Napping Advice

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AshleighEmma

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My ex racer tb mare has the awful habit of napping.

It comes about either when she's excited or when I work her, walk her out to rest and then try to continue with the ride afterwards. The trouble starts.

She's no in any sort of pain she's previously been checked from head to toe and I know its a behavioural thing.

The usual is to initially stop, put her head down and walk backwards unto whatever is behind her. Sometimes I can snap her out of it depending where we are, usually my method of attack is to release my contact entirely and give her a couple of good kicks and if I get no response give her a couple with my whip - on the neck is more responsive. She gives me rear threats but if the location we're in isn't to awkward i.e. obstacles then I can usually win - which is so important with napping.

but if we're in a built up area with other horses, cars etc. then I usually resort to getting off and walking her forward then getting back on, in fear of damaging a car or reversing into a horse.

She's not horrendous but I'm just wondering if anyone has any other exercises, tricks, anything else I can try when she gets a stroppy episode.

Any comments much appreciated, thanks for reading
 
I've had a couple of horses that have used going backwards as an evasion, I found turning around and ask for backwards but in the direction you want to go helps. However be careful with a horse that rears as going backwards will make the rear easier for them.
 
I once knew a lady who reversed her horse most of the way around a hack and it seemed to work.

I also knew a man who took out a nappy horse and literally sat and waited for the horse to walk. I mean, he sat there for 4 - 5 hours. He brought a sandwich and soup. Every so often he would ask the horse to walk on. If the horse didn't he was made to stand still, if he fidgeted or tried to turn around the man would very calmly and quietly make the horse stand in the right place facing the right way. That horse *never* napped again.
 
Thank you both for your comments. It is one of those frustrating just have to sit it out. I tend to try to relax her, and make her stand still for a second then try to start up again.
She gives me rear threats with the upwards of her head and has leap a foot or so off the floor but never properly gone up so I don't really know what to expect when I push her or what her limits are!
 
Damnation said:
I also knew a man who took out a nappy horse and literally sat and waited for the horse to walk. I mean, he sat there for 4 - 5 hours. He brought a sandwich and soup. Every so often he would ask the horse to walk on. If the horse didn't he was made to stand still, if he fidgeted or tried to turn around the man would very calmly and quietly make the horse stand in the right place facing the right way. That horse *never* napped again.
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Yep, this is exactly what I did with a little horse of mine. 4 hours we sat there for. And yep, it cured her - that and hunting.

But you have to choose your venue.
 
I was doing like you are, letting the contact go when he was nappy and concentrating on getting going forward, with my boy. My instructor suggested that he had nicely trained me to drop the contact and suggested I keep the reins but didn't worry about trying to go forwards initially, and ask for forwards once relaxed a little and asking in different ways eg one leg or whip but not everything together. Might not be your issue but it sounded similar when you said that it happens when you try to work her after a rest.
 
Don't drop the contact! Makes sense when you think about it - we train them to do what we want by making it the most comfortable option and you are inadvertently making backwards more comfortable than forwards. My ex racer used to nap in exactly the same way - he would even run backwards - I cured it by taking a much firmer contact when he went into reverse but you must release the contact the moment he stops and takes a step forward so you are rewarding the forward movement immediately. In the end he would stop reversing the moment I took a strong contact and walk straight forwards of his own accord. Makes perfect sense when you think about it logically! x
 
Yes I like the idea of what you've just said with the rewarding by dropped contact for walking forward but with a horse that may have the personality to through a rearing wobbler, I'd be nervous to pick up the contact and encourage forward when she's backing up - effectively holding and kicking? Thus creating the want for the horse to rear?

Hope I'm not reading into it wrong. She did this again last night, I tried to sit it out. then I tried to ask forward in just walking round in circles so she was at least doing something I asked, after then asking for forward again she reverted to rear threats upon the concrete floor and reversing into tractors with bale spikes on so I admitted defeat on that occasion. Shame because she'd just gone so beautifully in the outdoor jump paddock - horses eh?
 
My mare naps when alone and boy does she know how to do it. I started to ride her a year ago, she doesn't belong to me. I have no option but to go alone and we've had some horrendous fights. At first I tried to just kick her on, let her turn and then keep at her, tap of whip on neck, behind leg and then bum - all on the advice of the owners. I discovered one day this was silly. She always threatens to rear and has done on a couple of occasions. In the past she would always nap badly for about a mile, a couple of half rears and then jog the entire way. I decided to totally change my methods and drop the reins when she started being silly. This must have confused her as previously I think I had been holding on for dear life (owners had told me she was very dangerous). With only a little leg and no whip in sight, she was fine. She's never napped since and has never jogged on a hack since either. I have her mainly on a loose rein and have had some amazing plods about on her. The owners thought I was mad allowing her a loose rein as she would 'take off with me'. To be honest, I think she's spent so long being held back all the time it was a learnt behaviour. She's a very different horse to when I began riding her. Now I have a happy hacker!!!
 
AshleighEmma said:
Yes I like the idea of what you've just said with the rewarding by dropped contact for walking forward but with a horse that may have the personality to through a rearing wobbler, I'd be nervous to pick up the contact and encourage forward when she's backing up - effectively holding and kicking? Thus creating the want for the horse to rear?
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I don't kick or ask the horse to go forward I just sit quiet and take a firm contact - as soon as they stop I release the contract so they are instantly rewarded. All normal forward movement is rewarded with a nice soft contact - so forward becomes the easy option, without fighting/kicking and general drama! The bigger the fight = the more adrenaline pumping. Adrenaline is not going to improve things so always better to opt for quiet resolutions where possible. All horses are different but I've found this method very effective x
 
Ah yes that makes much more sense I'll definitely give this a go next time she tries it on! It's a better method to have a positive in the napping situation somewhere because I suppose at the moment she'll just get a smack, if she breaks the nap and walks forward she'll get rewarded but then in her head she'll get punished again by continuing work. Would be useful to issue more rewards to hopefully crack the frustrating habit!


Thanks again x
 
I had a pony years ago that would nap like mad out on a hack. It was so annoying , sometimes I sat it out but it just depends on traffic , location, etc. Wish I had had some of the advice thats been offered on here( of course this was back in the days before internet forums). Anyway would love to hear what works for your mare as I'm sure you will be able to crack this
 
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