lhotse
Well-Known Member
Hello all
As some of you will know, I brought a 6 yr old arab mare at the end of March. After a few teething troubles and airs above the ground, we have made great progress and are pretty much forging a great partnership. However, the past couple of weeks she has been napping slightly. I have been hacking her out with someone from another yard, and her first napping was at that yard as she expected to go in to meet the other horse. Thos was cured straight away by meeting that horse at the end of my lane instead. She will now happily walk past said yard. At the top of the hill is a left hand lane, the main road goes straight on. She seems to want to go straight on, as that is the way she has been with the other horse. She has also hacked down the lane, both with yet another pony and by herself, but only a few times.
There is a scary pig farm at the end of the lane, which I have had to lead her past before so I don't know if this is why she has taken to planting at the junction, or whether she actually prefers to play with the artics on the main road!!
So, my question, am I making progress!!
Wednesday she planted at the junction, so rather than have her out in the middle of the road, I jumped off and led her into the lane. She planted again when I got on, a car came, a flick with the whip and we were on our way. No more napping at all, just the pig farm where she stopped a couple of times but I gave her time and lots of praise until she went past.
Friday, planted again, flick with the whip, threatened to rear so released the pressure, took her onto the grass triangle and she walked on after a few sideways steps. She then proceeded to walk past the pig farm without stopping!!
Today, I had already decided not to use the whip as I think it caused yesterday's reaction, got to junction and as soon as I asked her to go into it, she did a mini rear, shouted at her 'I DON'T THINK SO', and she walked straight on. Again, no more naps though the whole ride and straight past the pig farm.
The rearing is not malicious, I know from the previous owner that she will take her feet off the ground as a resistance, but if you release the pressure and keep off her mouth she relaxes.
She would walk on along the main road with no issues, and she is great with all the traffic. She did her first gate today, coped with a horse trotting up the hill in front of her before the junction and walked through a herd of cows on the common on the buckle, so she is pretty near perfect.
Just worried that she is clever and might get the upper hand, although I think she hasn't.
Not dealt with napping before, my last horse never refused to go anywhere, she just went everywhere fast!!
As some of you will know, I brought a 6 yr old arab mare at the end of March. After a few teething troubles and airs above the ground, we have made great progress and are pretty much forging a great partnership. However, the past couple of weeks she has been napping slightly. I have been hacking her out with someone from another yard, and her first napping was at that yard as she expected to go in to meet the other horse. Thos was cured straight away by meeting that horse at the end of my lane instead. She will now happily walk past said yard. At the top of the hill is a left hand lane, the main road goes straight on. She seems to want to go straight on, as that is the way she has been with the other horse. She has also hacked down the lane, both with yet another pony and by herself, but only a few times.
There is a scary pig farm at the end of the lane, which I have had to lead her past before so I don't know if this is why she has taken to planting at the junction, or whether she actually prefers to play with the artics on the main road!!
So, my question, am I making progress!!
Wednesday she planted at the junction, so rather than have her out in the middle of the road, I jumped off and led her into the lane. She planted again when I got on, a car came, a flick with the whip and we were on our way. No more napping at all, just the pig farm where she stopped a couple of times but I gave her time and lots of praise until she went past.
Friday, planted again, flick with the whip, threatened to rear so released the pressure, took her onto the grass triangle and she walked on after a few sideways steps. She then proceeded to walk past the pig farm without stopping!!
Today, I had already decided not to use the whip as I think it caused yesterday's reaction, got to junction and as soon as I asked her to go into it, she did a mini rear, shouted at her 'I DON'T THINK SO', and she walked straight on. Again, no more naps though the whole ride and straight past the pig farm.
The rearing is not malicious, I know from the previous owner that she will take her feet off the ground as a resistance, but if you release the pressure and keep off her mouth she relaxes.
She would walk on along the main road with no issues, and she is great with all the traffic. She did her first gate today, coped with a horse trotting up the hill in front of her before the junction and walked through a herd of cows on the common on the buckle, so she is pretty near perfect.
Just worried that she is clever and might get the upper hand, although I think she hasn't.
Not dealt with napping before, my last horse never refused to go anywhere, she just went everywhere fast!!
Plenty of reassurance when they are making an effort and moving forward, just as you are doing. Lots of groundwork, moving their feet, backing up, side pass etc can also help.