Horse hates hacking behind - any advice?

[tye_bo]

I got my mare as a youngster so partly as she needed 'guidance' and partly because she was smaller than my friends horses, she always hacked out on the back of the trio. She was always really slow and there would be a massive gap between us and them! It was only a few years ago that I found that if I put her at the front she would really perk up and stride out with her ears perked and easily out stride whoever she was with no matter what their size!

I suppose I've always put up with it or been lucky enough that who I'm hacking with lets me go in front but I'm wondering if there is any advice for if she is at the back? She's such hard work to keep going its like she 'gives up'. I have a bad knee and bad hip and its taking its toll to keep chivying her along. She's even like if if we hack side by side if she's not a nose length in front then she starts on a go-slow!

Whats the physcological reason do you think just that if she's at the back of the 'herd' she doesn't have to watch out but if she's leading it then she needs to be vigilant?? Any advice

 

[hellybelly6]

How dominant is she?

My dominant horse likes to go at the back and 'herd' the others.

If she is happier at the front, then thats what I would go with. How is she one or two from the front?

 

[Holloa]

Maybe try taking her hunting, as my boy only liked going in front, but out hunting you can't be right at the front, it really helped my boy!...other than that i'm not sure, maybe with time, she'll be better?
Good luck

 

[tye_bo]

Hard to tell on the dominance thing as they live in single horse fields. From memory on my old yard she was middle of the range - not top dog but wouldn't bow down easily either.

There is usually only 2 or sometimes 3 max of us riding out so it's not a huge difference being in front or behind if you see what I mean. I would like her to be more versityle as there may be a time when someone else wants to lead?

I don't think time is on our side - she's been like it for 12 years lol!! Don't think hunting would help - we used to belong to a ladies riding club where we'd all box up and meet at a designated point in the Peak District and have a nice hack for a few hours. The group then used be anything from 15 to 40 of us and we'd be nearer the back but she was fine - the excitement of new horses, new location etc meant she was always on her toes.

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Well, you learn new things on this forum every day! tye-bo, my ned is exactly like yours: at the front he strides out in his best Section D ground covering walk, alert and watchful and often has to wait for the others to catch up etc etc. Fabulous. In the middle, he goes into trekking horse mode and slops along half asleep with his head on the floor, happy to follow the tail in front. The only time he wakes up in the middle is if another horse tries to overtake him and then he tries to guard his position! At the back in a small group, he slops along too but with one ear fixed on what's behind in case a velocoraptor sneaks up on him. He's seen the film. If we're in a bigger group, he's a total tit at the back and I have to move him up to the front. No amount of growling, circling, etc etc will settle him. He gets sweaty and wretched so my ride is spoilt unless I move him forwards.

Now, I always put that down to him remembering his riding school days but I can see now that a DOMINANT horse goes at the back to drive the herd. Sunny is seriously NOT dominant. But what he is, is SAFE. In the field, the rest of the herd often mooch after him if he wanders off to a different part, exactly as they would follow a wise old mare. So I guess Sunny feels unsafe at the back coz there's no tough ned keeping him safe but he's used to being the "wise old mare" so is happy at the front.

This is absolutely NO help to you tye-bo but enlightening to me!!! Sorry! xxx

 

[tye_bo]

Hi Box_of_frogs, that was interesting (and funny!) to read, thanks for sharing. Hey maybe its a welsh d 'quirk', my mare is welsh d x dales

The funny thing about all of this is that on her own she is a complete napper on her own! You'd kind of think that she would have the confidence to go on her own if she is confident to lead file.