The further adventures of Herbie. The not so happy hacker

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LauraWheeler

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Well i hacked him out again. He was good to come in and tack up. I took him down to the drive way and got on still with no problems he stood still and walked on when i asked him. We walked 100 yards up the road to the cross roads and he desided to stop dead and refused to move. I think he wanted to go the same way as we went yesterday. I got off him and led him up the road in the direction i wanted to go. I led him quite a way as we have to go past a killer pig who runs at the fence and the other pony who hacks out with us will not go past unless i lead herbie in front. We got past the pig and i got back on and Herbie continued up the drove road. He was ok for a while then he stopped again. I got off and led him (he walked on streight away so thats an improvement from our usual discussions). I got on him again quite quickly and he walked on for a while but we had to repeat this another 2 times. After this he thought about napping a few times but he walked on when i kicked him on. He wasn't as good as yesterday but he was still better than he used to be. So today i am a little happy but also a little frustrated. I know we will have good days and bad days and as long as he continues to show some improvment i'll be happy. Like i said yesterday he is improving faster than i thought he would but it's still gonna take time. I don't work weekends so he will now have 2 days off but next week we will carry on and hopefuly he will continu to improve.
Thanks for reading and thankyou to all those on here who have given me support. I wish everyone else was as kind as you have been, afew people have told me to take him to the sales and get rid of him. But i couldn't do that to him poor pony who knows where he'll end up (and i can't afford a nice well behaved pony anyway). We'll just have to keep going and one day he will prove them all wrong just like Lucy did.
 
Well done for persevering!!

It's really frustrating with this kind of problem because it's always one step forwards, two steps back, but keep at it.

Out of interest, have you tried one, sharp smack as soon as he thinks of stopping? Doesn't work with every horse, but some respond to it.
 
Booboos. Thankyou. But if you smack him it makes him worse and he will just leap, rear and buck. You cannot have an argument with this pony as he will just fight back. Getting off him is working although i know it's not what you are ment to do. He doesn't do any of it to get me off (unless i start an argument with him) he is just trying to avoid going forwards.

picolenicole. Thankyou. I know we will get there one day. Lucy is doing ok. The lumps are about the same i think or maybe a little smaller and she hasn't had a bleed for about a week *rushes round touching all the wood she can find* Her weight is improving although everyone keeps saying they think she looks ok and it's just me being paranoid. The main thing is she is still happy in herself. Infact i was late with her dinner last night and when i gave it to her she had dug up all her banks! She is normaly the cleanest pony ever but she was having a big temper tantrum last night.
 
HAHA. I couldn't feed her a pony was being clipped on the yard at the time although i think her crashing around upset it more than if i had fed her. That or she wanted to be clipped to i don't think she thinks much of this semi retirement lark. Hopefuly when her weight improves i can start riding her again.
 
You are doing the right thing: it will take a lot of time, reptition and patience. the moment you get anrgy or frustrated with her will be the moment you find yourself back to square one, so hang on in there and keep up the good work.
 
Thankyou puzzels. I know from bitter expereance with him there is no point loosing your temper as you will never get anywhere. I am firm but with lots and lots of posetive re enforcement when he is good.
 
Well done so far! Keep it up and in a few months you will have a happy hacker and you can give yourself a huge pat on the back for sticking with him when others wouldn't have.
 
Thanks blazingsaddles. we'll get there in the end. I think the problem is everyone else has given up on him and let him get away with this behavour. He is 8 and i am his 6th owner :(
 
I think you are entirely right - you have to do what works! Personally I don't think there is anything wrong with getting off and leading, I have done it myself and it works great with some horses.

Keep up the good work!
 
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