Napping help

[nuttychestnut]

Hi, just wondering if anyone had any ideas to help with my horse's napping on hacks.
He will lead on a hack but will suddenly stop and run backwards to the horse behind. My issue is I cannot kick him forwards as he just keeps going backwards towards the other horse. If I horse too much force he will kick out out a sharp tap or rear.
Completely lost at what to try next.
He's just coming back into work so I cannot work through the issues via schooling. I have been long reining him to get him confident going out alone either around the yard or field.
Any suggestions welcome. Thanks!

 

[gina2201]

I used to have a nappy chestnut but more when he went out on his own. He tended to stop and not go forward preferring to go up or backwards.

I would suggest not kicking or flapping, sit quietly but maybe turn him in a circle or two as it stops the going backwards part. I was able to after circling push on forwards in the right direction and that was it then for the rest of the ride!

 

[nuttychestnut]

Oh I've not thought of that, I'll try it next time I ride out. Thanks!

 

[FfionWinnie]

Don't let him turn. As soon as he does you've lost. My new horse was a two hands on one rein job to haul her back round/stop her going. Took me a week to cure her. Carry a schooling whip in the hand he turns to and frankly, don't be afraid to use it. My other horse was a much worse napper than new one and she would rear as well. Ultimately after a lot of faffing about because the rearing scared me I got sick of it and smacked her one with the schooling whip every time she thought about it and once she realised I wasn't scared of her she packed it in too. Wish I'd taken her on a lot sooner.

If you don't want to do that long reining them is another thing to try because you can strongly send them forward. But you have to be ready for them to have a big tantrum, wear a hat, good boots and gloves and hang on for grim death because every time they win the behaviour is further reinforced.

Also if they are doing anything but going forward your leg should be on but as soon as they even think about going forwards take your leg off.

Doing in hand work with a pressure halter will also help and I've also led them out from another horse for a couple of weeks with no rider. Strangely that works, I don't know why.

The most important thing is the speed in which you react, it's too late once they've managed to turn round even a few steps, you've got to be lightning fast to stop the behaviour before it starts really.

 

[Fides]

Don't forget to get the usual checks done too - saddle, back and teeth

 

[nuttychestnut]

He's had teeth, back & saddle check. He's under the care of vet and physio currently. He's as sound as he can be currently. Ulcer have been present but now clear and still using Gastroguard, so I am pretty certain its not pain related. Walk and trot are swinging through, so I think he feels ok in his self.

My real issue is because he naps directly into the horse behind him I struggle to kick him forwards due to the fear of him kicking the other horse. He doesn't spin or try to turn, he just runs backwards to the support of the other horse. If the 'nanny' horse walks level with his should whilst he is napping, he just walks on as if nothing has happened.

Hacking alone is not an option at the moment as we go directly onto a very busy A road.

I don't get the napping when long reining him, only when ridden, so it must be something I am doing incorrectly.

It is almost like I need him to be bit or kicked by the horse he runs into to for him to understand it is not acceptable!

I think it is time to beg the other half to come out and get ready to tap him forward with a crop from the ground!

Thanks for the help!

 

[ihatework]

Spin him round on a tightish circle

 

[nuttychestnut]

Thanks! Hacking again on Tuesday so will try all of these tactics and see what works. I cannot wait to get schooling again and have lessons as hopefully I will be able to get this baby behaviour back under control!

 

[unicornystar]

you can try spinning him, if he rears anyway it's worth a shot walking him backwards in the direction you want to go, thats currently working on my my irish nappy baby, or sitting and doing absolutely nothing until he is bored, however you have to have willing co riders to sit that one out!

Mine locks his shoulder and either goes up if you push or has an absolute paddy, defo not pain related he appears to be going through a teenage phase lol, flicking the reins over his shoulders seems to be better than using the whip currently, the element of surprise!! And yes you have to be QUICK as hell to shock them!!!

 

[ironhorse]

As unicornmystar suggests, flicking them with the reins sometimes shocks them into going forward, or you could use a 'wip ***' which is a short, thick piece of rope used in front of the saddle at horses that kick out at the whip - Kelly Marks has done a lot of work with these, so worth a google or you tube search.
I did once very successfully shock a friends horse into going forward in an emergency when he was napping badly on a busy road by leaning off my horse and giving him a sharp slap on the rump with my stick, but you need to be quite co-ordinated with your fellow rider to do this!

 

[Mike007]

Turn him round and rein back till he is so bloody fed up that when you turn him forwards ,he goes. This does work!

 

[elliefiz]

I would flex the horse in a very small circle, making sure you disengage the hind quarters by making him step over behind. Keep circling him until he stops and gives to your hand, ie flexes from the poll, then release. He should stand still , if he doesn't, circle again until he realises the point of it is to stop. Otherwise he will have learnt nothing from it. This was the basic thing I learnt from a Warwick Schiller clinic for my big, nappy, bolting TB and was the starting point of a complete transformation for the horse.

 

[AengusOg]

I would flex the horse in a very small circle, making sure you disengage the hind quarters by making him step over behind. Keep circling him until he stops and gives to your hand, ie flexes from the poll, then release. He should stand still , if he doesn't, circle again until he realises the point of it is to stop. Otherwise he will have learnt nothing from it. This was the basic thing I learnt from a Warwick Schiller clinic for my big, nappy, bolting TB and was the starting point of a complete transformation for the horse.

This is good advice.

The horse must be taught to yield to the rein. If he is not yielding, he is resisting, and it becomes a test of strength and will which he will win.