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Horse Behavior and Training

Horse turns around in outside ride

By:

michel.gaillard

Date:

2013-Jan-23 at 07:30PM

In the last two week-ends when I went for a ride in the countryside alone with my horse, after ca. 30 min. ride suddenly she turns around and would not continue. I tried to force her with the legs, with the voice, etc. but she gets nervous and starts to step on the place or go backwards. What should I do?

MaggieF, Melbourne - Australia 2013-Jan-23 at 10:01PM

How long have you had your horse? Perhaps she has been used to only being ridden for 30 minutes and then turned back to home. Does she only do this on the same route? Perhaps initially she saw something that spooked her and then you rewarded her by allowing her to go home so next time she did the same. They pick up bad habits so quickly.
Perhaps you could try riding her on a different route - preferably one that does not go back home the same way as she came out if that is possible - i.e. take a big semi circle ride not up and back. Monty's lesson on the baulking horse may help here and the giddy up rope - I haven't used a giddy up rope but others may help here.

vicci - UK (North Wales) 2013-Jan-24 at 11:42PM

Hi Michel - agree with Maggie, also, perhaps you could get off 25 minutes into the ride, and walk her on her usual route for about 20 minutes, see how she is and get on her again, then next time see if she will ride "past" the 30 minute barrier. She may also be tired?

Nadine 2013-Jan-28 at 04:20AM

My horse is a clinical balker. Seriously, it's like her Phd! What helped with me was to have a Giddy-Up rope.
~
Also something that may help (though I don't know how applicable it is to you) was to get all the trotting and cantering done first, then chill and walk the rest of the ride. That way, when we get to the point where she tries to turn and go back, I can calmly and easily control her.
~
Letting her have her head was important, too. It helped her relax and not worry about her barn, though she did turn every 2 steps, I didn't mind just picking up my rein and straightening her.

One last thing! I never trail ride in a bit, because 1) the lack of brakes, and 2) I have to pull pretty hard sometimes on the rein to get her to turn back where I'm asking her to go, and I've accidentally slipped the bit out the side of her mouth before. I always trail ride in my Dually halter.