Teaching horse to go it alone

[golddustsara]

Went for a hack on D today alone and he was very reluctant, calling constantly, jogging, shaking his head about. I've long reined him down the roads and led him out (he is a baby) as well as hacking a lot in company and he has been fine, but actually hacking on him, on our own apparently is an issue. This was only the second time I've hacked him alone and unfortunately with the riding we have I can only take him up the lane and back unless I want to go alone a big main road (we hack down the main road in company but I don't feel safe enough on my own to attempt this yet).

Rather than simply turning around when we got to the top of the lane I made him go up and down the last stretch a couple of times but this tended to make him het up.

I just don't want to brave the main road when he is being a t*t. Should I long rein more/get a friend to walk alongside us? He is an angel in company and I certainly don't want him to not hack alone, so gotta keep at it I suppose! Body protector at the ready!

 

[gunnergundog]

Can you box away somewhere quieter/more suitable until you get his and your confidence up?

Alternatively, can you get someone to just walk alongside you on foot....that often gives the horse the confidence he needs; if he is a baby he will have had most of the things done to him in life by people on foot (lunging, long-reining, general handling) and it will only be recently that he has had someone up on top......the confidence from the human on the ground doesn't always quickly transfer to the one on top for some horses.

 

[gingerarab]

My baby horse went for her first hack alone yesterday, I enlisted the help of a friend who walked along side us and fed her bits of carrots and the odd polo mint as we went along. Pure old fashioned bribery but it seemed to do the trick ! Good luck and keep it up with yours.

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

As others have suggested I would get someone on foot to come out with you. Given that it is road work I think that would work best, if it were not all road I would say you could walk him and keep treats for good calm behaviour

 

[Headpiece]

Have you tried "hacking" out in the field alone, the yard or anywhere you have that is next to the stables? Not too much back and fore, somewhere where you could go round and round (thinking of avoiding any napping issues!)

I find that with a young horse you need to establish that rider - horse connection first, before attempting your goal you need to break it into smaller pieces.