[whiskeynoo]

theres a horse at our farm that we used to own, i broke her in and done the work with her and i had her able to hack out alone but then we sold her to a young lass, at first she hacked out with me at weekends but i couldn't get down every weekend so i told her to try to take her out herself, just short distances or what she felt comfortable with.

now the horse wont go out at all by herself, and i was told by my dads girlfriend that the lass uses the whip non-stop to try and get the horse to move, we think she feels that if she uses the whip she feels in control.

the horse used to be good in company but now she wants to be in front and if you come up along side her she'll swing her bum round to lash out. yet she wont go out alone.

now we couldn't sit back and watch a lovely horse go to waste so we've arranged to do a swap for the time being, the lassy is to ride on of ours while i do work with her horse to build up confidence.

so far ive tried taking her short distances by herself but it was no good she'd get so far and then spin to come back, ive tried walking with her but once again she'll get so far and stop dead, the only way i managed to get her as far as i wanted to go was to bribe her with carrots down the road then hop on and ride her back where there was no fuss.

does anyone have any better advice because i feel that she'll get too used to receiving treats and wont move unless she gets any.

sorry for the long post

 

[HorsesAreForever]

Hand walk on trails, do some ground driving on trails.

This is what im gonna start doing with my mare, shes amazing on trails in groups but send her alone and shes a mess.

 

[MyBoyPuck]

When you say you can only get her so far and then she'll just stop dead and try to spin around back toward home, how long do you spend trying to keep her there? Every spring I have to spend my first few rides convincing my horse to go past his comfort zone before he remembers he likes to go out on trails and stops putting up a fuss. Two years ago, there was a wood pile that he would not go past no matter what. He'd try to spin around over and over again rather than go past the pile. Someone suggested that I had to be more stubborn than him, so I tried it. I rode him toward the wood pile, he tried to run away. A few dozen one rein stops later he switched to planting his feet and we proceeded to stand there for a good 30 minutes. I would not let him graze and made him stand there until he finally gave up, let out a huge sigh, and walked calmly past the wood pile. It's never been an issue since.

Long story short, take her out there to her turn back spot, ride her like you expect her to keep going or else you'll have already lost the battle. If she does try to turn back, don't let her make a complete turn. Turn her back the way she tried to turn. If you allow her to make a circle, she'll think she succeeded in turning away. Assuming you can keep her calm, just sit there until you outlast her. Stay calm, breathe and make sure you have all day. Even if she just moves forward for a few extra strides, reward her effort and turn back when YOU want to. I'm sure you get the idea. The name of the game is, be thicker than your horse.

 

[allie18]

She may be herd bound, I worked and trained a horse like this, Flame an 17y.o Quarab he used to want to not come out of his pasture and was super lazy then i started riding and working him alone and he started getting better and better now he hacks out alone for his owner.......always reward them if they are doing something that is good or something that you have asked. Good Luck!

 

[rschenkel]

I agree with (MYBOYPUCK) you have to show her your the boss and you guys go where you want not where she wants. I have a paint mare and she'll be 4 in two months. She didn't like leaving my 14 yr. old QH gelding so I would take her out she would get so far and freek out. I would take her back and round pen her and take her out again. She relized it was easyer to trail ride than go back to him and run circles.

 

[EPMhorse]

she'd get so far and then spin to come back, ive tried walking with her but once again she'll get so far and stop dead,

WhiskeyNoo,
If she is able to spin towards home, calmy and slowly start to back her. Back her until she knows it is easier to turn around and go forward. This would work best in a narrow lane with walls. I agree with MyBoyPuck - do this when you have several hours to devote to it.

Where is Annan?

 

[whiskeynoo]

i had her out again today and i managed to get her to go the way she hates, but we got so far and she stopped dead, so i tried to push her on and she backed up i gave her a flick with the whip and she backed up again, i made her stand for a bit then tried again this time she started getting ancy and pulling harder to turn back but i wouldn't let her, she done a few baby rears so i jumped off tried bribing her forward with carrots, we got a little bit farther then she stopped again so i got back on and tried again with still no such luck. and the boom starts to pour down ¬.¬ just not my day

i think my dads planning on isolating her from the rest of the horses so she gets used to the feeling of being on her own. is this a good idea?

also EPM annan is just on the border of scotland, but the horses are kept at ruthwell which is 15 mins away from annan