# Napping horse when hacking alone



## opinionuk (19 December 2010)

I have just got a 4 year old ISH who will not hack out alone, she rears when she goes out alone and whips round but is ok with company either other horses or somebody on foot, i don't want to have to ride out in company all the time as she will get used to riding out with company and I won't be able to hack alone.

I got her to XC if I can't get the napping sorted then the chance of taking her XC are nil.

I don't use violence on her when she rears as i'm not sure this is the way to go, I am getting to sense when she is going to do this and push her on but this doesn't seem to help a great deal please do not suggest breaking an egg on her head when she rears as i wouldn't do this and everybody seems to think that this is the way to go when horses rear.

I'm getting concerned that I will never get the opportunity to hack out alone and get rid of this rearing.

Any ideas??


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## padderpaws (19 December 2010)

can you try walking her out in hand first to gain her confidence in going out with you?  I did this with my horse at first, did wonders for my waist line.  He goes out with me now but I am still building his confidence slowly.


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## Ditchjumper2 (19 December 2010)

I would long rein her and when weather/time permits take her out as often as possible. You need to be able to build her confidence that she can go out on her own.


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## luckyoldme (19 December 2010)

i agree with the other answers here. I had real issues with my ish gelding when i first got him. His protest was bucking  and spinning for home. I gave the riding a miss for a while and sorted out all his issues individually. It took time but going through at a steady place from walking in hand to lunging and showing him the ins and outs of all the hacking we eventually got there. Some horses i think are more sensative to change than others and as time has gone by i have come to see that mine is a really sensative soul. The bond took a long time to form but well worth it in the end.


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## gunnergundog (19 December 2010)

Hi
You say that you have just got this 4 year old.  So, two things:  firstly, in my opinion, it's still a baby and secondly a lot will have changed in her world recently if you have just acquired her and she consequently may be lacking in confidence.  She will be looking to you for confidence and a lead, but as she doesn't know you/trust you as yet, has started to express her doubt.

I would continue to ride out with other people, sometimes following, sometimes riding alongside and sometimes asking her to lead.  Likewise with someone on foot.  Long-reining would be great if you have quiet enough tracks and/or someone to walk at his head to start with. 

At the moment, patience will be key.  

Good luck


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## opinionuk (19 December 2010)

Thanks for that, I will give all the comments a go, she is pretty highly strung and quite a handful when I take her out in hand, barges rather than rears, although last time i took her out it was in a headcollar think i need to put her in bridle next time, hopefully i'll have more control then!


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## stencilface (19 December 2010)

When you hack out with other people do you follow them or go in front?  When I got my 4yo it was clear he was only ever hacked with his nose up some other horses bum.  Took time, every so often making him go in front.  He'd be ok for a bit, then realise he could see the big wide world in front of him and would rear/spin 

But after a while, we'd go in front longer and longer until he would lead the whole ride.  He now hacks out fine alone, although we did have some arguments - I did try being tough with him, but what worked was ignoring his behaviour and making him stand and giving him a pat.  Then I'd make him walk on when I wanted to, not when he did 

I am not sure of long reining without some one in front of you tbh, its not fun when they spin on the road, and you're behind them   Can you get someone to walk out with you when you ride?  I did this for my friend when she got her unconfident 4yo, who now hacks out fine alone


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## opinionuk (19 December 2010)

thats the thing with her she will happily stride off in front of the other horses without being asked and prefers to be in front unless she sees something scary then she will hide behind one of the horses, i don't know how long to keep her riding out with horses before i attempt to take her out on her own, when shes had a good ride out with other horses the next time i take her out i tend to take her on her own but the napping still takes place taking me back to square one, i don't want her getting dependent on only hacking out with other people.


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## Horseback Rider (19 December 2010)

Hmm have never heard of the cracking egg thingy but can't imagine you would have time to think about that when horse is up in the air ??? Having said that someone told me once that you should reach down and smack them on the tummy ??

My TB was the same when I got him. I did long reining then started to ride him out with OH on bike which gave me the comfort that if anything did happen someone was there ! 

I only ever had one more episode but luckily or unluckily I also had really bad PMT that day and gave him what for and hacked out for 2 hrs. He is good as gold now ;-)


I think it's a bit like maybe us doing a parachute jump you are scared stiff but you just need a push


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## stencilface (19 December 2010)

opinionuk said:



			thats the thing with her she will happily stride off in front of the other horses without being asked and prefers to be in front unless she sees something scary then she will hide behind one of the horses, i don't know how long to keep her riding out with horses before i attempt to take her out on her own, when shes had a good ride out with other horses the next time i take her out i tend to take her on her own but the napping still takes place taking me back to square one, i don't want her getting dependent on only hacking out with other people.
		
Click to expand...

I think she just needs more confidence which isn't a quick fix when it comes to hacking as there is so much stuff to be scared of isn't there?

Do you make her tackle the thing first when you're out with others, or does she go behind each time something is scary?  It will get there, and maybe took a year or so before I was confidently going on proper hacks alone.


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## MiJodsR2BlinkinTite (19 December 2010)

Mmmm, she's only a baby really so I wonder if you are being a tad too ambitious? For now, anyway.

