Napping...anyone else had this problem??

[Deleted]

Hi everyone

Unfortunatly its been a while since I have been on here

I seemed to have conquered my now 7 year olds napping a few months ago.....but now she seems to have started it all again

On the ground she is great...I go to get on her and she goes round in circles....once on she walks a few feet then refuses to leave the yard easily without another horse. This is getting very frustrating as I dont always have time to either wait for her to change her mind and the battle is exhausting....i have tried using the whip on her but she just gets to strong for me and attempts to buck me off plus I dont like hitting her so I think she feels im a soft touch maybe.

Has anyone else experienced napping? she sometimes naps me back to where I started from and just repeats this, I have tried not letting her turn, reversed her the way I want to go, standing still not allowing her to move forward but nothing is really working at the moment what else to try......


Tracey x

[NFK Dumpling]

James used to nap for England but we mostly go out in company now, also I'm an evil woman with a big stick......

[Deleted]

Its a real mystery why she's started doing it again. In company she is great although, if I wanted her to go away from home or past home after a ride even in company she napps until she can go home or I give in.
She could be just being plain stubborn, I think I will have to get a big stick

[Daftmare]

Its obvioulsy her "thing" had this with my daughters pony he was very bad and in the end she used to ride with a schooling whip in each hand. Not to batter him with but just to make sure whichever way he went she had something there to back up her leg and drive him forwards and keep him tunnelled she also kept her hands very wide apart to make it harder for him to spin round.

[katiekynoch]

Although this sounds like part stubbornness and part not wanting to leave her companions could I also suggest a back check/saddle fitter visit? I was on a ride at the weekend when a friend's (albeit young at 5 y.o) horse bucked her off twice for no real apparent reason. When this was mentioned to a BHSI instructor the first thing she said was to get his back checked.

Good luck and sending positive vibes

[SuzieP]

Bea naps from time to time because we have to pass his field gate to go out on hacks. And yes - I can totally empathise with how exhausting it is trying to get them to move forward! One memorable time it was snowing and I really, really wanted to ride out and he really, really didn't want to and it must have taken me an hour or more - both of us doggedly not wanting to give in! LOL

Have you tried long-reining her in and out of the yard?
It might sound daft, but what are your thoughts as you start off on a hack - are you expecting her to play up? Are you feeling positive about the hack, or nervous?

It could be that she's having confidence issues.

What is she like once you're out? Will she go happily once she's out of the yard, or does she keep napping when you're out?

I think maybe you may have to spend some time schooling her in and out of the gate using different methods, such as long reining. This might help her confidence to go out alone (if that's the issue), but should also help to build up some respect for you and a greater willingness to do what you ask of her.

Just some thoughts......

[greydales]

Yes, many of mine have done and do nap! Saturn used to plant and/or reverse and if you used a stick he would just reverse faster! I once sat on the bend of a lane for 15 mins because he wouldn't go near a broken brick in a wall , I eventually got him past it by reversing (which he was very good at ;D). He was a terrible napper but I finally cured him of it by never letting him stand still, and milling him fast in tight circles around my leg every time he so much as suggested he might be going into reverse. He still planted a little but never reversed again.

Cherry took a while to go out of my yard, and so does Remy (although I've hacked her out on her own yet). There's a point beyond the wall of my yard that they always stop at, like there is an invisible gate there and their hooves just cannot get past it!

Patience is the key and not being a soft touch (they know when you don't mean business!). Using a stick can work with some but not with others, if like Saturn it's not effective there is no point carrying on using it and you have to outwit them in other ways

[southerner]

Sometimes a wip wop rope can be more effective than a stick!

[Deleted]

Thankyou all for your advice

I have had her back checked and she only throws in a buck when she naps if I smack her hard with a whip...I have only tried this once as I want to live ;D

I did manage to ride out yesterday and straight out of the yard , although I did have a relaxed and confident head on, however this doesnt always work .

I took her to a new place where she could of napped but didnt... until I wanted to go another way home and she wanted to go the quicker route I think I may have pushed my luck as I wanted to test her but should of ended the ride without an added hurdle

I thinks the long reining sounds like a good idea, although im unsure what one of them ropes are opposed to a whip


Thanks again

Tracey

[marlon2010]

Hiya

i agree with GreyDales - a bit of reverse psycholohgy works.....Marlon has started napping spinning round in a circle - I don't pull his mouth but rather say to him 'ok you want to turn to the left, well, we'll keep turing to the left until we face the correct direction again!' - it makes his choise harder and mine the easiest one because i make the circle small and do it quick!

Hope you get sorted... a good person to get books on is Richard Maxwell - see his website - he has a small selection of videos to correct horses using 'intelligent' horsemanship....great guy.
Liz and Marlon

[southerner]

Good Micheal Peace aricle on this in horse and rider this month - acrually about bucking but covers this too

[tinkerdorisalison]

Had a problems with doris when she was younger, I just did the turning in a tight circle, but it did take her a while to get out of it.

Am currently having issues with Winnie (but have not ridden for a while), she just stops dead when we get to the gate and will not move in ay direction???
I feel this is a confidence issue for her.

I now have another pony to ride aswell, so am going to try ride Fox and lead Winnie, might be interesting

[AliandDolly]

Dolly used to Nap in company if we had to stop for Harvey to do his business she would spin round and turn for home, she soon got over this through persistance. She still naps a little on her own but not badly... could you get a friend to hack with you but leave a few minutes afterwards so that you are further in front and try riding her through it, or maybe just start from the begining get on, walk a few steps, get off and build it up like that.

Alixx

[marlon2010]

On another note, if there is a problem on board, sometimes it helps to go back to groundwork.....start with join up (builds confidence in you from the horses point of view/ identifies you as the leader) and another website to look at is Quantum Savvy (australian website) which gives you skills to control hindquarter, shoulder, forwards, backwards etc.....I would then take them out in hand.....

Hope this helps....good luck!

Liz and Marlon

[Deleted]

I seemed to have conquered the napping I never thought I would at one stage. Touch wood from the 1st of January this year I made it my priority to work Freya and over come these things, or I would have had to sell her, and I didnt want that.

I had her a year on the 1st and so far we are doing well, the new saddle has made so much difference, no more bucking, ive even started cantering out on hacks with out her broncing. I didnt think it would be the saddle as she'd only had that one a short while, but it just shows a second opinion was all that was needed.

Ive started having lessons with an instructor whos helping me school her and come off the bit more, however i find her heavy in canter so im looking on here for other people that have the same problem and hopefully get some tips