Napping Horse - Calmer?

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Omi

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Hi,
My mare is a napper she naps on the road refuses to go forward spins and then vertically rears I am at my wits end with her and don't know what to do? I currently have her on frisky mare by global herbs but it hasn't helped this situation she has also started napping when she has to turn away from other horses in a riding lesson.
Do you think a calmer could help?
She's had everything I can think of checked, back, teeth, saddle, feet.
any suggestions would be great.
 
It just sounds like a confidence issue to me, not something a calmer will solve. My mare was exactly the same.

This method worked perfectly and she now hacks everywhere and anywhere alone (she really was bad being an ex racer who had never hacked alone).

If she's safe to do so hack her out in hand. Do a short route regularly in hand until she becomes confident in leaving the yard, then hack her out on the same route in hand but get on just a couple of minutes from home on your way back. Build up getting on sooner and sooner everytime. Builds their confidence a treat :)
 
Wouldn't have thought so. Napping is usually a confidence issue, or a learned behavior from a confidence/pain issue in the past. What's she like in company? Or (however experienced you are) someone more experienced than you?
 
My mare is on magic. Has done amazing things for us but given a chance she still naps. Just naughtiness in her case.
Don't think a calmer would do anything about napping.
 
OP- Your horse is doing what my daughters started doing almost a year ago. I tried everything and tbh id say you really need to nip this in the bud before it gets out of hand. I always said I couldn't afford to get a professional in.
We now have a virtually unrideable horse and I have to admit probably if id asked for help in the beginning we might not be in this awful mess. I am devastated and blame myself totally so would wholeheartedly recommend you just get someone really good to help and advise straight away before you end up like me!
 
poiuytrewq said:
OP- Your horse is doing what my daughters started doing almost a year ago. I tried everything and tbh id say you really need to nip this in the bud before it gets out of hand. I always said I couldn't afford to get a professional in.
We now have a virtually unrideable horse and I have to admit probably if id asked for help in the beginning we might not be in this awful mess. I am devastated and blame myself totally so would wholeheartedly recommend you just get someone really good to help and advise straight away before you end up like me!
Click to expand...

Have you tried the method I suggested out of interest? I hope you can fid a solution
 
My boy gets like this when he is turned out with mares. I had him on rigcalm and he was fine, ive recently started using magnesium oxide instead as its cheaper and he's also good on that. Is she coming into season cos our mares really bad at the mo?
 
Immys I have yes. It worked to an extent as in I can get him off the yard now and can on occasion ride him out in a fashion as opposed to not even leaving home! But he still does it to the point he's fallen on the road and is just not safe to be around traffic as he has absolutely no sense on self preservation! When he spins he has and will hit whatever's behind or to the side. I can't imagine letting my daughter back on him even if she ever wanted to.
 
Mine used to be like this. Is now almost perfect to hack. I started with in hand walks gradually getting longer and different routes, then did the same with company. The breaking point was when I bought some sheepskin cheek pieces, so he could only look forward and had to listen to me instead of imagining all sorts of monsters everywhere. 2 weeks of these and problem solved. It re occurs in a milder fashion every now and then, and I just put the cheek pieces back on for one or 2 rides and it settles again. Best £10 I ever spent. In his case it is very much a confidence issue, and calmers made not an iota of difference, waste of money....and a lot of time in trying them all, although brewers yeast is brilliant, he has that in his feed daily and has had for months.
 
Patience and persisstance is what you need I think...wish they bottled it, they'd make a fortune! :D

Agree with what people are saying, its a confidence issue and will take time, find an instructor or experienced person/friend thats willing to help? She just needs to realise its ok to leave the others and she will return to them eventually!

Good luck x
 
Although I think you need to work through this (as Immy suggested I am a fan of getting them confident in hand before riding as it is easier to keep them facing forward and I find less stressful than being carted around backwards, sideways and in circles) I think if you haven't tried magnesium oxide it is worth a go as a lot of UK grazing is low in it.

My horse is nappy and was spooky although much better recently, when she is nervous and spooky she is more nappy, mag ox is cheap and worth a try in my opinion.

I thought it made a small difference to my mare but wasn't sure, then we ran out for a week and Christ I couldn't order more of it fast enough!

I don't think it will solve the napping but it sounds like your horse gets worked up and goes into orbit when you try to push her on, so it might help with that. Try to stay calm and not get too intense (reserve that for when there's a car coming towards you and you HAVE to move).
 
I'm going to say yes.

I had a gelding who was always really anxious (and would spin and run with no warning.) I invested in some nupafeed calmer, which really really did the trick. It helped him not to be so anxious, so that I had a chance to correct his behaviour.

Hope you sort it out :)
 
Thank you all for your replies - I am a confident rider but when she nearly flipped on me I have lost my nerve a little. We've got someone riding her once a week hacking her for me, so I think until she is completely fine with him on the road I might not try my self. She doesn't do it in situations shes fine with, I have bought some Zylkene Equine recommended my a vet.
I think I will try the leading in hand, but I don't want her to go up whilst leading her as I am worried that an accident could happen if I had to let go.
 
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