Youngster planting - WWYD?

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I have a 4 year old who is normally very good to hack out, pretty bombproof and generally loves going out for a wander, having a good blast etc.

Today I took him down a different route that we have only been down once (and only half way). I don't really like this route as it's mainly road work but it is the only way we can go for a long hack. He was really forward going to start with but we got to a field where there was a rugby match going on and he just wasn't sure what all those men running around shouting were doing! I stopped and let him have a good look for a minute. When I asked him to walk on again he just planted and wouldn't move. He kept trying to turn around to go back home.
I asked him to move forwards, using leg aids, voice aids and the second he moved a step forward he would get praised. He would only move forward a step at a time, mainly not moving at all and occasionally trying to turn around.
We ended up being there for ages, just doing a few steps forward then stopping again but eventually got past and after that he was good as gold again. By that point it was starting to get dark so I wanted to turn around and head back but I didn't want to turn around straight after so picked a point I could see a little further on, rode up to it then turned around and went back.

Now I know he is just a youngster and I want to nip this in the bud before he thinks he can do this again. So my question is, what should I have done differently in this situation and what should I do if he does it again?

When I got back I told someone what happened and they said I should of just got off and lead him past as it would of been quicker, but my thinking was he wasn't really scared he was just trying it on and if I'd got off I know he would of walked past but I was wanting to RIDE him past.
 
sounds as if he was having a look, I wouldnt worry, he went past and was good otherwise. you have set backs like this with youngsters. you could also just take him new places to generally get him used to trusting you that its ok.
 
I thunk you did the right thing by quietly insisting he walk on. A good lesson learned with little fuss and he stayed settled.

My boy was 5 when i got him and quite spooky. I used to let him stand and look until he did a big sigh. I'd be able to move him but i couldnt until he'd relaxed a little.

He was bombproof by the time I sold him, (and had been for a while) and a lovely hack.
 
I don't ever turn round on the spot and go home as my mare is a nappy wotsit sometimes and this just encourages her. I always ride circular or lolly-pop shaped routes. If she was planting and I was running out of daylight, I would have dismounted, led her a bit and remounted. If there was no danger (ie she wasn't being too silly and there was no traffic about) and there was plenty of daylight, then I would engage in the battle of wills required to ride her past the scary thing.

If it helps - she's never been worse with a scary thing when I've led her past it previously, so I don't feel that I'm giving in or creating a bigger problem for next time if I do pop off and lead her past.
 
Given his age, for now I'd be taking him out with a steady older horse he can look to for reassurance with anything he's unsure of. Particularly on new routes.
 
I would have hopped off and led him past personally - I don't see it as giving in or creating problems, as long as the ride continues afterwards, and you don't turn round and go home too soon afterwards.

With an older more experienced horse I'd have persevered whilst still up top.

However, I'll happily admit I'm pretty much a novice tbh, as most of my experience was way back in my teenage years, so take my advice with a pinch of salt :)
 
Firstly I would have done the same as you did and given them chance to stop, look and then ask them to move on with lots of praise when they did. But sometimes this just doesn't seem to be enough if they are really planted. If, as with your situation it's mainly a fear thing and they just aren't for whatever reason taking the courage they need from you then sometimes I think you have to think outside of the box.

We had this very situation with a 4 year old (not the rugby match but rooted to the spot) earlier this year. It wasn't me riding her at the time (she rode differently for me) but there was one spot on her rides with the other rider that she would just plant herself and even other experienced horse people couldn't seem to lead her on. I didn't want to start with a whip with her as I didn't feel it would achieve anything long term.

Now this is going to sound really stupid to most people but it worked for us. I thought what could I do that would give the element of surprise and if it did connect with her wouldn't sting like a whip? Answer: one of those mesh shower things that you put the body shampoo on with (the really light weight ones) on the end of a piece of ribbon. Horse planted we waved it around and she took a step forward - lots of praise - planted again, waved it again along with leg aids and this time took it across her bum - startled her and she walked forward no problem. Never had a problem with her at that same place ever again. We tried it on one more occasion when she planted (it was dead easy to carry with us as light weight) and worked a treat. Never needed it again after that and never, ever had to use a whip on her.

Pooh pooh it as you like but it worked for us, horse was happy not frightened and realised she was being silly not moving on.
 
You can feel when your horse is going to plant so I would lightly tap mine up when he used to do it, quickly. I won't let him stand and gawp. Planting can so often need to napping and spinning. I never made a big deal about it, no need to wallop but as soon as he started to look and fall behind my leg, I would put my leg on and a light tap to keep going. Much patting as we went forward. I also went out with older spook proof horses who would just keep going, he didn't hack out solo till he was pretty much bombproof in company and then we built up from short cool down rides after schooling to longer solo. I never make a fuss or a big deal or my horse will get even worse but I never pass control over to him either. 5 year old in now pretty brave and escorts spooky horses but this training has really stood me in stead for when we go out competing. He can't stand an have a fit because there are poles in the corner of dressage or someone moving in the indoor school. He looks..and keeps going.
 
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and you chose where to turn round, can't imagine this has doen any harm at all.
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Oooh, it can do. If I'd done that with my girl, she would remember the exact spot where we turned and I would have a real battle the next time that I rode the route. Not turning on the spot has completely stopped her napping (apart from some reluctance going past the dreaded Alpacas), but I stll consider her to be nappy because I know that it would come back if I let it. OK, some horses aren't like that, but I don't give my youngsters the opportunity to even *think* that anything other than going forwards is an option.
 
