Horse won’t move forward

[dannibella13]

Hello everyone, I’m after some advice, tips/tricks, just some help with my new horse.
Ive bought a 10 year old, Irish sports horse mare, I haven’t had her very long. When I first got her she was bolshy and had no ground manners and to ride she was extremely difficult to get moving forward and would buck. I went to view her with my instructor and we both rode. He got her going much better than me but we both agreed she had potential. Since I’ve had her I’ve not done a whole lot due to the weather and various other things but I do believe we’re starting to trust each other and she is so much better on the ground. Her previous owners were very novice and this is where I believe her bad ground manners have come from also as with them she could get away with anything and would never be told off. Whenever she did anything naughty their first reaction was to run for the bag of carrots to distract her. Same with riding, all she had to do was a small buck and they’d get off and take her in, she seems to of learnt that this is an easy way to get out of work. They also only rode in the school and would jump small cross poles at a trot, over and over, that’s all she’d do everytime they rode so I imagine she got pretty fed up. She is a different horse out hacking, forward, off the leg and will do whatever I ask of her. I have had everything checked, her back, teeth, saddle etc. So I got in contact with the owner before the ones I bought her from and she told me she had only really been a happy hacker most of her life. Between me and my instructor we’ve decided to take her completely back to basics as I believe she is genuinely confused and unsure of what I’m asking of her in the school, she doesn’t see the point or enjoy it currently. I don’t think she’s been schooled in a very long time and is very green. My main point is I can’t get her forward into trot, she’s dead to the leg aids and doesn’t care for the whip, on a hack I just do a gentle squeeze and she’ll go straightaway so I do believe she knows what I’m asking. Is there anything I can do with her to get her to listen to the leg? Is there any exercises I can do in the school to help?
usually would have lessons but due to Covid my instructor isn’t allowed on the yard. Any advice would be great! Tia x

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Maybe she enjoys hacking and doesn't enjoy being in the school? Maybe - despite any athletic potential that she has - it would be better for her to do the job that she enjoys? Trying to get a square peg in a round hole is a bleddy awful and often fruitless task.

 

[Lois Lame]

This is not going to be an easy fix if you want her to obey your leg in the school.

It takes guts and good timing.

She needs to be respectful of the leg aid. To do this, fasten your seatbelt and say your prayers, or, better still, get someone else to do it.

The crash-test-dummy carries a dressage whip in the inside hand and asks for a trot with the normal, light squeeze. None is forth-coming.

The whip is applied right behind the leg instantly, lightly, but very very rapidly becomes stronger until the horse obeys it and shoots forward. It will shoot forward.

When it does this, you cannot contradict your request by jabbing the hrose in the mouth. So the horse is going to pelt around for a time. Then it can be asked to slow down.

I've seen this done but I would never have the bravery to do it.

 

[Lois Lame]

Maybe she enjoys hacking and doesn't enjoy being in the school? Maybe - despite any athletic potential that she has - it would be better for her to do the job that she enjoys? Trying to get a square peg in a round hole is a bleddy awful and often fruitless task.

Yes, I'd be tempted just to go hacking.

 

[White Horse2]

Do what 'LL says, preferably in a large field, more incentive to go forwards, they don't realise that the circles get smaller,

 

[Lipglosspukka]

Poor thing is probably sour as hell in the school if they have spent the whole time in there hoping over the same tired cross pole.

If she were mine then I would forget the school for now. Spend the next six months hacking, you can do some schooling on hacks anyway. Then I would reintroduce the school in a more exciting environment for her, perhaps some group lessons with grids or similar where she has something to think about that isn't just going in a circle.

 

[maya2008]

School out hacking first, so she gets used to being obedient to your aids somewhere she enjoys. Transitions, leg yielding, circles in a field, carrying herself correctly etc. Once stronger and more used to being schooled, her attitude may change in the school. She won’t be enthusiastic at first, but at least you’ll get into trot (maybe after an argument the first time). In the meantime, you can get her going in the school without a rider on - ground work and lunging. Make it a game as soon as you can (when she is willing) and break the association between school and boring.

 

[AmyMay]

Poor thing is probably sour as hell in the school if they have spent the whole time in there hoping over the same tired cross pole.

If she were mine then I would forget the school for now. Spend the next six months hacking, you can do some schooling on hacks anyway. Then I would reintroduce the school in a more exciting environment for her, perhaps some group lessons with grids or similar where she has something to think about that isn't just going in a circle.

Great advice.

 

[Red-1]

I would go hacking, on the way back in go to the school to dismount.

Then go hacking, go to the school, walk half a circuit and dismount at the end.

Then go hacking, walk a bit more on the school and dismount.

I am not against a whip, would (and have) used the method described by Lois Lame, but only with a belligerent and nappy horse, who has had all the saddlery and medical checks, where it is dangerous and on last chance saloon. It takes a skilled and brave rider to give the definitive GO without then holding back at all as the horse shoots forwards. Not pretty, but if the horse is dangerous and on last chance, a fair fix in some cases, where the aid to go is fairly given, then backed up. I would not use it for your horse though.

Have a look at this video... It is the approach I would use for a sour horse.

If the horse is already sour in the school yet obedient outside the school, I would make the school a nice place as opposed to a horrible one. I would listen to him as opposed to stamp on him.

