Its a bit long :) ... then a question?

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NicoleS_007

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Was on a lovely wee hack by my self yesterday ... just boppin along, then my stubburn horse decides he doesnt want to go forwards anymore! We were only 5 minutes down the road. One minute we were walkin calmly forwards the next minute we were jogging backwards! And its like a 30min hack to the end of the road which i planned on doing ... it took about 45!! The funny part is that he wasnt even spooking he is just a stubburn pig :/ ... He used to just spin around and rear abit but he learnt that he cant get away with it so now hes resorted to walking backwards and rearing sometimes and everytime i kicked him he just went back even faster even tryed slapping him on the bottom but he just bucked hehe silly moo ... god it is such a pain in the ass ... but on the plus side we did make it to the end of the road eventually :D Thinking of trying spurs! what u think? :)
 
I think you need to ask yourself what you hope to achieve by using spurs?
If I was in your position (which I have been) I would simply stand still (obviously not on a main road) wait for my horse to calm down (heart and breathing) and then ask him to move forward. I wouldn't use a stick as that will only wind up your horse if he is anything like mine.

Hope this helps.
 
Agree with the above - your horse sounds like he's uncertain or lacking in confidence - rather than beat him into walking forward just focus on not letting him go backwards - even if it means standing still for a few minute or only taking baby steps forward.

I'm not averse to spurs/whip but there is a time and place to use them.

What's he like in company?
 
Probably not very helpful but sounds like he is either
a. objecting to work in general (is he fit?)
or
b. actually nervous of something or nervous of leaving his home comfort zone.

Dan IMO is correct with the stand still, just gives them time to re-asses without the pressure.

Do you hack out often? It it all roads or just this one? Have you tried to lead him? I would prefer to try and lead him on a road just a few yards rather then have a huge fight and end up with a stressed horse in oncoming traffic.

I am sure many would disagree with the dismount but I have a 17hh warmblood so it pays to settle fights nicely when I only weigh 8 stone!

I still have the odd row but I alwys get my way in the end, sometimes it just takes calmness and lots of patience ( and ocassionally a boot in the ribs)
 
Yea i dont usually use the whip when he naps as it does wind him up, but i just snapped cus he was being such a prun :S ... he walked fine after a while and then started again and then was fine on the way back ... even whent past a big tracter with a trailer lol ... I tryed sanding still and giving him a pat and it worked a couple of times!
 
NicoleRobinson said:
Yea i dont usually use the whip when he naps as it does wind him up, but i just snapped cus he was being such a prun :S ... he walked fine after a while and then started again and then was fine on the way back ... even whent past a big tracter with a trailer lol ... I tryed sanding still and giving him a pat and it worked a couple of times!
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Sound like you got it right, there's no quick fix with horses. Patience every time.
 
NicoleRobinson said:
Yea i dont usually use the whip when he naps as it does wind him up, but i just snapped cus he was being such a prun :S ... he walked fine after a while and then started again and then was fine on the way back ... even whent past a big tracter with a trailer lol ... I tryed sanding still and giving him a pat and it worked a couple of times!
Click to expand...

once he has taken a few steps forward call it a day turn around and head home, and if you find yourself getting wound up (it happens to us all) just think im not going to let you know how much you are annoying me, you are just going to have to do your job sooner or later, it up to you to make that decision.

hope it all works out for you!
 
Archie 73 ... yes he is rather fit ... one of the instructors were i keep him always says hes ready to race again hehe ... but hes a cool as a cucumber in the arena and loves his work, he just is a nappy brute out hacking alone ... hes grand with other horses and if theres someone walking along side us but unfortunatly havent hacked much lately so he has got a tiny bit worse! Fortunatly the road is very quiet most of time
 
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