Horse puts the anchor in (aka napping and not moving)

agsam27

agsam27

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Hi really need advice. I have had this 16.2hh 11 yo ex steeple chaser for 5 months now, he is not a typical racing TB as his is built more like a sports horse (he finished racing in 2010). He is 100% on the ground, in the stable, with other horses etc literally everything i have thrown at him e.g hot shoeing he has taken it in his stride and i love him to bits. The issue i have now is the fact he will stop dead and will not move at all!! (when hacking - there is no particular place). I (think) I have tried everything. Giving him a wallop with the stick, turning in circles (which i struggle to do as he really DOESNT MOVE), reining back and then moving forwards, getting off and trying to lead him (when i did this, as he is bloody strong threw a paddy and dragged me most of the way until i couldnt hold on and buggered off back to the yard! - so im staying on board now!), Ive been doing more groundwork exercises and started clicker training to get more of a bond with him, and as soon as our fields are cut for hay i will start schooling him again. His last owner did a lot of schooling with him as he needed it but didnt do too much hacking as he is so green and 'babyish'. He doesnt seem to be scared, worried etc so i think he is just taking the mick and probably got away with it before hence why he is schooled so well. he will even try and nap in company which is odd as i thought that might be the reason. I think he has just got it as a habit and as he is a bit institutionalised from being in racing for so long. any help or advice would be great as i have never had this issue before in my 26 years of owning horses (lucky i suppose).
 
Same as Amy, for as long as it takes and when he does want to move then make him stand still for a moment before moving on. Always keep facing him the way you wanted to go originally too, don't let him swing around.
 
I agree, sit it out. I had an ex race horse that used to do the same thing. We just stood still until she was prepared to move forward & then I made her stand still a bit longer so that when I gave the aid to go forward she went. Sideways & backwards not allowed! However make sure you have plenty of time. It took me nearly 2 hours the first time as I wouldn't let her go backwards so we had to keep standing still again each time she wiggled & moved back. Fortunately we were on a bridleway & not the road.
 
it doesnt make any difference if he is with others or not, he will get a bee in his bonnet and just stop! even if they leave him! it really is like he is just determined to stop for the sake of stopping!
 
Mari said:
I agree, sit it out. I had an ex race horse that used to do the same thing. We just stood still until she was prepared to move forward & then I made her stand still a bit longer so that when I gave the aid to go forward she went. Sideways & backwards not allowed! However make sure you have plenty of time. It took me nearly 2 hours the first time as I wouldn't let her go backwards so we had to keep standing still again each time she wiggled & moved back. Fortunately we were on a bridleway & not the road.
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So just to check, if he does stop and i do 'the above' when he decides to move forward i let him? and keep him going or do i have to make him go forward and if so when do i know is the right time?
 
Be confident, sometimes a growl will work wonders and tells the horse that your not scared and that you have control and will keep them safe. No need to kick and whip, just think forward and insist.
 
Elsbells said:
Be confident, sometimes a growl will work wonders and tells the horse that your not scared and that you have control and will keep them safe. No need to kick and whip, just think forward and insist.
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thank you, yes i have tried the 'growl' out of pure desperation (as it drives me mad when people do it lol) but he didnt budge lol - ive also tried talking calming, not talking and making variouse different noises
 
Just a quick update on how my ride went today. All fine untill we got off the road and 'suprise suprise' he stops and this time tries to spin round. so i turn him back the way i want him to go and he stops, he then tries to back up but i calmly said NO and told him to 'stand'. He kept tring to go back, then sideways, forward but i made him stand for about 15 mins, as he was still thiking about backing up. Then his ears went from slightly back to more 'relaxed' and forward and i felt his jaw soften, so calmly asked him to walk on and a little squeeze and . . . . . .hoorahhh!! he walked forward as good as gold and for the rest of the ride he was very well behaved (apart from a spook as some pheasents coming out some wheat). This hopefully will continue to work, and am so pleased that this simple way seems to work for him as he is a horse that if you get angry, smack him etc he just doesnt help and he gets more 'withdrawn'. I havnt won the war im sure, but at least its one small battle i have won without him or me getting wound up or sweaty! Thankyou everyone for your advice hopefully this method will be the way to sort the problem.
 
