New youngster napping in school

[Mimithecob]

Hello!

After 11 years of owning a wonderful elderly cob, I lost him last year to arthritis. After a year of searching, I found a young cob who I have just recently bought. I will briefly explain, she has just turned 7 although she is as green as they come, having been backed this January and rushed into work she now naps in the school. I did not back her, I have only just bought her but want to start off our relationship and training on the best foot possible so looking for advice.

When ridden in the school she starts off whizzy, trying to jig jog but after a short while of work, she begins napping. By that I mean she stops, plants her feet, and refuses to move. She will transition from trot or canter to halt and not move.
She is also very overweight and unfit at this current time and on a diet.

I am looking for advice on how to best tackle this issue. She was like this when I went to view her and again now I have her home. I have started our groundwork in the school making it a positive place to learn and she is doing fantastic walking, changing direction, and halting when asked while I'm on the ground with her. With and without being led.

I have yet to carry a whip with her, I don't want her to further associate work and the school with something negative.

Many thanks in advance.

 

[Red-1]

It is unusual for a horse not to be backed until he is 7, what do you know of his history? Can you trace previous owners? Is there a record of the owners on his passport?

As he acted like this when you tried him, what did the owner say? What did the vet say when he was vetted?

As this behaviour has escalated to napping since you owned him, what medical/tack checks have been done?

My gut instinct is thatches horse is not comfortable to work, and some detective work needs doing to pinpoint the cause.

 

[AmyMay]

What’s she like to hack out?

 

[S.AAnderson]

I will caveat this by saying I am in no way suggesting this is what your horse has, but wanted to share my experience with you!

Many years ago I leased a mare who used to nap like this. Never a certain time or place, it just seemed like she would randomly root herself to the ground and refuse to budge. We had her teeth & saddle checked (nothing), then the vet came out who ran a neurological test. One of the exercises involved turning in a very tight circle (each way) and my mare physically couldn't turn to the right.

Subsequent scans revealed she had arthritis in her neck, we tried injections which helped initially but eventually the problems returned and she was retired within 18 months.

Sorry to be all doom and gloom! I am sure this isn't the case with your mare but running through the test was quite a simple exercise, and helped us quickly flag there was an issue which wasn't behavioral.

 

[be positive]

Another that could have PSSM, starting off whizzy suggests tension which may be anticipation of discomfort, then stopping and planting when moving forward initially sounds less like napping in a green horse than one struggling to keep going for a physical reason, a nappy one would usually hang to the gate from the start and become more reluctant to go past and pick on one place to nap towards.

I have had a lot of equines here over the years, some tricky ones for schooling and looking back a few definitely showed signs of PSSM which in those days was an unknown condition, horses were known to tie up, azoturia, but not the very mild tying up that goes with this condition, in hindsight my management and training methods, out as much as possible, little or no hard feed and little and often work, lots of slow steady work was probably why most improved while here but since learning about it I do feel rather sad that I could not have done more for one or two that did always have issues, one stayed here as he could not be sold on, behaviour was tricky, the other retired but a few probably continued through life never quite right.

All that said it would now be the first thing I would consider, obviously the teeth, saddle and general soundness needs to be checked but I think it is probably fairly common condition in its mild form and frequently missed by vets until it really shows when the horse ties up properly which it may never do.

 

[MissTyc]

Agree with everything already said about checks to make and issues to think about, however I have worked with several horses that were backed late for non dodgy reasons. All them needed a bit more guidance than the fresh 4yos who seem to read the training book overnight and collaborate in their education.

Assuming there is no discomfort, she sounds like a badly started horse. You say she was rushing through backing and whizzes around the school then plants ... All signals of a confused/distressed horse. It sounds like you're doing the right thing by going back to basics. As much groundwork as possible, but make sure your groundwork is focussed on creating the tools necessary for riding. I would be aiming for short sessions of 10-15 min, but maybe 2-3 times a day, each one with an achievable objective in mind. I'd also be introducing long reins and making that training fun while working on the most subtle cues you can get away with. I personally wouldn't be riding this horse in a school until further notice, as she obviously doesn't like or understand what is expected of her. Once you can hacks her in walk, trot, canter, stop, go, turn and it feels harmonious, then I'd possibly pop into the school for 5-10 min ridden to do basic training exercises. Unfortunately it takes a bit longer to undo previous poor training than to start from scratch, but consistency will get you there.