Hot horse on the trail

[sophie]

I truly believe some horses don’t like going out on the trails.

I bought 3 Tbs off the track, gave them the same re-training.
One LOVED going out on the trails by herself or in company, was always ready to explore new trails.
One didn’t care one way or the other, was fine on trails.
Current one HATES the trails.

After lots of patient re-training over the years I can ride her on the trails fine, she is better with a buddy but might still jig on the way home even after a 2 hour ride, and if I want to take her alone, every year after she’s had some time “off the trails” for whatever reason, I have to “re-train” her to it.

This is what I do:
We go a ways down the trail and turn around BEFORE she thinks of balking/turning around herself.
Next time, we go a little further, same protocol.
And so forth.
This is what has worked with her. Even at 21 she still jigs at times on the trails, but nothing like she used to do in her early years when she was rearing, bucking in place, trying to bolt…to the point I had to get off and lead the little jiggy Fruitloop the whole way back since I was alone in the woods with no signal on my cell - better safe than sorry.

So I totally sympathize with you! However, I bought this horse for eventing, not trail riding (and she was just fine going out full blast with jumps on the way lol)

At this point in my life though, if I were you I would give it a few more months (at least through the Summer) and if she’s still not what you want at that point, sell her and find a more suitable horse.

[Palm_Beach]

@wsmoak

This ^^. What you’re describing is exactly the sort of thing Warwick gives you all the tools to fix.

The most recent video series in the subscription is about an eventing horse who would balk, rear, spin and want to run back to the barn while out on the cross country course. Which is pretty much the same as refusing to go further down the trail.

Because he was under some time pressure he didn’t do all of the steps with her as slowly as he would have otherwise, (for example, he didn’t perfect standing still while mounting before going on to other things, she may still walk off as soon as he gets on.) But that’s actually good because we get to see some of the unwanted behavior. (If you do all the groundwork and basic exercises, the original bigger problem you wanted to work on tends to… just go away.)

I’m not saying it’s a magic fix for every horse. It takes A LOT of time and concentration. If you really like the horse and want to work on it, there’s a 7-day free trial, and I’d suggest joining the Facebook group and asking for suggestions on which videos/series to focus on. Then watch as much as you can for a week, and decide if you want to continue the subscription.

LOL ^^This. I just watched the eventing mare series within the last few weeks since it’s been too nasty out to ride much.

I’m a former h/j/eq rider and this series really shows how the stupid, boring, ground work and flat work exercises fix big problems like rearing, bolting, refusing, etc. and translate into other disciplines like jumping.

OP, I’d also recommend you do the free subscription, and since it’s winter, maybe spring for a month or two so you can really get into it. There are some basics that you need to work on with your horse before tackling the “big problem.”

After some ground work and flat work in the ring, I’d tackle the trail riding problem in the following manner. I’d get on the horse at the barn, do some circles, making the horse work, then head away from the barn and just sit there on a loose rein (no pressure). If the horse wants to turn around and head back, fine, but then he will have to do some more work. After a minute or two of work, head back out (again, loose rein no pressure) and see what happens. If he turns around and goes back, more work. Repeat repeat repeat.

[Rackonteur]

Sounds like some people have some horses that have agoraphobia. Seriously. Leave the safety of an enclosure (barn, arena) and the panic kicks in.

[dog_amp_horsemom]

I bought a quarter horse last Summer that had a similar problem. I was extremely busy farm sitting for two farms because a friend broke her leg getting on her green horse and I had to take care of her four horses and her friends two horses - so - I didn’t have a lot of time to ride my new horses! It was very hot last Summer also - so it actually took the pressure off of me thinking I had to spend a lot of time fixing this horse so - what I did was - I would get on the horse - he would go so far and then do what yours does - plant his feet - toss his head, squeal and kick if I tried to go further - so I would ride out just a little ways and stop him - before - he would stop and give him a carrot . stop, pet him then go home. I repeated the next day - got a little further but stopped on my terms and gave him a carrot. I was finally able to make it to the woods - where I would circle him around the frees - looking at the tree and using my inside leg - then go to another tree and circle a tree in the other direction and then stop a little way away and give him a carrot. Petted him. flexed him. then headed home. I’m happy to say that he never stops anymore - he is calm and laid back and happy. If I hadn’t been so busy last Summer, I might have gotten in a fight with him and never accomplished what I have, so maybe try this. good luck. ( if your horse has anxiety - think about it - using calming techniques and gradual desensitization works for people )

[Mukluk]

@Trotting

She is wide eyed and scared of everything around her.

Is this just when she has a “melt down” or more frequently? To me when a horse is reacting out of fear, my strategy would be different than when the horse is just being stubborn. Any idea why your mare decides she is “done” and starts acting up?