Hacking divvy TB's anyone??

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STEFF79

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Mar 14, 2008
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Ok I thought i'ld take my lovely TB for a nice relaxing **cough** hack out as the weather was so nice today.. I rode him in the school first just for 20mins then took him out he was actually quite good until we came to a fallen branch that isn't normally there and is was extra scary because it was all broken up.. he snorted and spun a few times it took me probably just under 5 mins to perswade him to step over it I can't smack him if he's spooked as it makes him 10 x worse I kept my cool and just quietly nudged him a step if snorted or felt like he was going to spin I just stood him there for a bit before asking him again.. he is very spooky in the woods but not on the road he is very good in traffic.. is this how everyone else would deal with their divvy TB's?? lol you would have thought being a showjumper he wouldn't be such a wimp!! :confused:

I didn't mention because I was a bit annoyed with him for being such a muppet I then rode him in the school for a further 1/2 hour he was very good and for once was actually sweaty afterwards.. bless poor Harry horse.. he doesn't sweat up easily must be a TB thing..
 
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I havent hacked Tbs before but i have hacked many a divvy hoss. I find the more you take charge and say "it isnt scary" the more confidence you have the more you will instill it to the horse and the horse that is taking the mickey or point blankly refuses, then it maybe the time to jump off and lead over or past the unbelieveably scary object. but then the problem of getting on again is a problem so sometimes its a catch 22 situ, perseverace is key. approach retreat etc.
 
I think I would stuggle to get back on him espesially if he was wound up unless there was someone to hold him which on a hack is very unlikly I did persevre with him and it did take less than 5 mins to carry on although it felt like longer!! lol he does get very funny if there is anything new on our route he's one of them that is scared of him own shadow!! which is why I prefer hacking in company although that isn't always possible.. a big lorry can put it's airbrakes on and he won't bat an eyelid and he's jumped round big scary showjumps up to 1.30m.. stupid horse!! lol
 
yep i used to hack a mare like that! I dont believe any horse/pony is bombproof, IMHO its such a silly word, i would say my horse was bombproof but hes scared of snakes so hes clearly not. how often do you see a snake in Leicester??
I rode a "bombproof" 6yo the other day his owner said oh hes been down here a thousand times, yet he spooked loads, and was like "ooh whats that is it going to eat me?" to everything. There are definatly been there done that horses/ponies though my horse being one of them. Well best of luck.
You could try doing some exercises on the ground like getting him to walk over tarpuline (sp) or opening an umbrella etc to reduce his spookyness and gain his confidence.
oooh my 1000th post!!!:D
 
personally I would nevr advise anyone to egt off and lead, as you are more likely to get hurt, then staying on board and risking a fall.

Most sports horses, tb's are very aware of the surroundings they are in, which in turn makes them good at what they do, as it hypes them up slightly, not so good for the more pleasure rides, my boy hates the mph signs that are painted on the road, would rather wrap himself round the sign post then walk past the paint, I also can't use a stick as he was badly beaten before I got him, so I just ride him in strong and keep pushing. If you spot something he might go mad at, start riding him forward before he notices it, you have more of a chance of passing with less of an argument then.

NEVER start an argument you can't win.
 
horseygal90 said:
I think you handled it well, gentle persuasion sounds like it's the best method with your lad.
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ditto, I think you did just fine.

My TB is anxious as hell on hacks. Perfect gentleman/bombproof in the arena, but just seems terrified of going out on a trail ride. :p
 
I think you did the right thing. I recently took my new TB out for a quick wander down the lanes hardly a hack, she got very upset at the mud, whirled round and round. Fortunately there's a wide area where 5 lanes join so I schooled her there until she settled, then went up and down our "home lane" until she was thoroughly bored. On a separate occasion doing the same ride, I got off at the very deep mud and lead her through, this time she didn't get upset and now knows that the mud isn't frightening, on the way back I rode her through the same mud no problem. Yes Tbs can be divvy, mines much better in company, but they are also trusting and will take guidance from you eventually.:)
 
I echo Ollie Bear here in that you should never get off whilst hacking in this sort of situation, you'd only end up hurt. :)

Shorty my TB is a right comedian when we're out (actually, all the time! :rolleyes: ), as with yours, he'll be fine with traffic and the obviously scary stuff, but those darn ninja birds/branches/patches of oddly-coloured grass etc... forget it! They're the scariest things ever!! :eek: :D

Although Short hasn't been quite as big a drama queen as your lad was over the branch, you sound like you handled it well. I try not to react at all when he spooks and forget it happened as quick-as-a-flash so i don't add to the drama of it. I think sometimes when they have either too much energy, or are at peak fitness, it seems to open up a whole world of scary stuff to them as they are ultra tuned-it and can be that little more dramatic about life, so you giving him a schooling session afterwards to burn off some steam was probably a good idea. :) Cheeky banana! :rolleyes:
 
Jojo_82 said:
I echo Ollie Bear here in that you should never get off whilst hacking in this sort of situation, you'd only end up hurt. :)
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Maybe you should never get off and lead but for many of us our ground skills are better and more confident than our ridden ones. :)

Not only that, many horses feel comforted by having you where they can actually see you and especially if you are confident.

Having a nervous rider on board merely reinforces that there is indeed something to be nervous of and that's the last thing you want :rolleyes:

So whilst you feel that staying on board is safest for you, I know that if I took you at your work I would be more likely to get hurt given the horse I ride and my own strengnths and weeknesses. ;)

You do what you think is right but you can't accurately presume to know what's best for everyone else!
 
