Horses with hacking solo anxieties

Weezy he sounds exactly like my boy. With my boy it is a genuine fear.

I would NEVER beat him as that would make it even worse for him. Hes too sensitive - my boy 'gulps' as well - i already have him on a supplement but it hasnt made any difference so far.

One thing you (hopefully) have is time. When he stops, just wait. I know it sounds mad, but he *will* eventually move, but it has to be his idea. It does work with my boy with both loading and hacking alone. It just takes him some time to find his comfort zone and then feel OK about carrying on.

Hope this makes sense, and good luck.
 
[ QUOTE ]
It does sound like genuine lack of confidence, but mixed with dis-respect for the rider's aids for him to go forward. Sometimes you need to make the horse do something for it to realize that doing it won't actually kill it.

I'd trot down the road. If he hesitates, kick him. If he stops kick harder. If he still stops smack him. If he still stops have someone on the floor behind him with a lunge whip to back up your aids. Any movement forward keep talking to him, praising him and tickling his neck. Any refusal to go forward, give him all the grief you can throw at him. He won't gain confidence if he doesn't understand he has to do what you tell him to do IMO.

[/ QUOTE ]

He was very behind the leg when I got him, but has already improved a thousand fold as it is something I have been working on hard. As I said previously, I have a friend to help me next week and yes, she will have a lunge whip at the ready
wink.gif
as the hesitating and stopping has already been met with kicks and slaps and it really doesn't work. The only thing is I reckon he will be all *ahh it is OK, someone is on the ground near me and so the tigers will eat them first*
wink.gif
 
I think the bore him to death with the place will work best, as it does appear that he's afraid and bullying tactics will have no positive effect that I can imagine. You might scare him past, eventually, but it won't cure the fear. He'll just resent you for making him. But I guess you have worked that out anyway
smile.gif
It's as though he can sense something there that you can't? A smell or a sound or even, if you can bear the thought, something paranormal?

Once he's been made to stay there for a good length of time and he realises he's not going to be eaten, he will probably decide to forget it of his own accord.

What about taking a lead and making him wait at the bogey place while the lead goes on? Or is that a really stupid idea? Reverse psychology type of thing.
 
Fly was so like that when I first got him and indeed can still do it now. He is genuinely scared though as I think Ted is. I used to turn him around and back him up the road for 10ft or so and try again. As soon as he refused to go forward I would repeat. It really did work with him. I am sure Ted will overcome it as your relationship grows and he learns to trust you more and more. Don't despair, you will get there! x
 
You could try long lining him to the arena every day....... it would help him become bolder eventually, and even though he has the security blanket of you on the ground he is still having to lead the way.

If he's tacked up, you can just hobble down your stirrups with an old leather and thread your long lines straight through them to the bit; so it's not a lot of hassle
smile.gif
 
What a shame that some people think the answer to horsey issues is a beating as if it resolves everything
frown.gif


If the horse happily hacked alone and then one day said no i'm not doing this today then I would agree its naughtiness, but if he has had a problem from day one then imo it is clearly fear and beating him or pushing him into electric fencing or down ditches is going to reinforce in his mind that yes there is something to be fearful of.

I think he needs to have his confidence built up and nanny him up the road for a while and then the nanny horse gradually fades away so he should feel more confident going for longer distances on his own.

Good luck
 
I had a mare like this and realised within a short space of time that beating wouldn't work.

I was selling her and so didn't want her to ever rear, as I would have had to mention it, so I also didn't really want bigbattles with her, I think having a ding dong will escalate and no-one wins.

I used the sort of tactics DD has suggested, mild discomfort and extreme boredom. I'm afraid I think this kind of napping is always going to be there. I hacked my mare behind her friend for 6 months with no pressure on, I also really focussed on relationship building and obedience in the school. Then one day I asked her to go in front out of the blue and she said no - and then she did get a real smack she was so shocked she shot to the front and necver questioned it again.

I expect her to nap with every new owner tho'.
 
Thanks everyone, I feel I havemore courage in my convictions now as I was starting to question whether I was just making excuses for him! I will give an update in a week and hopefully we will have made it up the lane even if it takes all day!
 
Haven't read all replies. IMHO, the reason for his behaviour is not necessarily important; finding a way to deal with it is. I would lead him, simple. It's not far. Do that for a few days, then ride him until he stops. Get off and lead, repeat. We are having hacking solo issues with Fraser at the moment, but having been through it all with Toffee it is old ground. Another trick, if he will rein back, is if there is a specific obstacle that scares him, ride him past it backwards. Often leading works, because they take their confidence from you and can see there is nothing to be scared of. It's early days yet.
 
