stops dead!!!

[Jaz]

When I ride out a pony for my riding school alone. she often stops dead and refuses to move I am fairly sure she is just being nappy since she often dosn't start untill after she passes the field where she normaly goes at night. And she only does this out alone. She is not a spooky horse.
When she starting doing this I used strong leg aids reinforced by my crop she still didnt listen. Is the best way to deal with this to sit it out and wait untill she decides that she has no other choice? That is what my common sense says to do although I feel quite foolish when she starts this in the middle of the road!! I feel that if I get off and lead her she has won and so avoid that.

[Mivs]

Hi there Jaz. I too would like to know how to get a horse moving when it stops dead.

My situation - We were riding down the lane (on our own) and I inserted a few halts to get him listening to me. Half way down the lane, he stopped dead. No amount of leg, cajolling, tickling of the whip or talk would get him moving. He didn't budge. He was listening tome and ignoring me totally!!! So I 2 thought of sitting it out, unfortunately, he is a school horse and I was to return to the yard after walking down and back up the lane.

Second choice was lead him on by foot for a while and then get back on when he starts walking well again, although I felt like he might see it like he has won and might try the same thing next time!! Anyway, got off and told him to walk on. At first he wouldn't move then he was pushing me to the side with his head which I told him off for then I got him to do about 5 steps forward, praising him as he did so.

After that he wouldn't move again. So i thought what the heck and decided to turn him round towards the yard. Got on and on the way back, he was walking very well. I then did a few stops in between just to show him that I am the one he should look to. Eventually, we got back!!! Only thing that doesn't make me feel too bad is the fact that he wouldn't budge for the next student!!! Hee Hee!!

So someone please help!!!

[Wally]

I'd be inclined to dig in for the duration! Wait until he offers something. If it's in the wrong direction, refuse the offer and wait until he offers a sensible compromise. It's a battle of who get bored first. If you can hold out you wil win in the end. If he moves in a direction not required put him back to where you started, and wait...

I was at a lecture given by Ginny Leng once. She always said never start a horse jumping over anything he can't step over. That way if he gets an attack of independent thought you are not being unreasonable by asking him to step over the jump, even if you don't actually get him to jump it. At least you get progress OVER the jump in whatever way. In the end you win. She said she sat for over an hour with one of her championship horses when young waiting for him to get bored and walk over the jump. He never looked back.

[Mossy]

[Sorry Wally I was writing my reply as you were posting yours.]
I may be way off line here but Jaz you say you were riding a horse belonging to your school. Is the horse used to going out alone? Horses are naturally gregarious and some school ponies will not hack out alone for love nor money. Their very lack of independent thought is what makes them good hackers for novice riders. The same horse can behave impeccably in a school where it is in an enviroment it knows. I used to ride a pony who was a stinker to get going on his own. Does she nap with all her riders or is she testing you out? School horses are very good psychologists. Mike Peace makes a point which I think is a good one. Getting off and leading a horse is never an admission that it has won. My own pony has been known to be difficult if we need to go past his every day field, not very frequent, or even the field where he has his summer holidays. However I know him and just play it by ear. If encouragement followed by two sharp taps behind the leg do not get cooperation I hop off and lead him in a very determined fashion. He has learnt that he will have to go where required so now has virtually stopped arguing. The aim is to get him where you want to go when you want to be there, not to spend time and, in your case, money stood still having an argument which you will never win by brute force.

As for your problem Mivs I sympathise. Perceived wisdom says do not take a horse up the road and back down if you can possibly avoid it. It is far better if you can to do a circular route. The reason being that horses learn that they are going there and back again and say to themselves "Why on earth should I?" Most horses will go better when headed toward home, even if home is 6 miles away or more. They have a better instinct than homing pigeons!

Unfortunately many schools will not allow unaccomapanied hacking, due to insurance problems and litigation risks, as well as concern for the welfare of the horses, so school horses who are good independent hackers are becoming something of a rarity.

Sorry if I am not being very helpful but even though I would discuss the whole situation, riding styles, routes etc, with your instructors, the problem may not stem from your riding techniques.
Good luck

[Edited by Mossy on 22nd Oct 2000 at 11:12 PM]

[Wally]

Mossy,

Don'y know why you are appologising, as I have said before there is no right and no wrong way. The idea of this forum is to kick about different ideas so something that has failed with one horse may work for another. We will never knop if others don't tell us about tricks they've tried.

I've found that with our trekking nags that don't like going out alone, if you become forceful and use too strong leg and whip commands, they just react by becoming really nappy and strong and almost panicy. (Only Frances & I take them out alone) If you keep the imput firm but passive they soon quietly come round to our way of thinking. But on the other hand take this view with Fat Cob and you can sit in the middle of the road until the cows come home, he needs a smacked bottom, and away he goes no more questions asked.