Napping - can it be learnt?

[Emma_1994]

Hi everyone,

I took my horse out last Wednesday to a SJ clinic. There were two of us and the other horse was young and very nappy to the point of being dangerous. I ended up having to walk in front of her to get her horse to move and trot over a pole so her horse would follow. All was fine and I had a great time when I did jump.

Then this week I took him to the same clinic at the same venue and he started to not want to move away from the other horses when it was his time to jump. Once I got him going he was absolutely fine and happily cantered round past the other horses without a problem.

My question is can a horse learn that quickly and on only one occasion from another horse? In this case the horse from last week. I've had him 4 1/2 years and never ever experienced napping or any bad behaviour from him at a venue or out hacking on our own.

Thank you for your input!

 

[Barton Bounty]

In my experience yeah they can but they can very quickly forget it too. I would make sure I wasn’t in with that person again for your own sake

 

[Emma_1994]

In my experience yeah they can but they can very quickly forget it too. I would make sure I wasn’t in with that person again for your own sake

Thank you for your reply! I think that's what I'll do, make sure I'm not with that same horse again. Hopefully he'll be better at the next one!

 

[P.forpony]

Sounds like he picked up on the confusion and uncertainty in the other horse, and it made him a little insecure too.
They're herd animals after all, so if the horse next to them spooks and runs away they don't usually want to be the one left behind to be eaten by the lion!

Sounds like you did a good job on riding him through the memory of insecurity though so hopefully it won't be an issue in future.
I'd still agree with BB though on avoiding the other pair in future. No-one needs the risk.