Hacking Troubles

[Little_Miss]

Hi,

Been having problems with my ex racer since i bought him last June. He is wonderful in the school and well behaved now!

Hacking is another story he is so unpredictable i have taken him out with other horses, without other horses, in hand, with someone walking beside us. He is good on the roads although he has bucked once or twice when walking between parked cars, however bridle paths are another story as soon as we get into an enclosed area he gets nappy refuses to go forward, spins and bucks.

Any ideas as to why he may do this any what i can do to solve it?

(his back, teeth, saddle etc all been checked)

[KateWooten]

Hmmm .... enclosed spaces ... ex-racer ... I'm thinking mayve either 1) he has fear and worry based on those starting cage thingys they use at the start of a race or 2) he's perhaps never been asked to walk through an enclosed looking space before - racetracks are wide open with good visibility.

How much groundwork do you do, because when we do our work on a line with the youngsters, we spend a lot of time asking them to circle us... and then start sending them over, and through things. In one version of the exercise, we send them through a confined space - between a fence panel and a wall, say, and gradually make the space narrower, and longer. Once you've really established the go-forward on the ground, it translates pretty well from the saddle - and it's the sort of thing you can set up in a safe place - in the arena - yet still be practicing for the 'real thing'.

[Little_Miss]

Hmmm .... enclosed spaces ... ex-racer ... I'm thinking mayve either 1) he has fear and worry based on those starting cage thingys they use at the start of a race or 2) he's perhaps never been asked to walk through an enclosed looking space before - racetracks are wide open with good visibility.

How much groundwork do you do, because when we do our work on a line with the youngsters, we spend a lot of time asking them to circle us... and then start sending them over, and through things. In one version of the exercise, we send them through a confined space - between a fence panel and a wall, say, and gradually make the space narrower, and longer. Once you've really established the go-forward on the ground, it translates pretty well from the saddle - and it's the sort of thing you can set up in a safe place - in the arena - yet still be practicing for the 'real thing'.

Im glad you said that because thats what i thought it could be, he is fine loading but i assume thats a different matter. I have watched videos of him racing and in most of the races he is last to be put in the stalls.

I have not done a lot of groundwork with him but i will definately ask my instructor do start some with me.

[puzzles]

i totally agree; they may probably-definately remind him of a bad experience; either he is claustrophobic or they immitate something he associates with fear, etc - eg the gates at the start of a race, a stable, ro the place of a accident.
be fair but firm; do not try to force him down somewhere he has fear of, as when the panic sets in there is nothing between you and his pure instinct for survival.
you need to build up his confidence, self esteem and trust in you - consider using NH methods and techniques, such as Intelligant Horsemanhip or Parelli.
take it slowly. end all sessions on a good note and keep them short and sweet; if he begins to panic, move back a step and try again. if it all goes wrong, move back a step and try again another day.
when he does aything right praise him by releasing the 'pressure' (mentally and physically), with your voice (don't underestimate it!) and move onto somethign he finds easy or enjoys.
once he is sonfident at each stage, constantly push the boundaries of his comfort zone.
see it like this - if you had a phobia of spides, andour friend threw a terantula in your face, you'd most likely scream and run off. you wouldn't trust her not to do it again and would be constantly wary.
however if she introduced you to it gradually and safely, though pushing at your fears slightly as you progress, you would most likely take it well and progress, your confidence building as you began to realise that it would not hurt you, seeing a new side of the originally 'scary' spider.
exactly the same applied to your horse.
try creating a tiny obstacle course somewhere where he feels safe - such as an enclosed area (such as the menage, not the stable) and build up gradually, starting with things which he isn't afraid of: from something like a jump block/wing to one with a plastic bag wrapped securely around it, to one then with some parts blowing in the wind, to a secured ballon . . . and more, all over a preiod of a few weeks or more (at your horse's own pace). you can include puddles, tarpaulin - not necessarily to combat his fear of bridleways yet, but building up his confidence, self esteem and trust, etc, in both himself and.
as he associates the bridleways with fear/pressure, etc, you need to change this to an enjoyable, peaceful one . . . it will take boundaryless time, patience, sympathy and consisancy, but it will happen!
good luck.
:-D

[mayoguinness]

Toatally agree with both of you. I'm thinkin some squeeze game might help once you build up the initial trust with the groundwork;)

[Little_Miss]

Thanks for the advice i will definately give it a go. He is coming on so well and i really want him to be secure with everything.

He is such an insecure boy and needs constant reassurance that he is a good boy, he tries so hard and previously people have just told him off when he plays up but he doesnt have a nasty bone in him he just gets in a flap when he is unsure of something poor little man x

[puzzles]

good luck - you're right, it's insecurity he is feeling, and being an insecure person myself i totally understand how he much be feeling!
you seem to know what you are doing. well done! :-)

[mayoguinness]

Yeah I agree puzzles, you seem to understand your horse and not put it down to "hes just playing up" but actually trying to understand him so I think you'll be fine. Good Luck:)