Napping

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JosieSmith

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I know this has probably already been asked, but does anyone have any advice on nappy neddies? Mine is fine in company, but the minute I ask her to go out on her own she's a totally different horse. She's naturally nervous but out on her own it's to the point where if we pass people she stops and triesd to follow them, and if there's something ahead she doesn't like the look of she'll stop dead. I know this sounds awful but I've tried using a crop and if she has he mind made up it makes no difference. I don't get a lot of opportunities to ride out in company so I'd like to overcome this problem as she doesn't enjoy it and I'm knackered after having to puch her all the way out (she's fine coming back). Do you think it's just a case of persistance? I've only had her since November but in that time I've taught her to jump when previously she wouldn't even go over a pole on the ground without freaking out, do you think the same could apply here, just practice and more practice?
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I've got one that naps, even with company, he is getting better but its just a case of extending the comfort zone. I always ride in spurs as this helps and try to get neddy going forward even if I don't look very stylish. Since I've had him he has got better but at the moment wouldn't trust him to go round the block on his own yet! Can you get anyone to walk with you rather than rely on another horse?
 
She used to do endurance believe it or not, has quite a good record apparently. We've done a couple of the pleasure rides which involced a little cross country, which neither she nor I had done before and she was brill (only because her boyfriend was on the other side of the jumps and she was napping to him!) but we're hiring a cross country course on tue so that will be good fun. The trouble I have there is that she only travels with her boyfriend but then if he's out of sight once we're riding she goes nuts, whinnies for him and won't move/concentrate on anything else. I'm definitely going to try doing mroe though, and I've been considering hunting, good/bad idea I'm not too sure yet! Lol! Sometimes my OH walks out with me but she just clings behind him and if he stops she stops etc, she won't walk in front of him, and it's awkward when I want to have a trot or canter, though OH is planning on getting a bike so that'll solve that one, hopefully she'll be better then and we can go on longer rides together
 
Toto doesn't really nap, but he's not very confident hacking, and if on his own he sometimes stops if he sees something and won't move, and then he'll try to turn round. I just try to ride him through it and don't let him turn round. Verbal encouragement tends to help too
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One thing that has helped is having someone on foot or on a bike to give him confidence without another horse
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She needs to start thinking for herself, she's getting too reliant on others (horse & human).

Keep doing a mixture of things to get her adrenaline up, then she'll not care about the others and she'll want to keep going.

Have fun doing XC. I'd stay with her b'f for the 1st time as you can have the battle another day, but just enjoy yourself on tues
 
I think we'll both enjoy it. I thought she was becoming too reliant, that's why I usually ask OH to stay behind as I don't want her to always have him as comfort blanket. And you're totally right about the adrenaline, we did a pleasure ride/cross country training day a couple of weeks ago and when another horse galloped past she was away with them, stuff the b'f! Galloping across the fields is what she was bred to do so it was really nice to have her feel so confident and she didn't put a foot wrong, first time I've ridden her and she's been totally sure of herself instead of nervous. Hopefully with being in a field on tue she'll be too excited to worry about bf, I reckon she'll be better as last time she was bad was in a showjumping setting, totally different to in big fields just waiting to have a horse gallop over them...
 
Have one just like it, it was just perseverance in the end. Had somebody come with me in the car (on lanes) as horse not choosey about what to follow so quite happily trotted along after a car...
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Also, when he got really worked up, I used to get off and lead him past rather than make an issue out of it.
He gradually got more confident and i would describe him as 'good to hack alone' now but it did take a good 12 months or so...
 
All my horses will go out alone now but for some it took a time. I agree about getting off and leading. I also used to go for very short distances and gradually increase the length of ride.

Also you could go out with a friend and ride home alone.
 
Yeah I do get off and lead. It's quite embarrassing to admit but sometimes when people are passing and they ask if she is young I just say yes (she's 20) so people don't think we're daft! I prefer not to have to get off and lead but if it gets the right results I don't see why not. I'm trying to treat her like a baby and take small steps like I would with a youngster.
 
Hi,

I'm new on here but i used to have the exact same problem!
I ended up having to get someone to walk on foot alongside or infront of me everytime i went out. I think this helped build confidence in hacking out without other horses as company but there was still someone there for the horse to feel more secure. Eventually (i mean after months!) we were hacking out fine as we would walk ahead in front until a helper was no longer needed
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I know that this idea sounds a bit daft but it worked for me, it took a great deal of persistant and posititive riding.

Another thing that I found was when the napping got so bad to the point where i had to turn round for home (no other way around this..very busy road!) he thought he had got away with it and so would do it even more the next time. I decided that if this happened again i would go home, and make him work in the arena so that he knew that napping meant work and that he didn't get to go back to his stable after napping. I did this loads of times but in the end it all worked out fine, sure it will for you too
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