Good luck Weezy!
Does sound like he is scared/worried and it just confidence issues, bless him. Might have missed this, but waht sort of things was he doing in his previous home?
Long reining is a very good for confidence, just wish I was better at it
tongue.gif
 
I would be tempted to take my fags with me and if he wants to stand still then he can stand still but square and I would wait it out.. I had to do this years ago with a big hunter after an hour or so standing square he decided it was more fun to do what I asked (previously he would get to said point spin and gallop home).
 
I like DD's idea. I would longrein him I think. Lead him up to the school to start with, long rein him a few times in there and then start long reining him out and about. Maybe LR back towards home first, then move on to LR up to the school.

I think you'll get there with him, he just needs to realise there aren't any tigers behind the bushes or alligators in puddles
wink.gif


Sounds like it's all going in the right direction anyway. Personally I wouldn't have any hesitation in leading him up the road, or getting off and leading if he plants himself. You're tall enough to get back on from the ground (unlike me with my stumpy legs and 17.1hh horse
wink.gif
) so lead him past whatever he doesn't like and get back on.

I wouldn't be giving him a beating, and I think I'd be tempted to see how the person who suggested that likes the threat of one
wink.gif
 
Sit there until he moves. Boredom will get them everytime. Also walk him up and down the lane in hand and let him pick at the grass if you can to get him to start associating the place and being on his own with positive things.
 
Sounds like he's lacking confidence when you are on board, I'd hack him up and down with someone on a bike etc (rather than a horse) otherwise they get used to horses as company but still have that bit of confidence with someone with you, rather than going in the school, I'd keep riding up an down until he feels more comfortable and confident about the whole thing if its confidence issues, letting them back into fencing could only make things worse and you may end up with a horse you can't even get out of the yard, not only that they could injure themselves, get there legs caught up and rear up and injure you.

If you do think there just being a pig then I would long rein him with a few bodies to help you, please be careful though, long reining horses that have a tendency to run backwards when napping is not fun and doesn't always turn out to be a great idea, but at least if he does clang himself, your not on board and won't get injured, sometimes it takes a horse to respect where he's putting his legs to stop him backing into hedges, fences etc and sometimes they just have to get into a pickle to realise that backing up is not always the safest option, however that would be a last resort!

You'll get there in the end, all trial and error.
smile.gif
 
I would agree that this is genuine lack of confidence and if it is safe to do so I would just get off and lead to start with. There is no point in making a big thing out of it.

The only other method I would use is waiting but it's not always practical.

This certainly worked with my horse who was terrified of going out by himself when I first got him, he had never been hacked out alone so he had to learn to do it. His confidence grew steadily and for many years now he has hacked out happily by himself.
 
Sam was impossibly nappy hacking alone when I first got him, I couldn't get anywhere. Leading made no difference whatsoever (he'd lead fine, but would still nap ridden) however a week of long reining made the world of difference and I saw improvement really quickly.

Hope you manage to sort it soon x
 
Please, whatever you do, do not lose your temper as that will just make things worse.

I have had issues with one of my project horses, she wouldn't even walk to the end of the field by herself without another horse when I first started working with her.

She really doesn't have a lot of confidence so I took her for lots of walks in hand and did lots of ground work with her, letting her get to know me and realise that she could trust me. The first walk up the lane I took a lunge whip with me and used it as encouragement as she knew to go forwards while lunging. After donig this a couple of times we could then walk out without a lunge whip and go as far as I liked.

She still has the odd moment, but she most definitely 100% better.
 
He sounds like hes having a panick attack bless him!
I dont think hes being naughty. I would continue as you are, calmly, patiently and firmly, not letting him back up or turn around (hes got to learn thats a no-go) but gently encouraging to move on and when he moves a step give him loads of fuss. If hes smart he'll realise that waiting in the same place gets boring and he will go forward eventually. I certainly would not beat him or force him in anyway, that could just scare him more!
For him to be cured hes got to make the decision to move himself and he'll grow in confidence, force him and the fears still there.. all he'll have been taught is it is scary to go out the yard, because hes frightened and then he gets shouted at and frightened even more. I know you wouldnt do that though!! If he was used to hacking and was fine one day and then a pig the next then it would be more likely hes taking the pee, and a persuasive smack and growl would be in order, but it doesnt sound like that is the case.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top