Napping, Spinning Girl!

B

BonneMaman

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 December 2010
Messages
840
Visit site
I did not want to muscle in on the other drawreins post - Can I ask - would draw reins help with an extremely nappy mare that likes to spin at the slightest sign of anything scary or involves work?

I always thought that draw reins were used for getting a horse into an outline (personally never tried them as I don't believe in short cuts...) not behavioural issues? God, this could be my saving grace - I need something on my naughty mare! I never let her get away with spinning or napping and she gets a hefty smack when she does it but she is a big, strong girl and I find it very difficult to keep her straight between my hand and leg and going forward - she doesn't do anything when she spins - just tries to bolt off in walk! She is not sharp just nappy - actually she needs to be much more forward going as I find it very difficult to get her into and maintain canter!

She is a very very green 9yo ID x that has only been a broodmare up to this autumn - unbroken up to summer of 2009 but as she was pregnant I only lightly hacked her from September when I bought her up to March when I turned her away to give birth to and raise her last foal.

Any ideas?
 
I have no experience with draw reins but thought I'd let you know what I tried with a nappy horse which might help you?

I ride a stocky warmblood who I look like a pea on a drum on. He also used to do the spinny nappy thing when he was being a wimp and used his size to take advantage. I swapped his snaffle for a pelham - the idea being that I might be able to get some leverage on his stocky neck, and also that if he stuck his head up to spin around, he would tighten the reins and therefore the curb chain all by himself!

I've had great success with this...maybe it would work for you?
 
I had a spinny horse a few years back, ok not as big as yours but they were violent spins, never could tell when she was going to do it as we were facing the other way in a split second. My turning point was one day I managed to turn her back on her spin, I felt her baulk slightly and was just quicker than her that day. She never did it again.
 
I am anti draw reins but can understand why some people feel safer when using them. However, they can cause a horse to rear and fall over backwards as they remove the ability for the horse to balance itself with its neck. This happened to my friend on the road. She ended up with concussion, a dislocated shoulder and broken arm. It was the first time hacking in draw reins and the horse had never reared before.
 
Louby said:
I had a spinny horse a few years back, ok not as big as yours but they were violent spins, never could tell when she was going to do it as we were facing the other way in a split second. My turning point was one day I managed to turn her back on her spin, I felt her baulk slightly and was just quicker than her that day. She never did it again.
Click to expand...


Beacon was the master at this lol so much so when I broke my ankle and he went to training yard, the groom there refused to ride him lol

However if you made him go back the same way, then kept a good contact with your arms wide holding both sides so he could not spin and walked him past it (easier said than done, but lots of kicks and whip usually did it) He would not do it again.

however I never did completely cure him as he just 'had' to do it once each time we hacked just for the sake of it, it somehow made him feel better.

It usually happened so dam fast that I didn't have chance to move so no harm done. He would then get turned back the other way and verbally told off, otherwise he would keep doing it.

Draw reins may help but they may also encourage him to rear instead
 
I personally do not think draw reins would help unless she is sticking her nose up past the pint of control and running off.. Could well be worth trying her in something like a fulmer snaffle as it will give you a bit more control as she turns her head. The best thing to do is try and catch her before she gets into the spin but thats easier said then done!! Have you tried giving her a smack on the shoulder as she is going into the spin to straighen her up? :)
 
I would maybe consider a slightly stronger bit, not necessarily a pelham, but a strong snaffle (if your horse is already ina snaffle of course, as you don't say)

What about when your horse spins, keep him moving round on the circle until he is facing the way YOU were facing and then get him walking on. This way he'll learn that spinning round to get out work (which is what he sounds like he is trying to do!) doesn't actually do anything, as he ends up back to where he was!

I had a mare that would bolt off in the arena to get out of work, so one day when she done it, I pushed her on, and kept her going, even when she wanted to stop. She soon learnt that bolting meant MORE work!!

Good luck!!
 
I don’t believe draw reins is the real answer, if your horse is spinning because he’s spooking (as in frightened of things) then I think even with draw reins on, eventually they will find another way to avaid facing the demons, could potentially cause other behaviour problems when out on the roads.

To be fair on your mare, perhaps like you stated she’s just green, sometimes you just have to live with it till she comes more confident, maybe she needs more time to digest things (when hacking out alone) if she’s only just really come into work, therefore spending more time schooling, ground work and gaining her confidence over time, I know size is on the horses side and you need that added control but even with draw reins or a say a Market Harborough, if a horse is going to cart off with the rider, it will do so no matter what equipment you have them to be honest.

Maybe she’s not quite ready for the big wide world yet, perhaps ride out in company for a while?
 
oh you might also try a fulmer or full cheek to help you stop him spinning or at least turning him back the way you want him

just consistently turning him back the way him came and not all the way around usually works eventually
 
soulfull said:
oh you might also try a fulmer or full cheek to help you stop him spinning or at least turning him back the way you want him

just consistently turning him back the way him came and not all the way around usually works eventually
Click to expand...

I have her in a french link Fulmer bit...

Any more ideas??
 
I wonder if I have her sister..lol. When out hacking I do have to keep my wits about me or else I can get thrown out the side door. I was actually going to try a pelham.
 
Certainly ID x donkey that one! It's not that bad - all bark and no trousers really but really bloody anoying! I certainly do not want to teach her to go up though!
 
I know a pelham may not be a conventional solution but it definitely gave my warmblood food for thought and I'm never strong with my hands with it. Just my experience though! :D
 
If she stands up it can help that although not sure if it'd help the spinning, and it'd probably make the napping worse. I'd worry that with her arseing around you may let go off them of they may get tangled/stuck on something so i'd probably go without :)
 
I only had a metal pelham so wrapped some latex around it to make it a bit softer. Have since dispensed with that though as it got a bit grubby. Good luck :D and keep us updated!
 
Wagtail said:
I am anti draw reins but can understand why some people feel safer when using them. However, they can cause a horse to rear and fall over backwards as they remove the ability for the horse to balance itself with its neck. This happened to my friend on the road. She ended up with concussion, a dislocated shoulder and broken arm. It was the first time hacking in draw reins and the horse had never reared before.
Click to expand...

I am pro DRs (if you could call it that) in that, I know how to use then and how not to use them, although I have to say that in any horse I have had I have never used DRs for control issues, I have used them on 2 of mine that were 'stargazers' although I suppose that by encouraging them to lower their heads, the end result was improved control. I have also never had a horse 'rear up and go back in them' and both the stargazers had been known to rear, although never in the reins. I always used them as a back up to the rein and far slacker than it so that they only engaged when the horse put its head up.

Both the horses that I used DRs on had a tendency to nap and spin, although this never presented itself while I was using the DRs and hence I never used them in the correction. If I knew wherabouts the horse was going to nap (if it happened in the same place) I would trot the horse through it, the forward inpulsion is generally enough to make them forget about it. However, since your mare is quite green, I would suggest taking things slower allowing her to be shown the things that are scary, stand her facing them, she will tense and look to spin, keep a firm contact and a strong leg and scratch her neck to calm her, give her confidence in you leading her. once she relaxes ask her to go forward, she may only go on a step and freeze, at which point go through the same steps, or she may skit through, either way sit firm (like your in comand) and praise her with a pat or voice etc.

This is what worked with my mare, she was 7 and VERY green when I got her. If she looks to spin, turn her back on herself, keep your rein contact and be sharp/quick in your responses, try to stop her before she spins, you will feel her body back off and 'wobble' before it happens, brace yourself and ride with lots of comand and contact. :) good luck
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top