Brilliant update OP.

Sometimes they just need to be made to literally stop and think.

I once sat on a horse for 4 hours, didn't move a step. Until she then just gave in. We had no battle (although I did shed some tears.....). Eventually she just walked on.

Never napped again. And was my little star mare.
 
Well done OP :D
I had similar issues with my boy last year when I first got him as he would either just stop, spin round or reverse at varying points of a hack. Getting frustrated or using the whip never worked, it just wound him up more so I stopped carrying one and just spent time with him. If he spun or went backwards I got him to stop and pointed him in the direction I wanted to go and asked for forwards, it took time but he eventually realised it was easier and in fact quite fun to hack out. I found that having somewhere to ride him off the roads helped as I wasn't stressing about him reversing into traffic etc.. and we could just spend time working through it. He is not perfect now but is a hell of a lot better and I now know how to deal with his moments if he has one! It is a good idea to get him better mannered on the ground as well though and better to lead. I find if he is having a stress about something on a hack now and won't go forwards through fear (such as the shallow running brook we encountered the other day) I can jump off and he follows me through on foot with no resistance or hesitation (in fact the friend who was with me at the time found it hilarious as she said it was like a scooby doo moment!! if he could have climbed onto my shoulders to cross the water he would as he scuttled through so close to my heels!!).
I am finding that now we are starting to school him and jump him this summer his first reaction to anything new is to start napping again so I am sure it is his first reaction to anything he isn't sure off! I have learnt that we just introduce anything new slowly and he then learns quite well and stops napping.
Good luck and just try to end each hack on a good note and he should do it less and less.
Sorry for the ramble!! :D
 
So glad to have found this thread, M has recently turned into an utter pig when out. Poor old goat's in for a shock next time he tries this antic then :D

Congrats on getting it sorted OP :)
 
amymay said:
Brilliant update OP.

Sometimes they just need to be made to literally stop and think.

I once sat on a horse for 4 hours, didn't move a step. Until she then just gave in. We had no battle (although I did shed some tears.....). Eventually she just walked on.

Never napped again. And was my little star mare.
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I've not managed that long - think I'd have lost all will at that point!

Last horse 'napped' once although I think she was rather daydreaming. 40mins of standing at a gate (with no gate in it) showing no fear, just didn't fancy it that day, no spinning/backing up. Just a stand off while completely relaxed and half asleep :rolleyes:
My friends horse got bored quickly and starting munching on her bum which caused no reaction. 40 mins in, she just strolled through as if we'd never stopped. Funny creatures.

Pan
 
PandorasJar said:
I've not managed that long - think I'd have lost all will at that point!Pan
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Much of that was down to my own inexperience at the time, tbh. But quite frankly she was a cow, and I'd done all the kicking, beating, yelling I could muster. This final time I just thought 'sod it' I'm just going to sit here.

Faced with that now, we'd resolve it a lot quicker.
 
amymay said:
Much of that was down to my own inexperience at the time, tbh. But quite frankly she was a cow, and I'd done all the kicking, beating, yelling I could muster. This final time I just thought 'sod it' I'm just going to sit here.

Faced with that now, we'd resolve it a lot quicker.
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lol I was with an experienced rider at the time who at the point of me feeling like I must be missing something offered the helpful advice of 'She's just being an arse' :rolleyes:

I'm glad she only bothered doing it that once because she had enough problems as an ex circus horse with attitude without adding to the list :p

Pan
 
Been there, done that, bought the T shirt been sick down it! After nearly 3 years my serious napper was slowly improving with the wait it out method, However, we have just moved yards and will be back to square 1. Unfortunately the roads are narrower and busier than previous yard, so am pondering not bothering to go out at all! He wont care Im sure
 
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