My new horse was unfamiliar with the school, he was 15, unfit, with medical issues and had only ever been hacking. If I had taken him straight onto the school and started trotting circles, he would not have seen the post, would not have enjoyed it and would soon have given up. He has a thread, if you search "Rigsby," and I have detailed how little we have done so far. We are now on 5 months and this week is the first time we have WORKED in trot as opposed to HAVING a trot. It has taken longer as he has medical conditions, but it is an example of working with a horse so that they buy into the training.

 

[blitznbobs]

Long rein her in the school. I’d get her trotting on the long reins , if she bucks you can’t fall off so it’s a battle you can win without injuring either party. And then once she trots happily on the long reins get your instructor to lunge you on her - so trot is at her command, then add the aids. It’s a case of going back to basics

 

[Antw23uk]

People event and manage to train with no school (Im pretty convinced other disciplines apply here as well) I would forget the circles, she sounds sour! Spend the next few months hacking, fun rides, XC schooling etc. let her know that life under saddle is enjoyable. Forget the menage, plenty of schooling can be done out on hacks. In a similar position myself and thats my plan, he wont be going near a menage for pretty much the whole year! if you wanted something that is ok doing circle after circle you shouldnt have bought a happy hacker

 

[DabDab]

I would say mainly stick to hacking for now, and just pop in the school for 5-10 mins at a time and have a 'play'. Don't go in there thinking about making her work or move, just have a play around with different aids and ways of asking and give her a massive fuss if she gives a positive response. You can train her later but to start you just need to break down the barriers a bit.

Voice aids, long reins, in hand work, clicker training all things that might worth considering trying with her.

 

[Antw23uk]

Also to add, you probably want to get a good physio to work her monthly. People always write 'everything checked, back, saddle, teeth etc.' but if she has spent her life as a happy hacker she is probably locked up and muscled incorrectly for the schooling work. I'd want her seen regularly by physio to 'unlock' her potential to do the stuff you want and spend a few days a week miniumum doing carrot stretches, leg stretches, grooming and massaging to release her muscles and facia etc.

 

[southerncomfort]

I also would have her physically checked over.

Getting out hacking is also an excellent suggestion.

The only other thing I would suggest is using an irritant to get her moving forwards rather than a whip if she is ignoring it.

You could try a short piece of soft rope and flick it either side of her withers. Also, try wearing a rustly jacket and flick your reins sharply against it several times.

I've also known people use a twig with leaves attached to 'tickle' the hindquarters.

Whatever method you use do it in a safe space. Be ready for her to shoot forwards and make sure you don't pull on the reins.

 

[Lady2021]

I have a mare like that. To be honest nothing worked she just had a bad attitude to work sounds like your mare is the Same . my mare was a lot happier just hacking. She also was a amazing jumper but just didn’t like it . Your mare had novice owner for a reason probably because she not suitable for anything else.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

She understands your aids perfectly, you know this as she responds well to them when hacking. She is simply telling you that she is totally fed up of working in an arena on an artificial surface - and who can blame her. You can do your schooling on a hack, so do that, then, eventually, transfer her skills into a field. I would follow Red-1's suggestion for finishing your hacks in the school but get her used to going in there very gradually.

 

[Leam_Carrie]

Can you can your instructor or a pro to ride for you regularly? I struggle to get my horse off her forehand and working through her back. She can also not be forward. Ridden by a pro she does both those things - and it easier for me to replicate.

We have no school so hacking only in lockdown. She is a different horse on grass.

 

[Shysmum]

She needs to hack, she's had enough of the school, poor girl. School while hacking, but forget the school for now. Enjoy her as she is. Could she be in pain circling and jumping?

 

[Upthecreek]

I’m going to go against the grain here. If she understands the aids out hacking, she should understand them in the school. She is choosing to ignore them and there could be a number of reasons for that. Many horses will hack happily, but find schooling harder. If there is pain or discomfort somewhere this will most likely be worse going around in circles in the school, rather than going in straight lines out hacking. It maybe that she is not currently in pain, but associates schooling with pain.

You said when you first got her she was extremely difficult to get moving forward and would buck. Did she do this when you tried her? Did you have her vetted?

In nearly 30 years of horse ownership I’ve never had one that responded perfectly to the aids hacking but didn’t understand them in the school. I’ve had horses not enjoy schooling as much as hacking, but never one that was physically fit and able refuse to go forward.

I don’t buy that she is behaving like this to get out of work. Horse’s brains don’t think like that. There will be a reason for this behaviour, but it may take time and money to figure it out. There are lots of schooling exercises you can try, but I’d want to be sure she wasn’t in pain first.

 

[Shilasdair]

Enjoying your horse is all about forming a relationship with them so you don't have to force them into things they don't want to do.
So I would put a complete ban on going in the school for say, three months.
Then I'd take her in to dismount at the end of a hack as Red suggests. You can do all the schooling you need to out hacking or in a field. And keep it short - 20 mins max but if you ask for something and she gives you it after 2 mins, praise and get off.
With time, patience and understanding you'll get there.
Incidentally, I wouldn't be too hasty to do the 'smack behind the leg' to reinforce the aid thing at the moment - she already hates schooling and that isn't going to help.