Horse napping quite badly to gate in field (long post sorry!)

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m1stify

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Hi all, I have my mare nearly a year now but due to some health issues for her in 2011 we have only just got going really in the last 8 weeks or so.
I did have her on livery in a riding school and I got free lessons so a lot of what we did last year was in a group scenario. Otherwise I just schooled alone in the arena, or hacked in company.
She has always tended to nap a bit, and always to the right for some reason, a good example would be cantering a circle on the right rein and in the middle of the circle she would veer and turn to the right rather than the left. I overcame this by having a stronger right leg and concentrating of looking left rather than right if thats the way my mare was trying to go. She hasn't done this in a long time. This was all happening inside the school.
I moved livery yard about 8 weeks ago and she has settled in great as have I, no longer in a riding school but I get private lessons once a week or fortnight and I school 5/6 days a week with the odd hack thrown in. She is a much happier horse here do to more turn out etc.
Livery yard has opened a new xc course in a large field but there is plenty of space for a good canter if you don't want to jump. It is a huge field actually. I am a bit apprehensive about the field as I have no experience of my mare in an open field alone or with a small group. I walked her around the field once or twice after a schooling session in the arena and she was ok, but upon passing the gate back to the yard she didn't like being asked to go past it, but she did. The 2nd occassion I turned in the opposite direction of the gate and walked on, we got to the end of the field and suddenly she spooked and spun round and headed towards the gate in canter. I mangaged to have her walking by the time we reached the gate but as I got a fright I let her walk through the gate. I got my nerve back then and did about 15 mins of canter in the arena so she didn't get out of work by the napping.
At the weekend I went into the field with 2 others and she was ok following them in trot she felt a bit like she wanted to go but was listening to me all the same. Then one of the others said she was going to canter, in the exact spot I had the spook the last time except we were facing the gate. Despite asking her not to, she went into canter and my mare went from walk to gallop in about 10 seconds, I had no time to react. So I just though, ok, let her gallop. But once we were passing the gate she stopped and turned to go out the gate. I didn't let her but ended up passing the gate 3 or 4 times with my mare getting very frustrated. I got off because I was frightened and she wasn't listening to me at all. One of the other girls got up on her then and experienced the napping to the gate, it took her a few times to get her to trot past the gate without leaning to the right but once my mare knew she meant buisness she didn't try it on again and went perfectly, even a nice balanced canter past the gate. I then took her back to arena and did a good 20 mins canter work.
Now my question is where to go from here. I think its an issue with my mare knowing she can get away with this with me. She is very clever. And I think I am the only one who can fix this. Someone else schooling her in the field will have no effect, or will it? Obviously I have my own safety concerns here as she did take off with me in the field, don't fancy having to deal with that again.
 
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Can you ask your instructor to take you out in the field next lesson? Your horse did what many others would and it sounds as though you coped well and got everything back under control safely. But obviously you'll be a little shaken.

Also, what do they think about the napping-to-the-right? Nearly all horses are footed (like we're handed) so it could just be that horse is slightly nappy and naturally favours that side or could be that there is some tightness/and old injury/whatever. Possibly vet (and if they recommend back person/physio) to check horse out if you've never looked into it before?

I know what you mean about open spaces. I learnt to ride in a city and never saw fields (parks are different!). Now I love it. You'll get there.
 
PS it sounds like you are doing quite a lot with her given she has only been back in work 8 weeks. She probably doesn't have the muscle tone for schooling, hacking and then another 20mins canter work. Consider if she may be napping because she is tired (and possibly saddle is hurting if she has lost muscles... it won't necessarily fit her in her unfit state). For most things fittening with lots of walking out up hills is the way to go. you might be thrilled to be back in the saddle... but for her sake and that of your relationship don't overdo it. Ask for a reasonable amount of work without permitting napping and then stop.
 
I don't think you need to go anywhere from 'here' as it were, except to just do more of the same.

Ride in the field on your own and with friends (but with friends who are at least going to baby sit you a little). And just 'play'. Always work away from the gate and parallel to the gate - never aim for it. And don't punish your horse's napping by then doing 15 mins canter work in the school.

Also - I personally would stop doing so much school work. Remember - she's been in a riding school and will now be bored to tears with it all. Plus hacking is fun - and a good way of curing a napper.

Don't overthink things so much - she's not really doing anything that many horses don't do (i.e having a little jolly because another horse cantered off)......

You also need to bring her back in to work slowly and with consideration. So plenty of walking, then trotting before you build up to faster work. 20 mins canter work in the school would be excessive at this time, I would think.

Just enjoy her and have fun.
 
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I have had this problem, especially when I bought my horse at first, he was a nightmare for napping, and because I hadnt had to deal with it before he got away with it!! :rolleyes:

I have managed to improve him tremendously but he can still be a swine at competitions for napping!

He can just either concrete himself to the ground, then proceed sideways or we can go into reverse with a little rear if he is that way out!!

My instructor has told me to be one step ahead of him all the time, an act before he does!! It works!! As soon as he starts to hesitate or go sideways, I just sit there all relaxed & block him using lots of leg opposite to the way we are going with opposing flexion (hope that makes sense!!), he doesn't like it but he soon realises that he is being bossed & thinks "ok then, not going to get away with this one".. and gets on with the job in hand.... It can be a tad embarrasing in the SJ arena but hey ho it works!!

Another trick I have learnt is that if he is wanting to go sideways, depending on the situation of course, I ride him into the direction that he is wanting to go and that manages to baffle him too, again it is just like he thinks "Oh! ok then!!"
 
Until you are more confident with her I think it would be better to avoid confrontation with her, because every time she does this she knocks your confidence.
Choose things to do with her that you both enjoy and do well, find a hacking partner who is mature enough to be aware of your problems and help you.
Eight weeks isn't very long and I think you are trying to conform to other people expectations. It your horse and your pace and a good instructer will be able to know when you are ready to stand your ground. I aways say ' never pick an arguement you can not win with a horse', which means when you are more condfident you will be able to use stratagies and aids that will make it more difficult for her to take you to the gate.
To be honest its typical horses behavoir and most of them will do it given the oppotunity.
Good luck and do not be disheartened you will get over this.
 
Of course, you know your horse and I would speak to an instructor and ask their advice on the best way to deal with this problem.

From my experience, i was very low in confidence and his napping was awful, getting to the stage where I didn't want hack out or go anywhere, especially on my own!! Competitions were a nightmare, as he would not even go into the arena..... It was just that he is very bright & was totally taking advantage of me!

There is a solution, it will get better.. I never thought it would but it has!!
 
I think you have dealt well with her so far. Personally I would only dismount well away from the gate. Never end your session near the gate, either in the field or in the arena. Cool her down well away from the gate and then get of her a different place every day and then walk her in hand through the gate and back to the yard. Eventually, she should get so she will be fine to be ridden through the gate, but if she starts napping again, start from square one. Good luck.
 
Thanks all for the replies & very good suggestions.
Would just like to clarify we are back in proper work 8 weeks, that was after 6 weeks getting back to fitness including just walking for 2 weeks etc. don't worry she was brought back to work slowly.
And when I say work, she gets plenty of "tea breaks" I never have done 20 mins of constant canter with her at all, I just had to bring her back into the school after the napping incidents in case she thought she could do that and I would get off and thats the end of the session. I have never and would never punish my horse. I am totally aware that I am the issue here and not the horse. I would always look at myself first before blaming the horse.
 
also when I say 5/6 days work, that is probably a slight exaggeration, especially with the rain over the last few weeks cutting our sessions short :)

She is a fantastic mare otherwise, my best friend really but as we all know sometimes friends can take advantage of us!
 
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