napping pony...need advice

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Cobs2010

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I have a cob mare that is used as a general pc pony. She has the habbit of napping. She usually napps because she is going away from home from other horses. I can usually get her down the road for about half a mile if I trot but then she just suddenly puts the brakes on and spins round and starts heading home. I have tried just putting pressure on the left hand rein to see if she will eventually turn around and that didn't work as all she did was pull to the right hand side, which usually ends up in me being squashed against a gate, fence or hedge.
Also whilst napping if I try and show her who the boss is she rears whilst squashing me against whatever is on the right hand side. If she naps on the yard whilst there's people around they can usually help me by just growling and walking up behind her to help me push her on but then in the middle of ride she will just randomly do it, and without any help I find it hard to deal with her.
Does anyone have any techniques I can try to stop her doing this? Riding at the moment is turning into a chore as I have to ride on the road as the fields are too wet to ride in :(
 
Get an instructor or trainer to help you. Most napping (all, actually) is just a horse which isn't forward and obedient to the rider's leg.
 
Has she had her back checked recently to ensure her saddle is a comfortable fit? There might be an underlying issue here rather than naughty behaviour!
 
Do you have someone with a forward going horse available to hack out with? That helped a lot with my old loan horse. How does she react out in hand? That might help.
 
Well done you for wanting to win the battle!

My suggestion would be to use a bit that cannot pull through her mouth, and do your noseband up fairly tight so the bit cannot pull through her mouth.
When she spins to the right you do not apply pressure to the left rein you haul hard on it using two hands if necessary and force her to go back to the left.
Carry your whip in your right hand and be ready with it - carry it so that it is pointing forward and she can see it. Use it hard along her neck should she spin right.
She is bullying you and you need to show her that you can give her a dose of her own treatment.
As for banging your leg, you might have to put up with this for a few rides until she learns you mean business.
 
Go back to being on the ground for a while. First lead her out where you want to go then with somone at her head to begin with longrein her. Practice longreining in the school to begin with if you havnt done it for a while or with her. It's generally a confidence issue so she needs to feel she can trust you. Don't hesitate to get off and lead her past the point where she naps its not a contest and a battle and inflicting pain on her will make the situation worse. My mare was very nappy but with patience and consistency and a good (Mary Wanless) riding instructor it's not an issue for us any more. Hitting doesn't work it makes things worse in the long run. Good luck :)
 
sounds to me more like this is a cob taking the pee - and I agree with the above - she is bullying you, and you need to get a grip on it hard and fast.

As soon as she even THINKS of having a strop, get on that left rein hard, and i would also have the whip in my left hand to smack her bum on the left side. If you are in a very safe place, not near a road, you could continue to circle her using the left rein, then ask her nicely to walk on again - and keep this up until she gets the message.

If she does manage to turn herself round, make her stand still, wait until you are safe, and then turn her back round and just stand still. Then ask for walk on, and so on.

I found that little mind games gradually start to make them realise that you mean what you say. My last horse was so bad (full on rears) that it took very long spurs and a lunge whip at the same time to get him focused. He'd been allowed to be the boss for far too long.
 
My mare used to nap. I don't know which reason it was, as I changed everything all in one go.
I changed her saddle to a bigger one, took out a crop with me, and walked her out in hand for around half an hour to a hour before.
She was never as bad as rearing etc. But she used to almost threaten to rear, and back up, she didn't care where she was, whether she was on the edge of a cliff she would still walk back.
I walked her out in hand for around 45 mins of the hack, and then mounted her, and she was walking fine, I kept a crop in view of her, and gave a little tap behind her girth if she didn't move, and she was responsive. Been a while since I've rode out alone on a hack though, so may not be long term haha.

But I would advice getting a instructor, cause it depends about different horses I guess, cause it could make your horse worse.
 
shysmum said:
sounds to me more like this is a cob taking the pee - and I agree with the above - she is bullying you, and you need to get a grip on it hard and fast.

As soon as she even THINKS of having a strop, get on that left rein hard, and i would also have the whip in my left hand to smack her bum on the left side. If you are in a very safe place, not near a road, you could continue to circle her using the left rein, then ask her nicely to walk on again - and keep this up until she gets the message.

If she does manage to turn herself round, make her stand still, wait until you are safe, and then turn her back round and just stand still. Then ask for walk on, and so on.

I found that little mind games gradually start to make them realise that you mean what you say. My last horse was so bad (full on rears) that it took very long spurs and a lunge whip at the same time to get him focused. He'd been allowed to be the boss for far too long.
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Completely agree with this one!!
 
I cant believe people are still advocating using whips and spurs and violence towards a horse that naps.... This really is the dark ages.

A horse naps for all sorts of reasons but generally through fear of something.

So, my first question. Do you want your horse to like you or just be frightened of you because you bully and hurt it?

To get a horse go forward if it doesnt want to...in the extreme, get off and lead it for a while, give it some confidence to continue.

If ever stuck for an idea when riding, ask yourself how you would deal with a four year old child in the same circumstances? More than likely you will think of ways to 'guide' or help them through the situation.

Whips are for people who cant be bothered to work through the situation and trust me, long term, dont work!
 
I think its very hard to judge a situation like this until you actually see it. The pony could be napping because of lack of confidence or because the rider is not strong enough and it knows it can. I've seen both situations many times over the years and they both need very different handling. OP, please get a good instructor to come and assess your pony, then you will have a good idea on the reasons behind it and possible solutions. Good luck. :)
 
well if a horse is becoming dangerous napping (and my last horse certainly was), I certainly was not going to faff around... he was in the last chance saloon. Artificial aids are there to be used for specific purposes, and by people who know when and how to apply them.
 
In response to the horror about using a whip, do you think that a mare in the field will try to understand a big stroppy foal when he is playing up? Any use of a whip should be instant, proportionate and stop the second the bad behaviour stops. A napping horse is certainly an unhappy horse - they are insecure if they feel that there rider is not in control, which will often show when they are on their own away from home. It's pretty frustrating because you have an insecure horse, that really wants to do what you say, but just cannot help checking out that you really are in control.

I also suggest an instructor as they can assess the horse and will be able to tell if any of the suggestions here put you at risk. You might also want to consider doing what I am doing with my Friesian mare at the moment and get someone more experienced to hack him out alone a few times.

I quite like the wipwop or giddy up rope. This is a length of very soft rope, frayed at one end. First sign of napping you swing it from side to side across your legs and his shoulders at speed - the idea is not to cause any pain, but to provide a startling instant response to bad behaviour. A thin twig with leaves on can work - but whatever you use it should startle not hurt. However - here is the disclaimer. Be aware that this might not be a great idea on a horse that rears and that you need to be absolutely sure you can handle the startle response you get. My best advice is still to get an instructor.

Good luck.

Paula
 
I would carry lunging tack with you. When he stops, immediately get of and lunge/long-reain down the road for a bit. then return to the spot where she napped, get on and try again. Praise any advance she makes.
Worked for me :D
 
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