Would hunting help him?

[superpony]

I've owned my 14.2hh 11 year old welsh x for the past 7 years, over the past year or so he has started getting funny out hacking in company.

He is 100% fine on his own and school but as soon as he goes out with company he is fine for a little bit and then gets incredibly strong and stressed, he runs backwards bucking and rearing into literally whatever is behind him, trees, bushs, ditches, roads, people! Then often bolts forward and sideways when he eventually decides to go forward. Then when he starts this behaviour it continues for the rest of the ride however hard i try to calm him down. And he gets back to the yard dripping with sweat from being so stressed.

His back, teeth, tack etc are all fine. Hes fine in the school with horses and at competitions. Someone suggested taking him hunting to get him thinking forward (rather than just running backwards!!).

However he can be strong and just plain rude when he wants to be. But he seems to like going out to competitons. So i thought he may enjoy going hunting?

What does everyone think? Or any suggestions?

Sorry for the essay!

 

[hadfos]

worth a shot,but the thinking forward i am struggling to get my head round as he thinks forward doing everything else other than hacking in company??has something happened whilst hacking in company that could have really upset him?
tbh i know it is nice to hack out with people,but if he is behaving like that i would take him out on his own if that is what he is happy with

,better that than an accident trying eh!

 

[Cliqmo]

If I'm honest, I think hunting this chap could be embarrassing and even dangerous

Hunting can help stuffy, nappy types become more forward thinking, however your chap almost seems to be 'over thinking' and I'm pretty sure you would have a terrible time and not get any benefit

I would suggest quiet hacking with varying numbers of horses to get him used to it NOT being exciting, rather than blow his mind by taking him out in an excited group

 

[lialls]

Agree with ali_m here. Maybe when he starts geting stressed with others, you cod get off to reasure him, or the other horses cod leave? if hes better by himself. Try goin out for short walks with other horses and gradually building up to longer hacks.

 

[Echo Bravo]

Ali m is right. Perhaps he thinks he has to compete with the other horse out on a hack and taking him hunting would be dangerous.

 

[camilla4]

Starlight - is he the same no matter how many horses are with him? i.e. is he like this with just one other horse or only when there are several?

Also, is he kept with other horses?

 

[superpony]

Thanks everyone. Yes i can see what you all mean. I think it would either be perfect or go completly the other way! Probably the other way!!

hadfos it is hard to understand why he has suddenly got like this.. as generally i just walk!!! Its very rare we go faster than a trot. Although when we were going over a horse style once he was at the back and people went over the style and left him at the other side as they all cantered off, he got all upset and since then hes been abit funny with them and abit funny out hacking but slowly its been getting worse and worse.

He also has had alot of injurys in the past so his work is rather inconsistent.. hes often been out of work and on box rest for months at a time.

Camilla - hes sometimes worse with the more horses there is but even with 1 other horse he is still naughty. And yep he used to be kept in group of 5 to 6 horses and now hes in the field with just my other horse.

 

[legaldancer]

Don't think hunting would help as it may just 'overload' him & it could be a nightmare. I had one that ran backwards every time the field moved forwards!

 

[Clodagh]

I wouldn't hunt him, you might get sent home and that would be embarassing!!
A friends horse really panics out with others as she always thinks they are going to leave her, after his stile experience he might have a real worry. Can you ride at the front? He might be better there, thats what friends mare likes.