What's the best approach to dealing with napping? Long, sorry...

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sugarpuff

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I've had neddy now for 6 months and hacked him out today on his own and he had a full on napping fit!!
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This was down a road he has been down before (although not on his own before) but he is hacked out on his own regularly (although not a lot recently due to bad weather/ sick children). He is 4, 5 in May. DWB X. Normally laid back, not stressy, easy to handle, tries hard to please, general poppet all round.

I'm not really sure what he napped at, but it was past a few houses where I think there are a few gypsy type caravans in the fields behind. The houses are also occupied by, shall we say, not the necessarily the nicest neighbours in the village, and there are some odd looking "things" that most people wouldn't keep in their front gardens.

Anyway, he did the stop dead, spin round, try to walk fast home, and I tried the no we're not going home, turn back round the way you span, kick, growl, wave stick, stand facing the way I want you to go, sit still, praise for going forwards, repeat the above....but after a lot of clattering around on the tarmac (luckily a quiet lane!) I did decide to get off and lead him past. Now I'm really not one for getting off during a ride and would rather sit it out on top, but I did want him to go past and for us not to go home, the way he wanted to go.

Having got past, he was a bit on his toes, but I got back on and we carried on fine, until he decided to do the above again. (no houses, just fields). Hence lots more clattering around on the tarmac, me deciding that our goal was to then do lots of circles as if that was all we came out to do, which didn't really work, and to then head back home. Going back past the dodgey houses, he then napped again, away from home, and more clattering ensued.

We did get back home in one piece, phew!, (and, didn't even bother about the dog that lept out barking from one of the dodgey houses and grabbed his tail....grrrr)
But I now want to nip this in the bud and want to be sure I'm doing the right thing. The only napping I've experienced before is the sort where the horse is taking the P and just needed a good growl/ kick/ etc. But I think my horse was genuinely worried about something the first time and then was in that mind set.

So what do you think is the best course of action?

Hack out alone again on the same route but try a different approach? ie just sit there for however long it takes? Although he was doing a lot of hopping on the spot, head throwing, bouncing. Wear a martingale?
Hack out with another horse on the same route?
Get my instructor to ride him out along the same route?
Another suggestion?

Sorry, it's long, but though explaining the situation might help! I am annoyed I got off, but it's done now, so helpful comments please!
 
Goodness, sounds like a problem I had 6 years or so ago. Now dont forget yours is a youngster, but if I tell you my story, it might help, as I did win in the end.

I bought my cob from a riding school as a bomproof first horse, suitable for a 40 something first horse owner. Told he was great on the roads in company and on his own. Wrong!!!! All of the above behaviour you describe for your horse was demonstrated by him. He got worse though, and on several occcasions he span and bolted for home, narrowly missing several cars and nearly carting me off as he bombed into his stable. I took a lot of advice, but the best thing we did was get to know one another really well. He had been a riding school horse for nearly 6 years, and apart from his breeder and first owner, nobody had really loved him. He had gone from being totally institutionalised to being a pampered pet with a novice owner. He was actually taking the P out of me, but on top of that, he was really insecure, and as I was a total novice, I didnt have the 'tools' to sort it. Well, I had loads of lessons, hacked out with safe horses, spent loads of time getting to know him better and bit by bit he destressed himself and learned to trust me.

I knew I have finally cracked it and bonded with him when 18 months after buying him we went out for a 2 hour hack on our own. We had no spinning, no bolting, no napping. In fact he was a little darling.

I wouldnt say that now he was perfect. Yes, he is bombproof, but if I dont give him very clear directions, if he feels he can take the P, he will have a go. This time, I have been taught have to deal with it, and it comes to nothing more than a bit of argument, which I always win.

I dont know if this has helped you, but there is light at the other end of the tunnel.

