Why do horses nap

[coen]

My horse has just turned 6, when I bought him in june he was very green but would hack out nicely, I used to mainly go on my own, only short hacks not far from the yard.

Now he isn't bad at all, but he has began to nap. For example walking down the path that leads away from the yard he naps at the gateway and tries to spin back towards home when we go through he is fine then 10 mins further along there is another gateway and he does the same thing. Last sunday we were a fair way from home had just and a canter and were walking along and he stood still and didn't want to go forwards.
We have been hacking out in company with one or two others.

Just wondering why this is, could he have learned it off the others? Is it insecurity? Doesn't like hacking?

 

[dwi]

Have you ruled out pain?

If a horse naps from the first day you hack them then I'd assume its a confidence or behavioural issue but in your case I'd want to be thinking about what had changed.

 

[coen]

I don't think it is pain related as he only does it in certain places and it isn't particularly bad apart from that he goes forward nicely, he is also fine schooling and jumping in the school.
He had his teeth and saddle checked in January and is due the back lady in April which I will get checked to rule this out.
But I do think it is more behaviour related. Do you think going back to hacking alone would help?

 

[dwi]

Sorry, I didn't read your previous post clearly enough, i didn't realise you were out with others?

So is your horse napping away from others or joining in when they do something?

 

[coen]

Well he is a strange boy, he will start on his own at the gateways and turn for home would be happy to leave them behind.
I go out with a mare that hates mud and if she starts he will take the lead.
I wonder what it is, could it be that this started because he didn't like walking through the poached gateways in winter or copying others or being stroppy (not unheard he has the odd tantrum in the school) or leaving security of yard?

I will try going for a little plod on my own this weekend, but I hate to think I am forcing him to do something he really doesn't want to.

 

[lialls]

It may well be that he dosnt like his company. Try it alone and if there is still a problem id say that he is just trying it on. You could always go back to long reining just to make sure that he still remembers hes got to go forwards.

 

[RSL]

Now when my youngster started this, I was told it was just him "trying it on" but in fact it was down to a poorly fitting saddle!

 

[sbsmiths]

We bought our 5 yr old in September and he was absolutely fine hacking out, both alone and in company. Then in November I had an accident and he's hardly been hacked out since, until quite recently. He's really difficult to get out of the yard and when first out on the road, he just stops and nothing will move him unless another takes the lead. He's also become quite unsettled by traffic approaching from behind, which before wasn't a problem. I put this down purely to lack of confidence as he's just a great big baby - and I'm hoping that the more we do it the better he'll become. Just persevere - good luck.