Horse prefers reversing? advice please

I think my horse has been reading these posts! Got on outside yard from mounting block, OH came out and gave her a pat (wrong move) she then decided she couldn't go anywhere unless he was either leading her or walking in front. We reversed up and into the main road, then went back towards the yard at which point she jibbed again and napped at the gate. OH walked in front and she followed, he then eventually fell bck and I went on my way. I don't want this to become a regular thing, she's done it out on hacks before and always tries to go behind another horse, but never at home. Any clues? PS Due to the clocks changing I had just fed my other horse quickly so he could eat whilst I hacked round the block, could she have decided it was feed time for her too?
 
annsGG said:
Murphy is a 14.2h 7yo cob (although the passport says Shire-x-Irish draft???) and is very, very lazy, in actual fact when I bought him, the last owner was fed up with not being able to make him do anything at all.
Click to expand...

Oh dear. You are not alone, I have one of this too. Mine is also a Murphy, 14.1hh and Fell x Cob, and can be super dooper lazy.

Mine also went through a backwards faze!

One thing that worked for me was 'owning' backwards...teaching him rein back and as soon as he starting reversing him, pushing him to reverse more than he wanted too. As soon as going backwards was my idea and therefore was work, he lost interest. Mine can certainly be a bit nappy at times and it sounds like yours might be the same...My Murphy also used to stop and refuse to move, so I would turn him tight enough to knock him off balance so that he had to turn, then offer him the opportunity to go forwards, if he didn't take it, tight circle again. He soon realised that life was easier if he just went forwards!!

I have found with these lazy coblets, that riding with a very positive attitude makes a massive difference. Sometimes you just have to remember that they eat, sleep and be a horse for 23 hours a day, it's not asking that much for them to do as you ask during the other hour when you're riding them. Tell that Murphy of yours to get the chuff on with it, remind him that you're the boss, it will be worth it in the end because Murphy coblets are THE BEST :)
 
Confidence issues. She obviously feels safe with your OH or another horse in front.

I had something similar with H when we first got him. He was green and we were new owners. He would ride out fine with another horse, but if I took him out on his own then we would be OK until his confidence ran out, then he would occasionally nap, sometimes spin but more often would plant. I could sometimes ride him through it, but the better solution was to jump off and lead him past whatever it was that was frightening him. I could see him visibly relax when I took the lead and once we were past, I would remount and we would ride on. I would also take him out in hand and deliberately find scary things to walk past and desensitise him. After a few months we were able to ride on familiar routes on our own and within six or seven months I could take him pretty much anywhere on his own or in company with no real problems.

It sounds like your mare goes one step further than planting, by reversing.

Mind you, H still goes backwards when he gets REALLY excited. It is most bizarre when on a fun ride, to get to a really fast bit with everyone ready for a good gallop and H goes backwards. It's rather like selecting the wrong gear at the traffic lights :D
 
annsgg said:
today's update:

I am going to ride murphy tomorrow whilst my friend rides in front to see if he's any better in company, hopefully i'll be still in one piece tomorrow to tell you if it was any different....:eek:
Click to expand...

WHAT A HORROR :mad::mad::mad: (sorry in advance for ranting grrrrrr)
Getting them both ready he was a little anxious, got on him in the yard and followed the mare out onto the lane, all fine up to now, turned right and went 4 steps on the tarmac and that was it, arseing around and backing up so I just dropped the reins and relaxed, this was greeted with ears facing rearwards and stopping as if to say 'why is she not doing anything?' and generally backing up and spinning around, trying to toss his head but had the Martingale on, basically letting me know that he didn't want to go. My friend got on him to be a little more 'insistant' but to no avail, eventually we could see the front feet lifting together and gave up for fear of rearing.
Chucked him back in the stable fully tacked whilst the mare went off for her ride and went for a cuppa to calm down, about 20-30 minutes later I dragged him into the school (fully tacked) and gave him a workout for about 45 minutes and he was absolutely perfect, did everything I asked of him.
I have come to the conclusion that he is agrophobic and doesn't want to go out full stop! and the way I feel now I am inclined to think bu**er it, I now have 1x bucker out on loan, 1x headshaker, 1x agrophobic arse, 1x miniature Shetland and a small Dartmoor mare, NONE OF WHICH I CAN RIDE, I am starting to think it must be me, feel like selling the whole lot for whatever I can get and then spend as long as it takes to find the perfect horse for me, I have never loaned a horse but when advertising any of mine I am always asked if they can take them on loan first, I am now of the firm belief that this is what I should have done instead of going around looking and buying the first one that I saw, liked and rode out.
Think I'll go somewhere like Safecobs and really take my time to find the perfect match...... anyone wanna buy/swop/part exchange a bucking Conermara and a lazy, agrophobic Cob/Shire/whatever??????

