Napping to the back of the ride!

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cob1

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Hi everyone,

When out on a hack alone, and at the front or riding 2 abreast with one other horse, my cob does a quick rear and spin and turns around, and if with another horse tries to go follow behind.

Hes not trying to throw you off, and i dont get any warning usually - he actually goes forward nicely off the leg, often to be in front and then decides he doesnt want to be there. He always does this going to the right, and putting a horse beside him doesnt help. He does this only for about the first mile or so outwards, and otherwise he is fab - responsive and generally enjoys himself, even between the naps he is perfect.

He is a big lad - 16.1 HW cob with a short neck - and once he sets it it can be hard to flex it again!

He is absolutely fine in the school, in a bigger group etc, and has had all checks done recently.

I am tempted to say it is his confidence .... but how can we improve him as he is otherwise my perfect ned?
 
sounds like confidence. When he has done this, what do you do? Do you then continue the ride where he has chosen to be or do you insist he goes back to the position he was in? Has he always done this or is it something that has come on more recently?
 
I would say its probably confidence.
Mine is a nappy little so and so....he is 12. but absolutely fine in company, and fine with someone on a bike.
It sounds like yours is scared to take the lead. Its good on a hack to alternate so that he does a bit where he is in the front and then another horse goes ahead and get the distances between you further with time.
Really hope it all gets sorted out soon.
 
Glosgirl - If he naps, i always make him go back to where he was (unless there is a safety issue) as i dont want him to think he is getting the better of me. Then sometimes i might wait a little while and pull him back behind the other horse, as im not keen on constantly fighting with him, especially if lots of cars.

He has done it since coming back into full work after an injury in the summer last year - he was brought back into work gradually over 6 months - hence why he gets regular back, saddle etc checks.

Thanks skychick - i will give it a go!
 
interesting that he has just done it after coming back to work. Do you think it might be that the camber of the road could be causing him discomfort? Though I guess it might just be that he is still quite a baby, so time after off work might take longer to get his confidence back than it does his fitness. If you know he does it at certain points of the ride or at certain time intervals, it might be better to take him behind the lead horse before he feels he has to act strongly to achieve this. Over time building up the time he spends at the front. So long as he is in a position he feels safe in, before the pressure builds up as such, then he has a break towards the back, it might make it less of a big deal for him and you can slowly wean him off the worries?
 
My boy just started to do this recently, but by reversing to the back of the ride! I turn him back the way we have come and then rein-back until we get to the front again. He soon gets fed up of going backwards. I also give a little growl and some positive leg (not a big boot up the arse!). Have you tried alternating your boy in different positions in the ride so he gets a break from being at the front, but at a time of your choosing? It does sound like a confidence issue.
 
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