Very nappy, rearing horse - help me!

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Zobaby

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I'll give you a bit of background info, but i'll try to keep it brief!
I bought my 16.2hh, 7 year old ID x TB gelding 5 months ago and was told he was a safe horse who hacked confidently and had competition experience. However, in just a couple of weeks, i found he was very nappy to hack out alone and often reared. I couldn't even ride him round the yard without him rearing! He hacked out with company perfectly though, and is practically bombproof with another horse. After months spent sorting him out, he will walk fairly happily around the yard and up the road, but is still hesitant and nappy, although not rearing.
I recently took him to a SJ training night and he was an angel in the warm up, but as soon as he got into the arena, he was a nightmare! he took about 5 mins just to get away from the gate as he kept rearing and spinning, then i got him to the first jump and he refused 4 times, which is very unlike him (he has never refused at home, he jumps 1m spreads easily at home and this was only the novice class). My farrier then rode him for me, and rode him very firmly and he went round the whole course.
He is ridden about 5 or 6 days a week and is only fed pasture mix and chaff. He lives out. He does not behave at all like this in the school, so i am assuming it isn't his back/teeth/tack etc. He's fairly lazy, so his rearing/spinning is pretty out of normal character!
If anyone could give me any ideas on how to sort him out i would be so grateful! i bought him as a showjumper, so since he won't compete, i'm really getting to the end of my tether with him. Help!
 
sounds like he is taking the p** a bit. If he didnt do it with the farrier then its obviously not a pain thing, maybe he just needs shown whos boss. Have you tried asking someone else to hack him out?
 
To be blunt, your horse needs a stronger rider, and you need a less challenging horse.
Sell him and buy something you can cope with.
 
Yes ,it does sound like he is trying it on.Without knowing your ability and experience it is hard to give advice ,is he your first horse you may need to get regular help to help you sort this out before it is really established
 
Echo all of above - but he's obviously not keen on show jumping for whatever reason and in my experience if they're not 'up for it' you're fighting a losing battle to get any decent results with horses like this.
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This is my 2nd horse, and he really does love jumping at home, its just that he hates leaving other horses, which is a problem at shows.
I feel i should sell him and buy something less challenging, but i will never get what i paid for him, so i really can't sell. He has loads of potential, if only i can sort this problem out.

I have had lots of lessons, and have been told to ride him "like a man"! This has been working and this is how he is hacking better, however he is extremely scary at shows, and i am losing a lot of confidence.
I am an experienced rider, i have just never had to deal with a rearer before.
 
well, basically i just kick and smack until he moves forward!

on hacks, my instuctor told me to get off and lead him a bit if he stopped and threatened to rear and then remount and carry on, but this didn't work, so my instructer gave me another approach - be really firm, let him know who's boss, and make him go forwards. This actually works and he's a lot better.

At shows, i have to ride really firmly and i have to use a lot of leg and stick. he does go eventually, but by then he's so distracted and wound up, he won't jump.
 
did the farrier need to smack him?

I imagine he has stronger legs than you so it will be easier for him. The minute you feel him about to nap get your leg on really strong and use your voice, dont wait for him to do it then react. And if he doesnt do it and moves forward give him lots of praise.
 
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I feel i should sell him and buy something less challenging, but i will never get what i paid for him, so i really can't sell. He has loads of potential, if only i can sort this problem out.


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Having been in a similar position my advice would be to cut your losses and find something more suitable. I struggled on and on with my talented but difficult horse and spent thousands on pro schooling and vet investigations to no avail. Horses are so so expensive in terms of time and money... get one you can have fun with before you get hurt.
 
Don't give up yet. Rearing is often a sign of insecurity and if he does it with you then you are not giving him the confidence he needs. I do understand, my horse was dreadful (and still can be) but it is down to his nervousness and sometimes it is hard to see past the "possible" rears. 5 mths is not a long time. Don't rush it, spend the winter getting a bond, that is sometimes the hardest thing. Good luck.
 
thanks, guys! i will perservere - i'm determined to get over this as he is a really lovely horse and he could be brilliant if he just wasn't so silly!
 
Regarding selling at a loss...it doesn't sound as if you are having much fun with him at the moment...and if you work out how much he costs in livery, vet, farriery, feed etc then you'd soon make up the loss if you sell him.
Best of luck whatever you decide to do.
 
Does this worry and scare you? Do you dread riding him? if not, I'd persevere.

