Will repetition solve the problem?

[Olliepoppy]

My 6 year old cob lived on his own for 7 months before getting a companion 17 y.o mare in December. Since that time he has not been ridden much due to daylight/weather etc. Before the companion I could hack him out and although spooky at new things he was mostly relaxed. We have hacked out once with the companion and he was like a cat on a hot tin roof, really tense and spooky until we turned for home. Today I brought the companion in to her stable and tacked him up for his first ride on his own since she has been here. It was the worst ride I have had from him, totally on his toes, calling for her, bucking, rearing. I only went up to the end of the drive - about quarter of a mile then brought him back again. During that time we did walk to halt transitions, turning and just generally staying calm. We went past her stable and that's when the bucking rearing started. I pushed him on until we had some nice walking then turned back. He was almost out of control getting back to her stable which was only about 50 feet away to the point we had to do really small circles round and round until he settled. My question is - if I keep repeating the short hack up and down the track with the companion in her stable will he eventually get over this??

 

[Imogen Rose]

Yes and no- repetition of hacking on his own will help him understand that all is fine. You just need to be careful he dosent expect to only go up the track to the same point then turn back to her stable. The anticipation of the repetition may make him worse- and he would get rewarded for getting more and more excited by going back to her. Could you hack further, or to a different point each time? Doing a circular hack or teardrop shape would be preferable. You dont want him getting in the habbit of spinning on the spot and charging home.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Repeating separating them will help and you can slowly increase the time that they are away from each other. Do be aware though that turning on the spot and coming home the same way can make some horses nappy. One of mine has to always do a circular or lollipop shaped route. If I did a few rides down the drive and back, I would have an almighty battle with her if I ever wanted to go beyond the 'turning spot' in the future.

 

[Olliepoppy]

Unfortunately I don't have a teardrop or circular route available unless I go a few miles. Just now he is too unsafe to do that with. I can go left or right at the top of the drive but that is out on to the road, he is fine with traffic but seems incredibly spooky at everything else just now so was hoping I could get him used to going out on his own in relative safety! I have their field I could ride him round but not so sure that's a good idea as he is looking for her in there. I guess I'll just have to persevere and go onto the road to get that bit further with him but he's so wound up I'm worried he'll spin when there is a car in the vicinity.

 

[Olliepoppy]

Unfortunately I don't have a teardrop or circular route available unless I go a few miles. Just now he is too unsafe to do that with. I can go left or right at the top of the drive but that is out on to the road, he is fine with traffic but seems incredibly spooky at everything else just now so was hoping I could get him used to going out on his own in relative safety! I have their field I could ride him round but not so sure that's a good idea as he is looking for her in there. I guess I'll just have to persevere and go onto the road to get that bit further with him but he's so wound up I'm worried he'll spin when there is a car in the vicinity.