Napping mare

[caitlin95uk]

I havee a reallly bad napping mare! She is 5 years old and a welsh cob and i know they can be stroppy but is sooo gentle when it comes to grooming and leading and little kids but her one problem is when I go in the school, we have bushes running along two sides.. my mare will not even go anywhere near them.. she stops plants her feet and when i kick her she goes backwards and if i keep kicking her and smack her she will kick out or rear... also when we go out on a hack she wont lead.. she will do what she does in the school. Any ideas on how to stop this or any ideas on how to get her to lead.. plus i know she isnt scared as she wiill walk past the bushes following or if someone else is in the school.. back, teeth and saddle have been done but now i know it must be stroppiness!!

 

[ofcourseyoucan]

taking the p?

 

[caitlin95uk]

yehh she does very badly and she gets away with it cuz i panic when she rears and kicks out

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

At 5 she is young enough for you to help her get over it, you just have to keep at it i am afraid and once they nap i dont think they necessarily never do it again. My mare has napped since i had her, goes through phases of not napping then gets nappy again. My girl does similar things, planting feet and walking backwards.
You could try some long reining on top of the general perseverance. I think with napping its just a case of keep treating them as if there is nothing wrong with the bushes by staying calm and taking the lead if needs be, think she is just taking the p though as they do

 

[Ginny24]

Sounds very much like mine

Ginny would NOT walk without someone leading infront. She would plant and nothing could make her go forward.
I got a RI to follow behind on foot, she told me step by step what to do and gave me a little more confidence when Ginny played up a bit. (I would recommend getting a RI out)
Basically, you have to be one step ahead. Make sure she has a nice, springy walk, kept at the same rhythm ( I don't care if she likes to plod or whatever, Ginny plodded, you HAVE to keep the rhythm) As soon as you feel the rhyme break, or she slows down push her forward (using the whip if necessary) She is not allowed to slow down unless you ask for it.
I hope that helps, that worked for Ginny and she did mini-rears, kicks out etc. like yours when she had stopped

Good luck!!

 

[caitlin95uk]

yeahhh well she was broken in at 3 years 3months then was sold to a riding school which has given her very bad habiits! thnnz im goin to try all this as it is driving me mad and i get angry and then she takes the mickk more!!

 

[Mithras]

You have to get her moving off your leg and listening to your aids, rather than her making the rules! I know its rather difficult when she won't go in half the school! Upward and downwards transitions are useful, particularly upward, if she does not answer your leg aid immediately, back it up with a tap from a schooling whip or reinforce your leg aid with spurs. Do not look at the object she is napping at, ignore it completely and remain calm.

 

[caitlin95uk]

i have also read on a website to take a bottle of stones and shake it when she backs up.. i think this may work as wen i lost mi hatsilk i rubbed my hat which made a funny noise and she went shootin off which i dnt mind as long as she isnt napping :/

 

[Izzwizz]

My mare used to be like this and can still be at times 3 yrs on. Ride in spurs and use a schooling whip helps and my Instructor taught me to ride small circles all the time making our way towards the spooky corner of the school, she didnt really notice as was too busy to spook/nap. We also do shoulder in to help, again shes too busy to notice whereabouts in the school she is. Lots of praise and perserverance Im afraid. Have you tried Naf Oestress? Mine is a lot better on that, keep her on it all year now. With regard to hacking out, I used to lead her on a small route, then ride her on it, keeping it very small so that she knew where she was, this built her confidence up and gradually we extended our ride further. It worked and we can now hack out up to 2hrs on our own. She can still be a handfull but rarely, its a time and patience thing and she has to trust you. The saying "ask a mare and tell a gelding is quite true in my experience. Once you have built that relationshop and trust you have a friend for life.

Good luck !!

 

[cazrider]

Have you tried leading her on a circuit of the school when you first go in there so that she gets used to it before you get on? You would be more confident then too. That worked for my section d, who can be like yours.