Napping advice

[joellie]

Anyone who has read the hacking thread will know that I now and again have a napping issue with Marley. Most of the time Marley is very good but now and again he goes through a phase were he doesn't want to go out for a hack. He will leave the yard, stable area but as soon as we get near the gate out on to the road he starts backing up etc. I have tried the hard, strict approach and the soft patient approach, the latter seems to work better as we don't have the bucking and spinning to try and go back. Once he is out of the actual gate he is 9 out of ten times fine, the other time he may drag his heels for about half a mile So i have decided to brave it and put a video on of me and him while he has been in a napping mood, this was just on thursday past. I would appreciate any feed back good or bad... oh and yes when we have company he never does it but that isnt always an option for us..

 

[LindaAd]

They're so frustrating when they do this! Is he OK once you get onto the road? Just a couple of thoughts: I think it might be a good idea to ask for a more positive walk right from the beginning. Also, what's he like if you lead him out in hand? Would it be a good idea to do lots of leading through that bit, so that both you and he get the idea that it's not a scary thing to do? I get much the same thing with Hebe - she likes to stop and examine the road surface, or gaze around for imaginary dangers, or eye up the grass on the verge ..... At one stage I did a lot of walking in hand and she got much better. Then we stopped for a while (winter!) and she started again.

 

[Trewsers]

I was with you every step of the napping way there!lol that headcam is marvellous. I think you are bloomin brave and patient too! I'd have hopped off I am really rubbish at dealing with that kind of thing whilst on board, for some reason I feel better on the ground. Sorry that doesn't help you. Well bloomin done getting through the gate etc - all I can say is stick at it! Maybe if he realises you aren't going to go home immediately he will get into a routine of complying........

 

[CharliesAngel]

ohh i feel your pain, ive had a couple of nappers now, the first one i sorted out , the latter nearly wrecked my confidence. A couple of things that jump out at me from your vid- is it always here he does it? Is it the gap in the electric tape he is wary of?? He seems to be looking at the leccy fence and then snorts and licks /chews once though? Other thought is that Id be riding very smartly forward well in advance, probably in trot and I carry a short leadrope to swish to send him forward (just make sure you’re ready to let him go forward). In that vid anyway, he isnt doing anything really scary so Id probably have got after him a lot more, made him circle as tight as poss if he refuses to go, offer the way out forward and then if he doesn’t, a good smack and tight circle again. By tight I mean, open the rein right out and get his head on your knee, spin him round until he realises that actually it’s more comfy for me to go forward than put up with this c***, plus with his head there he can’t buck

That said - with my last one none of this worked for me and he still got the reins off me and bu**ered off home so maybe Im not the best to be giving advice!

ETA, Id love to see what he does if you had the chance to take down some of that fencing and widen the gap.

 

[joellie]

@LindaAd thanks very much for watching and for the advice. He is ok once he is out, at the end of the video it shows him going out on the road and he is fine. He used to be a lot worse but its still annoying that he still tries it on. I think he knows by now that i don't give in but he still does it. I had thought about taking him out in hand but I have been taking him out hacking every week all over winter and I dont think he is scared, just taking the piss to be honest, so i don't know if taking him out in hand would make a difference, if he was scared then yes to build up his confidence i would take him in hand. Once we are out he is brilliant with traffic etc.. Good idea i will ask him for a more positive forward going walk from the off set and see if that helps, thanks

@Trewsers yes i love my gopro, never go out without it now. its great to watch back and see things i may have missed at the time. It also makes drivers more courteous and slow down, well on most occasions Thanks very much for the encouragement, i will definitely stick at it and not give in to him

 

[joellie]

ETA, Id love to see what he does if you had the chance to take down some of that fencing and widen the gap.

Yep i can easily do that, so i will try that also next time as well as the more positive walk, I have tried the tight circles and a couple of times i actually backed him up out of the opening seeing as he liked backing up so much, i thought Ok u little bugger we will back up alright the whole way around the grass area and out through the tape till he was facing the gate to the road, he was like" How the crap did that happen" he thought he was backing up away from it lol

 

[MrA]

You are very brave and thanks for posting.

Ale was a chronic napper when I got him, we spent hours and hours just standing still, going backwards, or spinning round.

It's very very frustrating! With ale it was a mix of sometimes getting off and leading for a bit, sometimes using voice, whip and leg and sometimes letting him just stand until he got bored enough that forwards seemed like a better option than just standing there, this takes forever though!

He very very very rarely naps now and never severely.

You seem to pat him a couple of times whilst he is napping, do you think he is doing it because he is worried about going out alone or is he just trying it on? Also I wouldn't use the whip on his shoulder personally, I would use a schooling whip and tap him on the bum.

And then I would get him through the gate, go 10 mins down the lane and come home. Is he barefoot? The only thing I can think of is that perhaps the gravely drive is a bit rough on his feet. But he may just be trying it on. Ale never got away with his napping. Sometimes he would stand spinning for about 15minutes before going forwards.

 

[joellie]

Thanks @Ale, yes i noticed on the video I was patting him, I don't know why? I will definitely have to stop that I did give him a tap on the bum and I have been using my dressage whip as it longer and i can give him a wee flick. Why would you not use it on the shoulder..I usually only tap him on the shoulder when he is being naughty, but i will stop doing it if their is some reason its wrong and i'm genuinely asking why i hope it doesn't come across as cheeky Yes he is barefoot but he had his boots on. He never does it when I have company so I think he is just being naughty... That's great Ale doesn't do it anymore, i am hoping the penny will eventually drop with Marley when he sees i don't give in..

 

[MrA]

Just based on how ale used to react, tap on the shoulder was less effective and more likely to cause a spin, but that's not saying its the same for you.

