Serial Napper

[Boodle]

As some of you know I have just taken on Part Loan, Sooty, a 13.3hh 13yr old (ish) fell x gelding.
I used to ride him 2 years ago for a friend until he was sold. I rode him for 2 years.

For all the time i've known him and for every owner he has ever had he has been Nappy (with a captial N).

Now, Sooty is not in pain. He has had so much checked out (in the home i first rode him at) he knocked his owner up quite a large bill.

He simply decides he doesen't/does want to do something and that is it.

He used to refuse to enter the ring at SJ comps and even when he did he would commonly nap half way round a course. He was never let away with this with me and we always finished (usually after 20 minutes and a round of applause at the end [] ).
I decided that IMO Sooty didn't have the mind for SJ, it would blow his brain abit and he jsut didn't seem to enjoy it.

He loves XC and hacking. However, even then he naps.

Coming out of the yard, he will just stop and reverse. Not overly fast, just walking backwards. And NOTHING i try makes him go forward except a lot of patience.

Once he's away from the yard he is forward, keen and full of the joys and does really seem to enjoy it. But it is just the leaving.

He can be like this on the ground occasionally too but will move on when you are firm and lead him on.

At one point a few years ago I was spending 2 hours a day walking out with him in hand trying to build his confidence in me/hacking. But it simply didn't help, he still resented leaving the yard in the first place.

What advice would you give me? Keep going as I am and hope that eventually he will realise that he does have to go and it's ok and is fun?

Bear in mind I do only part loan him, not own him and so I'm restricted in what I can do.

It's not at all scary and not really a big thing to be honest, his owner just gets someone to lead him out the yard. But i'd like to be able to get him out without anyone and his defiance is somehwat infuriating though I never lose my temper with him.

Advice please?

lol
x

 

[0ldmare]

I wish I could offer you some words of advise, but really this does seem to be a massively ingrained thing with him. Nappers are so frustrating! My mum had a cob that would be pootling along fine and then suddenly stop and then go backwards - could be on the way home, could be on the way out, wherever. NOTHING would make her go until she felt like it. We tried whacking her (just bucked every time whacked and went backwards faster), booting her like a pony clubber (nothing), making her go backwards (she liked that). The only thing that helped was when she did it once leaving the yard and my dad got the yard broom and let her back into it. We shot off down the drive. But she still did it later on the hack. Sorry not to be able to help!

 

[Boodle]

lol 0ldmare.
It really is frustrating. I mean, I can live with it, as he's not my pony I'm not going to pull out all the stops and get it sorted.
I really do think it's in his head now.

He is a cracking little pony, would be a jumping machine if it weren't for the napping.

A few years back I spent 3 hours (yes, you read right), 3 hours attempting to persuade him to walk away from his home. He did eventually go and after we got past a certain point would pull like a steam train. But the hack was just no fun as I was utterly exhausted.
He has never been that bad since, but my God if he had been I would've got more than a broom!

 

[katie_southwest]

My old pony wouldnt leave the yard so I used to lead her up the road until we were out of sight then get on...that worked sometimes...other times wed be stuck up the road for so long Id be in tears and just come back

Napping is one of the most frustrating things I have ever experienced

 

[Boodle]

Tell me about it. Boo used to be awful, but it was because I was terrified. Lol got over that.

I don't really want to have to lead him though it wouldn't really affect me either way.

I guess theres not much anyone can do. lol.

 

[Parkranger]

I suppose it depends why he's napping but seems like you've tried alot with him. I'm no expert but I've managed to cure Oscar's napping. The trick with him was just not to give up - I'd stand there for 30 mins if that's what it took but he would not win the battle.

I think the route of OScar's issues is that he'd never really hacked - was a jumper in Ireland so wasn't used to going out for pleasure. I could tell when he first saw traffic that it was a big thing!

I will admit to cracking him a few times and shouting at him and now we can get him out, on his own, and there may occasionally be a nap at sometihng scarey but more often than not he's ok.

Have other people managed to get him out? I thikn maybe the problem may stem from the fact that he's got away with it (not saying that's your fault) but sometimes, they do need to know that they're going forward whether they think it's a good idea or not!

 

[Jennypenny]

Its a difficult one, but when ive ridden nappy horses I have trotted them out of the yard and up the road until the stop thinking backwards. Send then forwards strongly, trot them away from home then walk when they are away from home. You must think forwards all the time. If they are that stubben get someone to walk behind you with a lunge whip and crack in on the floor. Good luck it can be done!

 

[Boodle]

Thanks guys!

PR - He's had a good few others riders but he has done this with everyone! I never let him away with it and he *ALWAYS* goes out whether he likes it or not. He's just an opinionated little sod. lol. Thing is, no matter how much he goes out after a battle, the next day, there is always another battle leaving the yard!
It's like it's just become habit now!

Jennypenny - I would do that if he would go forward into trot in the first place! But whether you get on and push forward as soon as you're on his back. Or whether you sit for a while first then push him on, he still goes into reverse. It can be 5 minutes, it can be 5 hours and he wll eventually go. It's just strange he's never learnt that no matter how much he protests he *Will* go.

 

[Maisy]

Is there anyway you can get someone to take you somewhere else to go for a hack away from home? It might confuse him slightly if he has nowhere familiar to 'nap' to??

Even if someone could drop you off and then you hack back to the yard?

 

[Boodle]

Yep we've done that. And he's fine if we do that, very keen and happy to wander about!

But then I don't want to have to do that everytime we hack as I have no transport and the hacking round his yard is second to none!