My horses NAPPING is OUT OF CONTROL!!!?

Question

I own a 16hh mare called Magic who loves to be ridden. Because of her age (just turned 5) so is still rather green but I am disaplining her well and she is coming along great on the flat and in the air. Because my dream has always been to own a horse which is an All-rounder I would like to go out hacking on my own and in company. I have already hacked her out numerous times but this is in company. If there is a horse with a rider riding it infront she will happily follow and behave. If the rider decides to dismount the horse infront of me she will nap and backs up and swivels at a speed I cant control. This isnt the worst of it. When I attempt to ride her out on my own she either completely freezes no matter how hard I kick her (even with spurs on she doesnt budge) or she decides to back up at a ridiculous pace and completely evade the bit and pegs it home. I have alredy come off my horse because of this but I am determined to suceed. Does anyone have any advice or some instructions???

Answer 1

HI Gemma :-)

Have you tried going out with her on the roads and tracks just walking her?

Saddle her up and take her out for walks - a little at a time both on your own together. If she freaks, just take her out for a short distance every time and increase it gradually.

Answer 2

First rule - the spurs have to stay permanently off. They may have their uses in certain situations, but are inappropriate in the training of young horses - you want a horse that works nicely from the leg with no artificial aids.

Young horses that nap do so because they are afraid and their instinct is to get as far away from that situation as possible. To build up her confidence and get her to happily hack out alone may take some time and will require some good and confident riding from you.

First, pick two or three short routes not too far from home. Then start riding these with good calm companion horses. Start by just walking one behind the other and do this lots of times until it gets so boring that everyone just about goes to sleep. You can then make things a bit more challenging by riding next to each other where you can. That way she will still have a trusty friend next door, but will have to watch out for herself a bit as well. Finally, you should start to take the lead. You can add spells of trot and canter as you see fit, but patience at the slow and steady stuff will pay huge dividends eventually. Hacking is supposed to be fun for everyone, so it is all about relaxing - working on  a long rein etc. rather than schooling and other work.

You should eventually introduce a deliberate mount and dismount and one or two other distractions, but only when everything is going really well. If it results in a nap, drop your hands and try to relax, wait and then ask for forward again. Every time anything gets too stressful, drop back to what you were doing before.

If you can get over all of these hurdles then try the trusted routes on your own.

Just do everything little by little and don't lose your patience as that will set you back again. I also ride all of my horses out accompanied by husband on bike - a good surrogate leading file, brilliant at opening gates and eventually good for games such has 'hunting the bike' - also a few squeaky brakes etc. are good for de-spooking freaky horses.

Also, all of us who are riding young or green horses should take the time to have lessons from a good instructor. No matter how much experience we have, we all need to be criticised for things which WE are doing and which have a negative effect on the horse. There is no such thing as the perfect rider.

This may take some time, but with a 5-year-old you have plenty. Far better to have a 7-year-old calm and confident than a 6-year-old who has become sour.

Good Luck.

Answer 3

It sounds like she lacks confidence in you.... (I am not being horrible - it takes time to build it). You need to hack out fairly close to home with a companion. You should encourage your horse alongside the other and when she is comfortable with that then take her in front.

At the same time when you work her at home in the school, you should have another horse with you... the rider should be able to dismount and or leave the school with the horse without your horse reacting... you may need to go back to lunging if she reacts really badly to this...

The whole idea is to get her used to obeying you no matter what other horses and riders are doing around you.

Once all the above is going well... there are a few things to try with the napping.... one of my favourites is to wait it out. Don't start hitting or kicking ... they just run away from that. Just sit there and let her look. Don't let her turn round and just niggle her to go forwards. If she does then loads of praise.

You could also try taking her out with someone on a bicyle (worked with my nappy horse!!).

Answer 4

what do you mean by napping?

Answer 5

If by napping, you mean sleeping, your horse could have Narcolepsy. There was a mare at a barn I used to ride at and she would fall asleep at random times, like when she was on the cross ties being groomed or tacked up.

