When hacking, is it wrong to

FestiveSpirit

FestiveSpirit

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rein back past spooky things? Bob (being a brainless little soul) spooks a lot so today when we saw a very scarey tarpaulin with sand on it I just turned him round and reined back past it
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It worked a treat, but I felt like I "should" be asking him to face up to the scarey things in life
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Whatever works for you! I get off and lead FB past stuff if he is really freaked, I'm not getting into an argument with him. I will take him close for a good look and a sniff and usually that's the end of the matter, next time we go past.
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I thought about getting off, but I am rubbish at getting back on again even though he is only 15.2hh
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Like you, I just dont want to get into a fight, a hack should be a nice relaxing thing IMHO
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LOL! I've walked for ages to find somewhere to get back on! I can't get on off the ground as my spring has sprung, plus FB has a bad back so nobody gets on him off the ground unless they can vault!!
 
I did the same as you once. One of the very first times I rode my horse I took him on a route he'd previously told a very novice lady who shouldn't of been riding him a few weeks previously that he was not going up this hill and turn't round and headed for home! He tried this with me and after a few mins of trying the fowards option all he wanted to do was reverse as I wouldn't let him turn back towards home. So I took his eagerness to reverse and beat him at his own game by revesing him up the hill. It worked and he never tried it again x
 
A horse I had on loan use to be rein backed past spooky things by her owner, it resulted in her becoming more Nappy and she learned to shoot backwards at 100mph (well OK not exactly but it was bl00dy fast!) at the slightest thing that she didn't like.

It took me ages to get her out of this habit only for her to go back to her owner who started backing her past everything again! For that reason I wouldn't recommend doing it, or at least don't do it to often!
 
LMAO Horse_Crazy - Bob is a TB, so his instinct whenever he is stressed is to run around backwards in 20m circles
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Usually in the middle of the road
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Luckily it certainly doesnt seem to make him spook more, I guess every horse is different
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I have a 23 yo very neurotic pony and I have to resort to this tactic A LOT if we are confronted with a tractor etc on a hack (only when on a narrow road though - on a main road he doesn't car - oddball!). Think he has issues with space and seemingly going backwards past them seems to calm him somewhat.

If it works and is safe then do what suits. It is annoying but having had mine for 15 years now and this 'problem' developing within the last 5 years or so only I just do what makes life easiest. If I try make him go past forwards he gets very stressed and I don't think it's safe as he's liable to cause himself injury.
 
I did that a little bit with Freddy when he was younger. If worried he would just get stuck and I used to get off and lead him past, but one day he kind of slowly turned himself around and rein backed past the scary object. It was all very calm and relaxed and when he got level with the scary thing I did turn him towards it so he could have a good sniff. I did it 4-5 times and he got a lot better about going past scary stuff.
 
My friend and I hack out together a lot but it is a bit like a comedy show
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. At every spooky thing e.g. donkeys, sheep, hay bales, blade of grass, invisible thingy
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her horse reverses and mine spins round - its amazing that we ever get anywhere. BUT as a last resort if she turns her horse round and reverses her past it it works a treat and hasn't failed yet.
 
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