Napping/spinning in road and a lost nerve!

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ChestnutConvert

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I've recently taken on a horse and we get on well, quite often i have to hack out alone and when taking cetain routes he will make a fuss. The problem area is a v in the road where you can take either road to return to the yard. If i want to take the left route he will spin and fight, i wouldn't be so worried and would get on and deal with it but i have lost a bit of confidence as this is on a road that does have users and not every driver is understanding. Other than this we have no problems, he's alert, loves to look around but i like this as wouldn't want to have a 'plodder'!
I know another horse being there would hlp but this isn't always possible, i wouldn't go using a whip or anything, would a person on foot be any help?

Any advice would be great as i'd like to keep my confidence up and enjoy riding him.
 
Yes I would say having a person on foot for a few times would help. It helped me, as did having a nanny horse. However this does mean that whenever I go out with a person on foot or with a nanny horse she is reluctant to lead! But I think that is a small price to pay for a more confident horse! also leading them down it could help. Is there anything in particular he is backing off at? It could be something really small that is upsetting him. If he stops at exactly the same point try and see what it is thats causing it - it might be a bit further down the road.

Mine used to do this at a road sign that had fallen over and I had to count to her to keep her moving forwards and then praised her a lot afterwards. She doesnt do it now and if she tries, I count and she carries on - tbh I think the counting helps me relax and makes her trust me more but it works!
 
That's the annoyting thing, if i ride the route the other way round her will go where i say no problem, passing the same objects. There doesn't seem to be anything that he is spooking at just that he is saying i want to go this way! I think tyhat he knows he is on his way home and maybe tries to pick the very slightly shorter route!

I will try again, persevere i do sing to myself and deep breathe to keep it all calm but the nagging thought of a car behibd me springs into mind.
 
I know I am going to get shot down by the nicely nicely elite but sometimes you just ahve to get ANGRY!!!

My mare if she thinks she can get away with it will rear and spin if she thinks she can it drives me mental!!! One day she did it INTO an oncoming car ans I lost the plot and started screaming blue murder at her and I chased her along the road after the car making her do it.

I havent had a rear and spin since but I have had a few attempted but now a growl and correction seems to be enough most of the time.:)

Nikki xxx
 
Yes, i agree with having someone on foot. And it does help if you trust the horse, as in, that you are not afraid of him. My old horse, Cooper used to nap at everything that wasn't routine. (He came from a riding school). When i got him, he wouldnt lead, wouldn't leave the yard, didn't want to go away from the stables to the arena, etc, nearly drove me mad, but i completely trusted him, and we got there in the end, plenty of leg, and a battle of wills, at times. He was a chancer, but once you'd get him to do it once, he was fine. Oh, and my confidence was crap, if it was any other horse, i'd have been petrified.
Dont know about the nanny horse, never worked for me, as there was never any napping while nanny horse was there, it was the issue of going by himself. Hope you get sorted, keep me posted, please!!
 
I havent had a rear and spin since but I have had a few attempted but now a growl and correction seems to be enough most of the time.:)

Nikki xxx[/QUOTE]

Growling does work sometimes, well actually, most of the time!!!
 
I agree that the road is not the place to school a horse, but if this is the only place that he does it, and you think he is just napping/being naughty, then I'd perhaps try early on a Sunday morning, and have someone in a car a couple of hundred yards in front and behind to slow down oncoming traffic.

If your confidence is going, leave it be for the minute, and spend the next few weeks hacking out with someone else - taking the route he doesn't like, initially with them in front for a few times, then riding two abrest (with you swapping sides) for a few times, then finally with you in front.... When he is doing all this without problems (perhaps let the horse be further and further behind each time?) then its the time to tackle it alone. You could always get a more confident rider to take him the first time. If he starts to spin and be silly, make him stand there until he's bored (could take a long while - you have to be patient). Sometimes if horse starts to nap/spin, I make it go round and round in a tight circle for a few rotations, which throws the horse off/ makes him lose his way for a moment, and then send him forward straight away. You may have to do this several times. Obviously you need someone watching for traffic too.

Good luck.x
 
I can totally empathise with you, polo pony did exactly the same.
I know you said you didn't want to use a crop, but when it happened to me I bought my self a riding crop and when he spun around, I pulled him back round and before he had chance to go back again he had a quick tap on the bum (polo ponies are very quick at spinning! ). After doing this for a few days all it took was 'a bit of leg' and now he barely spins. However he is still a bit of a bugger and has been jumping around and doing 'mini' bucks in the middle of the road, so the last couple of times I rode him and the next couple I have/will have a head collar over his bridle and my grandad leads me out for about 10/15 minutes each day and he's a different horse. So hopefully after a while we'll manage to go out on our own, I'm learning to be an optimist!! Good luck xx
 
Go first thing in the morning - literally first light -plaster yourself in high vis(better to be safe than sorry). And sit it out with him. Don't pressure him don't nag him but do not let him go the way he wants to just turn himback round (in the direction you want to go) Just sit there he will bore eventually I promise.Important to be totally passive tho don't get angry or aggressive just sit he will finally decide to go cos he's bored. Might be a long day but he won't do it again. Not a good idea to give a horse a crack on the road if you shock him with it and he slips he could do some serious damage to you both. Good luck
 
Yea a person on foot should help. My boy was a napper when we hacked alone. Used to just stop dead rear and spin then when he couldnt get away with that resorted to just stopping and walking backwards towards home lol he liked to think he was a funny sod :p And i agree whips do not work, tried it and it just made him ever more reluctant and bucked!! So i used to take my sister to walk along side and "wala" no nappy nappy. And if he did try it on instead of fighting just give a wee pat, stand for a minute, ask to go forwards and if it doesnt work leader leads for a second.
 
Thanks to all of you for suggestions, i'll be giving them a go in the next few days, unless he decides to behave which would be great. Like i said we get on well and i'm learning his cheeky side, it was just the fact that it was in the road and with a near nasty accident years ago that doesn't help.

I'll stay confident though and will get him where i say not where he decides!
Will let you know how it goes...
 
My horse is from time to time a bit nappy. until i discovered reversing. He's bad with a whip as he'll rear, and growling used to get me so far, now if he's a numpty and spins/plants, i simply turn him around, facing the way he wants to go and rein back. a long way. eventually i'll offer a turn around and he'll decide walking forwards is easier. if not, we simply reverse a bit further.

i know it may not work for all, but i've found this an effective way of at least getting in the direction i want to go!
 
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