What to do- horses that don't/won't/can't away from home, giving up & being miserable

You give a far clearer picture of her in your last post :). I've only ever known one horse who was insecure to that extent, but yes she did get considerably better - I owned her for 2 1/2 years and sold her about 10 years ago. The key with her was building in lots of little routines that she could cling onto - a grooming routine, a tacking up routine, a ring entering routine etc... Those were the things that used to settle her at shows, it was like it gave her something to cling onto. But yes, definitely keep plugging away with her if you have the energy :)
 
DabDab said:
You give a far clearer picture of her in your last post :). I've only ever known one horse who was insecure to that extent, but yes she did get considerably better - I owned her for 2 1/2 years and sold her about 10 years ago. The key with her was building in lots of little routines that she could cling onto - a grooming routine, a tacking up routine, a ring entering routine etc... Those were the things that used to settle her at shows, it was like it gave her something to cling onto. But yes, definitely keep plugging away with her if you have the energy :)
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ooo thank you - that routine idea sounds so obvious but I hadn't thought of doing that - ironically with dressage (which is pretty much the only thing we can do!!) that is EXACTLY what i do, we have a very specific routine even before we leave the yard, when we get there, the warm up etc - and I don't have any problems!!

I clearly need to develop a SJ/XC routine too!! How stupid of me not to think of it!

I assume she came good in the end (your horse I mean?) I will keep going thank you!!
 
Yes she did - was always quirky but became a fantastic competition horse. I sold her because she started to become a fantastic eventer and I didn't really have the money to do her justice in that sphere. Someone made me an offer for her at one event and they took her to intermediate before she became sick and was retired. Good luck with your girl :)
 
We had a loan pony like this.He was 10, adorable and super safe,but we were warned when we took him on that he wouldn't jump.

We did get him to jump,if someone ran alongside,and he'd step ove rpoles to get to his tea [the first time we hacked him,he wouldn't walk over lines on the road he was so bad].But,he'd jump on the lead rein one day,the next he'd look at the same fence as if he'd never seen it before and refuse to have anything to do with it.In the end we had to accept his limitations and give up jumping.Our instructor reckoned that something had happened at some point to put him off,and as he'd been bought through Melton Market,she was probably right.
 
This might be stupid and not everyones cup of tea, but how about asking one of those "I talk to horses" people?

Last year I was riding a really spooky TB and we just couldnt seem to get past a certain point in the driveway when going on a hack without him going in to panic mode.
We tried everything to get him used to walking down it and some days he would be fine.
So I thought it's only £20 what's the worst she can say?
So after the reading which was amazing by they way!
He walked down the driveway and didn't batter an eye lid!
When he's not ridden so often he may do a little sideways thing, but no where near the extent of what he was like! I'm surprised I never fell off he got quite dangerous.
 
Mine's the same, just has an abject fear of jumping. Thing is I'm not really into jumping so didn't buy him for that so there's no pressure on either of us!
 
serena2005 said:
This might be stupid and not everyones cup of tea, but how about asking one of those "I talk to horses" people?

Last year I was riding a really spooky TB and we just couldnt seem to get past a certain point in the driveway when going on a hack without him going in to panic mode.
We tried everything to get him used to walking down it and some days he would be fine.
So I thought it's only £20 what's the worst she can say?
So after the reading which was amazing by they way!
He walked down the driveway and didn't batter an eye lid!
When he's not ridden so often he may do a little sideways thing, but no where near the extent of what he was like! I'm surprised I never fell off he got quite dangerous.
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What did you find out?
 
Kaylum said:
What did you find out?
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That his back hurt, even though we had had it checked and saddle fitted, he said he trusted me but not the places we go.
He started life as a test subject horse :( he told her of a posh yard he was at which he didn't like and why he doesn't like stables, this yard had a long driveway... Much like ours, which to me makes sense why he didn't want to walk down it! There was loads of other things, some of it was so true it sent shivers down my spine.
I hadn't spoken to her, I just e-mailed a pic of us both. I didn't even tell her his name.
 
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