My horse scared me on a hack - how would you of handled it?

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Scampi

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I took her out firstly on the road, to which she saw a man on a step ladder cleaning his windows and decided to spin around, i didnt let her and made her go past which she did.

Then we came offroad onto a grassy track where we met a dog and owner round a sharp bend, horse saw the dog (which she is totally use to dogs running around her!!) and decided to spin around/leap up/back up very fast to which this scared me and i got off and walked her past to which she didn't bat an eyelid at!!

Then i walked with her a bit and managed to get back on (much to my surprise!) and she seemed to be fine, we didn't meet anymore people/animals, we were just walking around a grassy stretch nice and calmly...... then the track carries on round in a circle direction and she must of clocked we were in the direction of home and suddenly started picking up speed wanting to jog, i told her firmly to walk and tried to relax, she was ok for the first minute then suddenly we went up in the air/rocking horse action/up in the air again to which she scared me and i got off.

Then when i got off, she did it again with me holding onto her from the ground and jogged all the way back/very strong with me leading her. I kept thinking i have got to hold onto her otherwise i probably won't see her again!! When we got back to the road, i managed to find a wall to stand on to get back on her to ride her on the road as i knew i had to get back on and she was still very forward/joggy in places. I told myself not to get off again and finally made it home.

Did i do the wrong thing getting off? i know the answer is yes but i knew it was either me offering to get off or her chuck me off and gallop off!!

I know i will now be scared to hack her out (i don't have anyone to hack out with me either) .

Does she do it to try and scare me? or does she just want a good gallop? but then why does she nap on the road? at dogs? when she is completely use to them!

:-(
 
Sorry to hear your horse scared you on a hack today.

How long have you been riding her for? Do you usually hack alone or in company?

It sounds to me like she is insecure hacking alone, and you being scared probably makes her more nervous.

What is she like in company? Will she lead the hack without spooking when in company? If not, I would work on this before going out by yourselves again.
 
I wouldn't worry about getting off. If you are scared that you are going to end up on the floor, it seems like a very sensible thing to do! It doesn't mean she has won (as some people seem to insist it does) and often when a horse has someone walking next to them they relax. You have to do what feels right at the time - there is never a right or wrong.

As for why she does it - it's hard to tell with nappy horses. I take my pony all over the place hacking; sometimes he is great and not bothered by anything, other days he is a nightmare. Yesterday he wouldn't go down a bridle path we have walked down a million times before. Most of the time I stay on board as he is very strong and can set his neck and bugger off in hand, but I have got off when I think it's the only option.

If I were you I'd try to see if you can find a hacking buddy, as the more nervous you, the worse she is likely to be. If you stay calm (easier said than done I know) she is likely to be a bit better. Often horses react differently to things they are used to when they see them out hacking. I take my two dogs to the yard every day and they run around in the field, potter around next to the ponies etc, but it doesn't stop my pony from thinking a dog he sees out hacking wants to eat him!!
 
Both you are the mare made it home safe and sound - so yes you did the right thing.

I often get off my mare and lead her. She can be a silly twit, I always hack on my own and we have terrible luck. If there's something scary about, we are going to meet it on the narrowest section of road with no gateway to pull over in. ;) Sometimes I just want to walk for a bit and sometimes I need to open a gate.

The one thing that seems to be different between your horse and mine, is that we are further down the journey. I have spent a lot of effort training her to walk nicely in hand even if she's scared/excited and I have practised remounting from rickety fences and clangy gates etc...

You need to work on these things. I take my youngsters out to expose them to the things that you come across hacking. They are also asked to stand by gates while I rattle them and climb up and down them. You can do this with your horse too. :)

Try to find some company, even if it's a mate on foot or on a bike. As she's nappy, don't turn her on the spot and go home the way you came (always do circular or lolly-pop shaped hacks).

Does she do it to try and scare me?
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No, but she needs you to tell her that it's fine and to get on with it. You need to ride forwards and positively, which is terribly hard when you are scared. I found that I needed to 'stack the deck' in my favour, so that we had several quiet, incident free hacks in a row and that really built my confidence. I also had some lessons with a positive instructor which really helped.
 
