NeverSayNever
Well-Known Member
i was wondering a few months back if there was ever any light at the end of the tunnel. I had a huge confidence knock after a bad fall from someone elses horse but although i thought i was over it, when my own young pony started to nap out on hacks i found it very difficult. What made it especially hard was that there was no build up or warning, we went from happily hacking alone to literally out of nowhere one day with no indication it was coming, head between the knees, back rounded and broncing. I was caught unawares and came flying off. That was the beginning of it all as she knew she could get me off so after that, every hack was a nightmare. I didnt dare let her have a long rein incase she got her head down, she was tense and the general napping began, planting, spinning, further attempts at broncing, reversing at high speed. I kept going with her and continued fw lessons and hacking in company but i got to the stage after a couple of months where even long reining or leading her out inhand i wasnt managing very well as she was jogging and pratting about. My horses are kept at home and usually ride alone so its not as if i have other people aroundto gee me on either which i always thinks helps psychologically. I got a local teenager who is a super rider to hack her out a couple of times for me and although she tried it on with her, they came back relaxed on a long rein as she was not worried by her antics at all was able to relax with her, something i couldnt do. I honestly thought Id not get past it, that wed only be able to hack in company and in the arena. Im not sure what has helped but I turned her away for 6 weeks, then tried again and found her still just as nappy. However i was beginning to get fed up instead of scared. I bought myself an RStor and it made such a huge difference! Gradually i felt able to relax a little more as the couple of occasions she tried to buck i found the RStor gave me the split second longer to anchor my backside and kick her on! Result! We still werent enjoying relaxing hacks but we WERE hacking alone again! Then i signed us up for a pleasure ride with a friend and she was a complete star, taking the lead a good bit of the time! Since then its like a switch has gone back on and we are hacking out for hours again, on our own, with no napping and Im able to let her have a long rein and relax. I only thought I would share our little achievement as i honestly didnt think i was confident enough or good enough to ride through this issue and get it sorted and having searched for stories of hope on here I didnt find many and was starting to think once a napper, always a napper. This started with us last December and has taken until now to get through which feels like forever but actually is about 6 months so in the grand scale of things not that long. It could have just been a dose of the teenage kevins of course but either way i know if we regress and it crops up again that we can get through it, and if I can, anyone can 
