Napping Backwards

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ScarletColumba

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I have a 15.2hh anglo arab who I've owned for 3 years now. For the first 2 and a half years she's gone from strength to strength until the last 6 months when she has rapidly gone down hill. My mum had problems first, and now I'm having them too. In the arena she naps away from anything out of the ordinary, rides your leg into things and rears/bucks if you attempt to tell her off. On hacks she's actually becoming quite dangerous, she naps backwards from anything, rears if you turn her to face it and tries to bolt when she can. This has escalated into walking backwards into thick hedges, barbed wire and a 6 foot deep ditch twice. I'm a very confident and able rider who has ridden many problem horses and point to pointers, but am struggling to find a way to cope with her as she was once such a quiet little confidence giver! She's been seen regularly by physio, dentist, saddler, back specialist etc.

When I've gone in harsh and tried to tell her off the problem escalates and she becomes more and more erratic with rearing etc and becoming worked up. I've also tried just sitting quietly and using a little nudge of leg to try and get her past things: which just resulted in her going sideways/backwards for about half hour and having her back legs in the hedge or taking off across farmers fields.

She's also become very aggressive to bring in/put out, with rearing, striking out and pushing you into hedges.

If anyone has any advice or has any suggestions of things to try then I would greatly appreciate it!

Thanks in advance! :)
 
As this is more than just a ridden issue, and is a behavioural issue, I think I'd get vet back out. Query something hormonal? giant follicle / ovary issue. Have heard of hormonal issues making mares uncomfortable under saddle and aggressive to handle.
 
She's really trying to tell you that she hurts somewhere, you just haven't found it yet. Horses do not change after 2.5 years for no reason. Get her a full and comprehensive veterinary work up. If she has already had one and nothing been found dig deeper/go to a referral centre.
 
I have a horse that was exactly the same, used to have to get chased into the areana at competitions, we even had to retire at the dressage regionals because she reversed out the area as she didn't like the judges hut. I will say she didn't suddenly change she was always a nightmare from a 4 yr old and there isn't a part of that horse's body that hasn't been x-rayed, scanned, poked or prodded over the years nothing has even been found the matter.

Having changed yards and trainer and with vets advice we had to take the assumption it was a training issue and most likely down to the fact the horse wasn't in front of my leg or properly mouthed. We spent months with her on long reins in and out of a mouthing bit. There was a good few tantrums but I'm pleased to say schooling wise we are in such a better place now moved up two dressage levels and not reversed once in our re entry to the competition circuit.

Health issues aside, as i did investigate this first, i'd say she does it because she can, potentially behind the leg and not soft into the hand. The horse needs to be thinking forward all the time, i do occasionally feel my horse just go to look at something but i can now put a bit more leg on and she knows she must keep going forward.
 
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I have a nappy one too ossy, like you mine has always been nappy and other than a slight worsening at spring/autumn when she has a strong season she's pretty much the same all the time, it's a learnt behaviour that I'm slowly chipping away at.

But something has triggered OP's horse to change in the last 6 months... it's quite possible that it's just a behavioural or training issue but strange for it to spontaneously start when the horse has been going well prior to that....
 
Her previous owners had serious issues with her: she was for sale for 3 years with them and they couldn't get rid of her, but they were very inexperienced and scared of her (and she was 4 when they bought her) so I put it down to this. We've had her scoped for ulcers but will think about getting the vet out again.

I should add that this has been a gradual build up over the 6 months rather than a sudden change.
 
If you hadn't have got her going better for such a long time it could well be said to be related.

As you say it is gradual it is possible it is something that has got progressively worse, or she had been holding herself differently which then makes her more uncomfortable though perhaps less likely the latter given the other people who have seen her.

There are certainly a few members on here with horses who have behaved similarly, people have said it was behavioural, including physios etc but further investigation has thrown up boney problems. At least you can tick the scope off the list. The aggressiveness on the ground would probably have me start with ovaries.
 
I think when you have had a horse for a reasonable amount of time you get a gut feel of what is normal for them in terms of behaviour.

If that declines then there will be a reason.

I bought my competition horse back to work after weaning. She started off just a bit sharper and fizzier than normal. I didn't think much of it. This got subtly slightly worse over a period of 4 months until she couldn't do anything else other than scream at me (started to nap / plant / threaten rear). At that point she was shipped off to the vets.

What you describe is not normal for a horse you have ridden for a while with no major issues.
 
Mine had pretty bad behavioural issues when she came to me. After having everything investigated, including having some intensive dentistry and having her ovaries scanned, we had a gastroscope done and to our shock, had bleeding grade 3 ulcers ! She was in extreme pain ! Yours is definitely telling you something so you need to start the long process of finding out what (and it may cost you a few pennies). As well as treating the ulcers (we will never be totally 'cured' of them as she is predisposed to them, so they need very careful and pricey management), we have also had a complete bridle and bit re-think, changed the girth, saddle is checked and tweaked twice a year, had physio. All this for a 'low maintenance' cob (???)
 
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