Stuck in reverse?!? - HELP!!!

J

JHobbs

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Hi - I have a problem with my horse whereby for no real reason he stops while out hacking and refuses to move forward. He's been doing this for about a year now, although it was less often during the winter. There is nothing scarey to warrant him refusing to move, in fact when there is something scarey he always goes past it but with a wide berth.

Its becoming a real problem, I've tried smacking him with a stick which just causes him to buck and kick out (not good for cars, cyclists or anything else which may be unfortunate enough to be behind us), if I apply more leg or kick him he just runs backwards - into whatever maybe behind us, if I get after him with my voice & leg he's started to bunny hop rear, I've also tried turning him in multiple circles but to no avail!.......It seems that the only way he will move is if he is led either by the rider or another horse (which I don't like doing as I think this lets him get away with the bad behavior) or to turn him around and literally rein back - this can go on for probably a couple of hundred yards which isn't ideal either.

He displays this behavior more in company of another horse but also on his own. He has his saddle, back & teeth checked regularly so I'm pretty confident its not because he is in discomfort...I'm thinking along the lines that is a form of napping or lack of respect for the rider.

I've had him for 7 years, I've been riding for 30 years but I have never come across this problem before and am at my wits end with what to try next!

Any help / suggestion would be appreciated - please!
 
"for no real reason"
Is it in particular places?
In response to particualr smells?/Sounds?/Ground conditions?
On the way out?/Coming home?
On long hacks?

Other than being more frequent when in company is there anything at all that links the times this happens?
 
feeling your pain, I too have had a year of it, only thing that works with mine is sit there and wait it out, then when he does decide he wants to walk on I sometimes make him stand until he gets really fed up so its then my idea to go forward. Mine still tries it on every ride though its as if his memory has been wiped clean every hack ! You need the patience of a saint and at the moment good sunblock!
 
"for no real reason"
Is it in particular places?
In response to particualr smells?/Sounds?/Ground conditions?
On the way out?/Coming home?
On long hacks?

Other than being more frequent when in company is there anything at all that links the times this happens?

Hi Tickles!

The place changes, so for a month or so its one particular place, we get over that then its somewhere else and these can be places we've past many, many times before and not had a problem. Saturday just gone it was on a road where I haven't ridden for a long time (years) and then in a river which I've ridden through many times and recently - He wouldn't get out and started to rear, I wasn't up for falling off in the water or getting off & leading him, luckily my sister was with me on her horse so she went first and mine followed. It can be going out & coming back, short or long hacks. - There appears to be no pattern to it.

I have also tried waiting it out but he still refuses to go forward or if he does its by 3 steps and then we go backward 5!

All very frustrating!
 
I had this problem with a 17.1hh recently backed 6yo
He just stopped. End of. Wasn't going to be fooled into reversing past the point of no return. Tried jiggling, kicking, allsorts. Sat and had a fag, thought he might get bored - no.
Luckily I spotted a girl in the distance who owned a horse, so called to her and asked if she had a lunging whip, which she very kindly brought down the lane. She asked if I wanted her to lead him and I said thank you but no. Please could she tickle his hind legs around the heel with the whip. After a very short time he moved forward away from the irritation and then started to stop, so she followed him, tickled again, we burst into trot and away we went. Never had a problem since.

In Lucinda Greens book 'Be Fair', they had the problem of him spinning around and trying to go home, and her dad followed in the landrover armed with a lunge whip - it worked for them too!
 
Irish - thanks for the suggestion.......I wonder who I can con into following me one day - If I can get someone I'll definitely give it a go! as getting after him just gets us no-where!
 
My mare still sometimes does this, but not as bad she was awfull and could barely leave the yard unless it was towards the field that was a different story! i just had to be firm and she has improved.

maybe try sheepskin blinkers?
goodluck!
 
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