I would have done what you did and I also some times turn and go back and make a point of doing it to make sure I can do and have no napping because of it if that makes sence.
 
Thanks for all the reassurance everyone!

I thought I'd done ok but when I got back to the yard had lots of comments basically saying I shouldn't of let it take that long to get him past! :(
I wasn't going to back down though and as a last resort would of got off and lead him past. Think most at the yard are 'smack it until it moves' school of thought....

Regards to turning around, I know it can cause problems but we have no other option but to turn around as theres no circular route. I don't think he's too affected by turning around as we generally do it at different points, he never rushes home and sometimes when we get home we ride straight into the school so he has no reason to think that turning around = going home to food/rest!

thehorsephotographer I love your shower scrunchie idea! I do carry a schooling whip, use it for a light tap every so often but prefer to use it just to make a noise rather then actually hit him, and even so I rarely use it.
Your idea sounds like it would help him in the school as I often need something to back up my aids in there, he hates the school!
 
Id have done the exact same. Don't under estimate how frightened something like a rugby match can be! He had time to look and assess without stress or pressure and he also learnt he still has to go forwards.

Getting off wouldn't have done any harm either.

Getting into a battle and stressing him would have however!
 
I've been having a similar issue with mine. He will go past a train track with a nanny without a fuss, but on his own its a no no. For the time being we are going to avoid the train track and try again in a couple of weeks with the nanny to start with and then on his own.
 
You don't need to beat your horse. You " should " be able to feel when your horse is going to stop and you use your leg and TAP with your whip., then pat and encourage. You make a fuss, you teach your horse it's ok to gawp. So when you go out to a new place, lets say, dressage. Will you have taught your horse its fine to stand as long as its likes at something different in the corner? Or will you have taught it to trust you and that its fine to go past. I see a lot of babies started at our yard and a significant step in their education is a confident horse out hacking. Mine will look, but he will trust me he can go past now.
 
I think there's a big difference between a young horse looking (& possibly stopping to do so if it's very young and new to whatever it was) and gawping.

I read an article which I seem to remember was about Robert Maxwell and his son working with horses. Bascially it said that when a horse stops to look or feels like it's going to stop rather than let it turn it's head so it gets the full view with both eyes only allow it to turn so far so it can only get the single eye view. This makes whatever it is so much less scary and the horse more likely to continue to move forward with encouragement.

I have tried this and found it to be the case.
 
Sounds like you did exactly the right thing op. Kept calm, gave the horse a positive experience but still got the desired outcome. I'd be inclined to do the same route again very soon (perhaps with a walker or a nanny horse) and ensure he is going very much forwards throughout the ride. Even though the rugby match probably won't be on the next time you go, another positive experience should over-write the memories of having a little stop.

If the horse isn't nappy minded, sometimes youngsters are better with a stop and a look- would much rather this than rushing whenever unsettled.
 
You make a fuss, you teach your horse it's ok to gawp
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Actually, that's not true. Nothing like letting a youngster look at things, absorb and carry on to make them a really nice allrounder. Rush and hastle them and all you end up with is a worry scurry.
 
amymay said:
Actually, that's not true. Nothing like letting a youngster look at things, absorb and carry on to make them a really nice allrounder. Rush and hastle them and all you end up with is a worry scurry.
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In your opinion that is nots true. In mine, it is. We are not going to agree. I was taught never to make a fuss or really react to my horses so they never think its an issue. Talking, encouragement, pat on the neck, leg on, quick tap up, whatever. Always think forward. A decent rider can feel any horse start to back off and can react accordingly. Every baby I have seen started in that fashion has gone on to be a confident hack/all rounder whatever. Every horse that has been allowed to stop and worry has never quite got that out of their system. And I have seen rather a lot of youngsters started.
 
Sounds like you did the right thing to me. My youngster used to do this all the time and I did once have to get off and lead him past a golf course. As he got more confident the pauses got shorter and shorter and eventually disappeared altogether. 6 years on he is a lovely hack this behaviour never transferred to a competition environment either. I think it depends on whether they are actually scared or being nappy if I felt there was an element of nappyness it would get a belt without any hesitation where as a scared horse needs reassurance. I kept my horses in a place for 10 years where the only hacks involved turning round and coming back on yourself its not ideal and with a horse with nappy tendancies I'm sure it could be a problem but I've never had an issue just always turned round in different places and was strict about not rushing home. Have loads of circular routes now though and its great TBH whose horse on a circular hack doesn't know when you turn for home? All mine do and we're exploring new hacks at the moment.
 
Yes. Ours always know when they are heading for home whether we turn around and retrace our steps or go on a circular route. If we take them past the gates to the yard then they will slow down again but will keep going.

OP..I'd have done the same. He needed to have a look and process what was going on. Well done on getting your 4year old out alone too. My friend has a 4 year old and she's taken to whacking him when he plants. I really disagree with what she's doing but as yet have said nothing to her about but I hate seeing it done especially to a baby.
 
I don't let mine stand and look for exactly this reason however it's no harm done so put it behind you and don't build it up in your mind into an issue.
It's a shame that you had to do a turn back but that's life , best thing to do in the circumstances you where in.
I would do the same ride again as soon as you can and if you are always hacking alone try to hack out with others a few times so he gets a few easy rides.
You may have just got an warning that his mind is working hard hacking alone and a few easy times with friends might be a good idea.
 
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