Fear napping--best way to train him?

Unbridled

Unbridled

Formerly Appy_Luv
Dec 29, 2004
723
0
0
42
USA
Visit site
Chance used to be owned by a young girl, who had four sisters and a mother who also rode (they all had horses). This being the case, Chance has never hacked out alone. He schools wonderfully, but he gets very nervous if he leaves the field without Sugar. He is very attached to her, and when I've hacked her out he becomes stressed at being left behind.

I want to start hacking him out, but my only option is to take him alone. The roads here (only place to ride unless I trailer him) are quiet, but they are flanked on one side by a ditch and the other by a big scary drop-off. Naturally, Chance must be calm and safe before I tackle this, since I would be alone if any accidents occured.

What is the best way to deal with fear napping? With Sugar, she was just being stubborn, which was easy to deal with. But Chance becomes genuinely stressed when alone. Aside from leading him down the roads in hand, what can I do to help build his confidence?
 
I'm just going through this with Joy. She wasn't really used to hacking out but would do so round the farm she was on when I had her on loan.

When she was there she didn't have a bond with any of the herd and in fact hated being part of a big herd and looked forward to getting out.

At the new yard where she is 1 of 4 and they have bonded strongly she doesn't want to leave the others. I have started by taking her out in hand on her own. That is going nicely and she behaves well when ridden out with the others, I wasn't sure if she had even been out on the road before but that was no problem really.

The next stage is for me to take her out on short hacks going a bit bit further every time but we haven't started that yet :D

You can bet that when I do I will take her round in the school first so that I can choose a day when she is at her most chilled.
 
Thanks for the reply. :)

I took Chance out in hand this afternoon, and he did fairly well. We didn't go too far, and I let him graze on the side of the road as a treat (this is a very quiet dirt road, mind you). He did look anxiously for Sugar, and he did get a little bargy on the way back. I ended up having to go through the Parelli games with him in the driveway as a reminder to have some respect. :p

All in all, though, he's done pretty well. I think I'll follow your plan and build it up to light, short hacks.

Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated. :)
 
Appy_Luv said:
What is the best way to deal with fear napping? With Sugar, she was just being stubborn, which was easy to deal with. But Chance becomes genuinely stressed when alone. Aside from leading him down the roads in hand, what can I do to help build his confidence?
Click to expand...
Review these threads:

http://www.newrider.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39701&highlight=cloverleaf

http://www.newrider.com/forum/showthread.php?t=67557&highlight=cloverleaf

Look for the "Cloverleaf Pattern" (and its variants).

Best regards,
Harry
 
Last edited:
Wow!

I was supposed to be doing some housework but I got into reading some of Harry's past threads and I now have a numb bum from sitting in the one position for 1.5 hrs!:)

Thanks for this.

Very enlightening and confirming.
 
I love Harry's posts :D

The trouble I haveis that our yard is at the end of a 1/2 mile private lane so we have to go the same way every time. I will keep on taking JOy a bit further each time and I love the idea of riding out and then back and then out again so that a return to the yard isn't always the end of the ride and something to be hurried towards. I used to do this hacking on the farm Joy was at because there were numerous paths leading from it and she soon learnt but I wouldn't have thought to do at this yards.

Thanks Harry, you are great :D
 
Whatanejit said:
Wow!

I was supposed to be doing some housework but I got into reading some of Harry's past threads and I now have a numb bum from sitting in the one position for 1.5 hrs!:)
Click to expand...
I've worn my fingers down over the past four and one-half years typing all those dissertations.

So now I type with my toes :D
 
Joyscarer said:
The trouble I haveis that our yard is at the end of a 1/2 mile private lane so we have to go the same way every time.
Click to expand...
Same issue here.

But upwards of a mille before I get to a point where we can go different directions.

But that's all okay. The horse gets really comfortable with the familiar road, which serves to settle it into its job, and then we work on the unfamiliar.

Best regards,
Harry
 
when i first got my ex-racehorse it took me one hour just to hack round the farmyard! she was terrified of being alone, never done it. as soon as she lost her nerve she would put in a huge rear. once I knew she was simply insecure and not nasty it was just perseverance. in the end we managed all the way across the road to the country park where we had some nice canters and an excellent view over glasgow all went well till we reached ...a PUDDLE :eek: :eek: :eek: and back to the perseverance to get passed that bit again.

seriously though, stacks of patience and a few extra yards a day. if you struggle with extra yards then hack so far then jump off and lead the new bit then remount in familiar territory to head home.
 
Had a lovely 2 hour hack today but have been going out with my friend :)

I feel a lot happier and more secure. Joy was...well a Joy really :D

She was really good. All the work in the chool on getting her to stop and relax has been just the tick so no problems there. My friends boomproof 100% cob on the otherhand :rolleyes: Joy and I just took the lead and the cob soon wanted to keep up. Joy was more than happy to walk off and leave her :D

I suspect Tuesday will be the day of our first little hack, even if it is just to the end of the lane and back. I'll stay sat on her for 2 hours stood by the gate if I have to. Calmness is going to be the watchword of the day if all goes to plan :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
newrider.com
Top Bottom
Back