Nappy Horse - But will hack home alone and/or with someone walking. Is there hope?

[dai]

I have a horse who will not hack alone as has never really done it before we got him. He is OK with someone on a bike or walking and will even lead for parts on the way home but on the way there is no chance! We once waited on the way home for 30 mins before he would even walk next to the person on foot and then only walks for a few seconds before falling behind and NOTHING will make him stay unless we stop for 30 mins again!! it is the same with hacking but he walked in front on the way home yesterday which he has never done. (even if it was very slow!)

Also I would like to know how I stop him obsessing over other horses? He is smaller than all the others so struggles to keep up and he constantly jogs until he catches up..then stops dead and repeats!

The reason I am persevering is that I have heard of horses that won't even go out with someone on foot etc, do you think he will get the hang of it? He is not the worst napper I've seen, just wondering if anyone has any help?

 

[dai]

Forgot to say: Can lead him out alone (slowly) and hack him home fine. However if I try to ride him out we literally get 1 step every 10 mins and when we get to the road he plays up (spinning in front of cars etc) when he doesn't really do this in company or with someone on foot. I'm so confused what to do!

 

[Clippy]

That sounds to me like a genuine lack of confidence rather than naughtiness. Is he young?

Maybe some longreining short distances will help him?

 

[dreamcometrue]

I had the exact same problem with my first horse and turned him into an intrepid long distance hacker but be prepared for patience and slow steady progress. It takes about 6 months.

I had a lot of advice at first but in the end my own gut instinct and common sense was they key. I am guessing that your horse may lack self confidence, like people and is maybe low down in the pecking order in the field. I was told by the person I bought mine from that he did not hack alone and she was right!

Mine started by bolting home and eventually would not leave the yard at all - spinning and bolting dangerously.

So this is what I did:

Lead him out for maybe 50 yards, get on and ride home. More or less every day for a week.

Following week make it 100 yards and do the same.

Keep increasing the distances until you can get half a mile from home and get on and ride home. The bonus is that as you walk along with your horse you chat away to him and you develop a great bond!

Then when that is going nicely start riding out but go back to the 50 yards again. Walk 50 yards away from the yard, turn and walk home. Gradually increases the distances. Always turn round and come back the way you came. The horse feels secure that they are going to return, but calmly.

Eventually you should find that he is so chilled that you can do a small loop hack and on that day you will come back to the yard feeling like you have just won HOYS

People at the yard will think you are mad and tell you the "correct" way to deal with him. Follow your own intuition and you too can be

and

I wish you lots of luck and please let me know how you get on.

 

[Booboos]

LauraWheeler on here has had tremendous success rehabilitating (formerly) Horrid Henry. I think she just got off and walked him every time he got stuck with incredible patience, but he has gone from refusing to leave the yard to hacking all over the place and doing shows. Might be worth looking up her posts.

Best of luck.

 

[NeilM]

I agree completely with Dreamcometrue.

When I first got H, he was nappy and green, he would ride out a little way on his own, but would then realise he was on his own and plant. I did a lot of walking him out in hand (tacked up) and also a lot of talking to him. This will help build up a bond between you and also trust, as he needs to trust you completely and know that you are keeping him safe.

I tried to use circular routes, that I would vary, so that we never actually turned round, but sometimes this is not possible, so just improvise as best you can.

 

[CobSunshine]

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=494923

my horse would nap in company! good as gold now thanks to advice on here couldn't ask for a better gee

 

[Ladyinred]

I agree with Clippy, it really does sound like a genuine lack of confidence. If you can long-rein and safely long-rein him out then it would help his confidence enormously. Remember if he is genuinely frightened and yoiu get angry with him then you are reinforcing his belief that there is something to be worried about. A huge amount of patience and tact is required, but it will be worth it. When he does nap try moving him sideways with one rein, instead of asking for forward, sometimes that's enough to 'unstick' their feet and convince them they can actually still move!

Does he always stop at the same place? If so then go to that place and be prepared to spend as long as it takes and let him quietly explore and look at his surroundings.. we have a horse eating bridge with a troll under it that our boy refused to cross, eventually my daughter did this, just sat and let him look (he wasn't allowed to move back though) and he finally realised that the troll had gone and he could safely go trotty-trot over the bridge lol.

 

[SuperCoblet]

My cob used to nap no matter what was standing next to him! It got to the stage where he wouldn't even leave the field gate, even with someone leading and other horses with him! He would just rear right up and gallop flat out anywhere and everywhere apart from the direction we should be going. As the same as you, he would hack home but not away, so every weekend was reuined by an hour trying to load him then dad would drive myself and my mum and the ponies miles away and we would hack back, it was the only way he could get exercise. We sent him away to a fab lady who works wonders with problemed horses and he cam back a week later a new pony. This was 2 years ago now and with alot of patience and a firm hand he got there and we now regulary hack out with no problem at all. He still needs to be lead out of the gate if he is on his own and he has to go a way he knows well else it will start all over again. He now goes to pony club and competitions, hack out in a snaffle (not in a million years did I think he would do that) and go a distance on his own.

I think you need to persivear and not give up, it may take some time but it should come good in the end. I waited 3 years for my little man to behave, now I have the pony of my dreams (ok, he's still a loony and like a tank, but we can make do) and he does pretty much whatever I want, providing were in an enclosed space while jumping, hehehe

 

[soulfull]

as others have said. also do make sure he gets LOTS of praise when he does take a step forward, then he knows he has done the right thing.

I have had several horses that at some point would plant, each time they took one step they would get lots of praise, a few mins later another step, lots more praise, less mins later another step etc etc

 

[Hippona]

Mine could not hack alone when I got him...it was down to lack of confidence- he literally poo-ed himself at everything.

I started off slow and steady- small walks down the track at the the side of my field so he could see the other horses......went a little further each time and built his confidence up.

Don't get me wrong- it was hair raising at times with broncing/spinning...but gradually he improved and now he will hack out anywhere on his own.

He's turned out to be a very forward going confident little lad- he just needed to build his confidence in himself and me.

Good luck

 

[Penny Less]

I have been struggling with a nappy horse for 2 years now! Have to lead him out of the gate and he will plant himself in any gateway. He has been ever so slightly better during the winter months, seems to be a lot worse when grass is good. I have just accepted him now and make sure I have a fairly nice day and lots of time so if it takes me 2 hours to get round a half hour ride I dont feel pressured. He will happily follow another horse or someone walking in front of him but going out alone is a no-no. However he will stand ignoring large lorries going past, so I dont know what it is hes scared of !

 

[Holly Hocks]

My mare is a nappy so and so (although we now think it was partly pain related as she has a multitude of problems!). I used to lead her out in hand, then I long reined her for weeks - same route over and over and over. One day I just decided to get on her - and rode her the same route that I had been long-reining. She was calmer than she had ever been - no jogging or napping. I was over the moon. Then we found out she had problems so I haven't been able to continue with her!!! But long reining is really good for confidence as is leading out. When you are leading, carry some treats in your pocket so every time she is being forward she is having a treat. If she stops, the treats stop. As soon as she moves forwards again she gets another treat.
Good luck - it's horrible and I sympathise with you!

 

[dai]

Thanks have read everything! Will continue walking him out, had him about 9 months now and only really just started working on it (no one seems to be here in winter!) I will try long reining, will have to work on traffic first I think.