How can I make my horse more confident?

Question

The horse that I ride is really scared to go in the opposite direction of the others, even when we're in an open field and we're pointed towards another horse, she won't go, how can I make her more confident. I would say I'm a confident rider, and she knows that, but she never seemd to trust herself? Do you have any ideas?

Answer 1

She doesn't see you as her herd leader. She also doesn't have as much trust in you as she does in the herd. Go on trail rides by yourself for a couple of times to get her use to the trail alone. Don't worry if she spooks or acts like a basket case, because she has to get use to it and she will. She'll eventually calm down and not be troubled by being on the trail alone. In the open field you wrote of, start working her in that field once she calms on the trail alone. Ask her to leg yield, do serpentines and figure 8's, ask her to trot while lengthening and shortening her stride. It doesn't matter what you do, just get her use to working in that field, so that she expects it. Don't do any galloping, that will only fire her up. Cool off by walking away from the field down the trail home. That's her reward for being good.

Now the hard part is training her to leave the "herd" on the trail. First let the others leave ahead of you. Follow later and meet them at the field. Ask them to wait while you work in the field like you normally would. Hopefully your horse will be relaxed with the routine by now. When you are almost done with your work out, ask the group to leave. Your horse will probably show aggitation at this, but you must ask her to go forward and finish the work out until she's relaxed again. After the work out go home like normal, but if she turns around towards where the others left or refuses to leave the field, work her some more until she relaxes, but her only option is to go back down the trail home and it is not with the other horses! Keep doing this until your horse doesn't give a flying hoot when the others leave to continue the trail.

After that you move up to leaving with the group, stopping at the field for you and your horse to work, while the group leaves you half way through, then when your finished you go home. Make her work(!) don't let her stop because the herd is leaving, keep her on track. Eventually once she is calm with this new way of trail rides you can start passing the field with the group, turning away from the group a little ways ahead to come back to the field and only work if she is having a hissy fit over leaving the herd. Work until she relaxes and is listening to your aids. Her reward each time for leaving the group is going home and stopping work. This is very important. Making her work is likewise very important. When worked properly her attention and focus will no longer be the "herd" that's leaving, but on you, her new "herd" giving her directions that she has to respond to, because she knows that once she is good and work is done, she gets to go home.

This will probably take about 6 months to a year to correct and you will need your trail friends a lot to help you with this. Once you start this don't let her get away with any hissy fits, or it's back to square one.

If all else fails, get a trainer to help you. Good luck!

Answer 2

Id start by bringing her confidence up by leading her in the opposite direction - you'll give her that bit more confidence with having you in front - then when she follows on comfortably, try walking along side her and eventually on her back. Reward her when she does progress forwards and give her plenty praise. It would also help, when shes a bit more confident to ride out on your own, she wont begrudge leaving other horses when there are none there with her!!
Most importantly take your time and keep your cool with her - horses can be very frustrating animals at times, but most of the time theres an underlying reason that they cant tell us about!
Good luck!

Answer 3

Your horse is herd bound or buddy sour.
She will need to be ridden or lead away from the herd and then taken back many times to get the idea that she will always come home and be ok. It takes time and patience to get a horse over this. Every day go out and make her leave the herd and keep her away for some time like 30 minutes and then take her back. Feed her when you are done and let her back to be with the herd.
The more you take her out alone the easier it will get.
I do it so often with mine that either one will saddle up and walk off with out even looking back at the other. The one left behind is the one upset here. They throw a fit and pace until the one going out returns.
Just keep working at it and it will get better.
Good luck.

Answer 4

I am guessing there are other issues as well.
Your horse probably is tense and inattentive at other times as well.. You need to get professional help on this.An unsure horse is a dangerous horse,, You need specific skills and understanding to correct this problem.. This is not a time for being nice.. Your horse needs to recognize you have Alpha position in the herd of two that you are... Give this horse some real leadership with properly established boundaries.
Other horses do this to each other, by not acting your horse thinks he is in charge.
Get help before you get hurt.

Answer 5

i might propose merchandising this horse, you adult men have a character conflict and you have not got the time for what sounds pick to me a unfinished mare. Now in assessment to others, i won't make it easier to comprehend to no longer get yet another horse. purchase a horse that thoroughly finished, does not pick any education different then in keeping with risk song ups. those are this type of horses that don't might desire to be ridden 6 situations each and every week to sidestep them from going downhill in education, additionally a finished horse will basically provide you peace of ideas and not have you ever could possibly desire to think of approximately what you would be engaged on. Horses are meant to be enjoyed, and you sound such as you pick a horse which you will basically hop on a pair of times each and every week and luxuriate in your self. My mare, is a variety of horses, at 15 and being an ex A/AA circuit horse she has all the buttons, and on no account desires song ups, different then her nasty physique, which befell after being off for over a 300 and sixty 5 days on a broken leg. yet actually i will hop on her after a month of non driving and he or she can nonetheless have the skill to land all her lead adjustments and all. Its alot of exciting no longer having to stress approximately your horse forgetting something. i might propose you're making time once you could, yet an older horse with all the buttons programmed looks a tournament. Your existence sounds alot like mine haha

Answer 6

snap!! my mare used to do exactly the same thing. depending on how old your horse is? sometimes this "napping" is so deeply ingrained it is virtually impossible to undo it. with my mare, i was very patient and did'nt force it. particuarly with mares, you have to pick your battles. my mare just would'nt cave in, no matter how much i kicked, smacked. pulled, begged, she would'nt budge. so i left it and highlighted her good qualities! she was supposed to be an eventer, i turned her into a perfect dressage horse and shes cleaning up at every show! yes she has improved somewhat, with regard to her napping but only because sometimes you gotta leave some battles alone. if i carried on fighting that battle, constantly nagging and highlighting her bad side she would have become a bitter horse. your mare does'nt like going out away from other horses, so what? leave her. return to the problem if it is causing hassles in her schooling or she's being naughty. there's a big difference between your horse being naughty and being genuinely petrified. a good horseman know what battles to fight.

Answer 7

I have a feeling it's not scared, it's sheer misbehavior. Try http://www.parelli.com
His seven games will help you, and he should have some articles about that. Also, Monty Roberts has a great book called From My Hands to Yours. Be firm. Be confident too. Do not let the horse decide for you, but it general:
first ask, second tell, then command

Answer 8

Howdy.

Horses are very cool creatures and always have a reason for doing what they do and it usually isn't all that apparent to us at first! They can be very emotional, too, which surprises people because horses are such large animals and you don't always equate the two qualities.

You might want to check out:

www.questforhealth.com

for some interesting guidelines.

Hope this helps you and the horse.

Bless you both.

Answer 9

Lots of patience, lots of complimenting. Try to get her to walk towards other horses, while you are walkin' her on a lead, instead of riding her. Get her to accept that first, before you move on to riding. When you do move to riding, have someone else walk her on the lead, that way it's a small change, but still has that familiar concept. Finally, move to you ridin' her towards other horses, w/o anyone holding a lead.

Answer 10

start by taking her out own her own were there are no other horses.
She is heard soured and just need to learn it's okay to be away from others.
This is a common thing in boarded horses,