Nappy pony

[Mellow17]

Recently, my gelding has picked up a new habit, and I don't know what to do about it.
I was just cantering in the school when he did a pit stop, spun round, and barged into the corner. Then he just stood there. Luckily, I just about managed to stay on. But he keeps doing it!!! Every time we get to that corner of the sand school he spins and rushes into the corner. The corner is at the back of the school, away from home, the gate and the other horses. I spent a whole schooling session trying to get him out of the habit, and by the end he had stopped. But sometimes when we pass the corner he catches me out. I am becoming scared to canter because I never know when he will do it, and if we are cantering and he spins then there is a good chance that I will fall off and get hurt. I really don't want to lose my confidence!
He has been checked by the vet, who says that he is very healthy, and also by the saddle fitter. And he has never had any bad experiences in the school. How can I stop him from spinning and why is he doing it? Please help!!!

 

[nosenseofdirection]

Is there anything unusual looking about the corner? A horse I used to ride did this, there was an area of shade then bright sunlight, and it turned out his eyesight was not as good as it used to be. I have also heard of horses reacting this way because of e.g. Crickets chirruping, so it could be something like that.

Does he do it on both reins? In all
light/weather conditions? Is he better if there are other horses in the school? By himself? Does having the radio on help?

The trouble is, if the horse gets to a point where corner=scary, then even if the scary thing is removed, he will still do this, in anticipation of a problem that no longer exists. But he will get over it. He just needs to trust you. He will square up to a dragon if he believes you are St George.

Good luck and don't give up!

 

[Littlelegs]

What's happened directly after he's done it? When you've come off has he then finished working? In which case he's learnt there is a reward for it. My daughters pony went through a phase of doing it, although not to avoid working at all. To do the opposite, eg cantering towards home after a short hack she'd do a 180 spin. Or cantering 20m circles in the field, she'd spin & charge off to go for a blast the opposite way to the gate instead. If you are prepared it could happen, stay sat up, much easier to stay on. For now, I'd advise avoiding cantering in that corner if its damaging your confidence. Trot instead, & just before you reach that corner, turn. Eg if the corner is between h & c, & you are on the right rein, just before h do a 10m circle on the left rein, & then as you approach the short side the second time, back on to the right rein. Or at h half circle to change the rein & so on. Keep varying what happens at any point in the school, direction, exercises & transitions. Not only will it help keep him thinking of work, rather than sod this, I'm bored, its harder for him to maintain the habit of spinning in a certain place.

 

[Tammytoo]

It sounds like it's getting to be a Catch 22 situation! You are starting to get anxious about the situation and he is picking up on this, reinforcing his suspicions about that particular spot.

Try this. Nex time you go into the school, don't go near the "spooky" area, just keep working away quietly in the other half of the school. Forget about cantering, do plenty of changes of direction, walk, trot, walk transitions etc. Keep him busy and thinking, trotting poles, bending in and out of a line of cones. Make it brief and interesting and then go for a hack, as he may well be fed up of school work.

After a few sessions in the school and when you are feeling relaxed, it's a nice calm sunny day, no wind, try some cantering in the "safe" area, even if it's only a few strides. Gradually increase your area so you are getting a little closer to the spooky spot. If you feel him getting tense or anxious, don't force the issue, just gradually work back to the safe area as though that was what you intended. It may take time, but by getting him to work in the school without having a drama he should get out of his spinning habit.

If you have a look at youtube you will see a clip of a trainer called Michael Peace
teaching a police horse not to be frightened by people clapping. It's the same principle of advance and retreat. Advance whilst your horse can cope and retreat before it loses the plot.

It's worth saying that you have to be confident for this to work or your horse will pick up on your worry.

Good luck.

 

[tessa1965]

Could you lunge him in that corner before you start to ride him? Is he getting other forms of work as he may be bored and under exercised? Is he getting too much food/wrong type of food?

 

[tazzy69]

My daughter's pony did exactly the same and we used a Mark Rashid technique to stop it. Every time pony did it, daughter got him to trot round in a small circle 4 or 5 times. At first I had to help her a bit on the ground as it was a struggle to get him out of the corner! It only took a few sessions in the school to stop him doing it. The idea is that they associate the corner with hard work, ie trotting in small circles. When hey realise they'll have to work hard each time hey go to the corner they choose not to go there any more. We tried just avoiding that part of the school but pony would tank off down the school from wherever he was when he decided he'd had enough. A few months after we used this technique he tried it again. It only took one time of doing 5 circles and he's never done it again. Good luck and let us know how you get on