Napping

[silly mare]

I have only had my boy for 7 weeks now, and he is being walked for first 10 weeks because of tendon injury last year.

Today I decided to take him out on the roads for the first time. He has got very attached to other 3 horses in field, and gets completely sweated up if he is stabled and they go out of sight.

Anyway - he napped badly by the gate leading on to the road after I had led him up the drive and mounted. He kept running backwards, but after two or three attempts I got him out on the road, and he settled down nicely.

We walked down a lane, then turned back and he was fine towards home. Then we turned left and again he was fine. However, when I turned him round facing home on this road, he started dancing all over the place - basically just wanting to take off for home, and getting frustrated at me keeping him in check!

He danced on to the pavement, into someone's front garden, and all over the road! The traffic was very considerate (it's a very horsey village!) and I eventually settled him down into a very fast walk, and no further dancing.

There were a few episodes of head shaking - something he has never done in the paddock. Is this a sign of him resisting me?

Now, I am quite an experienced rider, and if he had been dong this away from traffic it wouldn't have bothered me in the slightest. However, one feels quite vunerable on a prancing horse on the roads (well, I do at my age!). Apart from the danger aspect, I don't want to fall off on to tarmac, and he is not meant to be trotting for another 3 weeks, let alone bombing off at top speed!

Do you think he will settle? I should repeat this tomorrow, but am not looking forward to it! Is it just excitement at a new environment, or do you think he is too attached to the other horses?

Any advice, or comments from anyone with similar experience, greatly appreciated,

[Outrider]

Oftne horses who have to stay in one area and not get out for a while develop this, especially horses that have been injured and stalled up. They feel like the barn is their "safe place" and when they are forced to leave it, they can become quite agitated, showing all the signs your does and more. There are a couple of ways to get them past this, but it is not done overnight. It will take a while of consistent work. I would start out by leading him out on long walks away from the stables he is at. You are safer on the ground should he decide to try and bolt and you won't have to worry about traffic. I would do this for a week, every day if possible. The second week, I would pony him out with another horse. You ride the other horse and lead him with a long lead rope. In this session of a week's worth of riding, he is away from the barn but with another horse. During the next week, ride your horse and pony another with him. Again, he is with another creature he associates with the barn. The fourth week, ride him solo. By this time, he should have settled down nicely. During each week, take longer and longer rides. At NO time should you allow him to trot or run back home. Hope this helps. It has worked for me. Happy Trails!

[Showjumper]

Total agreement, Outrider!

[silly mare]

for the advice. Unfortunately due to work commitments/
young children/dark evenings I'm only able to ride at weekends. However, I'm going to continue riding him in the paddock, where he is fine, and long rein him out on the roads to build up his confidence. We will then move on to hacking out in company. Thanks again for the good advice!

[Cathy Reynolds]

Just a word of warning though. I've been a touch worried about Benny and whether he is going to nap whilst out on leading rein hacks. He is getting better, but is quite difficult to get 'started' out on the road. So I thought I'd try going out with his field-mate. We got on really well, then we parted company at a X-roads. Benny was very unhappy about going one way and Guinness was equally scatty about going the other. we managed but it was touch-and-go for a couple of minutes. I shall keep trying though, with other horses.