Horse Rushing home on hacks

[woodlandswow]

I have had my horse for 2 ½ years now, and recently while hacking out, the moment we go over the ½ way mark (there are about 5 different routes i do) he starts jogging and yanking towards home.
I have tried making him stop, which only seems to make him want to go faster when going again. if i do trot its a constant battle, i try and get him in a contact but he snatches a lot. I cant get too transition-y as the roads are fairly busy.
It got quite dangerous the other day as i usually go in the opposite direction (its one way) of the car route to Longleat Safari Park so heavy traffic at times (its only for a couple of hundred metres) however i was trying to slow him, doing half halts, etc each he objected to by spinning.
I have also tried varying the route, however he still rushes when i point towards home
Any tips on how to stop this. I have him in a snaffle as he isnt strong, he just doesnt listen.

 

[AmyMay]

How long do you ride him out for?

 

[woodlandswow]

Hacks are usually 45mins to an hour, however it can vary from short hacks (30mins) to long hacks - I even went on a 2 hour hack recently but it seems the longer the hack the worse he is

 

[AmyMay]

Hacks are usually 45mins to an hour, however it can vary from short hacks (30mins) to long hacks - I even went on a 2 hour hack recently but it seems the longer the hack the worse he is

Ah, interesting. Was going to suggest going out for longer.

How many times a week to you hack?

 

[Equi]

When you get home what is the routine? Horses like routine, so know that as soon as they head for home they will usually get untacked and either into the field or fed and stabled. If i were you i would stick to 30min hacks and then when you get home do a bit of schooling or lunge, something other than ending the session. This way he will click on that he doesn't need to rush because there is nothing to rush to.

 

[Hippona]

Check your saddle fits properly.....he may be getting uncomfortable and rushing for home, especially if its a new thing?

 

[woodlandswow]

Thanks everyone

I only hack him once or twice a week, school or lunge the other times

I'll start digging myself a hole and say that his routine isnt great at the moment. I have just switched him so in at night so will ride him after brekkie and see if that makes a difference

Hippona - his saddle/back/teeth all got checked recently -

I will try the getting home and doing something else but usually time limits me and I school most days then hack another

 

[navaho]

When you hack do you do a loop or get to a certain point & turn back? I always do a loop if possible as they are constantly going forward, rather turning round, as this always seems to cause issues.

 

[AmyMay]

Thanks everyone

I only hack him once or twice a week, school or lunge the other times

I'll start digging myself a hole and say that his routine isnt great at the moment. I have just switched him so in at night so will ride him after brekkie and see if that makes a difference

Hippona - his saddle/back/teeth all got checked recently -

I will try the getting home and doing something else but usually time limits me and I school most days then hack another

Hack him out very single day, whilst you have the daylight. You'll soon crack the problem.

 

[celia]

It sounds as though he knows the way too well and is anticipating getting back to his feed/stable/field. I would try doing lots of changes of direction while out hacking. So whenever you're somewhere safe enough (in case he objects at first!) turn around and go back for a while then turn back and continue. I'd also occasionally start on a circular route and turn back and go home part way - if he tries to rush home push him on past the yard and continue in the opposite direction for a little way. You want to get him really listening to you instead of thinking he knows exactly where he is going already. I'd also be having a serious think about anything that has changing in his routine or management as it seems odd that this behaviour has suddenly appeared. Does he perhaps have a new friend/fieldmate who he is wanting to get back to? Are you riding him before he goes to 'bed' and he's eager for his hay due to the grass dropping off? If you can work out the route of the problem you may be able to work on that too.

 

[Archangel]

What he is doing with the jogging and yanking and snatching is making you lose your seat and therefore he gets the green light to do his thing. It is a neat box of tricks as it has the rider all over the place. I will not tolerate it or a jogging horse it is just so rude and always builds and builds.

So just before half way point. Stop, adjust and strengthen your position so that if the horse snatches or yanks you do not get pulled forward and your arms don't come loose, and any yank/snatch strenghtens your position.

So next trick - jogging. Again this relies on rider compliance. When horse jogs we automatically pick up the new rhythm. This is another green light to the horse. Don't do it! Resolutely stay in the rhythm of the walk and refuse to go two time. It stops the majority of joggers (you have to be vigilant though as suddenly they will be jogging and you are jogging too!). It takes a bit of work, horse has to know it is non negotiable. Really the key is for the horse to understand it is zero tolerance, he yanks on you, you do not move or pull back he will realise he has just pulled his own teeth down his throat not you!

Good luck, if you need seat strengthen tips please ask

 

[SNORKEY]

I find my horse starts to do this and misbehave when he's hungry. Might sound odd but I've had him since a foal and he's now 10 and it does make a difference with him.
I agree that doing something different for 5 mins when you get back like a little bit of schooling may help. And check your tack as well and maybe his back. I've just had my horses back done and he was quite bad bless him but he didn't really show it.

