rafty
Well-Known Member
After reading through the recent threads on horses napping, I dealt with todays napping episode quite well! Or at least I think I did!
Had to ride my mare home from the stables to mine, its only about a 40-50min ride, but its through agricultural land and farms etc.
Rode really positively from the start, leg on and trotting at any sign of slowing down to back up etc. Was going well until we turned off the usual route, we had to pass some fields she has freaked out at before. They all have those plastic tunnels on at the moment, so trotted her past these throwing in a few figure of eights and bits and bobs. And then of course behind come the vans full of all the field workers, they over took me and I could see them parking further up the lanes. Now she hates people in the distance!!! So had to really kick her on (shameful pony club kicks by grown woman
) Then being backed into a ditch gave a smack with the riding crop and a few choice words, including sausages and factory! A few bucks and spins later I had her going again, but had to shamelessly kick all the way past the people, gave a polite hello and darted off!!
She only tried it once more at a pile of rubbish, but it was not a huge nap attack, just tried to stop and spin but I got her before she had time to do anything. Then I schooled her at that spot by all the plastic for a few minutes.
We made it home and she is happily grazing in the field. I hope she will start to see I am boss and do this less and less!
So thanks for everyone who gave great advice for napping, as I tried it out and it went ok!!!
Had to ride my mare home from the stables to mine, its only about a 40-50min ride, but its through agricultural land and farms etc.
Rode really positively from the start, leg on and trotting at any sign of slowing down to back up etc. Was going well until we turned off the usual route, we had to pass some fields she has freaked out at before. They all have those plastic tunnels on at the moment, so trotted her past these throwing in a few figure of eights and bits and bobs. And then of course behind come the vans full of all the field workers, they over took me and I could see them parking further up the lanes. Now she hates people in the distance!!! So had to really kick her on (shameful pony club kicks by grown woman
) Then being backed into a ditch gave a smack with the riding crop and a few choice words, including sausages and factory! A few bucks and spins later I had her going again, but had to shamelessly kick all the way past the people, gave a polite hello and darted off!!She only tried it once more at a pile of rubbish, but it was not a huge nap attack, just tried to stop and spin but I got her before she had time to do anything. Then I schooled her at that spot by all the plastic for a few minutes.
We made it home and she is happily grazing in the field. I hope she will start to see I am boss and do this less and less!
So thanks for everyone who gave great advice for napping, as I tried it out and it went ok!!!
