Napping and Spinning

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BitofFluff

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Hi There

I'm new to the forum and just wanted to get a bit of advice. I have just brought my horse, had her for around 2 months now and have already fallen in love. She is great to do most things with and have been hacking out alone a few times. Not very far just enough to get her used to the new surroundings. She's been very good until last night she kept looking back and trying to turn around. I pushed her on and she ended up napping and spinning around. In response to this I made her turn back to face the way we should have been going and made her stand a few mins, then walked her on, i repeated this making her stand and walking on a few times. when it was time to go back I truned her around and again made her stand and walked her on, I then got her to a certain point and turned her back so we were going away from the way she wanted to go and made her stand and walk on again. I did this a few time on the way home and made her rewalk up the track once we had actually gotten home.

Was just wondering if this was the right response or if anyone else has any other suggestions that I might try is she does it again. I should mention she is 12 so should really know better, maybe shes testing the boundaries??

Many thanks in advice
 
My number one rule with my nappy mare is 'never, ever, ever turn on the spot and go back the way we came'. Circular or lolly-pop shaped routes only. Following this rule has transformed her from a nappy, rearing, backing up, whipping round, bucking, planting (yes, she used to try every trick in the book, bar throwing herself to the ground) to a lovely, forward hack. If I ever have to turn (eg road blocked) I know that she'll want to turn back at that spot the next time I ride it, generally only a small blip though and then she's forward going again.
 
Sounds like a great response, you showed her your word was law and made her do as she was asked :) I wish mine would stand still for a discussion - I'd fight it out with him all day if he did, but instead he does the Idiot Backwards Dance and puts us both in danger, so I have to hop off when he's still for long enough and never get to 'win' :(
 
I have to agree with Faracat, never turn your horse back on itself unless you are 100% sure they aren't going to ****** off with you, plus your giving her what she wants and letting her win. My TB mare used to spin and attempt to nap when she came across high sided vehicles. When she span, I would make sure she ended up facing the direction I wanted her to go and drive her forward. Ideally try and catch her out by driving her forward before she actually spins. Mine hasn't spun for a while now and she is getting better with large vehicles. But now I can read her mind and I can feel in her body language when she intends on spinning so I nip it in the bud, legs on and drive her forward for as long as I need to...she soon got the message
 
I think you did the right thing, well done. Didnt make an issue out of it, got her working and listening to you and responding positively to what you wanted.

As someone has said its always better to do a circular or lollipop shaped hack to avoid turning on the spot and heading home the same way.

I'm very fortunate my boy hacks out alone nicely although he can be a tit on the way home but last night he called out a few times and it made me a little nervous, lol :o Still had a nice hack though and then some transitions in the school :)
 
Sounds like you are doing the right thing to me - confronting the issue and addressing it calmly, but confidently.

I personally wouldn't be happy to be dictated to by my horse that I could only do circular routes.

All our youngsters have to go up the lane and back, and past home numerous times when they are first learning to hack as this teaches them that turning round doesn't always mean going home, so helps to duissade any nappy tendancies. Some of them have a little something to say to start with, but just keep being calm and consistent and they tend to give up fairly quickly!

Good luck :)
 
Only doing circular hacks or lolly-pop ones has never bothered me. I certainly don't see it as the horse dictating to me - I'm the one telling her that the only option is forwards. I would quickly find going up and down the same stretch of road dull. I enjoyed looking at the map for new, longer routes as she got fitter.

Even with my youngsters, they never turn on the spot and go home as I never give them the option.
 
Sounds like you did the right thing op. It was a windy day in some places yesterday and even my girl who never spooks spooked at the geese and chicken feathers ruffling in the wind whilst we were in the school. We spent 10 minutes going past the areas time and time again until she saw it all and responded to my leg without trying to back off or turn. I agree with others circular or lollipop and never go the way they want when the spin. Well ridden.
 
Thank you all for your replies! I know it's but that good to turn around and go back but unfortunately after work we only have a small amount of time and the track we go on is the only way out of the property thats safe and it takes 15 mins so there and back is 30 mins and we can just about squeeze that in before it gets dark... It was windy and spitting so quite dark so I was thinking it might have been that.

At least I know I did practically the right thing haha :) thanks guys... Now to sort the bit problem 😜!
 
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