what,? That's what I feel inclined to do, although not sure whether it's the right thing!! Thanks for any help.

 

[dwi]

I do think that dirt bikes are genuinely scary, I'd take her down there again when they aren't there so that she understands that its not a fundamentally scary place. You say that she isn't 100% about hacking on her own anyway, I'd want her to be happy on her own before I was insisting that she went past something like this

 

[chriscrogul]

I would dismount and lead her past if she was mine! For those who say that's giving in I think she's saying she doesn't want to pass the bikes, not she doesn't want to carry you past! And its better than letting her turn round and go home too!

 

[atot]

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I do think that dirt bikes are genuinely scary, I'd take her down there again when they aren't there so that she understands that its not a fundamentally scary place. You say that she isn't 100% about hacking on her own anyway, I'd want her to be happy on her own before I was insisting that she went past something like this

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Thanks for replying. I do think she is just that type of horse who will only be 100% happy out in company. She's not so bad that it's impossible to hack her, and I could go on a 2 hr hack with her by herself, but it does take a lot more work, and she is always looking behind her and turning round when she gets the chance.
She has been through much scarier things though (over and under M25!), and she has been past this place even with the bikes going round, which is why I thought she was using it as a bit of an excuse.
I think it's a good idea though to take her down there next Saturday without the bikes there, and see what happens. will report back after.

 

[atot]

[ QUOTE ]
I would dismount and lead her past if she was mine! For those who say that's giving in I think she's saying she doesn't want to pass the bikes, not she doesn't want to carry you past! And its better than letting her turn round and go home too!

[/ QUOTE ]

I just feel that I have very little control and influence over her when I'm not on her. She hates HATES whips, so I wouldn't really be able to use one as my 'leg' if I wasn't on her. I think it's an idea though, and won't rule it out when we go next Saturday and pass it without the bikes.

I wouldn't have let her turn around if and head home if the fence was safe, but it wasn't, and she kept on reversing dangerously close to the barbed wire.
thanks for replying.

 

[Parkranger]

personally I would have kept my legs on the whole time and kept talking to her, making sure my back wasn't tensing....Ty will spin if his rider isn't confident and pushing him forward at scarey things!

good luck though - agree with taking her up there when there's nothing going on

 

[Hornby]

My mare would really hate dirt bikers - it's the noise, particularly horrible pitch. She is fine with tractors and cars and motorways! I agree it is not worth an all out battle if there is barbed wire. My mare would follow me anywhere if led; so that is what I would have done (apart from avoiding dirt bikers like the plague). I agree you should try again without the bikers and with plans B and C in mind - eg lead her, call for friend on another horse, walking company whatever so that you do make it past. Good luck.

 

[atot]

[ QUOTE ]
personally I would have kept my legs on the whole time and kept talking to her, making sure my back wasn't tensing....Ty will spin if his rider isn't confident and pushing him forward at scarey things!

good luck though - agree with taking her up there when there's nothing going on

[/ QUOTE ]

I was praising her with every little step she took. (the cyclists going past gave me some very odd looks

. I was pushing her forwards, but when I stopped I did take my leg off (not completely, but it took off the pressure a bit, and that's when she went backwards). She was just choosing every little aid I gave when she was standing still to shoot forwards that I did have to ease off a bit with my legs, because she was beginning to get very cross, and the leg striking thing started!

Thanks, will try it all on Saturday.

 

[Parkranger]

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personally I would have kept my legs on the whole time and kept talking to her, making sure my back wasn't tensing....Ty will spin if his rider isn't confident and pushing him forward at scarey things!

good luck though - agree with taking her up there when there's nothing going on

[/ QUOTE ]

I was praising her with every little step she took. (the cyclists going past gave me some very odd looks

. I was pushing her forwards, but when I stopped I did take my leg off (not completely, but it took off the pressure a bit, and that's when she went backwards). She was just choosing every little aid I gave when she was standing still to shoot forwards that I did have to ease off a bit with my legs, because she was beginning to get very cross, and the leg striking thing started!

Thanks, will try it all on Saturday.

[/ QUOTE ]

sounds like you did all the right things then - bit scarey with the barbed wire though! good luck next week x

 

[atot]

[ QUOTE ]
My mare would really hate dirt bikers - it's the noise, particularly horrible pitch. She is fine with tractors and cars and motorways! I agree it is not worth an all out battle if there is barbed wire. My mare would follow me anywhere if led; so that is what I would have done (apart from avoiding dirt bikers like the plague). I agree you should try again without the bikers and with plans B and C in mind - eg lead her, call for friend on another horse, walking company whatever so that you do make it past. Good luck.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks for replying. Lucky that your horse will follow you. My mare and I have taken AGES to even begin bonding, so I wouldn't expect her to follow me, although if she did I think it would help us bond.

I WILL get her past it on Saturday.

 

[atot]

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personally I would have kept my legs on the whole time and kept talking to her, making sure my back wasn't tensing....Ty will spin if his rider isn't confident and pushing him forward at scarey things!

good luck though - agree with taking her up there when there's nothing going on

[/ QUOTE ]

I was praising her with every little step she took. (the cyclists going past gave me some very odd looks

. I was pushing her forwards, but when I stopped I did take my leg off (not completely, but it took off the pressure a bit, and that's when she went backwards). She was just choosing every little aid I gave when she was standing still to shoot forwards that I did have to ease off a bit with my legs, because she was beginning to get very cross, and the leg striking thing started!

Thanks, will try it all on Saturday.

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sounds like you did all the right things then - bit scarey with the barbed wire though! good luck next week x

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Thank you.