eva
Well-Known Member
does anyone know? I've tried giving him really clear signals, being really relaxed and consistent, but he just nearly panics when going backwards and goes really crooked? any ideas?
why would a horse not back up straight and tense up when doing it?
- Thread starter eva
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NicoleS_007
Well-Known Member
Mine used to go crooked to the left so all i done was keep the leg on more at the left side. Also two poles on the ground, so one at either side of you to keep you straight.
HBBambee
Well-Known Member
Hey
Firstly how old is your horse? Has he had his back checked? It could be related to that,however, we had this same problem when breaking one of our ponies. He was quite a nervous boy when we started with him and he would barge and refuse to go backwards.
He would just get stuck and you could push, prod, poke and he just did not get it and would practically sit down.
So instead of forcing him and knowing he is a pig just grabbed a hanful of food held it into his chest and he walked backwards without even knowing it. And he's an expert at it now, all I do when i want him to back up is say "backup" and walk towards him with my body and he goes straight back no problems.
It takes time and patience.
Sorry i presumed in hand, does he back up in hand?
While riding though...
Ask him one step at a time and then praise him and relax, and ask the same again, if you get 3-5 steps thats great and go and do something else and come back to it.And with our youngsters i always trot out of the backing up exercise to get them thinking forwards again, even practice out hacking too where his mind isnt on schooling.
With the starightness you can backup between two poles on the ground and you can progress this to zig zig patterns so he knows to go off your leg when you ask.
Firstly how old is your horse? Has he had his back checked? It could be related to that,however, we had this same problem when breaking one of our ponies. He was quite a nervous boy when we started with him and he would barge and refuse to go backwards.
He would just get stuck and you could push, prod, poke and he just did not get it and would practically sit down.
So instead of forcing him and knowing he is a pig just grabbed a hanful of food held it into his chest and he walked backwards without even knowing it. And he's an expert at it now, all I do when i want him to back up is say "backup" and walk towards him with my body and he goes straight back no problems.
It takes time and patience.
Sorry i presumed in hand, does he back up in hand?
While riding though...
Ask him one step at a time and then praise him and relax, and ask the same again, if you get 3-5 steps thats great and go and do something else and come back to it.And with our youngsters i always trot out of the backing up exercise to get them thinking forwards again, even practice out hacking too where his mind isnt on schooling.
With the starightness you can backup between two poles on the ground and you can progress this to zig zig patterns so he knows to go off your leg when you ask.
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TGM
Well-Known Member
Are you having problems getting him to back up in hand as well as under saddle?
Tinypony
Well-Known Member
When the physical seems to be ruled out, are you asking for too much too soon? Get a nice backup on the ground first, but on the ground and ridden, be prepared to reward the slightest thought of soft backup first. Then work up to one step, and so on.
LittleBlackMule
Well-Known Member
Many horses can find it a very unsettling exercise to begin with. To back correctly they need to be well balanced, off the forehand and engaged through the quarters - quite hard work!
They can also be very distrustful of being asked to step where they can't see. Have you tried getting him confident backing in hand first?
They can also be very distrustful of being asked to step where they can't see. Have you tried getting him confident backing in hand first?
Tickles
Well-Known Member
It is just abut the hardest thing we ask most of our horses to do! They have a much wider field of vision than us which must make walking exactly backwards where they can't see even odder for them (try it yourself!). All I can recommend is praising the tiniest bit of (backwards) progress and then letting him move forward.
Hopefully my reply will bump this for some other ideas too
Hopefully my reply will bump this for some other ideas too
eva
Well-Known Member
wow, that's a lot of ideas! thanks everyone! I was speaking about saddle work will prob get his back checked and take it from the ground then!
will prob get his back checked and take it from the ground then!