Good luck
 
Hack him out with another horse for a few times as it sounds like he was scared at the first place then blew his brains and was wired and overreacting to everything else. I had something similiar when riding and leading when my ride suddenly went up and tried to spin. had a real paddy and had to get off and lead them both past the pig farm they go past regularly. when i got back on a bird flew up and my ride nearly wet himself as his brain was shot to pieces. i later found out they had been stamping and weighing pigs. he had picked up on this and behaved out of character. with another horse he was very wary but gained confidence after a few times
 
Sounds like you did the right thing, but try not to worry it's going to happen again, everyone has been having the same problem, snow and everthing comes to a full stop and Neds a bit fresh. I'd just keep up your usual routine that he knows.
 
Sounds like he is a bit non PC - i.e. your description of the area you are hacking him out in - maybe he has only been hacked out in 'nice neighbourhoods' before? Would be interested in opening the debate into what is a 'nice neighbourhood' that well brought up horses want to hack in.....?
I could maybe suggest he is taking the P a bit - and to get off is never a good idea? Know doubt I will be called non PC as well, if I suggest firm handling, and maybe a quick slap with a crop down the shoulder - or better behind the saddle?
 
I had a similar experience and totally over thought the whole thing, thinking this would happen everytime and what if he thought this or what if he thought that but the next time I went out he was good as gold and must have been having an off day!! I guess really they do have off days as well, go out with another horse next time and get your confidence back. Don't panic too much, this has only happened once and he is still young, he'll get used to it all and he has had a bit of a break so needs to just get back in the working mode. Don't give yourself a hard time over it.
 
Oh, he did get a few slaps down the shoulder, but that didn't really achieve the desired effect! He's sensitive to the stick and the use of it can put you into orbit if you're not ready!! Definately not a dope on a rope!

Trust me, PC or non PC, I've been to these houses in my line of work many moons ago and had to have a police escort..........I just wondered if he saw/ heard something/ someone I didn't.........I know my dog has taken a dislike to some odd people in the past!

No offense intended!
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[ QUOTE ]
Sounds like he is a bit non PC - i.e. your description of the area you are hacking him out in - maybe he has only been hacked out in 'nice neighbourhoods' before? Would be interested in opening the debate into what is a 'nice neighbourhood' that well brought up horses want to hack in.....?
I could maybe suggest he is taking the P a bit - and to get off is never a good idea? Know doubt I will be called non PC as well, if I suggest firm handling, and maybe a quick slap with a crop down the shoulder - or better behind the saddle?

[/ QUOTE ]

OMG what is the world coming to when you can't even say something lighthearted like 'I hacked past a place that looked like Dingles yard' without someone getting all PC about it...for goodness sake lighten up
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Don't just "wave" the stick. Use it - and not as if you were dusting the best bone china. Unless there were pigs in the dodgy houses' back gardens, it sounds as if he was seriously extracting the urine - especially as he did it again well away from the dodgy houses.
 
QR

I would be inclined to take him round the same route, with another horse. If he walks past and doesn't bat an eyelid with company then chances are he's taking the P, take him out alone and be firmer with him.

If he is genuinely scared, then he should take confidence from the other horse, and after a few rides be ready to tackle the route on his own again.

I find hacking alone gets easier the more you do it, if you fall into the trap of only going out with company or only trying new routes in company you're setting yourself up for problems. Above all, don't obsess over it and convince yourself he's going to nap every time you go down this road, ride as if nothings happening and if you feel him drop behind your leg trot him on and don't let him slow down.
 
Took me a while to get to grips with the napping caper with his lordship, and I did the usual thing of getting off ect, it does get easier to deal with the longer you ride the particular amimal and know how far they will take it, I now realise getting off isn't the best way, my personal experience of it is to never let them win and no matter how long it takes they have to do it, not losing your temper and not smacking in anger are a good thing, we even had a 20 minute debate last year on holiday as he hates a particular farm we to pass to get to Robin Hoods Bay, he has napped the last 3 years on th ego to pass this farm, but there is no way I am going to ride 1.5 hours back just because he doesn't particularly like a farm, anyway, time and patience are the key, obviously if there is traffic and it gets dangerous dep ditch ect then you have to do what is safest.
 
At the age your horse is at the moment it is not a ready made horse and you need to hack him out daily to get him used to different things. The more you hack him out the better but to be honest you do need to take him out each day so that you bond together if you want to sort this out once and for all.
 
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