reversing/napping mare

J

jessmaca

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Hi, I'm new on here :)

Just wanted to know if I'm doing the right thing with my tbxconnemara mare who keeps stopping, reversing then refusing to go forward on hacks...

She'll stop, and start to take a few steps back or rapidly reverse. I don't let her go back, I make her stand still, which she does fine, but if I ask straight away for her to go forward she'll go back...again. After a while, she appears to forget why she is standing still or not moving forward, and she'll wander on just fine.

Should I be more bossy and make her walk forward straight away, for safety's sake ie if there was a car, lorry, bus etc. and she needed to move out of it's way on a narrow lane?

I don't know if I've answered my own question and am rambling, if I have and am- sorry :p

Thankyou!!
 
Sounds exactly like my boy and to be honest with you i think you are doing the right thing just makes sure you give her lots of praise when she does go forward. As for cars on narrow lanes i think it is more safe for you wait for her to walk on than try push her and her be really silly on the roads.
Does she only do this on her own or will she do it of hacking in company too?
 
My previous horse used to do this.

I never used to force the issue. I agree that making her stand for a moment, and then asking her to go forward is far better and safer option.
 
My connie mare likes to do this, especially with less experienced riders. If she does it with me, she gets a good smack and grrrrrrrred at. I can't abide any form of napping personally and as you said, it's safer (as well as more pleasant) to have a responsive ride when out hacking.
 
She does it on her own usually, but if we're in company another horse just leads her forward and she'll go eventually :)

I don't think it's her being spooky really, she'll walk past dogs and plastic bags etc. fine, just with her eyes on stalks :p Probably just being cheeky :D

Thanks :)
 
I tried the getting cross and smacking and it didn't go down too well...she tried to spin and rear so next time it was a gentler approach, and when she walked forward she got plently of praise.

I reckon she's just trying me out tbh
 
Sounds like she is just trying you out. Just carry on what your doing apply the pressure gently so she doesnt explode. Eventually she will realise its much easier just to walk on when you tell her to
 
this is really spooky, I was going to ask the same question myself.
My friend has a new 5 year old cob mare who has learned the same trick, if she sees something she doesn't like out on a hack then she will stop and reverse, usually straight into my boy! luckily he doesn't seem to mind, but the problem we then have is that Mason doesn't like to go out in front (he's only just turned 5 himself) so they get themselves in a right stress as neither one will go forwards. Mason then reverses into the verge - which I can't allow him to do as there are numerous rabbit and badger holes and drainage ditches, so eventually this morning, I got off and led. He then follows me, like a lamb, for the rest of the hack, and I get on just before we turn around to go home, and walks out in front all the way home, toe rag.
If anyone's got any ideas, which don't involve me getting off, then I'd love to hear them!
 
I once took on a very naughty nappy mare that would also rear and buck like mad with it- her previous owners couldn't deal with it and were scared of her and they used bad saddles on her, so that was the cause- I don't believe that a horse will ever completely stop napping once they've started it, there will always be situations that may bring the nappiness to the forefront but it gets much easier and quicker to resolve. We basically had to educate my mare and gave her lots to think about in her schooling, in that she must go forwards off the leg and when she did she got lots of praise, and when she didn't I would just make it more uncomfortable for her to nap so she went forwards and then lots of praise!- if she didn't go from my leg aid then yes, she was given a tap behind the leg to send her forwards and once she was forwards I kept her thinking forwards. If she was having a particularly bad nap then I may occasionally make her stand still until she got bored and went forwards or (obviously if you aren't on a busy road!), I would use reverse psychology and made her rein backwards a few steps or so, turned her round and she would normally want to go fowards!. Good luck and it will get better (assume the saddle, bit, feet, back, teeth etc are all ok as well?!)......
 
I had a pony that did this too. When she went backwards ( and I am talking about in a quiet lane here) I would just turn 2 or 3 tightish circles and she would usually walk on. I found that getting up tight with her just aggrevated the situation. On a busy road I think I would be tempted to get off for a few minutes rather than risk injury to the horse and myself.
 
Have been going through this with my horse, posted previously, with various suggestions tried. Only thing that has worked is when he refuses to go forwards to make him stand
with his head and neck flexed and keep asking to go forward while allowing with rein, and if he doesnt go forward to take rein contact again. He is still napping, but from spending 2 hours waiting for him to move, the last hack was two stops of 5 mins each. I have been longreining him with a friend and sometimes he will go forward While being longreined sometimes not. We always seem to meet something scary even though I try to pick a quiet route! I still have to walk through the scary corner and village and get on a couple of hundred yards away from the stables. I just have to make sure I have plenty of time to sit it out if I have to and not go out when its threatening to pour with rain! We have been doing this since early May I think, its taking time but I hope to win
 
My mare does this, if I get too firm with her, she rears. Not fun on roads with inconsiderate drivers :s She is worse if I put my leg on. However, I've discovered a trick, it's not pretty but I flap my legs (told you it wasn't pretty) about (not kicking her) and the exaggerated movement gets her moving, without deadening her to my legs :)
 
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