Nappy horse

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ekitteridge

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Hi has anyone got any advice for me?
I have had my horse for a month now, he came out if point to pointing last year and was turned away, then bought from the field I Nov 2011 by the previous owner who hacked and schooled him. I bought him in April. I keep him at livery in an equestrian centre. He is very good to do in all ways and is starting to school nicely in both indoor & outdoor arenas, however hacking him out on his own is difficult as he naps, not wanting to leave the yard, he bucks, prances, goes backwards or plants himself. Each time I have taken him out alone I have managed to get him going, but it is something I do want to sort out. He does the same when we get to a point in the ride when we get to a junction where he thinks than the way I want him to go is away from home. When hacking with others he is a dream to ride, no problems at all and I make him lead to get him used to being in front of the others.
I would like to be able to hack on my own though as there is no guarantee that there will always be someone to go out with & for when I start competing him.
Any advice would be great!
Thankyou
 
do you have a riding instructor at the ec? maybe book a lesson and they can help you with the napping?
 
It sounds like you are making progress, its just keeping it going.
One of the things I have done, are to lead out of the yard, then get on, which often confuses the issue, and avoids the argument. I also look to pre empt the nap whilst out at designated spots. Make sure out andback hacks are avoided, as this often compounds it.
Where possible avoid confrontation, but if you can't avoid it, you have to win, even if this means getting off, walking for a bit, I like to play games on the ground, like backing up, making them move sideways etc, then hoping back on when safe.
If you are going to get off, make sure you do it early enough that it is not seen as them getting the upper hand, and don't make a big deal out of it.
 
Yes I have a group lesson and a private lesson each week, and this week went hacking with him but of course paddy was as good as gold as he was with another horse. Perhaps I need Christian on foot so he can see what he does? With my old horse I'd get my mum out with me on a bike... poor mum! Though that's not really possible as the tracks aren't suitable for bikes.
 
I always carry a schooling whip with my pony, he has always napped [even during long reining when breaking], just sometimes it gets a lot worse and affects my confidence, then things go downhill rapidly.
I don't allow him to do much walking in the arena where most of his schooling takes place, the schooling is aimed at getting him to respond to the leg, and to stop his backwards thinking, it has been a long road, and his nature is to nap, unfortunately, not helped by any disruption to his routine. He gets Steady up, more so when on sweet grass, but he is a reactive type and feels pressurised easily.
You have only had your boy for a month, he is still insecure, I would not hack out alone until you are sure he is settled in. It has taken my boy four months to settle in, but he is still pretty tricky.
When you are out hacking take the opportunity to hack behind and in front and alongside the other horses.
 
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You need to build up his confidence with hacking out alone - he may well never have done it.

In your shoes, I'd take the next month or so to really get to know the horse, hacking out in the company of one other only - getting him used to the sights and sounds.
 
I had this very same problem with my naughty cob, I tried standing and waiting it didn't work, if u forced him to go away from home he would spin round!! Tried walking backwards and he tried to reverse you into ditches!! He was a little sod. He also did this wen out with company. In the end I took my instructor out with me who kindly walked behind me the whole way with a lunge whip. Any time he looked like he was going to be naughty my instructor would crack the whip on the floor beind him and he'd get a nudge with my legs. It took some time keep repeating this but he did get better, he still tries it on sometimes but he is alot easier and we don't rear spin or reverse anymore. Good luck I know how awful this can be makes hacking a nightmare!!!!
 
Mines like this happy in company and in the school but if you take him out alone will spin, back up and bunny hop. His previous owner got him going out with out napping by turning him in a circle and not letting him get his own way. I've only had him 2 weeks and took him out by himself once, he napped but we got where i wanted. Im giving him couple of months to settle properly before i start taking him out by himself again and hopefully by then he'll feel a bit more confident and so will i.
 
Thanks for all your replies! It might still be early days as he went from a racing yard (routines and quiet, to a place where he was just with an old pony for company to a busy yard with horses in & out all the time) so it may be just a matter if perseverence & time. He has been worse since being turned out with his pals. If paddy plants himself and I wait, he just reverses. I have tried turning him in circles & this sometimes gets him going, I also am very asserive with telling him to 'walk on' & when he's done as I've asked I have made sure I have praised him.
 
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