Hacking alone first time - he stopped!

Mr Ed

Mr Ed

Active Member
Mar 1, 2009
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Hi All, have had Ed 5 days. Obviously, we are very much still getting to know him and trying to sort out a routine as we are first-time owners and quite novice!!

He hacked out with me for three days running with other horses, on the third occassion he led the ride. All rides were fantastic and he was excellent.

Today I tried to take him for a short walk on his own (with hubby and daughter following on foot). After 200/300 metres he came to a complete stand-still, so I used my legs/whip to move him forward. A couple of hundred meteres on he did it again, this time when I tried to push him forward he back up on to the verge, basically becuase he wanted to turn around and go back.

My hubby then walked in front of him so he could follow, which was fine so we took him a little further before turning back.

What should I do in this situation. I could have been much more forceful with legs/whip, but didnt want to terrify him or over do it. Didnt want to scare myself either!!

Hubby (not horse experienced) wondered if he was put off by them following on foot. Or, could it just be first-time nerves? I guess my slight worry is he knows I'm reasonably novice and he could get the better of me :)

He didnt do anything scary or daft, just stopped and tried to get me to go home! Any tips most welcome....
 
Sounds like classic lacking-in-confidence to me. He's probably lolloped along with the other horses in a kind of "dum-de-dum" state of mind, but now you asked him to do it without his safety net and he's suddenly "Er..... where am I?" and had a bit of a panic. As you are both new to each other, I wouldn't suggest getting into a tug of war, with him backing up and you using your leg or whip. Why not just hop off and just lead him in the direction that you want to go. He sounds like he just needs a little reassurance, if he was happy to follow your OH on foot. Remember that horses in the wild feel safest when they have a leader and you need to show yourself as that leader - someone he can feel safe with and not threatened by, who he respects.

Good luck, he sounds really sweet (and typically cobby, ie, ruled by their stomachs :p)

:)
 
Don't worry, he just displayed perfectly natural behaviour, it's napping for home on a mild scale. :)

As he is fairly new and this was his first time out alone without horsey friends he just wanted to get back to the safety of the herd.

Having people walk or cycle out with you is a good idea. I found with my boy when I first got him that if he didn't go off a forward aid then I would gently turn him in a circle until I was facing the way I wanted to go and he would invariably move on, it was much easier than kicking or using a crop :)

Just persevere with what you are doing and he will do it less and less. Increase the distance you go bit by bit and even get your accompanying walkers to drop back a bit at times and I'm sure you'll soon he hacking all over the place on your own.

He sounds like a good, sensible chap andnI hope you have lots of fun together, It's so exciting having your first horse isn't it ? ;)
 
Thanks Domane. Yes, he certainly seemed happy to following hubby.

Because he led the ride two days ago I expected him to go alone quite easily, but I guess he could still hear them behind him!

I will go out again with another horse next time and then try again alone (with hubby hanging around somewhere for my reassurance!!).
 
Thanks Bob's Mum for the reassurance. I think I'll get hubby and daughter on bikes next time for a little outing - I will try the circle technique.

My hubby is not horsey or experienced at all, but he is very laid back and is quite a calming influence on me. Also, he is really taking by Ed!
 
You should also try a round route so you don't have to stop and turn around, otherwise he may start trying to do this all the time.
When your out with others trot off for 30 metres or so and then wait for them to catch up and vice versa so he gets used to others being around him then away from him.
 
Hi maypole.

The only problem I have is the round routes are quite long! On our last hack out - Saturday, he led the ride and sometimes we were trotting a good 50m ahead and had to stop and wait for others, which didnt seem to bother him at all. That's why I thought I was ready to try a short ride out on my own.

Thanks for the tips
 
Hi Poppy
Iam more a novice than you so cant offer advice. I think you are doing fab after 5 days though i hope i am as confident and can go out alone. Good luck hope the next hack goes really well.
 
He's napping for home,simple as that.

From previous experience of a nappy 'wouldn't go any further than the end of the drive on their own' type I would be firm and make him go foreward,rather than be soft and pander to him.

Sounds like he likes the security of the other horses being around,and now being asked to do it on his own he's worrying and getting his knickers in a twist.I am assuming he does and has hacked alone with previous owner (fairly sure he's an older been there done it type??),if so there's no reason he can't do it with you.

Maybe not the same for your lad of course but just out of interest as you mentioned it,my lad behaves worse when there is someone on foot,he starts to milk it I have noticed (nothing drastic,but looks for them and is generally more un-settled),so I usually go out alone and then he is much better.
Maybe see what your lad is like with just you and him??

Good luck and let us know how you get on:)
 
Hi, yes he is nearly 13 and a genuinely experienced all rounder - regularly hacking alone. I guess he was with last family for 6 yrs. So this is a big change for him.

Previous owner sent me a note last night to ask how he's doing. I mentioned this and she has suggested short trips to start with. Use firm commands to move him forward - use schooling whip to give quick flick without losing contact - invest in spurs forextra leg aid, as he is used tobeing ridden in spurs..

I too think hub and daughter on foot might have put him off - daft idea, but he may have thought they were behind with snacks.... He's a greedy boy, often badgering for treats.
 
