Horse being silly out hacking...advice please

[Sheeny88]

Hi Guys,

I've got a 15'2 8 year old cob mare who I have owned for the last 3 years.

Recently when out hacking she has started to shoot off if we meet any other horses out hacking. It doesn't matter if they are coming towards us or from behind but she always runs in the opposite direction.

I have been making sure I hack out in company, or meet someone along the hack and started having group lessons so she gets used other horses but with all of these she has been fine. I have taken her to a clinic recently where she was in the school with a horse she didn't know and she was fab.

I started thinking maybe I was giving off some kind of vibe to her which was why she started doing it (I can get nervous at times) however I have sat really relaxed and stayed calm with her and although sometimes she is better its not consistent. We have also met horses out that she has spotted before me so I'm sure it can't be me being nervous.



　
I have also tried standing her still and letting the other horse pass but again its not consistent and sometimes she's shot off before I even have chance to think about it. I have had times where I've held her in a layby and as the horse approaches up the road she has started to back up, I've ridden out with a nanny horse and she spooked and shot across the rode when another horse walked past us.



　
Today I rode along a bridleway to a T junction and there was someone coming along the road, before I had chance to do anything she shot off onto the road and up the road away from the horse, she can get really strong and the only way I managed to hold her was to pull her into a driveway and stand behind the gate.



I am thinking that I just need to ride her through this and as we can now hack during the week after work hope that she will get better but if anyone has any tips that would be great.
She's turned out alone but surrounded by horses in the next feilds, never have any other problems with her & other horses. Teeth/back/saddle all up to date.

 

[vickyb]

Hi Guys,

I've got a 15'2 8 year old cob mare who I have owned for the last 3 years.

Recently when out hacking she has started to shoot off if we meet any other horses out hacking. It doesn't matter if they are coming towards us or from behind but she always runs in the opposite direction.

I have been making sure I hack out in company, or meet someone along the hack and started having group lessons so she gets used other horses but with all of these she has been fine. I have taken her to a clinic recently where she was in the school with a horse she didn't know and she was fab.

I started thinking maybe I was giving off some kind of vibe to her which was why she started doing it (I can get nervous at times) however I have sat really relaxed and stayed calm with her and although sometimes she is better its not consistent. We have also met horses out that she has spotted before me so I'm sure it can't be me being nervous.



　
I have also tried standing her still and letting the other horse pass but again its not consistent and sometimes she's shot off before I even have chance to think about it. I have had times where I've held her in a layby and as the horse approaches up the road she has started to back up, I've ridden out with a nanny horse and she spooked and shot across the rode when another horse walked past us.



　
Today I rode along a bridleway to a T junction and there was someone coming along the road, before I had chance to do anything she shot off onto the road and up the road away from the horse, she can get really strong and the only way I managed to hold her was to pull her into a driveway and stand behind the gate.



I am thinking that I just need to ride her through this and as we can now hack during the week after work hope that she will get better but if anyone has any tips that would be great.
She's turned out alone but surrounded by horses in the next feilds, never have any other problems with her & other horses. Teeth/back/saddle all up to date.

Sorry, didn't mean to quote your whole post OP but it's the only way I can log on at the moment.
If your mare has never done this in the previous 3 years you have had her, then it is very odd. Have you thought of having her eyesight checked? If a vet can find nothing physically wrong with her, and everything else is okay then perhaps she is taking the P and you need to turn her back when she whips round, and reinforce your intent with your stick and your voice. Also, she may be too full of herself with the Spring grass and need a bit more work to help concentrate her mind and tire her out a bit more.

 

[AmieeT]

Do you carry a whip? I found this helped when mine started trying to spin around- held stronger on the opposite rein and tapped his hind (the side in the direction he was trying to turn) to say 'no, we're going where I say!'

Mine has started napping since the spring grass has shot up- had me in tears the first time (thought I'd hurt him lol) but his owner just told me to be firm cos he was taking the P.

If he's up to date and as other poster says, vet can find no problems then I too would say spring grass.

Ax

 

[spider]

If he spins and runs could you try turning him before the other horse reaches you and making him stand still until it has passed? I have found that my horse is much better when things he is worried about approach him from behind. Also safer as the spin is the bit that is likely to unseat you.

 

[Sheeny88]

After I posted this thread I did think about her eyesight so I may call the vets just to see what they say, although each time this has happened I have turned her to look at what is coming so if she hasn't seen them she must be really blind! I haven't had any other problems with her, traffic passes from behind her, she doesn't bump into things etc so that makes me think its not her eyes.

I do ride with a whip however she hasn't full on spun she just shoots off fast in the direction we're going and it always comes as a surprise.

She has been good this weekend with on coming horses, I have just tried to stay really calm & half halt and use my voice to keep reminding her we're only walking.

She started doing this before xmas so would that still be the grass affecting her?

I'm not sure what else to try, sometimes when I've managed to stop her I make her wait and let the other horse catch up so that she hasn't got away with it but I'm not always feeling brave enough to try that (especially if we're going down hill!)

Thanks for all you comments

 

[Meowy Catkin]

A few lessons with a good instructor on your horse, should help you both. Explain what's been happening to the instructor and they should help you work on getting her to listen to you and how to keep her attention.

 

[Sheeny88]

I have two lessons a week with a brilliant instructor, I did speak to her about it and I think we came to the conclusion that I was me tensing that was setting her off but now I'm not so sure.

I will try what you have said Spider and make a point of standing her and letting them pass & hopefully that will reinforce that she can't shoot off!