Too slow with green horse?

[Olliepoppy]

Hi, I've had my boy for about 3 months. He is just 6 and is very green, spooks a lot on the roads (or anywhere new really). We had a rocky start and since then I have been spending time developing our relationship, having lessons in his field and hacking him up and down our farm track and in one big grass field (which he is now 99.9% comfortable with). I had been out of riding for a number of years so not only is it helping develop him, it is helping me also. My question is: as we have not been back out on the roads yet (I have no-one to hack with/anyone to walk alongside) am I taking it too slowly with him? Will it matter if he is away from the roads for a while? Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

 

[be positive]

If you had a bad start then you are best going at a pace that suits you and if that means staying off the roads then I think you are being sensible, you are moving on with other aspects so he should be improving generally with his education and gaining confidence, as you will be, having no one to go out with makes your situation more difficult as a sensible nanny horse or person on foot can make all the difference.
Could you gradually start to take him to the end of the track just to stand somewhere safe and watch the world go past, take it as slowly as you feel confident to, there is no point in going out with the feeling it will all go wrong as then it probably will, push the boundaries a little in other ways and see if you can find someone local that will come out with you, bribe a friend or arrange for your instructor to walk with you, they may even be best on him for the first venture out.

 

[HaffiesRock]

I would stay off the roads until you are 100% confident on the farm/in your lessons. Once you reach a point where you feel safe and trust your horse, I would start hand walking on the road and building up to riding. Good luck!

 

[TBB]

You can never go too slow with a green horse but if you move too fast and something happens it is often very difficult to fix it. As others have said wait until you are 100% happy before venturing out, try going at a time when the road is not as busy. Around here I would try early sunday morning (not many early risers) or at tea time on a sat or late evening during the week as these are the quietest times on our road.

 

[oldie48]

Actually i'd try very hard to find someone with a sensible traffic proof horse that i could ride with on the roads. why not ask your instructor, he/she might be willing to bring a horse over and accompany you or might know of someone local who would ride up to meet you Personally, I think a young horse needs a sensible companion unless ridden by a very confident person.

 

[Olliepoppy]

Thanks for the comments. I've lead him on the road and he's really good, it's when you get on him he's not so brave. He is now comfy with the off road area I have so I need to expand but I'm not so confident on the roads on my own and I'm betting he'll pick up on that big style! It's a good idea to speak to my instructor to see if she can help

 

[Ilovemywelshie]

My girl was just 5 when i got her and not used to hacking alone. I found leading out a lot really helped us bond too. I spent a while leading out and i still take her for a walk every now and again too when I have the children tagging along. They certainly sense when your nervous and walking the same route untill it was almost boring for both of was good it meant when we rode round there wasn't the same excitement or anxious feeling. Now we can hack just about anywhere, we just needed to be more of a team

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

You can long rein on the roads which means he is leading but you have good control, this is done with driving horses, and it works.

 

[Olliepoppy]

Thanks, I have been leading him on the roads and he has been really good so far. I will ask my instructor about long reining as I have no experience of this but as I would eventually like to drive him sounds like a really good plan!