How do I deal with this?

ladywiththebaby

ladywiththebaby

Active Member
Mar 6, 2007
2,374
0
36
Cambridge
Most of our hacking where I am starts off by going down a narrow hedgelined bridleway. This is usually fine and 99% of all hacks I've ever done with Tango involve this bridleway - either on the way out or the way back.

On my last solo hack with Tango (Sunday) we entered the bridleway, walked about 10 steps when he stopped and started reversing at speed. I don't like that, and worry that if I push a worried horse too far, it'll flip out and take off (as that's happened to me before resulting in me being dumped!!)

So, I jumped off and led him passed - all fine. Walked a bit further and hopped back on (ok - heaved myself back on). All sorted - phew.

Today I did the same hack but backwards. We got to roughly the same place (but from the opposite direction and this time very close to home as doing it backwards) when he stopped abruptly and started snorting and going backwards! I really thought the incentive if being so close to home would have helped him just go forwards - but no! I jumped off again and went to lead him passed. He resembled more of a dragon than a horse though!! He was snorting for England, eyes wide and head in the air - I've never seen him like that. I eventually got him passed - but have no idea what it is that is bothering him there. I can't see anything.

So I thought I'd lead him back and forth passed the point so that he can see that I am not scared of anything there, and that there is nothing to be scared of. Well the first time was kind of the same - snorty and prancy. The second time was a bit better. So I thought one more time to really knock it on the head. But that was a mistake. This time he was really adament he was not going passed. REALLY snorty, pulling back all sorts. I really thought he was going to pull away and run for home.

He would not take one step towards it (or maybe it was just because we were facing away from home but don't think so). Pulling back and up so hard. I tried turning him to face home and getting him to reverse past it, and we did about a metre but no more. Then I turned him round and tried to march passed it but no good. I tried growling and I might have got 3 forward steps then but it soon turned into backwards again. Still snorting. :hot:

So I stood and waited (I'd already let him had a good look the first times) while I wondered how I could end this without him thinking I'd given in. Stood there for ages and I guess I bored him in to it coz after a long wait, he decided maybe he could do it after all. Still snorting, still not happy, but he came. So we went passed again, turned round and went home.

So - what on earth can this all be about? And how do I make it better? I cannot see anything out if the ordinary. And I might have seen him cautious about something before but not this. If I can't get passed this though - even in hand - I can't go anywhere! :help:
 
Wow, what a funny thing for him to do! It makes me chuckle when they get all snorty about something we can't see....as long as Im' not riding at the time! You did exactly what I would have tried, altering the route so it was on the way home, getting off and trying to go back and forth a bit. I'd probably give it another go again, maybe take someone else on foot for encouragement. Failing that, how would he be with another horse about?
I'd sing as loudly as you can on the approach and look in the opposite direction from where the scary thing is. I also talk quite assertively to my boy about how silly it is to be scared of x, y or z and that I will protect him.. it serves to instill confidence in me, and that then passes to my horse.
Let us know how you get on. Maybe go and have a look over the hedgerows and see whats on the other side? Could it have been a dog or pheasant or something rustling in the bushes?
 
Like Flipo says - sounds a funny thing for him to do . If he is normally not nappy or spooky? Hmm. I too suspect there could have been something behind the hedge. When we first brought Joe n Storm home to live the sheep used to rustle about behind the hawthorns making them snorty!
I don't honestly have any suggestions handling wise as it sounds like you tried all the right stuff!
I'd take somebody with me next time for a bit of support.
 
Sounds like there was definitely something in there he did not like - maybe even a smell that is undetectable to humans - a decaying animal or something.

You did all the right things - just keep at it. Patience and persistence will help. Don't worry about him thinking he's 'won' - he does not know he is competing with you! Think of it like trailer loading: if you just stand near (but not in) the scary trailer and then let him walk away he hasn't 'won' - you are just showing him slowly that there is nothing to be afraid of. So you could take him to the place he stops, and then get off and give him some treats, tie a haynet there, groom him etc, and when he is calm, ask him to get a step closer etc, then fuss & pet him again.

Good luck. :)
 
How odd. To do it in both directions and at the same place would make me think there is something there he is really taking a disliking to, rather than him just being nappy/argumentative for no reason. If he is getting snorty and there is nothing obvious, then like someone said above I would bet it could be a smell he is picking up on. To be honest, I personally wouldn't make a huge deal out of it and if it is necessary to get off and lead past then I would do it. If he walks past then praise and continue on your way. You might find that whatever it is disappears soon enough and it's no longer an issue. I would be worried if I made a big thing about continually going past that spot that I would make him more aware and worried about that specific area in future? Does that make sense? Of course if it continues on for a longer period of time then you will have to do some detective work and see if you can figure out what it is to either a) remove it or b) de-senitise him to it.
 
learningcurve said:
Have you got a dog you can take down there, might be able to sniff something out :unsure:
Click to expand...

Great idea! I don't have one myself but could borrow one I'm sure. Tomorrow I think I'll try and get Bella down there with Tango (both in hand as won't have time for a proper ride) and see if he's better with company. I did wonder about a smell or a decomposing body of some sort. I don't thin kt was anything in the bushes as the hedgerows aren't thick so you can see through them easily and there was nothing to see.

