Napping/planting help!!!

[Chocoholic]

Hi everyone I’m looking for any advice you may have.

I’m currently loaning a 28 year old pony. He’s still in work which involves schooling (no jumping) and hacking. He’s always been unsure of hacking alone but I have made great progress with him and he was hacking out alone quite confidently.
Just before Christmas he went lame with cellulitis and was treated with antibiotics and ended up having four weeks off being ridden. Since then he has hacked out in company but will not go on his own or with me on foot and my daughter riding. He usually just plants and refuses to move or when I’m on him he reverses backwards last time into a ditch. I have tried waiting it out (for over an hour sometimes) I’ve tried getting after him, sitting quietly, turning tight circles and getting off and leading him none of which have worked. He’s perfectly happy to school and doesn’t put a hoof wrong
He’s currently only shod on the fronts so I’m going to have some shoes put on his backs in case he’s foot sore. He’s had his teeth checked last weekend and no issues there. I’m going to get a physiotherapist out ( any recommendations in the chesterfield area greatly appreciated)
Is it possible that he’s related hacking out to the pain from his cellulitis as we took him out the day before? He’s also not being turned out as he suffers terribly with mud fever and the cellulitis is related to this (we are on waiting list to move yards) I also wondered if this is effecting his change in behaviour. His owner is very supportive and has also suggested helping me do some long reining.
So sorry for such long post just want to give you as much info as I can. If there’s anything else you need to know please ask
Thanks Sam

 

[doodle]

A 28yo who isn’t turned out is likely to be very stiff. It may simply be hurting him to go out for a hack.

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

I’m guessing cystitis is really cellulitis? As long as the old chap isn’t in pain from any issues... I’m reading ..hacks in company but doesn’t when on own with me....I wonder how long you have been loaning pony for...his behaviour may be a lack in confidence in you which time will improve.

 

[Chocoholic]

A 28yo who isn’t turned out is likely to be very stiff. It may simply be hurting him to go out for a hack.

I’ve thought this also. But wouldn’t he also be stiff in the school? He’s perfectly happy in there - in fact I’m having to stop him from wanting to canter all the time.
I have turned him out today with mudfever powder on and boots (he is currently free from mud fever at the moment) the problem is he often just stands at the gate in the mud wanting to come in. At the moment there is no option to move as everywhere is full or unsuitable. I also hand graze and turn him out in the school. I’m really hoping these turn out boots help and he can continue to go out but I’m sure you can appreciate the owner doesn’t want to risk another bout of cystitis and neither do I

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I'm a bit confused. Cystitis is a urinary tract infection/bladder infection. Is that what you mean?

 

[Chocoholic]

I’m guessing cystitis is really cellulitis? As long as the old chap isn’t in pain from any issues... I’m reading ..hacks in company but doesn’t when on own with me....I wonder how long you have been loaning pony for...his behaviour may be a lack in confidence in you which time will improve.

Hi I’ve only had him from October so no time at all. He was hacking really well with me in his own just before the cellulitis so maybe he has just lost his confidence again. His owner says he’s always been nappy and never did a lot on his own. I might just take him in company only for a while to build up his confidence again.

 

[Chocoholic]

I'm a bit confused. Cystitis is a urinary tract infection/bladder infection. Is that what you mean?

Yes sorry should read cellulitis

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

At 28 and a history of being nappy I think you ll have your work cut out changing the behaviour. I’d stick to going out with company which will make the experience pleasant for both of you.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Thanks for the clarification.

Do you hack circular/lollipop shaped routes or do you ever turn on the spot and come home the same way that you went out?

 

[Chocoholic]

Thanks for the clarification.

Do you hack circular/lollipop shaped routes or do you ever turn on the spot and come home the same way that you went out?

I was doing a circular route as I’ve read a lot on napping lol. I started off doing a short circular route and gradually ventured further a field once he was more confident. Since his time off he just plants and won’t move so I can’t even achieve the short route I’ve had to give in (after sitting in the same spot for an hour) and eventually go home so apart of me feels he now knows he’s done this before and got his own way this makes me feel quite despondent

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Go back to walking him in hand on a reduced version of your short route for about a week then try and do it on board.

 

[Chocoholic]

Go back to walking him in hand on a reduced version of your short route for about a week then try and do it on board.

Hi thanks but he won’t even walk out in hand. He’s very stubborn in his old age lol

 

[Winters100]

Hi thanks but he won’t even walk out in hand. He’s very stubborn in his old age lol

When you say that he 'won't walk in hand what do you mean? What do you do to try to make him and what is his reaction?

 

[sport horse]

I would send him back to the owner and find something younger to loan. You could spend a fortune on vets fees trying to ascertain whether he is in pain. If he has a history of being nappy he is not going to change at 28 years old. Time for retirment for him.

 

[Chocoholic]

When you say that he 'won't walk in hand what do you mean? What do you do to try to make him and what is his reaction?

