5year old running backwards.

[jh]

My 5 year old has never had any problems, was easy to break in and has always been very good to ride. Last year he experienced his first time a rider fell off him, I was away at the time and for a headshy youngster, I got back and was less than pleased to hear he'd been told off and walked home from the hack in hand.

I was furious and stopped the girl from riding him again, since this incident he won't hack out on his own, and now runs backwards whilst out hacking. I've had his back/saddle/teeth checked and there is nothing untoward and still works well in the school.

I've tried all sorts with him, from longreining him round the hackroutes, to getting off and leading him, to leaving him to get bored of it, to asking him to stop, and he just gets faster and faster.

My trouble is I'm in a bind with him, he's very nervous of people and telling him off makes him frantic, but I really don't want him thinking he can get away with it.

Any ideas much appreciated?

[wilbs]

He is still only a baby - is he a native ? Because they are very intelligent. I would certainly not tell him off since he is nervous of people anyway. Go back to basics and get him going forward again, either on the lunge or long-reins, without/and with a rider and re-establish some aids for forwardness. Leave hacking out for a while till he gets his confidence back. And if you can then hack out with a schoolmaster/nanny to help encourage him, even with them having a lead rein attached to him. If you are getting frustrated and cross with him you also need to chill. Get it out of your mind that he is getting away with it - he is just confused and inconfident. Make sure you positively reinforce things he does well, rather than it always negative reinforcement. Even a small step forwards give plenty of praise. And give him time.

[jh]

He is a native, Welsh D, I never tell him off anyway just because of his nature and he can't cope with pressure really, he's too genuine to tell off as it's not him being naughty, just don't want it to turn into a naughty habit.
Currently he gets hacked about 3 times a week, but seems better the more horses are with him than just one, not sure if this is his herd instinct kicking in?

I'd never thought about taking him out on a leadrein, though that would be something to try.

Thankyou for the advice, will try him on the leadrein and see if it reassures him any more.

[domane]

I'd also be inclined to do some desensitising work with him in terms of doing things like "round the world" on him, "scissors", sliding off his bum backwards and even slipping off either side - rather like a fall. Sit on the ground beside him - sometimes horses are terrified of us if we sit on the ground as they don't get to see it very often.

[jh]

That's an amazing idea!
He's used to me sitting on the ground with him, but not getting off or doing things like scissors on him.
I think it is the fear of being left and having people falling off him he's anxious about, as he's very clingy in the stable too and goes mad when I leave the barn.

Will try that domane, thankyou for the idea.

[sarahp]

Ds do tend to be naturally sensitive souls who like a good and trusting bond with their particular human(s). But they still need to know when they have done something unwanted, not by a big telling off but maybe a low growl or no or suchlike and then repeat whatever it was until he does it right, lots of praise and then move on to something else - they need lots and lots of praise for doing the right thing. It's not telling off because he's naughty, he is just worried and doesn't understand, but you need to make it clear what you do and don't want so that he can choose to do the right thing. Does that make sense? Even the repeating the action and moving on when right will teach him.

I'd do lots of groundwork with him - oh, and very important, teach him to rein back and stop and come forward again on command in the school or yard or somewhere, you need to "own" the reverse gear so that he can't use it as an evasion which is what he is doing out hacking. If he is likely to run backwards use a lungeline so that you don't lose him, and try to keep pressure on as he goes backwards. Actually what you really need is an IH person to work with both of you.

I love domane's idea too. And I'd lead him over and round poles, walk over tarpaulins, do bending poles or buckets, anything like that you can think of will help cement the bond and trust between you.

Good luck, I'm sure you'll find he's been worth it when you come out the other side!

[jh]

I like the idea of teaching him reinback and making him go backwards when I ask, so it's more on my terms and not his

I have no doubts he will be well worth it when he's confident again, as not spooky and does everything he's asked too. One step ahead of you here though, already do lots of poles and tarpaulins, and other scary things, usually with me on him though so will try leading him and hope it makes him more confident

Thankyou all for great comments, can't wait to get trying these with him!

[domane]

I've got a Clydesdale X Welsh D who had learned to plant when I bought him (and having just had a forward-going ex-racing TB, I was quite glad to swap to one that I didn't have to hold back all the time) Jack is 10 though, so old enough to know better and when we first hacked out he tried the planting thing, but I was prepared, had "thought outside the box" and prepared a few surprises to keep his feet moving without resorting to confrontation. Shortly afterwards he also started running backwards as his Plan B evasion when his Plan A failed, but I turned that into "OK, we'll go back then...." at which point, when he realised it wasn't him in control again, he would fight to go forwards again However, I wouldn't advocate this with your youngster as I do feel you'll perpetuate the downward spiral.

Going back to my original advice, I do think that we sometimes back them and are so caught-up in sitting still and riding correctly so that we teach them properly, that we forget to desensitise them to us being up there, leaning back and laying with our heads on their bums, twisting around in the saddle, leaning over to touch our left toe with our right hand.... redistributing our weight in the saddle and praising them at the same time.

My boy looks more Clydesdale than anything but I know that he has that flighty-ness AND Welsh D attitude in there! Someone told me a typical Welsh Section D has one hoof on world domination and the other on the panic button - they couldn't have been more right!!! ;D

[jh]

Yeah, he's been my first welsh, and he's always full of himself and very sure of what he's doing.

I've fully got to admit, when breaking him and in all the work I've done since with him, because he's never been spooky I've never really done any desensitising with him, other than plastic bags/tarpaulins and that sort of thing, which he was never scared of anyway bless him!

Last night tried doing a bit more with him when I was getting off, just trying to get him used to me getting off the wrong side and such, he was nervy, but did settle in the end!

Can't wait to get trying everything, hope it helps him be less worried And haha, that saying is definately spot on for all the Welsh D's I've ever met!

[sarahp]

Don't tar them all with the same brush! I think a lot of both those points are to do with the bringing up rather than inborn. Many treat them with in hand showing in view rather than being ridden, which requires a very different attitude to life.

[sageandonion]

I have to say every Welsh D, like every other type, I have come across has been different. It isn't the breed it is the person inside and the experiences that have moulded that character. Go carefully, for what has suited a poster may well be very detrimental to your pony. For behaviour issues, it is best to called in an expert to advise what to do for your pony.

[rubydoo]

aww sounds like hes just lost his confidence , try some of the great ideas above but id continue hacking in company or on the lead for now to reassure him .
i have a little cob that lacked confidence and would panic if he left his herd or the yard alone so we just took baby steps short hacks , or schooling at a yard down the road so he had to walk a short distance .