Mine is just the same - 110% on roads but jumpy as anything in woods/fields. He's only small so I do get off and lead as it gives him confidence, we've done it loads at home over scary things and out on hacks. When I get off he goes from a bundle of nerves who's likely to leap, spin, buck and try to take off homewards, into a steady horse who is hiding behind mummy! Whatever it is, if I do it first, he will follow. We have spent time building up that level of trust and my staying-on skills are good but not amazing so it is the best option for me.

What you did was fine - so long as you win the argument it doesn't particularly matter if it takes 1/2 hour!
 
Sounds like you did the right thing. With Spyder somedays I used to get a few yards out of the yard when he'd find something scary (usually a pile of mouldy straw on the road - he had to pass it everytime we went out, and some days it was just terrifying!). He'd start to run backwards as soon as I put any leg on him, spin round etc. I used to stand him still for a few seconds, then push him forwards one step, then stand still, then push forwards, then stand still... until we got past the scary thing. Used to take a while but was better than running backwards all the way to the yard! Aren't divvy TB's fun! :rolleyes:
 
Joyscarer said:
Maybe you should never get off and lead but for many of us our ground skills are better and more confident than our ridden ones. :)

Not only that, many horses feel comforted by having you where they can actually see you and especially if you are confident.

Having a nervous rider on board merely reinforces that there is indeed something to be nervous of and that's the last thing you want :rolleyes:

So whilst you feel that staying on board is safest for you, I know that if I took you at your work I would be more likely to get hurt given the horse I ride and my own strengnths and weeknesses. ;)

You do what you think is right but you can't accurately presume to know what's best for everyone else!
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Hang on a minute, i find this a little unfair to be jumped on here! :eek: When do i ever get in arguements on here and judge people/presume to know what's best for everyone else?? The very few disagreements i have been involved in on here i have actually stuck up for those who have had people presume things about them/their horses!

I was replying to STEFF79's situation, not tarring everyone with the same brush, maybe i didn't make that clear?! Of course every horse/rider is different and should be handled/dealt with accordingly and in the way they feel best. The OP asked on other people's info... so i gave it!

:confused:
 
I have more control on the ground, and more confidence if he starts playing up, so getting off for me, is more sensible an option than trying to stay put. Each to their own :)
My TB can be a complete divvy soul for no real reason. Yesterday, he was afraid of branches sticking out of hedges. Every single one warranted a spook, a good look and a snort. The best thing to do is push on with seat and legs and stay soft through the hands. I have to show him his "escape route", so that he can see a safe way past whatever has scared him.
Sounds like you did the right thing, though.
 
The TB I ride can be a bit silly too sometimes, you just have to hold your nerve and show him you have the confidence that it's not goingto eat him! Sound like you handled the situation very well. If spike sees something scary he usually backs up super fast so I let him back up a little till he's a bit calmer then gently but firmly push him on, if he hesitates again I circle him and try again and as long as I hold my nerve we get there in the end. I too wouldn't fancy getting off him, purely because he's a bugger at standing still when mounting on theyard never mind in the middle of nowhereand I think at 17 hands and all flustered I'd struggle! But on other horses I ride I wouldn't hesitate to get off and lead them past if I thought that was best.
 
To add, I do get off as my ground skills are MUCH better than my ridden. If I feel that my horse is tense/ready to bolt kinda thing I will get off because my nerves kick in and that would give him more reason to bolt. If I put an experienced rider on him and don't tell them he is bad out hacking he is as good as gold. Will even canter/jump out in the fields with someone. He looks to his rider for confidence out hacking, and hacking is my ultimate fear trip so he won't find any in me! :eek:

It is rather hard to get back on a 17.2hh horse once your off....
 
I do hack in company nuttyelk I prefer it even tho he is more likely to buck but it is not always possible my sister is away at hickstead and with my little sis at school their was no one there and I cant ride in the school everytime it's not fair on him it's good to variey it a bit..
I was always told never to get off but I know I wouldn't get back on him anyway.. not long after I first had him some pidgeons shot out the trees and he spun so quickly I didn't know what was happening until I was sitting on the floor with Harry looking down at me I couldn't get back on because he was jumping around in the end 2 cyclest stopped one held my horse and the other gave me a leg up!! lol but I can understand why people would get off if they are not confident espesially on something like Harry who is telapathic I find to trick is to stay calm..

Going off at a random a bit years ago I was hacking my mum's 14.2hh chestnut mare that was 3/4 tb 1/4 welsh and she bucked me off I was walking her down the road with scraped elbows from where I had held on to her to stop her galloping for home and my mum pulls up has a major go at me about never getting off I was like I didn't meen to get off bloody bi*ch bucked me off.. lol
 
I used to own a NTB ex point to pointer, ( never sold her) she was a real diva in her teens, scared of her own shadow, if it suited her!.
I could never understand how a great big mare who could jump 5'8"(not when I rode her) ,and was absolutely great in heavy traffic, could be so afraid of a blackbird in a hedge.
She probably wasnt really bothered by the bird in the hedge at all she just didnt want to go out alone with me!.
When I was in a no nonsense mood she was as good as gold, when I was in a "oh dear she might be spooky today" mood she was!
She was always fine in company.
I always considered C to be a beautiful to look at but not the brainiest of horses, perhaps that is why she acted the way she did. Maybe it is a breed trait TBs are beautiful, athletic and brave but not renowned for their sensible attitude, certainly theirs is not a breed people buy for reliable temperament or maybe it is the way they are raised. I do not want to tar them as dumb.
As to dismounting when horses play up, I am not one for getting off when out on a ride, as I would never be able to get back on and because my present pony is more controllable from on board but every one is different and I would never say dont get off, if it seems safer to do so.
Often age will soften a TB's sharpness and spookiness, my mare was much calmer in her late teens and early twenties.
I know I have not really said much to help you but you sound as if you know pretty much how things are with your horse anyway so keep on enjoying him.
 
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