Dealing with a non-budger!

[Walnut]

Yesterday whilst out hacking and combatting my fear of open spaces my gelding and I have developed a new problem! (When will it get easier?) Heading back to yard along a quiet road by a school he stopped and would not budge. First I thought he had seen something in the bush etc and looked for scary object to no avail! Tried stroking and comforting him to get him moving but no response. Tried a few smacks and some forceful, domineering voice commands but no response - he was planted! Then along came a group of 8 year olds with teacher on nature walk and rather than continue and scare them, I got off and led him back. I feel a failure and when I briefly discussed it with my RI she said next time I should keep smacking until he moves. Will this work? Does anyone have any other ideas? I know you have to use a whip sometimes but if he was genuinely scared, is this fair?

[teabiscuit]

i think he may have heard teh group of pupils and teacher in the distance way before you could ( horses have fantastic hearing) and stopped to monitor the situation and have a bit of a think about it

mine often does this if he's unsure, and needs to think about something we come across

i don't think you can say you're a failure, he was just being a horse and doing what horses do

i just reassure and keep askning nicely until he's figured it out to his satisfaction and realises we aren't going to be monsters supper and moves on

ETA i would have got off to if i thought the situation called for it-there is nothing wrong with that, in my opinion.
don;t let yourself get brow beaten too much by that.

some folk think its a disaster if you get off-nonsense!!

just don't let the horse train you to do it all the time keep it for when he could really use the reassurance of you by his side, when he's really scared

[Peanut]

If your horse was genuinely scarred then you did the right thing and just smacking would have only made the situation worse.

I would wait and see if this new behaviour is a one-off. If it continues let us know and we will come up with some ideas to help you. You are certainly NOT a failure - get that thought out of your head immediately!

[cazrider]

teabiscuit, that's exactly what Sennie does. He will stop, head in the air and ears pricked if he hears or sees something strange. Once he's reassured himself he'll walk on.

Walnut, f you have this type of thinking horse, they are a godsend, as they have their own inner confidence. Sennie's never turned and run, although it has put the wind up my daughter a couple of times and she did exactly what you did. I find that once the whateveritis has come into view, an "OK, told you there was nothing, get on with it" attitude from me and he's fine.

BTW, If he is like that you may find that when you come to load him he won't go up straight away. Sennie will always load fine, but only once he has thought about it from the bottom of the ramp for about half a minute. I find I just let him have a think, then say "OK, you've thought about it, time to go" and up the ramp he goes. No amount of persuasion, friendly or otherwise will get him up before.

[Peace]

I think I'd just wait him out - keep asking nicely and he'll eventually go on, unless he plans to grow old on the spot.:)

cazrider is right - I have two of the "pause and think about it" type and I much prefer them to the alternative! I always let them have their moment to ponder as well - I think it's a habit that should be encouraged in a horse who hacks out.:)

[Imp]

Yup, Meggymoo did this once, I wasn't sure what to do and as I didn't think at the time she was about to be daft I sat, and sat, and sat... ho hum, until she moved a hoof... then I said 'good girrrrl' and she walked on. Never knew what she'd seen or heard but we got back normally.

good advice in the PP's :p

[mayoguinness]

Well I'd taken my savy string (alternatively a very short length of rope) and when he wont go hit it across my shoulders to make a noise (usualy works with my horse when he freezes) or flex him and ask for a hind quater yeild to un-stick him and keep asking him untill he agrees to walk on! Alternativly theres no harm in jumping off and walking him past the sticky spot, showing him that its ok and then getting back on and carry on :D I'd just experement but its best not to get heavy handed and start hitting the horse or you could find yourself on the floor ;)