I Finally feel like I have had a break through with the Nappy one....

[3Beasties]

I have been having lots of problems with Charlie lately, he has been so Nappy (in company and alone) and spooky that I was really beginning to loose confidence in myself.

Last weekend when I hacked him out on my own he was verging on dangerous (Nappy, HUGE Spooks, rearing and strong) and I was really doubting weather I would ever get him hacking out sensibly on his own again.

On Tuesday I hacked him out with one other horse and was expecting trouble as we went down the road that he hates the most, he didn't put a foot wrong, no napping and just a little bit of spooking. I had Spurs on and carried a schooling whip but I didn't have to use either of them

Had a lesson on Wednesday which went....err.......interestingly

Yesterday I gave myself a kick up the @rse and made myself take him out on my own again, we only went on a short circular ride as I wanted to build both our confidences up. Apart from one napping tantrum about 5 minutes after we left the yard he was great, cantered him back across the farm and although he was a bit strong and obviously relived to be heading for home he didn't have any major spooks (he was literally spooking from one side of the field to the other last weekend

). I was really pleased with him so to reinforce what we did I took him on the same ride tonight.

He was amazing, NO napping at all although he did have a couple of little wobbles he kept going forward at all times and when I felt him backing off something I trotted him forward. When we got to the other side of the farm I came a different route back which I though he might disapprove of but he didn't. We had a gallop which I haven't done all summer (mainly because he wasn't fit enough and the fields were full of crops). I took me a few strides to actually relax and get off his back, I kept thinking he was going to slam on the breaks or spook at the stubble that was a slightly different colour to the rest

but he kept going forward without a backwards glance and then even managed to WALK back down the hill (usually we would be jogging sideways

). He then jumped a little ditch in canter without hesitating (yesterday he hesitated and then stepped in it).

So all in all I am very happy, I am not sure where our confidence has disappeared to over the last 6 months but after the ride tonight I feel like it is definitely on the way back, hopefully Charlie enjoyed himself as much as I did

Sorry, pointless post really but I'm Happy and just wanted to get it down so that if we have anymore troublesome rides I can look at this and realise that he CAN be well behaved and is capable of hacking out alone.

Huge piece of Chocolate cake if you made it to the end!


PS. I have had Charlie for 6 years and have never had problems taking him out alone until this summer, it's hard to believe that 6 months ago my aim was to take him show jumping and achieve double clears, but now I just want my old happy hacker back that I used to go off for hours on and have loads of fun with!

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

That's great news, it can be really hard when they nap.
I have had my girl for over 17yrs and she has always had a tendency to nap, she tends to plant or walk a few steps back, nothing major.
Anyway, my point is, over our many years together she has seemed to have gone through stages sometimes, trying me, but we get through it and she gives up her napping ways as she knows that i know she is just being a plonker and that i wont stand for it.
It is hard sometimes, as well as i know her, they are unpredictable and i get nervous, but try and battle through.
Keep at it and i hope your horsey takes good note on this and carries on being good, they will test us owners!!

*scoffs cake*

 

[3Beasties]

Thanks, it's good to know I am not the only one.

If his Napping was just planting his feet then that would make life a lot easier! Instead he spins around without any warning and then shoots of towards home

It doesn't help that people are telling me that he takes the P!ss out of me which makes me doubt myself even more, OK I may not react how others would with him but I have only ever had to get of him twice to lead him past things, the rest of the time I have managed to get him past without getting off so not sure how 'he is taking the p!ss'.

Anyway hopefully he will start to feel a bit braver, I'm going to do a longer route next time and see how he goes.

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

Most definitely not alone there.
They do try you, i often have had to jump off and drag my mare, as unorthodox as that may sound, but otherwise she simply will not move and i refuse to give in to her silliness, i try move her off the leg but if it doesnt work at all i jump off, at 14.2hh its easy to mount and dismount, get her past then get back on, always worked for me.
Just ignore other people and take it slow if they are going to make silly and useless comments, build up your routes, it soon gets them going forward as they get more confident.
They can get funny phases there after but they are generally fewer and further between and easier to handle, good luck

 

[JosieSmith]

Horse_Crazy 2, your horse sounds identical to mine! She quite often decides she doesn't want to go the same way as me so stops, and either goes backwards or turns around for home. Today for example, she did it 5 times, twice in the middle of the road and I had to stop the traffic. At one point I did get off and lead, but only because we were on the road and it was just getting stupid. But I got back on, got to where I wanted to go, then came home! Yippee! Considering a few months ago I was terrified of riding on the roads on my own, today I totally took it in my stride and my determination to get her to our destination was stronger than my fear of the traffic. I sometimes think it's me making her like that, and maybe she wasn't like that with her old owners, but I won't know if I don't ask.

I'm really glad you've made a breakthrough, fingers crossed we're following suit.

 

[MrsMozartletoe]

Well done you!