Napping!!

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Hollyanna

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A friend of mine has horse she had from a youngster and backed, its now 5. she went sweetly when broken in, a little bit backwards but was well behaved. She had a holiday and came back in to work. She has now started to nap. My friend is a very capable rider and is now reaching her wits end. There appears to be no trigger, sometimes she will nap away from home or to home, even if the other horses go off and leave her she will nap. She will hack in company. It starts with bunny rears until they get bigger and bigger and then upon landing she will buck, its getting quite dangerous.

You name it we've tried it, sitting patiently doesnt work, she will get bored and then start messing around again. If someone is on the floor she wont be led forward, but if they have a whip and walk behind her she will go, as soon as the person on the floor has gone she reverts. If you long rein her she will go. Everything has been done, checked - teeth, back etc. Draw reins seemed to work for a while, as she couldnt get her head up to rear and she hacked on her own and everything. Doing everyday tasks like riding to the school can be impossible.

She is a lovely youngster with lots of potential and hasnt been pushed or hurried. She certainly doesnt seemed spooked or scared when she does it. People say sell her, but it isnt really an option as who knows where she would end up and my friend has waited a long time to back and produce her. She would like to sort the napping before the horse gets any older.... Anyone had one like this, any tips? :confused:
 
Well as long as she has had everything checked (and sometimes checking again is worth it, i.e second opinion) as is thinking outside the box.


All or at the very least alot of horses when a bit older and are starting to learn the score will start to push boundaries and ask, well do I have to do this. Possibly your horse is having a moment (or your friends horse) like all horses where they start asking the questions. No point in selling, as any horse can push the boundaries, so it's not something unique to this horse.

Without seeing owner and horse it's tricky for anyone on here to say what's going on. I am not at all experienced so cannot offer any sound advice....

What i will say though, is my mare can nap. She isn't at the moment but may well do it tomorrow for all I know as she does like to try it on. What has worked so far for ME (when she seems to be napping NOT out of fear) is I make her do tiny, tiny circles. Think of rein hand to your knee whilst riding, so my mare cannot rear. If you bring their head around they literally must turn around in circles again and again (away from home direction) then I ask her to go forwards, she refuses back to circles. I do this until she wants to go forwards. i.e It's her choice. We can circle or go forwards, so its up to her to choose. Obviously she gives the going around in circles a good go until the going forwards seems like the easier option. It's very effective for me.

This works well for me, as fighting with my mare is a battle I just wont win lol but this is her choice and now to be fair to her she is pretty good but if she were to try it on, cirvles for us it would be. It's just a case of making it black and white. Something easy for them, something uncomfortable. Of course they will want an easy life and choose the better option. It's just a case of presenting it that way.

Goodluck.x
 
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