Nappy horse

[Marmite]

Ill try to keep this short, I ride at a RS and one of the schoolies (whos normally reliable, safe, if a bit ploddy) has gone a bit strange. Just to clarify, back tack and teeth are all fine, this is an excellent RS, there isnt anything up with him.

He's being normal all the time except during a certain exercise, when he turns really nappy. When the ride are on a circle on the right rein, we do an exercise where each person trots to the top, canters a circle then back down to the ride.

He trots so far up the long side, fake spooks and trys to bomb it back to his mates. (I know the spooks are fake because I know the pony and his real spooks involve legging it forwards, not spinning round.) If you dont let him, he literally trots backwards. Dropping rein contact = legging it to friends. He does this over and over until he eventually gives up.

My question is, is there anythign else I could be doing? So far im using tonnes of inside leg coming up to the "scary" bit, tapping with a schooling whip too. As soon as he puts a foot wrong im getting more contact on him and more leg. If he runs backwards im legging him on and tapping him but still keeping a decent contact so he cant peg it to his friends. as soon as he's past the scary bit well, im praising him and taking the pressure off.

Anything else? When I tap he bucks, which doesnt bother me, im not scared of him at all, just schooling him out of it becuase he's meant for kiddies. He doesnt do it on any other exercise, or on the left rein, and you can do the circle at either end of the school and he'll still do it, hence why I think the spooks are fake.

Gonna get shot down for this, I can feel it but im starting to think maybe just one big smack might get him out of it? I really dont think theres anything wrong, he's just being nappy.

[eml]

I think often we take our RS schoolmasters so much for granted we are amazed when anything goes wrong.

Several of mine have certain exercises they will try to say 'only if you make me' about but generally give in with good grace. However particularly at this time of year they can get overly opinionated and yes a more experienced rider does just have to say ...no you are going to do it.

We have one little 11hh pony that looks like a childs dream , chestnut, blaze four socks but is underneath a total rebel (shetland x Welsh A). Works sweetly in the indoor school but in the outdoor at this time of year goes 'squeal', race to back, leap jumps if he can make them get in his way even if that means spinning through 180 and carting rider...yes he does get a smack when ridden by older riders which sorts out the problem for a while and he goes back to his 'butter wouldn't melt' looks

So no flames, I think you need to ride through this one and no using a stick is not out of place.

[SJ wanabe]

Most horses go through fases where they don't want to do this, mine is the quietist horse ever, and a great alrounder, but last year he went through the fase that if you took him in the field on his own he bronks, shuved his head down ans boolted back to the gate. All I did was keep riding him asif he was not doing it, now he is perfectly fine again. You just need confidence show the horse that you are not going to give up and alot of hard work!