Hi if I try and take him out in hand he just plants and refuses to move

 

[Chocoholic]

I would send him back to the owner and find something younger to loan. You could spend a fortune on vets fees trying to ascertain whether he is in pain. If he has a history of being nappy he is not going to change at 28 years old. Time for retirment for him.

Hi I don’t actually pay anything towards him the owner covers all the costs. I’m friends with the owner and she asked me if I’d like to have sole care of him as he wasn’t enjoying his retirement.

 

[laura_nash]

Do you really need to hack out alone? At his age with his history of not wanting to go out alone I'm not sure this is a fight I would pursue.

If you need to ride alone due to timings, can you borrow a small pony to ride and lead so he has company, or you lead a small pony and daughter rides?

 

[Winters100]

Hi if I try and take him out in hand he just plants and refuses to move

Well i wonder if he is just trying it on and has learned that he is able to refuse to go out and will get taken back home. Personally if a horse did this while I was leading I would carry a schooling whip and give him a tap to ask him to move forward.

 

[StowfordPress]

You could try bringing someone on a bike and going first/ having them lead and go off or behind as he starts feeling braver.

 

[Chocoholic]

Do you really need to hack out alone? At his age with his history of not wanting to go out alone I'm not sure this is a fight I would pursue.

If you need to ride alone due to timings, can you borrow a small pony to ride and lead so he has company, or you lead a small pony and daughter rides?

Not possible unfortunately I think for now i’m going to ride him in company and see how he goes just a shame as he was doing really well and seemed to be enjoying hacking out alone

 

[Chocoholic]

Well i wonder if he is just trying it on and has learned that he is able to refuse to go out and will get taken back home. Personally if a horse did this while I was leading I would carry a schooling whip and give him a tap to ask him to move forward.

Myself and his owner think he is trying it on. He is very clever and it doesn’t take him long to pick up new tricks. He tried a similar thing after I’d hand grazed him in some grass at the yard where he then refused to move away. Part of me thinks I just need to break the habit. Might need to schedule a day where I just sit it out no matter how long it takes x

 

[LEC]

If he won’t even walk out in hand by himself you have no hope under saddle. I am slightly astonished he won’t lead and this needs solving. How does he know if it’s going to the field or out for a walk? Does he lead at all other times?

 

[Chocoholic]

If he won’t even walk out in hand by himself you have no hope under saddle. I am slightly astonished he won’t lead and this needs solving. How does he know if it’s going to the field or out for a walk? Does he lead at all other times?

This has only started recently. He leads fine all round the yard but once he gets to the end of the drive he realises he’s going on a hack and just plants

 

[AdorableAlice]

What happens if you get someone to give him a crack up the arse with a long tom ?

 

[Chocoholic]

What happens if you get someone to give him a crack up the arse with a long tom ?

Not yet tried this. However yesterday he planted on the way home when my daughter was riding him and I leading him, we planned to wait it out 30mins later luckily for us a lady who also had horses walking her dogs gave him a push from behind and we were on our way again

 

[TreeDog]

My gelding can get stuck in reverse gear when he wants to go the shortcut home and I want to go the longer route. I have found what works (I think I'd seen someone recommend this on this forum before), if safe to do so and if you can, is to rein back in the direction you want to go. After a few steps turn 180 and ask to walk on, if he refuses turn again immediately and back up further. Going backwards is difficult, whether he gives up because he's fed up of going back or we're far enough up the track he gives up on the shortcut I'm not sure. But I find this much easier than having an argument about going forwards, and worrying what he's reversing into if he starts going backwards. I haven't been riding regularly enough since the napping started to know if this will get him out of the habit long term, but he seems to be improving!

 

[Lois Lame]

I have tried waiting it out (for over an hour sometimes)...

If you do the waiting out method, you have to be of the mindset that you will stay with it until he does what you want.

If you can only sit and wait for a certain length of time, he'll probably sense that from the very beginning.

 

[Lois Lame]

I'm intrigued that he enjoyed hacking out alone before the cellulitis. Maybe he does associate that with the hacking out alone. Who knows? Was that hack beforehand without company when he came down with cellulitis? Apparently cellulitis is an extremely painful condition. Maybe somewhere in his mind it's all the fault of hacking out alone.

But it also sounds like you are not assertive with him. It seems a shame that the hacking out alone is currently at a standstill (literally) when all concerned used to enjoy it so much.

I wonder... (warning: this will sound nuts) whether you can tell him as you prepare for the next ride, that hacking out alone does not cause cellulitis. Tack him up with confidence and off you go. Tell him he is fine, the Cellulitis ain't coming back.

Be the confident Top Dog.

 

[Chocoholic]

UPDATE

the farrier has been today and he has an abscess in his right hind hoof which is likely to be why he has started refusing to go out. Thanks for all your help everyone this has taught me to trust my gut as I was sure something was a miss because although he can be nappy it has never been to this extreme.

 

[poiuytrewq]

What happens if you get someone to give him a crack up the arse with a long tom ?

I’m actually laughing at my stupidness here, I had to google Long Tom. Google tells me it’s a type of shot gun, this would absolutely get him going forward ?