Slow out & fast back

Taffieboy1

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Hi,

Have bought a 15hh Welsh x TB gelding, 18 year old lovely lovely boy.
The problem is this, out on a hack, going out he is v v lazy, an doesn't really listen to my leg much at all. He is also a v spooky lad but am OK with that. However when I turn round on the hack to come back, or he realises we are on the return part of our hack loop, he does that goes loop.
Starts jogging, if I keep half halting, after a while he will just start trotting sideways an head tossing, then spooking at even a blade of grass, any ideas on how to change this behaviour ? He is exactly the same either hacking alone, with one other, or a group.

Thank you in advance
 

WandaMare

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Mine has a tendency for this too, altho she is worse hacking alone. I find the following help:

Lots of trotting on the way out so that she is too tired to mess about on the way home

Avoid hacking when the horse is hungry

Go for longer hacks so again they have less energy to drag you home, even lunge or school for 20-30 mins before going out

Ride past the gate when you get home and keep going for awhile just to remind them who's in charge!

Do different routes and lengths of hack so it doesn't become too predictable.

Hope this helps :)
 

Taffieboy1

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Yes it does, an my next hack will trot out the whole 30 mins or so, then spin him around to walk back & see how we go if it has a difference on him.
He's so lazy going out its untrue, then a bundle of energy home, more annoying than dangerous thou will say, is your girl the same.
 

WandaMare

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Yes mines the same :) its v annoying. She did it on Sat, took her for a quick hack as too cold to go for long...car went past with rattley trailer on the back, she was fine, no reaction at all. Same car came past on the way home and she went completely daft, snorting, passage :D, tail lifted, everything..tried to drag me home and went all spooky :rolleyes: She's much worse on short hacks, too much energy! Mines welshie too...she doesn't like to be away from her food for too long :)
 

Goldenstar

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I laughed when I read the title of this thread my got my first pony when I was six we had one ride that my mum let me do alone , along the beach to the breakwaters and back I had a timex watch it took me 26 mins to get there and three to get back.
He was so naughty but boy did I learn lots.
 

YorksG

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We can't ride past our gate, BUT we do put extra loops in our rides, which stops the girls thinking that they know that they are on their way home :) I have to say ours are pretty good about not rushing home, whether they are alone or in company, but it is important to keep them that way.
 

Taffieboy1

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Somebody said to me the other day, forget hacking for a few weeks,
just school him every other day, get him really listening & responding
to me, lots of transitions then start hacking again, anyone agree ?
 

Footprint

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Great advice here, I'd mix it up with both schooling and hacking, although I prefer to school whilst hacking! Definitely keep things unpredictable, don't always canter in the same place and lots of loops so you may go towards home but then loop round the other way to keep horse guessing and listening to you. Maybe school and the hack out, short ones to begin with... Do keep it interesting for your horse though.
 

Taffieboy1

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Would love to be able to do that, prob is where I am located, from the yard is a Bridleway, thats goes one way & you have to hack back same way, and I have a 2 mile all weather gallop, which is a loop, but he gets clever about that too sometimes :rolleyes:
 
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