Nappy mare... Please help!

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rose bud

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Hi,
I bought my mare a month ago and was assured that she would hack out alone, and asked to see her do so, which she did.
Since getting her home i have so far been unable to hack her out. She is fine in the school but as soon as we get on the road she either stops, or with alot of encouragement will walk very slowley and then stop and walk backwards! Is this just a confidence issue with her that will come with time or have i got a real problem?
What is the best way to tackle this problem? Would leading her out in hand a few times first help? Would a calmer help and give her more confidence?
I really want to be hacking out now before the winter comes so any help gratefully received! Thanks
 
Perhaps she is acting up because she's unsure of herself, especially in new surroundings. You may also be inadvertently reacting to her, and now she may feel your nerves / anxiety when you try it.

If I were you I would hack out with another experienced horse as company. It will help her gain confidence and then hopefully you will be able to hack her alone.
 
Sounds like she's just finding her feet in her new home and giving you a bit of a test. Do you feel confident enough to insist she goes on her own or could you do with a bit of support from someone on the ground at the gate shouting "legs legs legs, you can do it, don't LET her turn her head back to home" etc?

There are countless posts on here about new mares exhibiting this type of behaviour, far fewer about new geldings, lol!

If you aren't 100% sure about going out alone she will sense it, they're like that ;)
 
If you have no one to hack with from the yard,I would take her out leading until she relaxes and then get on and ride a circuit if you can.

Ideally arrange to ride out with another horse, or meet someone nearby, it may be that once she knows her surroundings she gets better and will then go alone.

It may be that you have bought a problem but you need to try different methods with her to see if it can be overcome.
 
I really, really feel your pain as I bought a mare that I was told would hack and she quickly started to nap and rear. In my case I found out the horse had a long history of napping and rearing, so I bought a problem horse.

You are lucky you have a school and can work in the school, so you are working together and getting to know each other, and knowing what buttons to push. If you can, I would find someone to hack with you, so your mare gets to know her local area before you try to hack alone.

I don't have the luxury of a school, nor do I have easy access to a hacking companion, so I am a bit stuffed. My NH trainer says that walking in hand and long reining are good things to try to sort out a nappy horse, and I have seen a fair bit of improvement in my mare by using these techniques. Make sure you have a bridle and lunge rein, gloves and a hat - just for safety.
 
you could try long riening her out - this will build up her confidence to move forward when you ask her with out just following you !

I feel your pain I too have a nappy mare - once she knows where she is going though she is much much calmer
 
Thankyou for the advice so far! I'm sure that it is that she can tell that i am a bit unsure about hacking her out, mainly because i don't know what she is going to do or how she will react. The yard owner has said that i can hack out with her which is great but her mare is very forward and lively which i'm not sure is a good thing or not? I am working on schooling and groundwork with her which i'm hoping will help.
 
Can you get someone to walk with you on the ground with the horse attached to a lungeline? I've had two nappy mares and we solved them both this way. I rode normally with OH walking alongside until they tried to plant or shoot backwards. We had the lungeline applied to a pressure halter so they soon realised that going backwards was not an option. You have to be confident and patient with them, make it a very clear "no" when they nap and a very big "well done" with lots of pats and a release of the pressure as soon as they go forwards.
 
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