Nappy horse

[Leo's Mum]

My green 6-year-old PB Arab has started to get very nappy. It first started in the school and he kept threatening to rear at the gate and then he did. His is just doing it to test me because they aren't nasty rears.

He has started to do it on hacks as well and i'm so scared that he is going to back into a fence or hurt himself.

How can i get him to not do it, he doesn't do it all the time but he just sudeenly decides to go home. He doesn't do it on roads or in open fields, only on tracks.

Any ideas? and he is a very sensitive lad!!!

[hotamy20]

well! i had a nappy horse some one had backed and broke her it was when i was alot younger i now back and break my own. i was always told it was the riders fault when the horse becomes nappy. this is usually when the horse is clever it knows when the rider is not concentrating for instance when you are out hacking just chilling out. you should never stand your horse near the gait you probs no that but even if you do doit once the horse knows that thats how it gets back to its stable. so every time youve finished riding get off in the middle of the school or in different places all the time. when the horse stops and threaten to rear immediatly turn as though you are gunna put the horse onto a circle and possitivly urge it forwards using alot of voice depending on how bad your horse is you may have to use stronger aids but without being rough other wise it may get worse as the horse will become to resent you. start of in the school and give hacking a miss till you are confident you could controll the napping when you are out. bare in mind you will never stop the horse from having nappy tendensies but if you learn how to get the horse out of having a paddy you'll be able to do alot more and feel safer when you go out hacking:D mabe your horse just needs reasurence maybe he finds closed spaces like a track a bit spooky also he will feed of confidence you give him so strong leg if he feels like he's gunna nap and try n push him past napping if you cant just try what i wrote before. gud luck it will not happen at once but dnt giv up let mr no how you get on if you agree with my advice

[Leo's Mum]

Thanks for the advice. I have ridden him in the skool 2day and he was alot better.

Thanx again!




Anyone else?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jenren!!]

My mare can be nappy. I was a little nervous of her when i first got her as she tried it on all the time, she would not hack out on her own, she napped to wards the gate in the schools and turning a circle away from the gate she used to stop and sometimes rear up a little. A good boot made her walk on though although she often retaliates more if you get the better of her. For example, when i am turning a circle away from the arena gate, she used to stop and skip a little, then if you didnt do anything about it she would veer off ans sometimes stop and rear. Strong riding and confidence has stopped this, although now she still skips but i just ride her through it as my instructor taught me and she gives in easily.

It's quite easily to cure most naughty nappers. With most of them you simply have to be firm and ride them through it. Once the habit is fully established however it does get harder, so i'd definitely do something about it now before it gets worse. In the school, ride him strongly past the gate. Have your reins tight enough so you have control of his front end and be ready. I find with my mare if i prepare my self before the gate i can correct her once she's even made half a move. If you just dawdle along with loose reins you're giving him ery opportunity to nap.

Persevere with him, be strong with your riding and as long as you have the confidence (unlike me) you will crack this problem. Get help of an experienced instructor if you feel it's getting nerve-racking. Hope this helps :0

Jenny