And yes Martini - I was left thinking I'd probably made it a bigger issue than it needed to be. But I just thought he'd see everything was ok after we'd walk passed it again. I'll listen better to him next time. I hope I haven't done any damage :frown:
 
We had a dead deer in a ditch down our lane last year, this spooked most of the horses that used the lane including a bad one from Daisy.
Months later the deer had not been removed and the smell from it really did upset Daisy for some time - snorting, dragon impressions etc.
Also up another lane she used to do this at the same spot, turned out there was a festering dead fox that I couldnt smell, but she must have, she still is uneasy past both of these spots.
 
I think grazing him in hand at the spot would be a good idea. You know you're on to a winner when he can stick his head down and eat without concern. I'm awful in these situations, I deliberately shout boo and jump. Flipo gets a fright, but then it seems to remind him not to be so daft when I do it a second time and he relaxes.

I do appreciate that whatever he is seeing, he has cause to be afraid though, and only do this when he's just in one of those generally jumpy and spooky moods with high wind.
 
martini55 said:
To be honest, I personally wouldn't make a huge deal out of it and if it is necessary to get off and lead past then I would do it. If he walks past then praise and continue on your way.
Click to expand...

This!! I think you handled the situation well by trying different things and being as positive as possible. But IMO when a horse is reacting like that, the best thing to do is ride (or lead) them through it and then carry on as normal. The behaviour you want is for him to go past that spot and continue with your ride - you can't force a scared horse not to be scared! By trying to "make" him settle in a place that obviously makes him very nervous, you may well turn it into a bigger issue than it needs to be.
 
I would agree with all the above advice, suspect he could smell something he disliked intently if you have never had a problem before, that you couldn't smell.

I remember a situation years ago when some Friends out on their Horses all had a problem at a spot on a usual bridle path route where all 3 Horses stood snorting refusing to move.

Found out a week or so later that a Horse had been shot in the field, as in
PTS the day before and Friend felt they must have somehow sensed it.

Not sure if that was the case or not but it sounds as though they probably had so suspect that Tango had his reasons, whatever they were, at that particular time for disliking that spot. Its amazing really what they can
sense that we can't.

P.S. Agree with others that you did all the right things:wink: Maybe next week he will be back to normal there and take no notice ?
 
I think something in/behind hedge that he really couldn't cope with, pig or similar or as other have said something dead/smelly. I personally would go for a walk without him but with company and ideally dog and have a poke around. I don;t think Tango is the sort to have silly fits so something is obviously frightening him,.

Another thing to consider is that there may be an underground cable or similar that is giving off a static field, this is often the explanation for horses suddenly refusing to go on familiar routes, has anyone else had similar problems at the same spot?
 
eml said:
I think something in/behind hedge that he really couldn't cope with, pig or similar or as other have said something dead/smelly. I personally would go for a walk without him but with company and ideally dog and have a poke around. I don;t think Tango is the sort to have silly fits so something is obviously frightening him,.

Another thing to consider is that there may be an underground cable or similar that is giving off a static field, this is often the explanation for horses suddenly refusing to go on familiar routes, has anyone else had similar problems at the same spot?
Click to expand...

Ooh another interesting possibility...

He has been being a bit more spooky just recently though. Nothing major just jumping and eyes on stalks at things like a plastic bag in a hedge. Am hoping its coincidence and I'm imagining things because I have been slowly changing his feed for the last week (to Fast Fibre from chaff and conditioning feed)
 
ladywiththebaby said:
Ooh another interesting possibility...

He has been being a bit more spooky just recently though. Nothing major just jumping and eyes on stalks at things like a plastic bag in a hedge. Am hoping its coincidence and I'm imagining things because I have been slowly changing his feed for the last week (to Fast Fibre from chaff and conditioning feed)
Click to expand...

We have no feed changes but we are certainly enjoying spring grass here... Madam threw in a few mini rears last weekend :eek: just to show spring grass is here :(
 
My money would be on a new smell. It may not actually be at the spot he stops at, but this is where it is smelt. So i would check in both directions a far distance.

My previous pony would stop dead and wouldn't go anywhere near a bridge, it was not the bridge but a nearby tank for human stuff that used to block. I rang them to let them know it was blocked before they knew!

This is interesting thread as cob has similar issue with certain area if i lead her out. She has got away and run for home in the past, now visibly shakes. She is getting better but as someone has said also try not to make a thing of it and expect it.
 
Harvey acts exactly the same if asked to go past where pigs or cows have once been, even if they have only been there briefly.

As others have said, something that is dead, been shot etc would have the same effect too.

Thats what i'd put my money on.
 
Charlie & Me said:
Sounds like there was definitely something in there he did not like - maybe even a smell that is undetectable to humans - a decaying animal or something
Click to expand...

We had a similar thing last summer.... turned out to be a dead/rotting badger carcas in the hedge... none of us could see it, but none of the horses liked it at all.
 
OK update time - Tangos field mate went that way today, and did not turn a single hair as she marched along as usual :yellowcarded: So it's just my daft boy then :rolleyes: Just great.:banghead:
 
ladywiththebaby said:
OK update time - Tangos field mate went that way today, and did not turn a single hair as she marched along as usual :yellowcarded: So it's just my daft boy then :rolleyes: Just great.:banghead:
Click to expand...


Not necessarily .... Coby had a blue fit a couple of times going up our lane, but yet 3 of the polo ponies went past no problem at all ... then on a ride and lead (polo ponies again) the ridden horse would not go past either .... i took Midgey Moo (my dog) for a scout round and we found a dead hare rotting out (a large one too) ... I bagged it and moved it .... No problems since ... Some horses are more susceptible to smells than others x
 
newrider.com
Top Bottom
Back