will I ever get anywhere with this horse?

Penny Less

Penny Less

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10 March 2009
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After another frustrating solo hack, with numerous stops, I am beginning to feel I will never see an improvement. Today I walked halfway round the ride in hand, got on, got two steps up a lane and someone started up a road drill so that was a definite no no, turned to go another way and a great tanker came down the road, so had to get off for that, nowhere to go and horse planted himself. Got on again, and managed to get about 100 yards and horse spotted a gardener! That was another stop, until said gardener walked me up the road ! Then we stopped again for half an hour, getting abuse from motorists because I shouldnt have a horse on the road", asked motorist if I could possibly come and ride in his garden ! We even stop on homeward journey now. There is nothing physically wrong, he just lacks confidence on his own, which we have been working on for the last 5 months.
There seems to be not a bit of improvement though, and although I do love him my patience is getting very thin. Whinge over , ta!
 
That really does sound demoralising.
I haven't read any of your previous threads but from what you said presume the horse is ok in company. How old is he?

Sorry if this has already been suggested but can you go out with someone on foot walking with you?
Long reining is a very good way to give them confidence out by themselves.

Other than that, good luck! I'm sure it will be worth it in the end, but you have the patience of a saint!
 
Can you not hack out in company? He sounds like he is lacking in confidence, and the presence of another horse could see both you and him have a far more enjoyable hack.
 
When the tanker came, why did you get off?

In my mind that sends a message to your horse that there is something to be scared of. If you were to carry on as normal and ignor the fact there there is a big/noisy vehical coming your horse will be calmer, then eventually he will not bother.

Practice makes perfect, Its a slow progress but you will get there!
 
Unfortunately no one to hack out with, have been longlining, yes he is OK in company and with someone walking in front, on the odd occasion I can do this. He is 16. Have to try and sort this myself but hair is going grey daily! Or else he will have to go, which I would be reluctant to do really
 
It's not easy iv got a ex racer who's scared off ramdon things but only when out on his own. I know this might seem silly but have you had his eyes tested, my vet advised me to do this. Have you tried long reining? Tbh I would not get off him when he plants himself and try to get any kind off movement and wait for it to happen. Also this might also sound silly but is he taking the pee?if he knows your going to get off???
Have you tried being a bit firmer to see what happens
 
Had to get off as horse planted in middle of road and wouldnt move. Tanker drivers not known for their patience round here. Also eyes checked, everything checked, I know he needs to gain confidence and working as best I can do do this but he is V v stubborn also.
 
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((((((((((((hugs)))))))))))))
I know egsactly how you feel. I used to lead the horrid one for nearly a whole hack. He wasn't scared of anything he was just being naughty and thought if he routed to the spot I would give up and just go home. I didn't let him get away with it and if he routed I just got off and led him for a bit then got back on. The amount of time I had to lead him for got less and less over time and now I can stay on top for a whole ride. :)
What is your horse like out in company? Does he go infront. This may help build his confidance so he will be happyer to hack alone.
Have some more ((((((hugs)))))) and let me know if I can be of any help.
 
Monsters said:
Tbh I would not get off him when he plants himself and try to get any kind off movement and wait for it to happen. Also this might also sound silly but is he taking the pee?if he knows your going to get off???
Have you tried being a bit firmer to see what happens
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I agree with this in that case.
I have an ex-racer mare too, and she was a wally about hacking by herself. Took about 6 months of very firm and consistent handling/riding for her to settle into her new home (when I bought her 5 years ago, she was 8) but then she really relaxed in every way to handle and to ride generally, and it was noticeable that she had more confidence out hacking too.

How long have you had him? And is hacking your main discipline? If you do loads of other stuff and this is only a minor annoyance I would say persevere, if not maybe it is time to re-evaluate if he is the right horse for you.
 
Have you got any hacks that don't involve roadwork, so that if he plants you're in a good place to just wait for him to get bored and walk on. Even if it means doing the same hack every day - it might be boring for you but if you went the same way every day I think this would help his confidence.
 
Agree with Kyanya, I moved yards to one with fields leading to the hacks because my lad napped so badly on the roads that I needed a safe place to work through it. It was the making of us and he now happily hacks out alone after 4 years of problems!! It wasn't easy and we had big fights, I didn't part company unexpectedly which was a bonus but I did get off a few times and walk him in hand (nothing wrong with that if you are worried), but having a big field and knowing the worse that could happen would be me eating abit of dirt made working through the spins, bolts and planting much easier than doing it on a road.

