napping-what should I do?!??!

[pagancluf]

Claire - gonna try this one too - can make him back up so could be the way. thanks

 

[pagancluf]

Vic - youre a babe - will try but the laugh as he bucks will take some practice!!

thanks xx

 

[pagancluf]

thanks honey - this may well be the case - standing and wirting out xmas card list if I have to!!!

 

[pagancluf]

BethH - you nearly made me cry. Thank god I am not abusive and never will be - he is such a softie on the ground, bless him so will go with the views of the forum members - thank you so much every one - you have been there AGAIN when I need you. xxxxxxxxx

 

[BethH]

I hope you didn't mean that i'd upset you???? I just read the bit about you being a softie and not wanting to have to hit him and thought good for you for wanting to find a different route. Just to explain - I can't tell you how many people told me that my horse was deliberately difficult, was taking the mickey out of me or that I was too soft with him and they all told me to have a confrontation with him and make sure I won the arguement - in other words hit him big time. The one time I listened to it, he was being so difficult that I smacked him with the whip when he reared and he got so upset he reared higher and threw me off backwards and then stood there looking terribly distraught that I was on the floor (he really is a sweet pea!). I have never forgiven myself for being swayed by such rubbish advice especially as it turned out 12 months on that he was in agony being ridden as he had a badly kissing spine and everyone was amazed he had managed to deal with it for so long. He has now been successfully operated on and I have done the rehab myself (didn't trust anyone else!) and got him through most of his issues except for the odd bad day that is why I know with determination you'll get through this I have all my fingers crossed for you, please let us know how you get on.

 

[pagancluf]

BethH - you plonker! - I was thanking you, and everyone that replied - I have been over whelmed by responses and have justified my thoughts re firm but FAIR. Not beating the cr&p out of him etc. Any ideas you have for me will help so thank you big time!!

You sound just like me by the way!! Why do we love them so much?!?!?

 

[Rupert2006]

I have an ex-racer - will be a year next month - he naps from time to time. I put it down to lack of confidence - we spent half an hour standing in a field once. I don;t hack out much and am planning to do more this summer, but it has been a learning curve for me as he is very sensitive and lacks confidence - he wants me to take control - on the ground he trusts me implicitly - on board he still has a bit to go as do I as I am a little nervous. I have never beaten him, just a small thwack on the arse when he napped and it did the trick. Now i tend to just have to give him a good few kicks, but i take the whip with me just in case. It has crossed my mind to get angry with him but I know it wouldn't work, he bucks - plus you have only been together for 7 months - it has taken ages for our bond to form as TBs are so sensitive - I have been told that it can take up to two years for a truly strong bond with them - and a year on I can look back and see the difference in our relationship - he follows me around like a dog - the other day we got stuck in a rape field and he was too freaked out to walk on - kept spinning - so I just sat there and talked to him (he looks round to look at me a lot) we tried again, no joy - so i got off and led him through, he followed me without question - we were all yellow when we got out of the field! he needs to trust that he is safe with you - give it time, be firm but fair - understand that he is probably afraid and needs to build up his trust with you. You can tell if he is taking the piss or if he is genuinely worried - good luck

)

 

[pagancluf]

Thanks for your post AM, I think you are right, can't go down the "beat till they submit" route as he is way too sensative - on the ground he is a babe???

Will try other riders on him, sensatively and not ask too much - he freaked tonight at the sight of a shetland minature on the yard (big time - rearing etc) so feel there are isues to tackel -him self esteem has gone backwards and need to rebuild somehow - will take slowly and sensibly and get him through - get off on hacks etc if need to and walk him past until trust me again.

cheers everyone for comments xxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
she broke a whip on him the other day - and he pulled both back shoes off in his panic to get away from the whip on Thursday and is being poulticed every day now due to cut on sole.

[/ QUOTE ]

Jesus - just come accross this. Hopefully this person is no longer your instructor!

Whilst I absolutely agree that you have to be firm - you can be firm without beating the living cr*p out of something..........

What has always worked for me was patience. I went through a terrible time with Amy - and once sat on her for three hours before I got her off the yard. Beating her didn't work so in the end I just sat there, with her pointing the way I wanted to go. Sometimes you do just have to sit it out.

Make sure you have plenty of time. And don't have anyone to help you - the more people that are around, the more tense and upset you will become - sending it down to your horse.

Don't hack out with others until you have absolutely cracked it.

 

[TarrSteps]

How it gets fixed depends a bit on why it's happening so pretty hard to give advice over the internet. For instance, if the horse is just being bolshy he might just need some tough love. But if he's uncomfortable/upset then escalating the situation might end in disaster. How is he in other ways? In the school etc? Does he move properly off the leg? Come soft in front? Some horses will go along for a bit even if the basics are shaky and then the wheels fall off somewhere down the line because the horse isn't broke enough to still be ridable if it decides not to comply.

Breaking a whip AND pulling shoes off . . . that's not good. I'd be willing to MAYBE give someone the benefit of the doubt if a whip broke in NORMAL use but not if they were beating the tar out of the horse at the time. Doesn't seem to be working anyway since the horse seems to be going backwards - literally.

Sounds like you might need new help. I know it's a huge hassle and not a nice conversation to have but it sounds like this arrangement is not working for you. Horses are a business just like anything else - you have a perfect right to go with the system that suits you.

 

[Parkranger]

First thing I'd say is that you can't TELL a TB to do something. It just doesn't work. My boy was perfection until I'd had him 5 months then we went through a really bad time (ex racehorse). He started napping and bucking all the time and throwing bunnyhop rears on the road if he didn't want to go out on this own.

Another thing about ex racers which I'm finding quite is quite common is their inability to go forward. Ty is being reschooled but he has a 20 min paddy each timeabout accepting a contact - he throws his head around literally for 20 mins and bucks etc but then settles in. Once he's moving forward and onto the bit he's a different horse! Other's may not agree but while hes back at 'school' he's even hacked on a contact and it's stopping him wrentching the reins out of my hands half way through the hack as he's bored with me directing him! Once he learns he can have his head back on hacks out!

I think you need to get him back in the school asap with a good instructor and take back to basics?

Agree with Vic that one good smack as opposed to lots of kicking or 'flicks' is the way forward. You have to accept though, that as a TB, if you're going to hit him, be prepared for what he may throw back and push forward straight away.

Most important thing with a TB is show no fear. we got to the stage where he didn't trust me, I didn't trust him and it was downright dangerous.

He's now at a stage where I can hack him on the downs, have horses canter away from us in the other direction etc.

Key is to push forward constantly (which I know goes against what you'd think for a TB) and make him think that you have the ability and confidence to ride thim through it.

Sorry - bit of a ramble but I've soooo been there....

If you want to PM me feel free. I may not be the most experienced rider but I have learnt a hell of a lot since having Ty about ex racers!

Agree re. the bucking - I used to shout 'wooo hoooooo' when Ty bucked but don't encourage that as it used to make him bomb off afterwards

I'd suggest getting another saddle fitter out as Ty has bucked twice since his old saddle was stolen and I brought a new one.....he was obvoiusly in some discomfort although as he only bucked in canter I thought it was high jinx. xx