Won't budge/walk forward

Anna mortimer

Anna mortimer

Member
Dec 14, 2014
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Hi everyone
I'm having problems... Whilst out hacking... my horse gets to sposific spots & won't budge!!!!.....This can be different locations on the just one.....

I've tried

Light pressure
More leg
Crop
Been patient
Turning In tight circuls
getting off & walking supporting her of course
nothing has happened previous spooks/upset
Etc etc

I was at a halt yest for 45 mins..... I couldn't get one more step.... If I had I would have praised & gone back the other way..... I think it's because I sometimes turn left just b4 & go a different route..... my reasoning is that she just didn't want to go that way.....

Please advise as I no that u need to be strong & go the way u want not the horse......but I would have Been there for hours as she was not going forward..

Any advise much appreciated x
 
My boy use to do this. You will gte loads of people on here tell you different things most of which you have tried already by the sounds of it.

The only thing that worked with my boys was a good hard kick and a verbal growl backed up with a smack on the neck. The minute he moved I praised. I now use the same thing on my 6 year old.

In an ideal world if you know the spot I would pop her in to trot on approach lots of leg and stick if needed and get her forward so she doesn't not know she is stopping. Even if you trot way past the turning you want then walk back to it.
 
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Has she ever gone there without problems?
How does she react when you get off and try to walk her?
Has there been any drastic changes off in that direction.
Is the footing the same? Does it get more rocky or something she might not like to walk on?
I assume your hacking out alone- do others go out that way too- does anyone else have issues there?

If she gone there in the past maybe there is now a dead animal out that way-- or something has
made a nest?

You have tried a lot of things OwnedbyChanter is worth a try.
 
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Phew you have more patience than me...45 mins!!!
I would like H&Gmom said, never turn directly into the turning she stops at/the way she wants to go, always go past then turn back if you plan on going that way. But for the immediate problem, having a lead horse would be a good option until she builds confidence and just get them to carry on walking away even if yours stops as eventually the herd mentality will kick in and she will want to follow, but if that isn't an option and if all the leg and voice and being firm doesn't work I would hop off and get those feet working, driving on a tight circle or backing up and not letting her rest until she was in a position further down the way you want to do, then rest and repeat so that being willful and stopping there isn't a rest ;) groundwork at home should also help her build more confidence in you and help her to see you as the leader which will then make her more inclined to follow your lead :D
 
When you get off and walk does she walk with you past the 'sticky' bit? And can you then just get back on and carry on? If so I would just keep doing that. It's not an evasion. You still go where you want to go and you avoid a fight. She'll probably stop after a while. Just see it as an invisible gate!!
 
We discovered our first horse, Baron, had been ridden by an elderly man who used to let Baron make his own decisions about when he had been out hacking long enough and would let him turn round and go home. So Baron tried this with OH and me and we had some strong arguments with him about it. We would try to make him go forward but he became very good at going backwards at speed and one day he reversed at speed down a ditch and into a spikey hedge. As Cpl. Jones used to say - he didn't like it up him. We never had any trouble after that.

PS I'm not suggesting you try that though.
 
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Any time we've had a bit of reverse or refusing to walk, I use my reins like a whip wop and flick them side to side over the withers with a bit of leg and a growl like obc. Usually a bit of shock tactics gets my boy going, but he's not especially sticky. Sorry, not much use, but maybe a tactic to try!
 
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Mine has only done this once, when we'd only hacked out once before. I did get off and lead past the 'spooky' object but as she's never done that since, and can be got past most things with leg and encouragement (and a growl if necessary), I now think she was testing me! I don't think there's anything wrong with leading past as a last resort, although it's annoying getting off and on so to be avoided if you can, but if she's not really scared and is just being difficult, then you need to handle her firmly now and make her go past. What does she do when you try and lead past? If she is planting, would a tap on the bum with a whip have no effect?
 
Il try trot past next time c if that makes a difference.... She's been that way many times.....I honestly think is because she just don't want to go that way..... no she would not budge tapped her bum....got off tried to walk with her She WAS not budging......lol..... (so I eventually gave in 45 mins later.....)....come to think of it tho I've had to lead her out of yard last couple of times cos she just don't want to go!!!... maybe she's just been a moody mare......thank you all for your suggestions
 
What is she like with someone else Anna? Have you tried asking someone else to ride her out? My initial thought was that maybe there is just something on the route that she really is worried about but if she's also started doing it off the yard I'd be more inclined to think either she's trying it on or she's uncomfy somewhere, saddle, back, feet, teeth etc. Whats she like ridden in the school if you have one? Is she generally good and willing to go forward?
 
She's just had her teeth done & physio is coming in morning... so hopefully will narrow things down.....il try get someone else to ride her out & c.....don't have a school unfortunately.....ive a sneeky feeling she's just digging her feet in....
 
You wouldn't be there for hours, I have waited mine out for about that time.
I literally did the shortest 15 minute route, it took an hour and half the first time. I took a book and a flask. It was a very peaceful ride waiting for her. :)

You could try turning and backing up, mine just reared if you did that.
I had already done the lead out, ride back. Get off lead past.
You haven't mentioned a foot soldier or company, you could try that to build up confidence if its that.

What do they do if scared/worried or nervous? Do they stop and not go forwards? For us mine spins and reverses, or just reverses. If its her saying no shove it up your saddle bag. She rests her leg!
 
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Lol..... that's made me giggle.....

yes I do ride with my friend..... but I want to b able to just go out if I finish work early etc......

I no there r many that will only hack in company..... but she's done it loads & been fine on her own....

she isnt a spooky type really.... she just sort of side steps....If feels uneasy about something.....

I think she would have reared if I had kept up turning then trying to move her on.....

Il keep plodding on & persivering
 
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It will just happen, one day mine just decided she could hack off the yard, hence keeping it really short distance wise. We went out everyday and did just that short route.

It took in total about 18months, but she was very scared and genuinely lacked confidence to begin with. Hope won't take you that long.
 
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personally I would go back to basics and long rein out on the roads, it gives them alot of confidence to step out themselves, however I am a big fan of long reining and a dab hand at it nowadays after working with alot of young horses being gentled to drive, If your confident with long reining its worth a shot.
 
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My old share mare was nappy. She didnt grow out of it nor learn. She was 24 when she died. And she napped with her owner our RI just as much as she did with me.
Owner would growl at her like owned by chanter, also be quite fierce. What I did depended on context - if cars were around and she was blocking the way, I needed (third time of asking) a sharp authority and growling.
Mostly like new forest I did almost nothing. She loathed going into the Club grounds because she had been used to give many lessons on the canter track there. I did circle her though - never let her just stand still resting which she would have seen as a reward, and didnt let her graze.
One thing I learned from sharing her and hacking her was not to be unduly worried by her stopping. Stay completely relaxed and treat it as normal. Inside my head I was always thinking, that my brain was superior to hers. Never give in. If it was mind versus mind, I would always win. Take as long as it takes. But once physical force was introduced, she would win - any horse would (she would spin, bolt etc) and that was why some people wouldnt hack her. People never thought of me as someone who could ride. But as time passed, I became someone who rode that particular mare.
Yes the new horses at the yard were long reined. And taken out in company to teach them the hacks. She was just an obstinate old bag. Though once she had decided to move on from a place she had napped, I dont think she ever napped in exactly that same place again. Also I never figured out what had persuaded her to move on. Sometimes it took me by surprise and once it coincided with my deciding to give up and to dismount.
 
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