Having had a serial napper before, found a bit of playing around worked:

either get as far as he'll go, down the lane, to end of the yard whatever, then if he won't go, just sit there. Stay on him. Take a book, sandwiches and a drink and just stay there all day if necessary. Don't let him turn round and go where he wants. he can only go where you want, i.e forward. If he feels the need to rear. Stop the pressure, no kicking. Ask him to stand, and stand and stand, until he's bored sh*tless.

Or, this worked better with my guy, but then he bucked and only threatened to rear: just keep him moving, round and round in tight circles, backwards, forwards, no let up until walking forward sweetly. Used to ride mine backwards all the way down the lane. Only had to do this a few times and he never did serious naps again.
 
Sounds a bit like mine, a year down the line i have learnt to be assertive wihout being unkind, often they need you to tell them very assertively with either your voice or a bit of a firm tap with the whip to show you mean business.
 
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Echo all of above - but he's obviously not keen on show jumping for whatever reason and in my experience if they're not 'up for it' you're fighting a losing battle to get any decent results with horses like this.
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I agree with this comment - going through this with my boy.

Unless it's a confidence thing for him - perhaps if you get your confidence up with jumping so will he. Unfortunately with my boy it's sight related and he won't jump with anyone!

Good luck with him though...
 
I agree with Moneypit and Madhossy. He is insecure and needs to know that you are the lead mare. Perhaps something in his past has made him like this.

I bought an ex-racer who napped like crazy when I tried to take him out on his own. He had only been hacked in a string before and had half an hour turn out a day. He was only comfortable when in his stable, then he would lunge at anyone who came near him.

If you are determined to keep him then take your time - groundwork will help, using body language to push him etc.

Have you looked for a local self employed rider who could come a couple of times each week to hack him out?

Best of luck. Hope you enjoy, and win the challenge
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Yes I definitely agree with Madhossy's two suggestions - just sit there, and also turning in circles/back/forward, etc. I did this with my nappy mare and after a few goes she realised life is a lot easier just doing what she's asked!
 
zobaby
if you try all these things and he is no better, then please just sell up before he hurts you.
no money in the world is worth you getting hurt or possibly killed.
it sounds extreme to say killed, but a lady i knew died out hunting. her horse reared up, and went over pinning her underneath.
she died of massive internal bleeds
 
My mare was very insecure when I got her (has her 2 years now). She will still throw her toys out her pram but she has never once scared me and when she is good she is great. We just have to be confident and if the confidence gets knocked we take a couple of step backwards. I would love a more genuine horse but I don't have £10k to spare for this and normally like the challenge.

If she ever scared me etc I would be selling her on
 
Your horse sounds a mirror image of mine, he was bought to be a showjumper and has been a nightmare. He has always been trained with a professional as he was so difficult and even they gave up with him. When he came home he was taken to a couple of lessons at our local equestrian centre and he was fab, when we went to a jumping clinic there he just completely died on us, it was as if he had stage fright. He has always been a napper and rearer and I also have been at the stage when I didn't know what to do next. I will never sell him as I believe he would be dangerous in the wrong hands and the bottom line is I love him to bits. For all his issues under saddle he is very loving. I have been told he is very intelligent and his blood lines mean he will take a long time to mature ( he is now seven ) We have given him the summer to relax as i think he had jumping fatigue, and do some hacking , which no-one was previously brave enough to do with him. He started off really awful but as his confidence has grown he is a changed animal. I have also given him magnesium supplement and it has taken the edge off him. He will never be a novice ride but for us he is becoming manageable. Good luck its a very long journey
 
I had a similar problem with one of my previous horses. He was a 16.3hh TB, ex national hunt horse, first few months of owning him he was a little legend, then the nightmare began. He never used to be nappy alone but then decided that if he was to go out on his own anyware he would rear up. Well the rears got bigger and bigger and then he took to falling over backwards each time (only place he wouldn't do it was in the indoor school). The worst bit was he would srike out with his front legs whilst going up so if there had been anyone in front of him they would have had a shod hoof through their head. That was the point where I decided to get rid. Alot of the people on my yard tried to persuade me to stick with him, but I don't suffer from fools gladly and didn't want a horrific accident or even a death on my hands when I knew how dangerous he had become. I tried everything with him and when it didn't work sent him off to another yard for troublesome horses to see if they could sort him out, when they did I then asked them to get rid of him for me.

Good luck with whatever you do with your horse, but please do not bow to peer pressure if you really do feel uncomfortable riding him then do what is best for you, you only live once.
 
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on hacks, my instuctor told me to get off and lead him a bit if he stopped and threatened to rear and then remount and carry on,

CHANGE YOUR INSTRUCTOR!
 