I wouldn't let it play on your mind, you did what you thought best at the time and as others say, you both got home safely, so you made the right decisions.

Is this a new horse or longstanding and worsening behavior?

I would try 3 things: 1) ensure you have someone with you next time, either on a horse, on foot, on a bike or even meeting you half way so you have the confidence someone is watching out for you 2) try to school before you next go out - a tired horse is always easier to handle 3) choose a day with good weather - wind and rain will not help you regain your confidence!

Hope this helps.
 
I'm not so bothered about the nappyness on the road as she seems easier to get going forward plus i carry a schooling whip incase which helps.

However, what really scared me is her rocking horse impression coming home on the grassy field. I didn't like it one bit and felt my heart pumping! I don't want her to learn that if she scares me, i get off!

The only suggestion i can think of is if i ask a freelance instructor to come out and ride her - whether they would do this or not i don't know :s
 
maxapple said:
I wouldn't worry about getting off. If you are scared that you are going to end up on the floor, it seems like a very sensible thing to do! It doesn't mean she has won (as some people seem to insist it does) and often when a horse has someone walking next to them they relax. You have to do what feels right at the time - there is never a right or wrong.
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This. I believe if you feel at risk, get down, get them past it, remount when safe. What I would feel though is that turning back is letting them win.

I agree with momo for what to do next time. I got confidence hacking out "alone" by bringing someone on foot, who could walk in front if there was something scary that we were having trouble passing. Once you're happy with that and she's going nicely, meet them after 5/10 minutes and gradually increase the distance you go before meeting them.
 
momo79 said:
I wouldn't let it play on your mind, you did what you thought best at the time and as others say, you both got home safely, so you made the right decisions.

Is this a new horse or longstanding and worsening behavior?

I would try 3 things: 1) ensure you have someone with you next time, either on a horse, on foot, on a bike or even meeting you half way so you have the confidence someone is watching out for you 2) try to school before you next go out - a tired horse is always easier to handle 3) choose a day with good weather - wind and rain will not help you regain your confidence!

Hope this helps.
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I hardly ever hack her out TBH as we don't have the best hacking so it's usually schooling/jumping - i actually only took her out today as we've had a good few days of schooling and i felt it might be nice for her to have a change! In the school she is totally the opposite, she is behind my leg and doesn't want to go forwards!
 
maxapple said:
I wouldn't worry about getting off. If you are scared that you are going to end up on the floor, it seems like a very sensible thing to do! It doesn't mean she has won (as some people seem to insist it does) and often when a horse has someone walking next to them they relax. You have to do what feels right at the time - there is never a right or wrong.
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This /\
 
I think you need to ride the backside off her so she hasn't the energy to fanny around, I don't favour getting off as it won't take long for the beast to put two and two together, they have to know that messing around doesn't get them anywhere, but at the end of the day your the one in the particular situation so you have to deal with it as you see fit, but as I said, ride ride ride and ride some more would be my recommendation.
 
Scampi said:
I hardly ever hack her out TBH as we don't have the best hacking so it's usually schooling/jumping - i actually only took her out today as we've had a good few days of schooling and i felt it might be nice for her to have a change! In the school she is totally the opposite, she is behind my leg and doesn't want to go forwards!
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This may be why she was acting up. If she doesn't get out hacking often, it might just be a bit exciting, maybe she'd settle if you went out a few times.
 
Pedantic said:
I think you need to ride the backside off her so she hasn't the energy to fanny around, I don't favour getting off as it won't take long for the beast to put two and two together, they have to know that messing around doesn't get them anywhere, but at the end of the day your the one in the particular situation so you have to deal with it as you see fit, but as I said, ride ride ride and ride some more would be my recommendation.
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She is an ex-racer, i think even with a heavy schooling session before hand she would still want to take off given the opportunity!
 
I think you handled the situation very well, I think I'd do the same too!

I'm not that experienced so I can't advise in any way only say what i would do. For me, I've been around horses for years on the ground and have dealt with a variety of horsey antics in that way but have only started riding properly recently for the 1st time in about 30 years, I know for sure I'd get off if I felt like that was safer, and I think having someone on foot to come with you is also a really good idea, I used to do a lot of walking with my daughter and her various nappy beasties, it was actually very pleasant way to spend time together, and the horses did get over it in the end too. Good luck!
 
