# Mare napping when Hacking Help please!



## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

Honestly-she is being a total brat, and if you cannot correct it, you need someone to help you. I am guessing that she will also do the same thing in a ring or anywhere she sees fit and decides she does not want to go. My guy was much like this, and it has taken me a LONG time to make him tolerable. I have had the help of several trainers, so I now have many "tools" to deal with him when he does this. It is a manner of making her do it, and developing the confidence to do that. Mine knows exactly what I want, but has a "make me do it" attitude many days, and I am told he always will to some extent. He is MUCH iproved, but it has taken me 3 years so far. 

Get help-and good luck!


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## BlooBabe (Jul 7, 2012)

Maybe have a vet come out and check her hormone levels. The only time I've ever heard of this happening was when a mare had really messed up hormone levels. Every time she passed/smelled another horse she totally lost it. If everything's fine then hand walk her down the trails/roads to see if she melts down without a rider. Don't let her get to that point hand walking though, try to keep her moving forwards or in the direction you want at all times. If you can't figure it out, get help. No shame in learning how to handle something new.


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## jamesqf (Oct 5, 2009)

A bit off topic, but is your use of "nap" a British usage? Doesn't sound at all like what she's doing would fit the mainstream US meaning of the word, which is to sleep for short period, usually in the daytime.


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## Mochachino (Aug 14, 2012)

jamesqf said:


> A bit off topic, but is your use of "nap" a British usage? Doesn't sound at all like what she's doing would fit the mainstream US meaning of the word, which is to sleep for short period, usually in the daytime.


I was wondering as well. I was picturing a horse walking around while it was sleeping.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

LOL, I suppose it depends on where you're from. I've heard the term "nappy", which to me means something along the lines of "nasty" either in appearance, smell, or attitude.

OP, having a vet check her hormone levels couldn't possibly hurt. If that's what is going on with her, it would be a relatively easy fix. If it's not, then at least you've ruled it out.

In the event that it's wholly a training issue, I also suggest you get some help. I've dealt with a handful of horses like this. A couple of them I sent back home with the suggestion that the owner either find a trainer willing to take the personal risk or make them a companion horse and never ride them again because they had the habit of flipping over. The others, I ended up having to get downright mean with them to get them over it.

The last horse that I dealt with like that was a very nice little mare that had been through 30 days of "professional" training with another trainer. Whenever she started feeling a _little_ scared or a _little_ stressed or a _little_ stubborn, her first reaction was to start backing up. The more I tried to ask for forward, the faster backward she went.

I won't give the details of how I got her to stop that because it was very dangerous and I don't want you to get hurt trying it, but it resulted in her wearing welts and having sore spots all over everything behind the saddle for a few days.

So, that's why I suggest getting help. Some folks aren't prepared or knowledgeable enough to go to the level that some problems require.


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

jamesqf said:


> A bit off topic, but is your use of "nap" a British usage? Doesn't sound at all like what she's doing would fit the mainstream US meaning of the word, which is to sleep for short period, usually in the daytime.


In the UK, a "nappy" horse is one who is refusing to go forward (here in the US, we would likely use the term "balky").


To the OP, does your horse longe? If so, take a line along and when she starts getting nappy, longe her until she is paying attention to you again (transitions, changes of direction, etc). Hopefully she will realize its much nicer for her to just quietly walk along the road than it is to have to work really hard on the line.


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## EvilHorseOfDoom (Jun 17, 2012)

It is very hard to get a nappy horse to go forward again once you've lost the forward movement. The key here is to anticipate. _Before_ she starts napping, when you know it's a situation she is likely to nap in, ask for more forward. If she start to put in her strop then and there, spin her round 360 (inside rein only, inside leg asking the hindquarters to yield) and ask for forward again. By spinning her round you're also disengaging her buck, kick and rear so making it much safer for yourself.

She'll continue to test you. You just have to make sure your on her case every time as early as possible, and that she knows she can't get away with it. Nappy behaviour can become very dangerous - some horses will quickly turn it into a very large buck or ten, or (IMO worse) rear. She may resort to fake-shying instead of napping to try and get out of doing what you're asking, just keep her mind busy and occupied with requests (leg-yielding is great for the horse with more advanced training, a simple change in direction/line will distract a greener horse).


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