It will come, it does sound like he's more taking the micky than actually scared, which was the same for my boy cos hacking in company he was 100% so I knew the napping was purely down to my nerves and him being a big clown!!

Good luck it will happen for you and honestly the feeling when you come back from your first hack alone without any dramas is second to none...I grinned like a fool for days after mine!!!:D
 
scatty_mare said:
I agree with this in that case.
I have an ex-racer mare too, and she was a wally about hacking by herself. Took about 6 months of very firm and consistent handling/riding for her to settle into her new home (when I bought her 5 years ago, she was 8) but then she really relaxed in every way to handle and to ride generally, and it was noticeable that she had more confidence out hacking too.

How long have you had him? And is hacking your main discipline? If you do loads of other stuff and this is only a minor annoyance I would say persevere, if not maybe it is time to re-evaluate if he is the right horse for you.
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I have to say I do tend to agree with this. I haven't read many of your other posts so sorry if this has already been covered but do you not have access to an area or somewhere to school? somewhere you can build a bond with your horse and have him more reponsive to your aids and what your asking him to do, ie legs on means move forward regardless of the fact a tanker is comming towards you. My spooky chesnut mare took a while too but the other day when my legs said keep walking past a combine harvester that was comming towards us she did. It can take time to get a horse confident in hacking out alone and maybe he is just not ready to be hacking out on busy roads on his own.

Maybe if hacking is your only disapline and is your method of riding and your horse is not ready for that its time to re-evaluate your suitability for each other. Sorry if sounds harsh but neither of you seem to be having a good time here.
 
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Firstly, I appluade you for getting off. You are not letting him get away with anything if you get off, you are just getting into a better position to deal with what ever happens.

I don't believe beating them into submission works either, if a horse is stubborn, it can make them fight more and if they are genuinely scared then it just reinforces the fact that whatever they are looking at is scary.

I know what it is like to only have roads to ride on, and busy lorry filled roads too, so I can totally understand.

What do you do to work on confidence? Do you just lead past scary things, or do you give him an oportunity to look and think?

I know a lot of people knock airy-fairy "natural horsemanship" but there is a lot to be said for introducing scary things in a safe environment. Walking on or under a tarp looks like a party trick, but if you horse trusts you enough to walk up to scary things and sniff them, or touch them with his feet then go over or under, he is more likely to trust out on a hack when scary things happen. You'll also be more confident that he won't be scared so sub-consciously will be riding with a more positive attitude so he is more likely to ignore the scary thing.
 
Hi, I can sympathise with you my mare used to be an absolute nightmare! It used to take me ages to get her to leave the yard then we got going and she would plant her feet and refuse to move! It became a battle of wills I sat on her for an hour at the top of a track that she refused to walk down even though she had been down many times! I sat patiently nudging her forward step by step until she did it then she got lots if praise! She would also stop dead and start to run backwards.....so I used to turn around and make her walk backward but in the direction I wanted! We had many hacks like this and I used to return dripping in sweat but would never get off! She is now a dream to hack and goes out alone no problem! If u can hack with another that will help! Good luck x
 
Tbh, if the horse IS that wound up, I wouldn't risk taking him on the roads. There is no way of knowing what's going to happen, and it just is not worth it. Your safety has to be the most important thing here.

Is it possible to rent a field for a few months, right beside a busy road ? This could be a great way to desensitise your horse, with no risk to you. Drivers have no way of knowing your horse is nervous, and you have a duty to protect yourself, your horse, and road users.

Good luck - keep us posted, sm xx
 
shysmum said:
Tbh, if the horse IS that wound up, I wouldn't risk taking him on the roads. There is no way of knowing what's going to happen, and it just is not worth it. Your safety has to be the most important thing here.

Is it possible to rent a field for a few months, right beside a busy road ? This could be a great way to desensitise your horse, with no risk to you. Drivers have no way of knowing your horse is nervous, and you have a duty to protect yourself, your horse, and road users.

Good luck - keep us posted, sm xx
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Horse is not scared of traffic, but if he is planted in the road refusing to go forward
large traffic cannot get past ! We are in quite a quiet area, I always pick my hack carefully so as to minimise disruption to other road users while we are sitting it out.
I have had a lot of good advice on the forum in the past and we have acted on it but still no progress. I think I will have to bite the bullet and move him on when the market picks up a bit. I do only hack and the odd schooling session when I can. He cannot seem to cope without someone in front of him and I very rarely have the opportunity to have someone with me. I think I know what will have to happen but it saddens me really as I feel it will be letting him down to move him on as he takes so long to settle.
 
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