Nappy or what?

[ablazza]

We have recently acquired a horse - beautiful looking - which looks like butter wouldn't melt in its mouth, until you try riding it away from home on its own. I've never seen serious napping like this ! It won't go forward, it backs into the nearest hedge or ditch or parked tractor, it rears, it spins round ... this is not the 'suitable for any member of the family ... novice ride ... mainly for hacking ... easy in every way' horse I thought I was getting. However, she is easy to do, good in a school and ok hacking in company. Anyone with any bright suggestions?

 

[Caritas]

I bought one like this a while ago and i must admit it did get a few hard smacks. A few days and we never looked back. THe othe alternative is to just sit and ask, sit and ask, if you can be patient eventually he will want to move!! Good luck.

 

[Maesfen]

Years ago we had one like this and sorted it by riding to its normal napping place, just before we got there we would stop.............and make it stand and stand and stand forever. We'd take a tranny with us so we had something to listen to and wait him out, not allowing him to move at all, certainly not turn round either. When he started fidgeting and could not stand still any longer we'd make him go away from home for a 100 yards and then turn back for home. From being rooted to the spot for fours hours (and is that boring, there's a limit to counting how many birds fly past!) it got gradually less and at the end of a fortnight, he'd do anything rather than stand in that place again like a sentry so we were able to go anywhere at any time with him. A year later, a new girl started and he tried it on with her, within half hour he had had enough and was on his way! I'm not saying it will work for yours but it might be worth giving it a go, although you do have to make sure you have all the time in the world; no good doing it if you only have a quick ten minutes, you need hours at first!

 

[seaofdreams]

my old pony was v.nappy and someone gave me a whip-wop (looked like half a lead rope!?!) so i said o.k thankyou very much i will give it ago, i was rather confused but it wouldn't do any harm to try it, so i went out got to the gate and as normall pony napped stood on hind legs ect so i used this rope and you have to (how do i explain this??) whip wop them and as your sitting on them swing this rope from one side to the other so it taps them on the bum
and apprently they think its a preditor so they go forward

well what ever they think it WORKED!!

and alltough i never got her out x-c on her own, i did manage to showjump (as normally could't get her over 1st fence) her and hack her out on her own

 

[JAK]

I wonder if a whip-wop would work on Ugly Bug Pony, who is now napping at Olympic Gold Medal standard! (Not one of ours, I hasten to add!)

Is that what it's actually called - a 'whip-wop'? (If nothing else, it would make a good 'weapon' for the girls to add to their collection of things to hit each other with! LOL)

 

[seaofdreams]

that was what this lady called it, i have never seen one again thou, all it was was a shorted leadrope really

 

[Super_Kat]

Isn't the whip-wop rope a month roberts thing? and old livery yard owner brought one back from one of MR's demo's for her son to use and I have to say, they're pretty good

 

[Weezy]

They are fab - always carry one on a horse that has a tendency to rear - flick them under the tummy with it and BOY do they come down quick!

 

[seaofdreams]

I can't remember it was along time ago (6yrs) i think it had something to do with the natural horsemanship stuff thou thiking about it

 

[Vey]

The other cure is slow but does work. First walk the horse out in hand - head collar, lead rope, Hi Viz, and walk - walk for miles - look on it as getting yourself fit, and getting to know your horse - walk for miles. Then long-rein - long rein for miles. By the end of these two, nearly always the horse has got over the fear/dislike of being out alone, which is the root of the problem when a horse will school, hack in company, but not alone. You have, usually, broken the pattern - taught them they can be out alone, and it is fine. It is just possible you may need a wip wop after all, but the problem is usually solved, and always a lot better.

 

[vicm2509]

If you read some of my posts I had exactly the same problem and have just mastered it.

My horse would start to nap as soon as I pointed it in the driection of the yard exit. He would not go forwards at all and would get even worse if I applied leg and would freak if I used the whip. He would walk backwards, rear, spin and it really scared me. He would also do it randomly on hacks without warning at all. I was at the point where I was so scared as he would start in the middle of roads.

So I started by getting a person to walk infront of him which worked by as soon as that person moved he would start again.

Where possible as soon as Baron started to nap I would turn a tight circle and apply loads of leg so basically the horse is still going forwards but in a way that he cant avoid it and also can rear. When you feel ready bring the horse out of the circle and most of the time it will go forwards. But obviously this isnt always possible i.e on the road or on concrete as the horse will just slip over.

Another way is as soon as the horse starts to walk backwards, turn it round and make it walk backwards in the direction you want (off the yard) and turn round at random points to see if it will go forward. Repeat until you are off the yard, going backwards all the way if you have to. NEVER EVER GIVE IN. And if the horse does walk forwards give it lots of praise. If you feel its about to rear turn a circle as it cant rear.

I am now at the point where my horse is not getting chance to nap any more. With mine you could anticipate a nap as he would be totally dead to the leg, he now responds to a sharp slap BEHIND the leg but this must be done BEFORE the horse is in a full blown nap as I found smacking in a full blown nap would just wind him up.

Talk calmly to your horse all the time and try to relax yourself as much as possible. Put on some spurs and let your horse know you have them on before leaving for a hack. Also try a little schooling before hacking to relax him a little.

At first go for the shortest hack possible but always go for a circular route and never turn back on yourself, if you are on your own and the horse starts and you feel it is dangerous, just get off and carry on walking in the direction you want then get back on at a safe point. If you are nervous and think you will have to give in if he naps then get someone to walk with you or get another horse to go out with you. Always praise him for going forward.

Hack out with others to build his confidence aswell. It is possible your horse is just trying it on with you but he will continue to do it for as long as he is allowed. Or he could be a little nervous, either way napping is naughty.

This may take a while to sort out but it is so worth it. Its taken me a few months and he still tries to nap but now I hardly need to use my whip at all, just a dig of my spurs when he slows down does the trick.

Good luck and PM me if you need any more help as im sure i will have missed loads out this post.

 

[the watcher]

An alternative to the whip-wop is extra long reins, as used in endurance where whips cannot be carried, just flick over each side of the neck in true cowboy fashion. We beat napping by going out in company to start and then sending the nappy horse out in the lead and peeling off the second horse half way round, gradually building up distance.
She still needs occasional pushing forward but it is manageable now with no rearing

 

[ablazza]

Thanks to all who have contributed, this has given us lots of new ideas, and we're looking forward to trying some of them!