Sorry for ranting, I am so p****d off, it's not like I'm a teenager with a lifetime to look

Ann
 
Chuck mine in for good measure - we could have a real deal! NealM, I have to get off when hacking if she is really bad but cannot always get back on, am challenged nowadays...spoke to a friend last night, she suggested why not just do a schooling session, like, I amgoing to lead this horse down the lane and back, then long rein it down there, then come back and lunge it in the paddock, something like that so that they are not always 'expecting' to be ridden + cobs are really originally sppposed to be driven and they do respond better to being worked from behind. Good luck.
 
There honestly is no such thing as The Perfect Horse. They all have their little 'moments' and quirks.

I don't know how long you've had him, but it does sound like he's testing you out, and I'm afraid to say it sounds like he's getting the upper hand (hoof?!). You do have my sympathy, I know what it's like to lose confidence, and I know what it's like to be tested by a cob!!! I very much doubt he is agrophobic though...just maybe not quite sure if he wants to go out, and then picking up nervous signals from you, and trying tactics to get out of going for a hack...and succeeding!!

Maybe next time, if you can't get him out while you're on board, calmly hop off and lead him so you're still going where you want to go?

If you can, focus on his schooling for a while...teach him rein-back, so he knows it as a command, teach him things like turn on the forehand etc, it will help if you're in a sticky situation as it will give him something to concentrate on.
 
Bosworth said:
I agree with Native ponies he needs to be forced forwards. The other thing I have down with a horse that goes backwards is to keep forcing it back, ie take ownership of back and if he starts to back you force him back fast. Make it bloody uncomfortable for him. And don't let him stop until you want to. I would then routinely - when I wanted to make him back up at random points, again making it really uncomfortable for him. Hard back - at speed, and with gusto. Using a loud growl at the same time. As soon as he walks forwards, a light hand and a gentle pat. make it comfortable going forwards and seriously uncomfortable going back. You need to start this in a safe environment so in a school or large field. Eventually you will be incharge of going backwards, you will choose when to do so as he will understand that it is not pleasant for him when he does it. Shock tactics, but they work.
Click to expand...

Absolutely agree with this. My first pony (many moons ago!) used to go backwards at a rate of knots as an evasion. Having been told she was dangerous and to get rid of her, I gritted my teeth and made sure to make her go back into something solid. It worked a treat, and she soon gave the backing up unless she really wanted to make a point, like stopping in the middle of an A road. Her idea was to get me to get off and lead her, thats how she won. Incidentally, it was VERY hard to make her reverse, and when you did, she couldn't go forward fast enough!
Read Mark Rashid's books if you can.There is a lot in there about outsmarting horses with long term evasions. Very sensible down to earth ideas, like the horse who wouldn't move at all. Mark ended up making him hold a leg up until he wanted to move to be comfortable, at which point he released his leg and praised him for going forward. Very thought provoking stuff!
 
Today's ride?

Got up with that 'not going to be beaten attitude today'

Friend tacked Murphy up and got on (he seemed much calmer today, does big wind make 'em jittery?), I led him out the gate and as soon as he realised that he was going 'out' :eek: he started tripping about and backing up, luckily, or unluckily depending on whose view you take, 16 stone+, terrified of horses hubby was standing behind him and gave him a huge push on the butt, friend gave Murphy some 'encouragement' and I pulled on the lead rein all at the same time (more by accident than planned) but IT WORKED.
I realise that it's only a small step but it has given us a little hope that all is not lost, I led him with my friend riding for about half a mile (gasp) and he was really good, even had 2 cars and a truck squeeze by in the narrow lane.
He just seemed to have that 'defeated expression' and sort of gave in, whether or not that was permanent or a one-off remains to be seen.......
 
Have you tried schooling him hard for the timee you normally would, then walking him on a very small hack to cool down? Even if its literally just outside the gate?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top