Horse reluctant to leave yard

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MilosDad

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Could do with some advice. My boy (on loan) was reluctant to leave the yard this morning so we had a 45 minute episode of rearing reversing and riding in circles before we got out through the entirely coincidental arrival of a friend who led him out. 500m down the lane he refused again and turned for home. Got him back and led him down further this time with success except one or two little headstrong moments. Good battle but I have only been riding for a year and he is a 17.3hh warmblood who I hope to dressage. I don't want to give him back yet
 
I'm having a similar, although not quite as extreme rearing etc, problem with my mare. Do you have someone you could hack out with you? Either on another, quiet, horse or on foot/bike?
 
I had a friend with a pony who never wanted to leave the yard. I think they just had to be persistent to be honest and persuade him that it wasn't such a bad thing. Maybe try taking him out with company so he knows that he isn't going all alone?
 
Had he previously hacked out on his own or was this the first time? or has it been a while since he has been off the yard because of the weather? I think sometimes especially over the winter when for various reasons they don't get out as much they just get out of the habit of going out. At least you managed to get him out which is the important thing - so he didn't win. When mine (also a silly wb) does this I trot him down the drive and up the lane for a bit if at all possible - the going forwards stops the rearing/reversing then after that its strong legs and a battle of wills!! He is stubborn but so is my cob which makes me the most the most stubborn of the 3 of us!! The other thing that helps with our teddy throwing not going forward moments is to get him into an outline - his one brain cell seems to click into 'work' mode so he listens more to me. Hope it helps a bit - patience, repetition and bloody mindedness seem to do the trick!!
 
Do you carry a whip with you?

I may be shot down here but I would try giving it a good crack with the whip to send it forward.
 
Sorry - posts crossed. As you haven't had him long it is probably a confidence thing as well as being a stubborn wb! Would just persist in taking him on the same shortish hack (its hardwork when they are being stupid!) as regularly as possible - he will get used to it. What is he fed?
 
Have you thought of asking someone more experienced to take him out a couple of times for you first? I did that with my mare, who had the measure of me a bit and I knew what she could throw at me. A friend who has grown up in the saddle and wouldn't be phased by anything the mare did took her all over the place for me, through the village, on the main road, past all sorts. They had a couple of 'moments' but my friend knew how to handle her, when to be firm and when to be reassuring, and she was as good as gold for me afterwards and now hacks out alone at her new home all the time.
 
Dont give up keep doing what your doing-get off lead get on!

Repeat -as much as possible-never turn back on yourself try and ride in a "loop" and

Routine -try and do it at around the same time and at least a few times a week

Reward -with a few pony nuts when you get back

Mildred was a barstuard for this it took about 8 months of hard work

have you got a box- box up alone and go for a walk where he wont know where to napp to-i did this

hope this helps- iwas close to selling mildred as she reared so much but we got through it and i love her more than ever now

she still sometimes is a bit "wiggely" but she wont stop now-she knows it just doesnt work with me
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it wont be easy - good luck!
the more effort you put in the quicker you can rectify this
and a good smack might work but i wouldnt get all wound up it just distracts from the task in hand and gets you both locked in a battle

hope this helps keep me informed of your progress xx
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ps when mildred was really bad a lady followed me in the car and evertime she stopped she got out and without saying a word led her forward and got back in the car she repeated this untill we were well out of the yard- i actually diddnt know her but she knew i was stuck and she was a great help!
 
As the others have said.

Could be a confidence thing.

The Dizzy one spins and does half rears and goes backwards (at great speed!) all the way down the drive, and if I dare to ask her to stand still she tends to get sillier
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, however, once out through the gate and she chills (or comparatively depending on her mood). I find that a tap with the stick behind my leg gets a buck; on the shoulder and it's a rear, but a massive Thelwell kick takes her by surprise and we move forward
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. Note: I know she will not take off into the distance, and if we have a getting faster and faster issue, turning her tight will stop it (though it might take a few spins!).
 
To me it sounds as though he is testing the boundaries with a new and relatively inexperienced rider. It is something that with time you will need to learn to ride him through.

For now I would try and hack with company and have lots of lessons to make sure you are riding him as effectively as possible. Then hopefully you will be a bit more confident to deal with this and in turn the horse will have some confidence in you.
Until you get to this point I would ask your instructor to take him for short hacks solo just to get him used to the idea of going alone.
 
to be honist, i think things like this are just spending hours gritting your teeth and pushing through it. thinking of any ideas you have and trying them out. unless hes in pain - which is unlikely if he only does this when leaving the yard - then your just going to have to be persistant!
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'To me it sounds as though he is testing the boundaries with a new and relatively inexperienced rider. It is something that with time you will need to learn to ride him through'.

I agree with this as they often behave well for 4-6 weeks then try to test their new owner to see whet they can get away with. This is out and out nappiness and you should have been told that he can be nappy at times. You do have to be firm and persistent and he must not get away with this or he will always do it. Good luck with your challenge. Once he knows you are serious he will give up.
 
I find horses can take a very long time to settle in new surroundings. My Highland who hacked out every day on his own in Scotland - shouted his head off a few yards from our yard here.

I have a Shagya Arab who took a year to settle down. She came from Hungary - I don't speak Hungarian and she didn't understand English.

Riding in a circle is ideal, but I always start newcomers by taking them short distances ridden or walking with them. This does mean out and back but they get to know their surroundings and soon calm down.
 
Thanks very much everybody for your responses. The message is keep going and the lass I share a yard with agrees with you all. I think a spank with a whip might get me down the lane but not at a speed I suspect I'd be comfortable with!
Its all part of my learning curve and at least he is teaching me to sit. Only took up riding last year when I was 51 and I must say as a bloke its brilliant but frustrating at times but thanks again for the advice
 
Just a final thought before I go and shake a leg (thought I should get up before nine
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):

Whilst we're all advocating that you keep trying, please don't get to the point where you're out of control/scared/worried!

If you have a more experienced rider to hand ask him/her to ride ned out a few times.

As your partnership develops with ned you will become more comfortable with his behaviour, so long as nothing too scary has happened: for example, so far I'm okay with my mare's shooting backwards (though I do wish she'd stay out of ditches, it's very confusing!) and the odd attempt to shoot off forwards and the odd little rears, because I've learnt how to manage those (backwards - huge Thelwell kicks; shooting off - very tight turns; threats or actual rears - hands down low and shoulders forward. When she's having a moment I look like a particularly drunk clown!
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), but the point is, I know that it's unlikely to get any worse than that and that I can manage (although I'm always aware that it could - she's a horse).

If Dizz get to the point where I could't manage, I'd be off and someone more experienced would be on
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, either that or I'd get an instructor that I trusted implicitly to come with me and instruct/guide me through the issue/s.

Sorry, I seem to have gone on (yes, I know, as usual), and I'm not even sure I've said what I meant to! I hope you enjoy your nedsome and have a lot of fun with him
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