My horse is a 16.3 IDxTB 8yo and exactly the same. He is almost sorted now but it has take almost 2 years. I still have to take him off the yard walking backwards. He started napping going into the SJ ring about 6 months ago, I had to get 2 people behind him with a lunge line to get him in, he is ok now.

Never ever give in and just keep repeating what you want until he does it. Long reining helps and inhand ground work It was a bit of a confidence thing with my horse, so praise and reasurrance were the key. PM me if you need any advice/help as I know how hard this can be, I was at breaking point with mine earlier in the year and was about to sell him. Im so glad I stuck with it now, but it was a long hard road and we have still not reached the end.

I will be more than happy to help and talk you through what I did with baron, it will be more like a long essay so just PM me if you want me to help.
 
Haven't read all the replies - but get rid of it.

It's not the horse for you - and better to loose some money, than something else on a horse that is seriously not for you.
 
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Quote:
on hacks, my instuctor told me to get off and lead him a bit if he stopped and threatened to rear and then remount and carry on,

CHANGE YOUR INSTRUCTOR!

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This is what I did and it works. It is much safer to get off and lead the horse through the nap than have it rearing and spinning in the road to a point where you have to turn back. As long as the horse is kept going forwards it doesnt matter if you have to get off, its better to prevent a full blown nap as the horse just sees red and cannot focus on what you are asking of it.

This horse has either been allowed to get away with napping before and leart it is a way to get out of work, or he had serious confidence issues. With my horse it was a bit of both. I learnt to deal with it, I could feel a few seconds before he was about to nap but reading his body language and just tapped him with a whip and talked him through it. You have to be very alert though as it only takes a split second between him about to nap and him napping. And it doesnt always work.

I constantly talk or sing to baron on hacks. Once he relaxes he loves the hack. Its mainly the initial leaving the other horses bit that the problem. Also at SJ I make sure I stay away from other horses, not congregate around the waiting area with the others. Tell the person on the gate the horse is nappy. Ride him in strong and canter as soon as you are in. My horse loves jumping and rarely stops, its just the going in on his own part thats the problem.
 
I agree - this is a confidence issue - he needs more confidence in you....I had one just like this....he used to freeze in the ring as been overfaced before I had him and he couldn't cope with the stress/pressure.

get your confidence together - maybe some X/C with some friends - he can follow on and have some fun and get to know you and trust you. Then you won't need to be overly strong to get your own way - battle of brawn is difficult to win, battle of wits is easier.

My dear cob is a real wuz really...that's why he used to nap and freeze and do bunny hops...find a decent instructor and go out and have some fun together - good luck!
 
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Does this worry and scare you? Do you dread riding him? if not, I'd persevere.

Having had a serial napper before, found a bit of playing around worked:

either get as far as he'll go, down the lane, to end of the yard whatever, then if he won't go, just sit there. Stay on him. Take a book, sandwiches and a drink and just stay there all day if necessary. Don't let him turn round and go where he wants. he can only go where you want, i.e forward. If he feels the need to rear. Stop the pressure, no kicking. Ask him to stand, and stand and stand, until he's bored sh*tless.

Or, this worked better with my guy, but then he bucked and only threatened to rear: just keep him moving, round and round in tight circles, backwards, forwards, no let up until walking forward sweetly. Used to ride mine backwards all the way down the lane. Only had to do this a few times and he never did serious naps again.

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Sorry to be a sheep - but I agree with madhossy!

My last horse sounds very similar to yours - he started napping and rearing when he got very fit one winter - what worked for us was the sitting still method... i initially tried being more assertive with him - but it made him worse... after a few weeks of sitting still the napping almost completely dissappeared.
 
Napping & rearing isnt nice. I have been dealing with my own Napper & big rearer for the last 12 months. The thing with horses like this is there's never a text book method that cure's all.
When my horse did this i tried the ride strong & bully tactic it made the horse worse. So then i went back to groundwork using rope circling & longlining. Disengaging the quaters from the ground & then using the same method under saddle. It works for us i can stop the nap as soon as i feel his jaw or shoulders tense i disengage his quaters & carry on. He napps once now in a session sometimes not at all.

Im now at the point of him almost being ready to go back out competing, but before he does that im going to hire different schools & menages in the area first so i can make sure he has the confidence to do it. I don't want to wreck my hard work.


But this method might not work for you. But propper groundwork will help & knowing how to incorperate the groundwork in to your ridden work will help immensly. You could do with getting someone in with the above experience to help you. PM me if you want any advice.
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