What to do with my MAD horse?

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dizzyf

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Generally he's ok.

BUT sometimes (quite a lot of the time in our menage) he makes up monsters and refuses to move forward. There is no apparent reason, nothing moving around waiting to attack him, it seems to be work avoidance. He occasionally does it at new show venues, but mainly it's at home.

What do we do???

What about calming feeds or supplements? The problem is, generally he is laid back and a bit lazy, so does need energy feed.

Please help!!
 
I don't think he needs a calmer, he sounds nappy not mad to me. How old is he? What does he do if you insist he goes forward? What are you asking him to do when he stops?I would be really firm, use your stick if necessary until he learns that this behaviour is unacceptable! NB It doesn't sound like he is in pain as you say he is generally ok but just check his tack, back etc.. before getting tough.
 
Everything has been checked so it's all ok. He has been nappy but we thought we'd overcome it. He's 9, but hadn't done much before we had him.
When he refuses to move forward he slowly walks back, no rearing or anything. He gets a smack to get him to move on, when he finally does he gets praised. Our instructor says try not to get into a 'fight' as this makes a big deal of the situation, but that's easier siad than done.
We do get tough then praise him when he does the right thing. will he grow out of it???
 
Nappy horses are always hard to change. I would not do too much schooling if he mainly naps in the school but be really firm when you do. To be honest, I think someone needs to have a big battle (maybe not you?) if you are ever going to overcome this as he is quite old at 9 to change his ways. Others may say that the softly, softly approach is the best way but i haven't found this works. Good luck!
 
agree with Mabel98. My new girl is 7 and hasn't done anything. She was left to get away with most things, napping etc as she will put in a few rears until she gets her own way.

I have tired nice (didn't work!) but haven't had any problems since we had one major battle! I made it quite clear her behaviour was NOT acceptable, she will NOT be getting away with it! A good smack and some good growling/short loud burst with the voice and *touches wood* she is good as gold!
 
Agree on the 'battle' front - my horse was like this when I got him and it took several battles for him to realise that he was not in charge! You have to be really up for it and totally consistent with your use of whip etc otherwise you undermine what you have already done. If you don't feel confident doing it (I had to sit some serious bucks and broncoing round the school moments) is there someone you could ask? :)
 
dizzyf said:
Everything has been checked so it's all ok. He has been nappy but we thought we'd overcome it. He's 9, but hadn't done much before we had him.
When he refuses to move forward he slowly walks back, no rearing or anything. He gets a smack to get him to move on, when he finally does he gets praised. Our instructor says try not to get into a 'fight' as this makes a big deal of the situation, but that's easier siad than done.
We do get tough then praise him when he does the right thing. will he grow out of it???
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my 14 years old who has been competeing but never really hacked out till i got her does this on hacks and i found using a whip was a bad thing as it does start a fight and just as you say make a big deal out of things. all i do it use my voice to calm her down and encourage her while putting my leg on in a strong and firm way meaning that her only option is to move forward
 
I got 'stuck' on a young horse out hacking. He just rooted to the spot and wouldn't go forward. Tried everything, kicking, eventually smacking, turning round and reversing past the said stop point and he wasn't having it. At one point I did think I might just sit there, have a fag or two and wait until he decided to move but I got bored with that!
Luck was in when I spotted a girl up the road that had horses, so I asked her to come down with a lunging whip. She kindly offered to lead him forward but I said no, could she just stand behind and tickle his heels with the lunging whip. I sat and niggled him with my legs, while she tickled his legs, he got really fed up and started to move, hesitated, so more tickling and off we went at a smart trot.
I didn't want to fall out with him, and this really did the trick with ni ill feelings on either side.
He's a lovely forward going horse now.
 
Some horses are just spooky! if everything is ok like feet, teeth back saddle etc, then I'm sure you can get him over it!- what feed is he on as well?

