Horse wont hack out alone, HELP! (Sorry it is long)

[Hannahrose]

Hi I am a first time owner of two horses, an 11yr old appaloosa gelding (Sammy) and his 9month old foal.
Before i bought Sammy, I rode him for about six months at the owner's
stables but since he has moved here he has changed.

He has always had a problem with napping, he hates going out for training or hacking without his kid tagging along but usually he snaps out of it and with barely any persuasion he would move on and enjoy a good session. But a few days ago i took him out alone for the first time since moving in and even though it was a stressful experience, he managed to remain calm and respond to my requests. However, since then every time i tack him up (or even put on his halter) he wont budge, he plants his feet and i litterally have to use a crop on him to get him to take two steps and then he stops again.

I think i permenantly damaged his view of riding when we went hacking alone and i dont know how to fix it. Im starting to think maybe i should do a little more ground work with him just to show him who is boss (because honestly sometimes he still believes he is in control) and to bond a little more with him.

I really want to be able to hack out alone as the property is too small for a good long ride and it will be at least three years before his foal can be ridden and can join us. I am in desperate need of help, any suggestions?

 

[VRIN]

As you suggest - back to the ground work will be a good place to start. I am guessing as he has a 9 month old foal he must have been gelded quite recently.

 

[Shay]

Have you tried to get help from a good instructor? There are such a huge range of potential issues here advice on a forum isn't likely to be sufficient. But for starters...

Do you just have the two or are there other horses around? If you just have the two separating them will be far more difficult. If there are others can you separate them permanently and turn the foal out with others his own age? You may have to in time anyway as foals tend to live in dam (as in female - not swearing) herds and then later in bachelor groups of a similar age. A previous breeding stallion might not be the safest companion as time moves on.

How was Sammy handled whilst still entire? Was he solely for breeding or was he ridden too? Does he have the basics you would expect at his age or is he more green than that? In other words - does he have the manners to understand what you are asking or is he confused? Different answers need a different response from you.

Do you have the experience to handle what is basically going to still be very stallion like even though recently gelded? Sammy has been a stallion all his life and even without the equipment now will have set behaviour patterns which are going to be challenging to change.

Taking a crop to him is not likely to help - horses tend to pick up on violence and respond accordingly. You need to find another way to gain compliance that isn't hitting him. He's bigger than you are and it sounds like he's figured that out! Ground work is a good beginning - but it takes experience and sometimes an outside eye from an instructor helps enormously. Might you be able to go back to his previous owner for help?

 

[Hannahrose]

Thanks for the help, yes he was gelded quite soon after the foal was born. unfortunately i have no other horses so permanent separation is a no-go, i do have my sister stay with the foal when i ride alone just to keep her calm so she isnt completely alone.

Sammy was a stud horse but was ridden as well and is completely schooled and used to the kind of work i am doing with him, in fact i work him less than i used to! The only change i can think of that i have made recently would be that i swapped from bit to bitless so maybe he is just testing his boundaries. He understands what i am asking for and simply refuses to budge when we are facing the direction of the property gate. I dont want to have to use a crop on him as i am a very gentle rider and he normally gives to the slightest aid. I have had several lessons with instructors and his previous owner and they said nothing was the matter, i think it is simply an issue of not wanting to be alone/ leave his foal alone as well as having to face the fear of the "outside world" or relive the stress he had last time. I am afraid i might have damaged our relationship and his confidence in me.

As for his bahaviour he is the sweetest horse i have ever known and is completely submissive when we do ground work although he still likes to check up on his baby in the field next door when we are in the arena. When we ride i usually let the foal tag along and she follows with a whistle and Sammy perfectly happy when we are headed in the OPPOSITE direction from the property gate, so it is clearly not a tack problem or any thing like that. I think maybe i just have to go back to the basics and rebuild his trust in me.