 

[Caol Ila]

I would second Celia's suggestion. I've seen many a barn sour horse cured by the method of walking back to the barn and then going out straightaway in another direction. I even do this occasionally with horses who are perfectly well-mannered, just so they never come to anticipate turning around with going home, getting fed, etc. If a horse starts jogging, I'm happy to spin it in small circles, ride it in the other direction, work on lateral movements, anything that (a) gives it something else to think about and (b) conclude that it really is just easier to walk home. I've also been known to work a horse hard in the arena after a hack, if they've been particularly difficult about going home at a reasonable pace.

I hate barn sourness. I know lots of people who sigh and say, "my horse jigs home... he's just like that." I just don't take that from them because it drives me nuts, and my horse knows that it is on her list of "things I don't do because they get me into worlds of trouble."

 

[Irishbabygirl]

Does it make any difference if you're out in company? My horse can rush when he's in company...but only with certain horses I've found.

 

[Deltofe2493]

Check your saddle fits properly.....he may be getting uncomfortable and rushing for home, especially if its a new thing?

I know this is a super old post but I came to this forum for some advice because my horse has been a NIGHTMARE to hack over the winter.

Anyway she was due a saddle fit but they cancelled and she's dropped over winter so I thought ok let's try a half pad (pretending I know what I'm doing), anyway... it has made the world of difference.

Had a lovely lesson and made it round the big fields with only one minor meltdown! Still waiting on the fitter but pleased in the interim.

 

[Birker2020]

When you hack do you do a loop or get to a certain point & turn back? I always do a loop if possible as they are constantly going forward, rather turning round, as this always seems to cause issues.

Yes 100%, in fact this came up on a memory on FB, a friends horse I rode sometimes.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

I solved my boys issue of rushing home by letting him eat grass. The roads I ride on though are mostly quiet. The other thing I did was shoulder in. Shoulder in one way for a few steps, then the other so his head was never pointing straight home and he was made to work. Now hacks out both out and home on buckle end.

 

[Skib]

All horses like to get home, back to food and the herd. On both my shares I have dealt with napping and rushing home by riding the clover leaf pattern.
Picture a three leaf clover leaf. You leave home, loop round, return to the gate and then leave again in another direction. Then repeat in a third loop. It isnt easy if your yard is on a road, but one can instead stop and turn round at a safe place a little way from the yard gate. If you do plan to turn at the gate, it is best to let yard staff know what one is doing. I got back to the gate early one day (little old lady rider?) and the YM gave my poor horse a most enormus thump on her back end to make her set off again.

 

[WBGG]

I hack out regularly on my friend's Connie mare and she used to be a terrible jogger, pulling my arms out all the way home!

I've spent many a hack turning her round when she starts jogging and going back the way we came (in trot) until she has settled, then asking for walk, turning back again. Repeat as necessary!

Doing lots of transitions throughout the hack so she's listening (she will now half halt just from my seat aid), leg yield and shoulder in. Trying not to speed up your seat is also useful advice.

I find she anticipates turning for home so I sometimes ask her to trot on past the turning, then turn round and walk back. i also routinely take her past the yard entrance just to keep her on her toes!

She will now walk home on a loose rein most of the time, thank god

 

[Jellymoon]

Not everyone’s cup of tea and not always possible depending on your hacking, but I have found that if they are a bit fresh, working them harder to take the edge off seems to work. So I’ll trot until they actually ask to go back towalk, and then I make them trot a little bit longer before I let them, and then I give them a loose rein…or I take them for a good canter somewhere safe, until they settle…then usually, on the way home, they are fairly relaxed and I let them swing along on a loose rein. I don’t let them jog…if they won't walk nicely and are getting wound up, they have to trot properly…one or other, walk nicely, or trot.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

We are very lucky with our hacking in that although we are at the end of a private lane off a no-through road and within a few minutes of reaching home there are several short tracks which intersect, so that there is no obvious route home. We often turn away from home when we could turn towards the yard. This stops the horses anticipating and speeding up.

 

[millitiger]

Short circuit and when you get home, continue straight past the drive and out you go again without pausing. You might need to do a few loops until the penny drops.
No stress or drama, simply keep going as if home doesn't exist.
It never fails!

I always do this a few times when breaking youngsters, even if they're well behaved, to make sure they don't develop the jogging thought!

 

[Skib]

continue straight past the drive

This isnt always possible. The RS where I learned to hack was right by a major A road. If one goes past our present gate there is a cattle grid.

 

[millitiger]

This isnt always possible. The RS where I learned to hack was right by a major A road. If one goes past our present gate there is a cattle grid.

Well obviously not possible in all situations
I'd suggest using common sense and if your yard is attached to the motorway or on the edge of a cliff, you turn around to go back out instead of going straight on.
The result is the same.