We have experienced napping with at first with all the horses we have owned...the advice given by others in this thread is all good....listen to what the previous owners said and follow their advice as well....

Under no circumstances let the horse turn round and head for home when he wants too....if you do, he will only do it more....you must be in control and push him forward.

Always use a circular route.....if you are unable to do this at least try and turn him in as big a circle as you can...vary the length of your hacks so you are not always turning back at the same place....make sure it is your decision to turn back, not his...

Having people on foot or bike nearby should not make any difference to him...this should not be a factor.

This sounds a relatively mild case of napping and with a little perseverance, you should be ok.
 
Hi Niv2, thanks for the advice. As a novice, I am quite cautious and fairly gentle!! I am riding out with an experienced friend this afternoon and we are going to put Ed in front.... s

She is also of the mind that he cannot get away with it, having ridden out with him before she doubts he is particularly nervous, but thinks he is trying it on a bit! At least I will have her support if he messes around this afternoon.

Will keep you posted
 
POPPY1 said:
Previous owner sent me a note last night to ask how he's doing. I mentioned this and she has suggested short trips to start with. Use firm commands to move him forward - use schooling whip to give quick flick without losing contact - invest in spurs forextra leg aid, as he is used tobeing ridden in spurs..

I too think hub and daughter on foot might have put him off - daft idea, but he may have thought they were behind with snacks.... He's a greedy boy, often badgering for treats.
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Sounds like previous owners have the right idea,and they obviously know him well,take their advice about the moving him foreward,and even the schooling whip,although not sure about the spurs,have never used them,but as I said they know him best,so maybe would be an idea,but go with what you feel comfortable with as well.

As I said my lad is a bit more of a pain with people on foot,not sure if it's to do with food or anything else really (although mine is a complete foodie as well lol),think it's just a distraction,and for a horse like yours that is maybe a bit unsettled anyway,it might be just making it worse and giving him too many different things to think about.

POPPY1 said:
Hi Niv2, thanks for the advice. As a novice, I am quite cautious and fairly gentle!! I am riding out with an experienced friend this afternoon and we are going to put Ed in front.... s

She is also of the mind that he cannot get away with it, having ridden out with him before she doubts he is particularly nervous, but thinks he is trying it on a bit! At least I will have her support if he messes around this afternoon.

Will keep you posted
Click to expand...

Just a thought,but going out with others,even if he is in front is not the same as going out on his own.I know it's nicer for you,and a safety net if anything happens,but you are not going to know if you can sort the problem unless you go out alone,even if it's only for 5 minutes up the road,am sure he will be fine,and you will feel a lot better knowing you can deal with it:)
 
Thanks Devonlass. I will ride out with friend today as planned. Tomorrow Ed has the day-off as I am working away (his first complete day off since we had him!). On Thursday I will try him alone - fingers crossed!
 
On Tue, we put Ed in front of friends horse, but as soon as we reached the same place, we had a bit of nonesense! I tried to use legs/crop but he reversed and as we were heading back towards a ditch, we decided to lead on with friends horse. The rest of the ride - several miles - he was perfect.

Today we headed off in the same direction - you guessed it similar place - he stood firmly still and tried to reverse. However, this time we had bushes behind us, so this sort of prevented him reversing too far and I was armed with schooling whip. (Friend on other horse waited). I was quite forceful with voice, legs and used the schooling whip - low and behold he moved forward and stayed in the lead. So, I decided to cover the rest of that lane in a forward going trot!

It worked!! As a reward we then rode side-by-side. All good stuff for a novice like me! I still dont feel ready to take him out alone until this stops, but will be riding out again on Fri or Sat with others and will aim to put him in the lead again for this first bit of the ride.
 
Well done you. I know how nerve racking it can be but you made that first positive step. All the advise given is excellent and it is what I use on my very nappy boy, who can rear and spin!!!

The next part is going it alone and as long as you do the same again you will both be fine. Just take it slow and easy and always turn for home when you want too. I know that sometimes is easier said then done, when your boy is backing up and you are scared but pick a point a couple of meters ahead and turn there.

My OH still walks/rides out with me once a week so I can have a nice relaxed easy ride compared to the nightmare ones I have on my own:rolleyes:
 
Thanks Sam and Chanter - the support on here is brill!

I am feeling so positive. He is a lovely boy! Obviously, he doesnt do anything to scary, just tries to stop and or reverse. There isnt any spinning...

I feel that once I have gone through this a couple of times he wont do it any more!! Heres hoping..
 
Hi there Poppy, sounds like you're doin', great!
It's funny, but the more I read and talk to people about horses, the more I realise that they really are governed by the fact that they are herd animals and all that goes with that. They're always trying to find the pecking order and they really don't like individual responsibility - so they really seem to be more confident with a "leader" on their back, rather than a "partner"!
Looks like you're starting to establish yourself in his mind as his leader now, which will probably give him a lot more nerve when it comes to leading again and going out there into the wooly wilds just the two of you!!!
Well done!
 
You've only had him a short while, and while you are assessing him, he is doing the same with you!

He is still in the settling in period, it will take awhile for you both to learn to have confidence in one another, but you need to show that you are confident and know best, or he will try little tricks to test you.

Be firm but fair and he should soon reaise you are in charge.

Cheers, Midori
 
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