Yes I am sure he will stop soon enough, you say he is better than he used to be so that's good.

 

[OwnedbyChanter]

Wow much more patience than I would have. Chanter was a napper he would run backwards and rear.

Firstly start off more forward ideally I would trot get you leg on and the minute market slows tap him up and or kick on do not allow to walk. As you approach the bit he stops at I would get after him. Growl kick use the stick if need be but get he forward. Once past keep trotting for a stride or two.

Of he stops don't let him stand and do not pat him. Keep him moving any way but never let him stand still. Circles away but leg yield to the gap growling works with both mine. Good luck

 

[OwnedbyChanter]

Just to add I tap on the shoulder with my crop when hacking and jumping. The taps on the bump makes both of them buck

 

[Em 1]

He must have been so confused when you 'reversed' him out of the yard One question that came to mind: can you ride him around the field on the drive and does this make any difference? I just wondered if breaking the pattern would work a bit like changing the side you mount from can help with horses that don't like standing at a block?

 

[Gattino]

Silly boy! They do like to make us work sometimes don't they

Advice I would have to add is to flex him a bit and have him more focused on you before you go through 1st gap and don't let him look around, I've to do that with my girl I want her mind on me and listening to me. Easier said than done for sure though.

Make sure you are really clear with your reactions, so very firm until he is doing as you ask, then lavish the praise. The second he feels like he is thinking backwards (i.e. thinking of slowing or thinking of whats behind him) in walk make him trot.

Horses sometimes relax more when they have very clear boundaries and know you are like their herd leader and they trust you to make the decisions even when they are unsure.

Could someone attach a lunge line to hold his hand a bit but you still ride they don't do anything unless he hesitates and you still react firmly.

It totall depends on the pony/horse too what works. Gift is very much I need to be in charge and calm but firm and tell her to get on and not let her think she is allowed decide. However anything she does is very much greenness. I've been in situation before on other horses when bucks and spins were added and this makes it harder for sure as so much more to think about.

Well done for persevering, napping is so frustrating and can be pretty nerve wracking!!

 

[joellie]

@OwnedbyChanter Thanks for looking and for the advice, I must try to be more assertive but in a good way. Sometimes if i get more assertive he gets more stubborn and then i lose my rag which doesn't help I will try to be firm but fair It has been good to hear from yourself and @Ale that Ale and Chanter both napped but no longer do it, it gives me hope that he will eventually stop it.

He must have been so confused when you 'reversed' him out of the yard One question that came to mind: can you ride him around the field on the drive and does this make any difference? I just wondered if breaking the pattern would work a bit like changing the side you mount from can help with horses that don't like standing at a block?

Yes he was confused but it worked I don't take him down that part of the drive as it has big rock type stones and he is barefoot, the other parts of the drive have small stones and he is ok with them. I did try him but he was very hesitant going over it and I wasn't sure if he was napping or he found the rocks uncomfortable?

Well done for persevering, napping is so frustrating and can be pretty nerve wracking!!

Thank you, it was very nerve wracking at the start but now i try and relax and laugh it off and not give in and he isn't as bad but it is annoying and frustrating so as you and others have said i will have to try and be more firm with him

 

[OwnedbyChanter]

Most horses want a leader someone to follow he is looking at you to he the leader.

You may not like being firm now but once marley gets it the less firm you have to be.

Today my ginger pony 180 spun at a gate that had blown down. I turned him back let me stare then asked to walk on. It took seconds because he now trusts me as the leader

 

[juliecwuk]

Have u ever led him out through that area? I'm curious to see if he is genuinely scared or just being a shit lol

Does he show any tenseness going through there when in company? Do you lead through it when in company or follow?

If he isn't genuinely scared then I would follow OBC's advice. If he is genuinely scared I would be going down to that gap Inhand to improve his confidence in that area, I'd use treat/positive reinforcement and see if that helps when going through there solo

 

[Kite_Rider]

Have u ever led him out through that area? I'm curious to see if he is genuinely scared or just being a shit lol

Does he show any tenseness going through there when in company? Do you lead through it when in company or follow?

If he isn't genuinely scared then I would follow OBC's advice. If he is genuinely scared I would be going down to that gap Inhand to improve his confidence in that area, I'd use treat/positive reinforcement and see if that helps when going through there solo

This ^^^

Curious too as to why you don't just ride along the drive? Does he still nap if you just take the drive instead of going through the fence tape?

 

[domane]

I would try a change of routine. He almost looks like he thinks he is expected to stop now. Do you always go that way? Does the driveway not go out onto the road as an alternative. I would be going into that paddock that you cross, turning left and doing a couple if laps of it at a trot to get him going more forward- and to change the routine. Then I would try approaching the gap from a different direction. Do you come back the same way? If so, does he go through the gap ok coming home? I would also change the return routine and walk around the little paddock a couple of times again before going back to your stable.

 

[Em 1]

[I don't take him down that part of the drive as it has big rock type stones and he is barefoot, the other parts of the drive have small stones and he is ok with them. I did try him but he was very hesitant going over it and I wasn't sure if he was napping or he found the rocks uncomfortable?

To find out if it's napping or genuine discomfort, could you walk him down the drive when you get home from a ride? If he's still footy when he's going back to dinner/friends then you know he's not napping. Having said that, if he was still hesitant I'm not sure it's solving anything!

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

What a great thing to post. The thing I notice, because I know I do it too, is praising inappropriately. I don't just mean patting him. You often say "Good boy" before he has actually done what you want. And once he has started walking you say "Good boy" when his head and ear set show that he is thinking about stopping.

You might try talking less altogether and only saying something to praise him as he starts to obey you.

He has such a cheeky pony face though!