Nappy horse

[chaps89]

Can I have some advice please?
I moved my horse to a new yard start of April, he didn't settle well but having moved onto the summer grazing May he's been fine so I started riding him again in June.
I had pretty bad confidence issues with him before I moved him and always hacked him out with my mum on foot. Down here I got to the point where I was fed up of not riding, having a perfectly usable horse and have thought s0d it, I'm just gonna get on with it.
So far, so good.

I've been hacking alone and in company and it's like I never lost my confidence & back to normal.
However, he is foot perfect in company (near enough, he's still a horse) but on his own he naps going out & rushes coming back. With practice he's been getting better where he's just wiggly and dawdly doing out instead of really resisting going forward and coming back is a nice walk now.
Until today. He was wiggling all over the place and I had enough so pushed him into trot and he was really really good. We then hacked out over a motorway bridge, again he was fine, bit hesitant but that was more to do with his noseyness about the tractor in the field next door than the motorway. But just off the bridge, he planted and said no.
Definitely not fear, he just didn't want to. We spun and backed up for a good 10 minutes (with lots of pony club kicks and my hands practically holding the reins next to his mouth ). So I just sat and waited till he got fed up. Got 2 steps forward, felt him resist again so hopped off, led him a further 10 steps, turned round and rode back. He just didn't want to know.
But I feel like I wasn't persistent enough and should have carried on with my ride rather than settling for 2 steps. (But then I could be still out there now, lol)

I figure I can rule out pain (teeth & back not long done) and fear, cause if he's scared he'll bolt, not prat around, plus he hacks back more than happily enough!

What do you do when your horse is a stubborn obstinate old man?
Any tips to make it a more enjoyable experience for us both?

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I feel your pain, my mare can be a nappy cow-bag if a leaf looks at her sideways!

I always ride a circular route because I've found that turning around and going back the same way gives her bad ideas!

Even if I have to lead her until we're past the halfway point, I never, ever go back. It's a pain but she has improved and generally I have no trouble now.

 

[rangerover]

My mare is also a nappy cow bag! Circular route definitely. I have found that if she plants, my best bet is to not create to much of a fuss, I let her have the reins for a bit while she is standing there, then I ask her to walk on after say 2 -3 minutes and there is a definite change in the brain, as in, ask - no, relax again ask, no go, so don't ask again for another 2 mins ish, make sure the ask is a proper pick up the reins and leg on, I do this as many times as I need to and eventually she goes 'yeah ok I'm not scared now' and walks on - I don't want to tempt fate but she is getting better. I got the idea from a Harvey Smith book from years ago he said he had a napper and he took a book with him and just used time and patience. If I try to beat her out of it we both get really wound up and cross. As long as he doesn't scare you, you could try it. Good luck!

 

[Penny Less]

God wish mine only took 2-3 minutes. 2 hours more like !!