Problems On Field (sorry - Bit Long!)

[ANN H]

Have started taking Misty, every Thursday evening, down the road from the yard to the field for a ride. Always accompanied by one, sometimes two, other horses who are really calm. Starts off well. She walks down the road, gets a bit excited and bargy going into the field, walks down the field well (field is HUGE), and that's when the trouble starts. As soon as we get to the bottom of the field and turn and head for home (in walk I hasten to add), she starts cantering sideways on the spot and plunging (as in Matt on Peter in 'Only Fools' last night when he refused the jump. We can't be separated more than 20 ft. from the other mare otherwise she gets even more anxious. I've tried having a firmer rein but this just makes her threaten to rear, and I've tried a loose rein but this just makes her lunge forward and try to tank up to the gate. This is bad enough but when we get out of the field to go home, she canters sideways down the main road, mounts the pavement and barges past the other mare to get back to the yard. Before we went last time, I gave her placid mix and rescue remedy, and I've had her on NAF Magic for about 5 days. I've taken her down to the field on my own with friend on foot, and she was fine, and I've had lessons on her on the field and she was fine. I'm at my wits end. RI was supposed to come with us tonight but can't make it. Any tips/suggestions/ideas for a calmer hack??

[Jay.o]

What are the other horses doing in the field while yours is cantering sideways? Sounds like she gets too excited in open spaces with other horses, especially if they are doing their own thing.

The magic stuff will take a week or two before you actually notice a difference, the same with any supplement.

[NoviceNic]

AnnH - I bet everyone on this board has gone through this at one time in their riding life. The horse gets impatient because it wants to go home. Horse knows there is food/grass at home waiting and wants to get home quicker.:rolleyes: The owner gets nervous because the horse is prancing and dancing thus the owner tenses in the saddle. The horse then wonders why the owner/rider is so tense and thinks there must be something scary out there and tenses up even more and prances more thinking that home is base and safe so wants to then get home even quicker.

Tips on how to cope:
1. Breathe - I can guarantee you have forgotten to breath. This will lighten you in the saddle and not help your balance or control. Breath deep and get more control by being deeper in saddle.
2. Lean back - I bet you go into faetal position thus making the horse think you want to gallop home. :eek:
3. Get contact on the bit and school your horse doing leg yield's and transistions. This will keep the horses mind at work and not give them chance to be naughty. Put a neck strap on for your safety.
4. Never turn around and go home the way you went out. Always change your route. Is there any other way you can go home so your horse doesnt know you are going home? When Captain starts to dance home I turn him around and walk him back out. This he hates as he wants to get home quick. So then he learns that if he is good and walks he actually gets home quicker than if he bolts home. Never ever canter or gallop your horse home unless you have control. RS never let you canter their horses back to the yard. Horses often get faster on the way home.
5. Sing and laugh away your horses silly behaviour. Always lightens you and your horses tension. Talk to her and when you get the chance stroke her neck.
6. Use the command "Wait". Captain used to barge through between horses and fences. Do lots of ground work to get Misty's respect and then build on respect in the saddle and teach her the command Wait.

7. Are Misty's back, teeth etc checks up to date so you can eliminate any pain?

I will let others suggest other ideas as I am sure there will be more. :)

[ANN H]

Thanks for your tips. NN - I'm not consciously tense as I'm used to her being skittish. However, I probably do forget to breathe. Unfortunately, there's only one way home, but its only fifty yards from the field entrance down a main road. The gelding we go with she doesn't seem to like very much especially when he's behind her, so perhaps he could go in front. I try to make her wait, stroke her etc, but if I ask her to stand and the others are even slightly ahead, she threatens to half-rear. I'll let you know tomorrow how we got on!

[KateWooten]

Ann, check on the board for recent threads on lateral flexion and the one-rein-stop. It really does work brilliantly for situations like this. The one-rein-stop is your emergency break - it involves gently bending the horse to a halt over and over again - it's something you have to build up and practice over a coupple of weeks, but it will sort your problems out and calme her down. People worry about the idea of bending a prancing, dancing, bolting horse ... but hte thing is, once you have it as an instinctive reaction on your part, once you have the technique in your toolbox- you almost never need to use it because the horse knows that you're relaxed and in control all the time, so it stops a lot of this nervous silliness from ever starting.

If you don't find a good enough explanation, ask away. I usually have time to go on and on about it, only today I have to go get hay - already ! and it's only July !

[ANN H]

Thanks Kate - I'll search away!

[bexj]

Oooo I have this problem with Molly too - in one particular field and only when in company. It's quite nerve-wracking isn't it - as much for other riders as well as me! I tried all sorts of lovely gentle methods, but to little avail. This was her gallop and nothing was going to get in the way of stopping her. I changed bits to a dutch gag, which she has a lot more respect for than a snaffle, and that helped to some extent. It has stopped the flat out tanking off at least, however, she still does plunge about like an idiot. I now just try to keep relaxed, sitting deep (I find laughing at her antics helps to relax me!) and praising her when she is good. I don't think she will ever not do it though. Sorry ;)

[ANN H]

Thanks Bex. At least I know I'm not alone. I didn't want to go down the 'stronger bit' route, but even RI has suggested getting her in a pelham when we go out!

[ANN H]

Thanks for all your advice guys. To add to the situation down on the field last Thursday we had another horse and rider tag along. Consequently, she was cantering down at the bottom end, other friend was trotting round the top end of the field and poor Misty didn't know what was going on. However, she seemed calmer this time. Still tries to make a bee-line for Lola (her field mate), if she goes off for a little canter. I tried the lateral flexion and was half-halting virtually every step of the way, and it seemed to work. On the way back from the field, she was in front going down the road and only had a very small jog in one spot. All in all, a very successful ride. RI reckons its a combination of the NAF Magic starting to work, having her kimblewick on the harsher setting and me half-halting more vigorously!!