Answer 6

Hi, as has been mentioned in another post I would try taking her out in hand for some leisurely "walks", when she seems settled, take her out in long reins in the same familiar area, long reining builds confidence and helps to make a horse brave, you can never do "too" much of it and done sensitively it can help iron out many problems, you can start in safe area's away from traffic, as you broke her in she is probably used to them anyway. When you are confident she won't be too silly have an assistant ready at her head just in case, and drive her out of the yard, as if you were riding her, do plenty of this and don't be in too much of a rush, you can still hack out in company on alternate days, when you do try going in front for a while if she starts to nap have the other horse over take without fuss for a few yards then try again, try and remain stress free and repeat it every now and then on a hack, and please don't forget to praise her for going forward when she is in front she will love this, time and patience will be needed in abundance from you and she will be fine and confident, you will be real pleased with yourself when she happily leaves the yard, wait until she will leave the yard being driven without any fuss at all before you try riding her out on your own, oh and it's always a good idea to trot smartly out and walk quietly back, good luck

Answer 7

My sisters horse has your horses problem, first she goes out with one other, and makes the horse ride side by side with the other, then after a while the other horse will move slowly little by little away so there is a few feet between them, gradually moving further away, so your horse can still see them but not be to near, it may take a while but your horse will build his confidence up and soon you will be able to go out on your own, my sisters horse is now fine on his own, I would however take a crop, just as a backup if you need it. Good luck.

Answer 8

first of all what do you mean by napping?? when you are out alone and she begins to freeze just get off untill she come back to normal then make her back up turn circles and pivot whatever you can think of for discpline. when she starts to back up then either pull her head around or you tell her to back. when she bolts pull her head around and turn tight circles until her muscles start to un tense. if you need anymore help email me [e-mail]

Answer 9

I don't get the impression that she loves to be riden from her behavior. Certainly not alone. Horses are herd animals and they don't like to go off on their own away from the herd, so when we go out riding alone, you're asking a very young horse to go against what all of her instincts are telling her to do.

You said it yourself that your horse is still green (and at only 5 years old, I'd say she's more than "rather" green). This is something that you will need to work on with training, to give her the confidence to go out on her own. If she trusts you as a rider, she won't be so afraid of being away from the other horses. I don't get the impression that she trusts you so much.

A lot of what you're talking about (her lack or responsiveness to your commads, ignoring aids and rushing back to the stable) means that you don't have any control over her as a rider. This is not a safe situation and it's one that you must start working on rectifying. First of all, lose the spurs - they're not helping and kicking her hard in the sides is a sign of an inexperienced rider trying to force the issue.

Work her in the pen on her basic skills and work on getting your communication with her more clear. To go out hacking, try leading her a bit aways from the stable before you try mounting. She probably won't fight you too much just being lead, and see if she responds better if she doesn't have the chance to go looking for companionship when out on the trail. Don't be discouraged if it doesn't work at first. If she rushes back to the stable, just lead her away again and mount up. She'll eventually get the idea that rushing back to the barn isn't going to get her anywhere.

I don't know how much experience you have working with horses, but you probably should be working with an experience trainer on this. Young horses need knowlegable handling and judging from how you are phrasing things, I don't get the impression that you are ready for this kind of a challenge.

Answer 10

She is a baby. 5 is nothing.

All her little foibles can be ironed out in a school, under contrloed conditions for safty.

Emulate every problem (with the help of others ) in a school. Is she like it when you are on the ground not ridden?

Saturation/desensitisation is what it's called. It takes time, and you have all the time in the world!

Answer 11

You say she is ok til the rider in front dismounts?

Sounds to me like she didn't realize there was a 'monster' on that horses back!  It freaked her out and she was "Holy c**p did you see that thing that was on her back? Let's get out of here before it sees us!"

Do some training at home.  Rider in front and then have that person move around, turn back and wave, get off..get on...walk around you .....etc...

When you get down the driveway, have the other rider dismount....get back on...over and over do this til she doesn't even shudder.

When she bolts do a one rein stop (make sure this is well rehearsed) and make her face her fears.  If she tries again, one rein again.  She must stand and listen or you are gonna shut her down each time she bolts.

Now you can venture out on the trail.  Repeat the dismounts and one reins.

See if you can frog hop on the trails.  You go first then let the other go.  Ride side by side...take the lead for a few strides then let the other.  You go ahead awhile but tell the other person to stop and wait...then he can calmly walk up to meet you where you have stopped.

Your horse needs confidence.  To achieve this you need that other horse with you.  One day she will want to be lead horse and that other horse will be WAY behind you.

For now, I wouldn't take a greenie out on a trail alone.  Keep a seasoned horse with you to help build the confidence and security.  She'll come around.

My mare is also green at 6 (I haven't ridden her much)  She is building her confidence to a level now where she actually prefers to be in the lead until a scary object appears.

She will now go out on her own but she is spooky but trusting me.  Sometimes I have to discuss with her what I want and why and she will then go on (I am persistent but not harsh with my commands)