If he is spooking in the same place then I would keep him away from it until he is settled and working forwards. With one of my horses that used to be a bit spooky at times out of boredom, so I give him lots to think about, and although it sounds a bit boring and basic I also don't let him go up into trot or canter until he is responding to me, using his back and soft in the contact. I think using the stick would possibly make the problem worse, sounds like he needs to understand the forward aids and make everything black and white and easy to understand for him, then he'll want to go forwards! when he goes forward praise him.

If he's spooking badly think about widening the hands and "channelling" him to keep him forwards and straight, you can also use a bit of shoulder fore/shoulder in past the spooky area too, to take his mind off of it.

Very difficult to help though as I obviously don't know your horse!- good luck.
 
My mare used to be quite backward and can still a bit to be honest.

(and I think we had similar issues, as she is very spooky but at least a bit more forward now) but sometimes she would see something in the school and refuse to go anywhere near it, (though unlike your ned she would be quite argumentative and would rear etc)

Anyway, she is pretty good now and has been for sometime (though she got a kick and has been off work for a while) But...what worked well for me was me working her everyday (bar possibly one) and lots and lots of hacking (on a very loose rein) and just thinking forwards. Fast hacks, lots of fun. Then the few times i schooled in the week she was much better, again I warmed up on a long rein as I just wanted forwardness... Nothing else.

Also I use my reins to swing over the neck alot (like the cowboys) worked very well for me, as oppposed to a whip. You just got to break the habbit that stopping is an option.

Make sure you sit so quietly and do not use your leg for anything other than go. So don't nag.

For a little while why not get some poles out and do lots of pole work to go hand in hand with the whole ''forwards'' idea for a while. Get out your seat and have a canter around. Just think forwards and ignore any spooking or anything, don't look anywhere but where your going! Goodluck. PM me if you ever want, as I was so crap with my mare i couldn't get anything out of her, she really took the piss but we are going so much better now.
 
How about long reining??? Go back to basics?? Know its tedious but I find it usually works! I tend not to use a stick like madeline as I think (particularly with mare) it can give them something else ot argue bout but then again sometimes u really might need to use one.......

I find that you need to have your legs wrapped around a nappy horse at all times and well before they are going to do it, so you catch the nap beofer it happens, if that makes sense???

Good luck!!
 
heidirusso said:
Fast hacks, lots of fun. Then the few times i schooled in the week she was much better, again I warmed up on a long rein as I just wanted forwardness... Nothing else.

Also I use my reins to swing over the neck alot (like the cowboys) worked very well for me, as oppposed to a whip. You just got to break the habbit that stopping is an option.


Agreed, hacking/hunting would work well and the swinging of reins over neck!!! :)
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P.S if your horse actually naps and go backwards, then use reverse psychology and actually make them reverse up and rein backwards for a few steps, that makes them go forwards!
 
I'm with the no battles approach and K27 is on to something with the backup. When the horse stops, I would ask him to back up 5-10 steps, then, avoid the spooky area for a while.

Interestingly, when the rider deliberately avoids a place, they soon start to drift in that direction, to find out what really is there - when you want to be on the track - they want to be in the middle, but how many times when you have wanted to ride off the track have you had your leg dragged along the boards!.

When a horse stops and says that's scary and we sit there and smack the $hit out of them, we are proving that the place they didn't want to go is scary.

(Just my opinion - we are all entitled to them :) )
 
My friends mare used to have this problem out hacking. She would just plant herself and refuse to move or would walk backwards. So we used to turn her around and make her walk backwards past whatever it was that she had seen! She soon learnt that this was hard work and gave in. Also is you horse refuses to move instead of trying to make him go forward try making him move from side to side. This unbalances the horse and he will go forward rather than falling over!
 
QR

As he is generally worked quite hard everytime he is ridden how about cutting out all of it and just hacking for a week or two?

You are more than welcome to come out with me and the Ginger Ninja is you like (just so long as you can keep clear of her back end!).

Will speak to you about it at yard next time I see you.
 
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