She wont move

[sweetypie]

Hey Guys

i recently started looking after a horse she hasnt been ridden for a while so i was advised, i have let her settle in her new home before riding her. The other night i decided to tack her up i moved her to the other side of the field to do this as she shares a field with a few other horses she seemed fine then all of a sudden she brust the lead rope and ran away.... so i decided to try again this time she stood still and was fine, i got on her and she wouldnt move at all she just stood there so i decided to lead her around the field and she followed me no problem at all so i got back on her and she wouldnt move again? any ideas what i can do?

she is in the field with another horse each time when i was on her she seemed to move each time the other horse did........ its like she feels safe being near her ......

HELP please ? where do i go from here? x

[Tootsie4U]

Are you 100% sure this horse has been trained to ride? Sounds very much like she is confused ~ even with the bit about breaking the lead.....

Best advise I can give you is dont skip corners. I agree when John Lyons says the fastest, best and most efficient way to train a horse is with slow easy steps.

Without more info, Id say this horse knows very little about whats expected of her and maybe starting at the very basics would benefit her alot.

By the way, welcome to the board :)!

[Piaffe]

If she's not been worked for some time, she's probably just been left in the field with her friends and done nothing else.

You're now expecting her to go with you, as her leader, instead of with her 'security blanket' friends/herd. Start with some lunging, grooming, spend time with her so she gets to know you, before you start riding. Effectively you need to 'join up' with her - become her leader, gain her trust etc.

She's being nappy - but its understandable. As Tootsie said, take it slowly.

[Sarah B]

Hi Sweetypie - welcome to NR!

I get the impression from your post that you are riding her in the field with her friend - can you take her out of that field into a safe area like a school or anothe field. that way it is clear to her that she should follow you and not hang around with her mates!:D

If you do have access to a small paddock or school - try playing some games with her on the ground - Kelly Marks book Perfect Manners has some fun games that also encourage the horse to listen and learn to respect you (also learning not to barge or tread on you!):D :D

Good Luck!

[entreat]

I know how frustrating this is!!

When we rode Cody and Sam again for the first time in TEN YEARS!!! They were abit unruly, but Cody's problem was that if he ever lost sight of Sam, he would stop dead. No movement possible except backwards. And if I kept asking, he wouldn't even go backwards. Cam (my BF riding Sam) would have to come back, take the reins/lead and drag us until we had momentum.

If the horse knows how to ride, and is just getting upset about leaving the paddock, don't get off. getting off is exactly what she wants. "If I don't move, she'll get off, walk me around abit, and the take me back home." Getting off only re-inforces this thought.

Piaffe has it right - spend some bonding time with her. Get her to listen to you from the ground by lunge work.
I don't lunge Cody, but when I take him from the paddock to where we tack up, I like to trot him (with me jogging) and then walking, etc. He listens to me more after that. I also spend some time grooming him, it tells him I respect him as a member of the heard, but when i jog with him, I tell him he has to listen to me because I'm the leader.

[Happy Appy 16]

maybe you should try ground work to earn her trust for a while and then try again


if you would like to know what i did for my horse who was the same way just e-mail me at Gradof10@aol.com or you can PM me

~leah~