Doesn't like hacking alone?

Question

I have just got a new horse on part loan and she used to be a trekking pony so has always hacked out with others her whole life. I'd like to hack her out but she gets very uptight, heavy breathing etc as soon as we walk away from the yard. She walks forwards for awhile but spooks/naps at silly things like trailers in a field and a bit of burnt grass! She really tenses up and starts walking backwards or spinning round, and it takes me ages to encourage her forwards but i cant help getting nervous myself that she might bolt for home.

The joke is, on the way home, she doesn't batter an eyelid at the same things she spooked at on the way out!

Whats the best way to keep her calm and enjoy hacking on her own?

I ride her twice a week but her owner hardly hacks her out because of this problem...

Answer 1

try hacking her out a few times with just one horse that is confident so its not as many horses as before but she isnt on her own...do the same route with the other horse a few times so she gets used to it and then try takingher on her own...hopefully she will know where she is going and be confident, it may not work but its worth a go and if not u could ask a more experienced rider who will be more forceful and be able to build her confidence to ride her for a while. hope t helps and good luck x

Answer 2

all i can suggestt is maybe gather a group of people and hack out together a few times then reduce the number you hack out with regularly while keeping your horse at the lead all the time then when you have got to 2 ride her out regularly in a pair at the same time each day then one day the other one isnt there but your horse will still want to go out -- maybe because you give a treat at the end of the ride which otherwise she never has

Answer 3

I had this with my mare, it was not a pleasure and was frightening as she did bolt to get home and I had a bad fall. I gave her to my very experienced friend and she said that I had no hope of stopping her with a snaffle because she put her tongue over it I had no control. The woman I bought her from told me she could hack out alone, she couldnt and was nappy and spooked and danced in front of buses. Good luck

Answer 4

This horse is insecure when she isn't in a "herd" setting.  You can help her by riding her out only for a short distance for about 10 minutes.  Don't ride her farther or longer than that.  As she learns that monsters aren't going to eat her alive, you can go a bit longer and farther.  Take your time and go slowly.  Eventually, she should gain more confidence and be easier to ride out alone, especially when she learns to trust YOU as the alpha horse.

Answer 5

First make sure you have a good curb bit.  That way if she does bolt you have some control.  But learn how to use it as lightly as a feather.

If she was your horse, I would suggest tying her up for a few hours away from the other horses.  She should be where she can not see or hear them.  Get a book and read it nearby so you can watch her.  When she calms down then go over and groom her for 45 minutes to an hour.  This will start getting her to trust you and bond with you.

Next take her out on a trail ride alone (a few days later).  Let someone know where you are going but go out alone.  Take along a halter and lead rope.  When you are about as far away as you are going tie her up again.  This time leave her tied for a shorter period.  But again as long as she is carrying on let her be.  When she relaxes, then untie her, get back on, and head for home.  Do not let her hurry home though.  Make her go at your pace.  Also, it is best to go a different route so she does not know you are going home.

This is what I do to train my trail horses when one is exceptionally buddy sour.  Another trick I use to prevent this behavior from ever occurring (of course some of the horses I have bought already have this behavior ingrained) is that I always start training horses by making them ride by their selves the first several rides.  Another thing I do is ride off a ways from the rest of the group at least once on every ride until the horse I am working with is willing to go off calmly and quietly, without a fuss.  Once it will do that then I generally do not have anymore problems with them.

You would be surprised how much some horses will throw a fit if you ask them to go off 50 yards to the side of the main group or turn them around and go 50 yards backwards while everyone else is going the opposite direction.   The most trouble with this I get is typically from arena trained show horses (gaited horses are put on an oval track and gaited around the track all at the same time so the judges can compare their gaits) that have switched to trail.  They are so used to going in a circle, following the other horses that they have no idea what is going on if you ask them to do something contrary to that.

Answer 6

Don't put her into a curb bit...and if you are already using one, trade it for a simple snaffle.  Any problems that occur and that require lateral work, like turning to stop, have to be done on a bit with no shanks.

Take mini rides...as short as a few feet from where she starts to get nervous...stop her and get her to stand quietly for a minute, then a few minutes, and increase it up to five minutes, each time making it your decision to ride her back to her safety zone, always at a relaxed walk.  Each day inch her farther and stand so she can see nothing is going to happen to her (pray no wildlife comes along and ruins everything!). Meanwhile, if possible, take longer rides with apartner so she becomes familiar with the trail you ride on, so that eventually you will be able to get her comfortable being in that location without another horse.  It is a huge problem and can take a long time to accomplish, which is why so many people give up on it.

Answer 7

It simply takes time and patience. Tr leading the horse up and then just wa;lking back and forth. It will eventually work..

Answer 8

Horses are herd animals, and since she was a trail horse before, she was accustomed to going out with many other horses. A horse has to sense you as their "leader"- many people believe that you can't overtake a horse, or they will rebel. What they don't realize, is that horses enjoy it when someone shows their strength, so they can feel safe.

My horse used to do this when I first bought him. He would just run backwards, no matter what I did. It was annoying, and stupid. What I did, was bring a halter and lead rope. I led my horse out to the back of the trails and I let him have a bite of grass while I got on. Then I rode him back to the barn. It may take a couple of times, but he will realize that you walking him or being on his back is no different. Before you decide to ride him alone, make sure he is happy out on the trail. I rewarded my horse the first time by letting him gallop away from the barn. He loves galloping and he realized that going out alone wasn't so bad after all.