Horse will not hack out alone!

liss1987

liss1987

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Iv had my horse about 3 months now and although I feel we have a good relationship, he will not hack out alone.
He's perfectly fine with other horses or even if someone is infront on foot that he knows he's fine. If I get off and walk him he's fine but as soon as I get back on he tried to bolt home!
Iv persisted and keep turning him round and egging him on again and again but it seems to be going no where.
Iv taken him out on just a few walks where iv not ridden him and just walked him along the trails so he becomes more familiar with where he's going but if I try and leave the stables on his back ill be lucky if I get out the gate.

Please help!
 
Long reining is a good way to give them more confidence, maybe try this in a arena first, with a friend standing by your horses head until he gets the idea and then again when you go out into the world. Maybe go out with someone on a bike, that sometimes gives them a lot of confidence too.
 
You need someone on foot with you, and use a lead rein. Lots of vocal encouragement, and if need be, you wear spurs too. I had one hell of a job with my last horse, but we agreed to work together in the end.

Your walker could also carry a whip if needs be. Good luck xx
 
Iv had him follow my partners bike and he's fine with someone walking beside him on the ground but as soon as the bike stops or the person on foot falls begins, he'll stop straight away, even if I kick and spin him round and shout and use a whip.
I don't want him to feel that going out on his own with me is a dreadful experience and that he'll be shouted at and whipped if he does, but I feel I have to resort to this to get him to move, although I'm not very successful! I may try more things in the arena with him, but I don't have a problem there, it's just out hacking :/
 
Same problem. Got mine in Feb. Absolutely love her BUT she jams her brakes on for a pastime, even whilst out with other horses.

She is very good at reversing backwards, planting, and just generally not thinking forwards.

However, I have a secret weapon in the form of my dog - she will follow him anywhere and past more or less anything.
 
I remember when I was a teenager and therefore much braver, my horse disliked hacking out alone on the way out. I'd nag and nag at him until I got all the way to the far end of the park, and then turn him around and let him canter all the way home :o

Sorry that doesn't help at all, but it just reminded me :D I spoil him now he's retired, out of guilt :D
 
Three months is not a long time. It seems like a lack of confidence rather than him being naughty so it may take a while. Keep going out with someone on foot and work on having them walk a little ahead and then dropping back, gradually increasing the amount of time he is 'alone'. I'd want to work on your ridden relationship more as well - it sounds as though he doesn't trust you to look after him when you're on his back. So maybe set up some scary things in the school and see how he responds. You need to work on his confidence in general as well as finding out how to get him listening to you as the rider rather than looking to someone on the floor for security.
 
I thought it may be a security issue but as he's fine everywhere else, even in the school alone, that it may be him being naughty and lazy, as he is quite unfit and I have to constantly egg him on in the school or hell slow down and chew some grass at the side of the manège! Lol!
 
Sounds more like a confidence issue (his) to me.
Have you tried just setting small goals. We have had this issue in the past and found having someone on foot and gradually hanging back so he takes the lead useful. Also at the start or end of a schooling session just setting a goal to walk say 20 yards up a track alone, then increase to 30 yards etc. Also once he will go a short way alone turn back and then turn round and go back again.
does take time and patience and consistency is the key otherwise it's back to square one.
Good Luck.:)
 
Mine did this, got him going with my mum walking in front and gradually dropping further and further behind, also took my dog with me.

If walker has food and treats to praise when he goes forwards on his own thats always good, do the same route over and over as well until he realises theres no tigers hiding ready to eat him :D

After a while, could hack him out with just my dog for company!

Good luck!
 
my mare used to refuse to go forward when she was in season, years back. she would go backwards, up banks etc but wouldnt go forward. one day the yard owner saw me having a massive arguement with her and got me turning her in tiny tiny circules and using a deep tone to tell her to move forward, it worked :) and then half way through that hack she tried to do it again to go back home and this time i just had to use the same tone and she walked the way i wanted to go!

any time i have had problems with her since then i have found that turning her in the tightest circle possible really works, even with loading into a box etc!]]

also, i changed her bit, as she would tank off before hand and swapped from a mullen mouth pelham to a dutch gag waterford, which she can't bite down on so i have a lot more control in this bit as it has loads of little links! might be worth looking at the bit you're using if he horse can bolt with you!
 
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Mine won't go on his own, his main issue is planting and weighing 800kg it's very hard to shift him!! He would also if he met something scary probably bolt so to be honest for everyone's sake I just don't go out on my own. He's now hacking out really well with someone on foot rather than another horse and we always take a lead rope along just in case xx
 
IME this is actually naughtiness 9 times out of 10.

You should NEVER turn back on a ride, always try and make it circular.

I have had lots of napping horses to ride/school. As I say, 9 times out if ten it's just being naughty.

I would batter it's backside with a big schooling whip and then pat it when it goes.

Guaranteed it wouldn't do it the next day - I've never had one that seriously tried it twice :D
 
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