Nervous horse?

[Tegandanielle]

Help or advice please.

I recently took on a 7 year old 15"3 sports horse who was barely ridden for a last few years. He was brought to look at rather than ride!

He is a great horse and when I can hack out with someone he is fine, walks off when mounting but once you are up he is very responsive. He can be a little spooky but never a danger.

However, trying to get him out alone ends up with us going backwards, sideways and sometimes and little up in the air.

We have no school where we are so have recently been using a very bare field at the end of the farm but he just keeps charging towards a gate that goes to another field. He is generally ok if someone walks next to him on the ground but as there are only five horses the with four owners, there is no one normally about.

Any suggestions?

Thank you

Generally he is well mannered little horse but I am at my wits ends as to what to do next.

 

[twiggy2]

have lessons from a good instructor, someone that can hop on him if needed too

 

[jessjc]

How long have you been trying to go out on your own? I have one who was a bit like this for the first few times (she is spooky) I tried to take her out alone. It was infuriating as, like yours, she would go out alone. But I just persisted, never gave up, even if I had to get off and lead her and now she hacks out on her own just fine. Had a few embarrassing moments along the way though... Good luck!

 

[spacefaer]

If he's 7 but hasn't been ridden for a few years, sounds like he's barely progressed from the "just broken" stage. Did he hack out on his own when he was ridden previously? I would suggest you go back to basics and see exactly what he does know - just becuase he's 7 doesn't mean that he is as educated as most 7 year olds.

Does he understand the leg? Will he go forward from it? I would guess that he lacks security and doesn't want to leave home as he doesn't really know what you mean.

I would treat him as a just re-backed 4 yr old and hack in company until you can establish basic control in an enclosed space.

Do you have an instructor who can help you? If not, maybe you can say what area you are in, and the lovely HHOers can recommend someone who can help