Scampi said:
How often would you start going?
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Could you take her out for 10-15 minutes a couple of times a week after schooling her? Would someone be able to go along on foot with you? Then hopefully she'd realise it's not a big deal, she goes out for a stroll, then comes back to her buddies a while later.

If she's still difficult, maybe taking her out in-hand every so often would help get her used to the "new" sights and sounds.
 
ailbheg said:
Could you take her out for 10-15 minutes a couple of times a week after schooling her? Would someone be able to go along on foot with you?
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Yes - would you go back to this same grassy field or a different route? Maybe it was just the grassy field that set her off however she still let me down backing away from the well-behaved dog!!
 
Scampi said:
Yes - would you go back to this same grassy field or a different route? Maybe it was just the grassy field that set her off however she still let me down backing away from the well-behaved dog!!
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I'd be inclined to take her on a few different routes and once you get more confident, bring her to the field and see how she is. If you vary the route, she won't be able to predict where you're going.

If the field was on the way home, could you go to it on the way out, it could have been a combination of big grassy field and heading home that set her off.
 
Just don't leave it long before you try again. If possible, tag a very short ride onto the end of your next schooling/jumping session (when she's really tired) and build it from there.
 
Oh, just read the ex-racer bit, I have one that 'rocks' when excited (also have 5 that don't so please don't let this be seen as a dig on ex-racers as I adore them) - he's harmless and if I just sit there he eventually stops fannying about. Have you recently got this horse - most are happier hacking in company as that's what they are used to, take it slowly, small steps. IMO most ex-racers also like routine and find the same route each time easier to cope with to begin as they are less on their toes.
Also, even TB's get tired, so don't assume he will act just the same even after a tough schooling session, it will take the edge off his fizz and stop him thinking that monsters are lurking everywhere.
 
Scampi said:
She is an ex-racer, i think even with a heavy schooling session before hand she would still want to take off given the opportunity!
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I see your point :) but lots of hacking/riding isn't just about physical tiredness but mental as well, it make's me chuckle when I have been out for an hour of light hacking with friends who are on 16hh beasts and they say oh he's a bit tired, yea mentally, as we only went round the same hack as done week in week out, the horse is mentally tired and a bit bored, it's plodding about because it's mentally tired, as others say routine, lots and lots of hacking will become ho hum to the horse and yourself.

Good Luck :)
 
Bang on Pedantic.

Your horse sounds as of she's feeling very well. And just needs work.

Next time she starts bronking in the field form her around and ride in the oppsite direction. Again and again and again until she calms down. Also carry a short stick, mot a schooling whip.
 
OP - I have an ex-racer who sounds just like yours! Naps, rears, jogs, spins and broncs - you name it she can do it! BUT she is much much better than she was - she was seriously getting dangerous to the point where I was nearly hyperventilating at the thought of riding. I went back to square one. I started long-reining her out - I'm pretty sure that if your horse is an ex-racer she will know how to long-rein. I found it much easier to get after her from behind her and I carried a schooling whip. I never had need to smack her really hard, but when she went to spin, it was easier to chase her on from behind. I did about 6 weeks of this (it was actually part of a rehab program as well, so two birds, one stone and all that!) and then I started riding her again. We had a few issues, some of which were bloody terrifying. I would get off, lead her, get back on when the issue had gone and she had calmed down. I did the same route day in day out until she was bored of it. We then did a different route which I thought she would be an idiot on and she surprised me by only napping once, and I didn't have to get off. She is progressing slowly and I havent' had to get off for what must be a couple of months now as hers and my confidence grows. Don't be afraid of getting off - as long as the horse then goes where you wanted to go in the first place, it hasn't won. You will get there, but it's not an easy ride. :)
 
My horse can be a right plonker when i hack out on my own. He can be nappy and do that rocking horse stuff but i know it is part nervousness and part excitement - he is not being deliberately naughty nor trying to upset me.
I do know now that I just have to sit it out and make it clear to him what i want him to do - not always easy when you are on a road.
I don't like getting off but that is only because he is 17.1 and i can't get on from the ground. I would get off however if it was for the safety of me and my horse.
 
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