Obviously she's lacking in confidence when on her own, and as she's started to rear and as this is something you don't want her into the habit of doing, I'd be inclined not to hack her solo for a bit until you've dealt with her confidence issues.

If you've got access to a school, maybe you could try riding her away from other horses in this environment, or going in a different circle when they're doing something else, or trotting away from the main group, etc etc.,. anything to get her focussing on you.

But I don't think there's any real subsitute for groundwork with her TBH, particularly long-reining to give her the confidence to go forward; leading in hand is also good but I think long-reining her would be the best way of achieving what you need to; as well as moving her around when you're grooming her and in the stable, its all about her having confidence in you as her herd leader, and if you're moving her feet, then you're the one in control. I'd be inclined to take a step back and maybe just concentrate on groundwork for a while, and if you need to hack out then if you can, go with a really steady horse to give her confidence, and you could then let her, when she's ready, go ahead for a little bit, and then drop back, and see how she goes. 

I wouldn't be in a hurry - yes its frustrating if she won't go solo, but she's at an age where you absolutely have to get things right and you're on the verge of her getting into bad habits which will be much harder to break later on. 

I had a friend with a really nappy mare - she didn't know what to do with her; then decided oh what the heck, hunt her for a season, and it transformed her totally into a really nice little mare .......... she's perhaps a little young for this season but you could try cubbing with her next year.


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## Kallibear (19 December 2010)

As others said, it's due to a severe lack of confidence: the big bad world is a scary place and she doesn't yet trust you to keep her safe. She's rearing because she's been told to go forwards but it is too scared so her only option out is 'up'.

Take it back a big step and build it up slowly. Don't push it - rearing becomes a 'learned' behaviour and a habit.

Lots of hacking in company won't make her more clingy, it'll build her confidence about the world, getting her out and seeing things, so hack as much as you can with others.

She needs to learn to trust you to be her 'company' when you're out alone so take her for inhand walks - it's hugely underestimated the bonding you get from going out places on foot with them.

Once she's more confident inhand start long reining her out - it's the step between inhand and ridden. It can take them a while to get used to though so jumping straight in without inhand walking could be a disaster.

But sometimes just spending time with them on the ground can be enough - they learnt to trust and respect you so later are wuite happy to go out hacking with just you. But takes time and can take a while for the more clingy, nervous horse.


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## jacqueline33 (20 December 2010)

Lots of ground work is best I think. Because maybe she DOES see you as a leader already but you're nervous yourself?? Groundwork is about bodylanguage and makes you think about yourself. If a good leader is nervous or scared he is unconciously telling the horse "don't you dare go there because I think it is dangerous".


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## K27 (20 December 2010)

When I've started 3 and 4 y/olds, I've got them hacking on their own from the beginning where possible-I know it goes against the grain, but I think you have to start as you mean to go on- nannying them too much with other horses as company can sometimes make them reliant on other horses, saying that though, safety comes first so it can definitely be useful at first to go out with another quiet horse and rider esp if the horse is unpredictable.

I've had nappy horses including a rather opinionated mare, and you can get them out of it, just will take time and patience- there will always be situations where the nappiness might be exacerbated but you can deal with it.  I'm of the opinion with napping that you have to be positive and the one that gives confidence to the horse, and if you have to ride strongly or back the leg aid up with a tap, then so be it, they have to know what is black and white, ie what is and isn't acceptable, and loads of work to get the horse responding to the aids ie pressure and release= reward.  

I also found reversing them up backwards, when they want to go backwards useful too.

Good luck and hope you over come the issue- I'm sure you'll get there!


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## opinionuk (20 December 2010)

I have spent time doing groundwork with her and she seems to be a bit more trusting, i had awful problems trying to get on her from the mounting block, although through lots of patience of walking her up to the mounting black and sitting on it and talking to her and fussing her she is getting better and 9 times out of 10 will let me get on.
She was shipped over from Ireland where i believe they break them in pretty quickly which could be half of her problem then sold from an eventing yard 3 weeks afterwards so its not suprising she is stressed, now the weather is so rubbish and i can't ride i'll spend time on further groundwork and fingers crossed the hacking will improve!


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## vicksey (20 December 2010)

I posted something on here wondering if napping always pain related as my horse has napped since the day I got on him that may throw up some ideas for you if you can find it. Me and my horse have an excellent relationship and bond, other than hacking out alone, but this has got better over time. There were some really good suggestions that people came up with which I have tried with success. I do think napping is something you may never stop but you can certainly work on and increase your horses confidence if you can figure out the causes and how best to combat it! Good luck, have been there many times


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## janinek1981 (31 May 2016)

Opinion UK - Did you ever get this horse to walk out alone? Id LOVE to know as Im going through the same thing at the moment. Not just spooking like it sounds most do.. but rearing and napping. Id be so grateful for a quick reply as Im curious as to whether you managed it or not. Might spur me on! x


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## Maesfen (31 May 2016)

I was reading this and thinking long rein all the time everywhere then I looked at the date, duh!  I don't know how they got on, sorry.

My advice would still be the same; long rein absolutely everywhere and make FORWARD your mission; don't be soft on them, mean it.  You're going where I want you NOW.

If you don't know how to long rein then have a lesson with a decent horse breaker or ask to watch them at work; it will make so much difference to their attitude to life, believe me.


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