Napping!!

[spotti]

Right, now I'm back in the saddle (again!) I'm trying to teach Faith how to school/hack out etc but she gets so far and the naps constantly.

In the school she's getting better, only trying to nap out of the gate when we're near it, but if I keep my leg on and ask her to keep going stright on then she generally stops napping and carries on without too much of a fuss.

Hacking, however (only along a back path that isn't very long or hard because of her feet, or near a road because of my fear of cars), she was fine at until recently. She seems to have learnt how to spin - bracing her neck and refusing to turn left, only turning right and then charging off back up to the stables.
I've tried everything I can think of - being quiet and letting her charge and then bringing her back after she's slowed down; I've tried fighting her and pulling and kicking (not good); I've tried having someone lead/walk infront, which works until they stop being with us then she just ignores me and follows them instead! My last resort was something that actually surpised me that I didn't think of it first...stopping her, sitting quietly until she relaxed her neck and then asking again. This worked ok for the turning, but I seemed to be nudging her along at every step, willing her to keep going and not duck out at the last second. Do you think she doesn't trust me to not let that path hurt her? Hmm...I think I'll do some more bonding work with her...

What I want to know is if this is right? (it made sense to me - if she's bracing her neck and won't turn, then wait for her neck to relax and turn her...DUH!)
And why is she being so reluctant to go on the path? Do you think she has had a bad experience on there - none of which I can think of, but maybe trotting on there hurt her feet at some point so now she relates that path to hurty feet??? Do you think if I could get her used to riding with other horses (without trying to eat them, lol) that we could go on the path with someone else so she could see its not scary and that she's just being silly?

Oh I don't know, if it's not one thing with that horse it's another! Honestly! She likes to keep me on my toes does that one!

[racaille]

I doubt very much that she has had a bad experience, it is more likely that she is reluctant to leave the comfort of her home and horsey friends. She's also out of practice at being ridden (she's been off work for a while, hasn't she?) so she's got a bit used to be led.
You're right to keep on insisting, even if you only got out for a tiny tiny hack. One technique I use with difficult hackers is to go out with another horse leading, until my horse is relaxed, then go in front and increase the distance between the two of us until the back horse veers off alone, leading the lead horse to gradually figure out it's on its own. We do this on the way back to the club to start with, so the horse doesn't panic, but quite soon can do it further away etc.
Another thing that might be useful is Brig's flat hand slap on the neck muscle to relax it - can't remember where the details are though ....

[zara]

AJ is a refined "napper" at times and quite honestly I think he is often extracting the Michael! I would certainly agree with racaille, to try and hack out with a confident horse at first. I doubt it has a lot to do with not trusting you as you have done so much ground work and you are confident on her back but more to do with not leaving home and her friends. I'm no expert and I'm sure there are previous posts that discuss this at length and I would certianly try Brigs ideas in Zoons post about her horse spooking Zx

[brigadier]

Please do check out the neck slapping- it really really works!

[spotti]

Thanks for all the tips, but AGAIN it looks like riding has been put on hold for a while until we get over various injuries/illnesses. No doubt I'll be back to asking millions of questions when we eventually get back into riding for good, but for now I guess I'll just have to get my horsey fix from playing computer games...