progressive bad attitude

Question
Hi, I have an Off track standardbred.. I have had him for 1.5 years..  He is now 6 years old.He was raced once, and had OCD's removed from his rear hocks successfully but was never able to keep his speed..  I rode him all over on trails without incident for a year. Recently I have been working on dressage with him and it is going well. However, the last 5 consecutive times i have tried to trail ride, he immediately starts backing up and spinning when I mount- and will NOT move forward.  He has even resorted to sitting down twice on me rather than moving forward.. Teeth are current, no lameness issues, saddle fit fine.  He feels like he is ready to explode with energy. I work him 5 days a week but it is never more than 20 min at a time. He does well on Lunge line up to a point then rears in protest as if to say he is done.  He is in a small paddock 10 hours a day and stalled at night. Has unlimited access to hay and gets haystretcher pellets and 1/2 quart grain 2x daily.  He appears to be very very fit.  What can you suggest I do to get my  normally calm compliant horse back again? Because, at this point he is basically unrideable on the trail.  Thank you so much.

Answer
Hi Sarah, sorry for my late reply..have been very busy!

this sounds like he is napping (refusing to move forwards when going out on trails) or have you considered he may be agoraphobic, scared of open spaces, but in the arena he feels secure as it is a confined space.  

If it is the former, napping is a fairly easy thing to solve.  Take him OFF the hard feed completely, which should calm him down slightly, and try to go out with a companion, an older horse who is calm and confident out on the trails....this would also work for the Agoraphobia as he would feel safe with another horse with him.  

If he does stop and sit down or rear, get your weight forwards, short reins, pull his head round to your boot, this will unbalance him and force him to come down...as soon as his front feet touch the ground, use your legs and a whip (if necessary) to send him forwards.  I don't mean beat him with it, just a short, sharp smack to get him moving from your legs and to respect you.  

Also, rule out a physical problem that could be causing pain, I know you have had his teeth/saddle/back checked, but what about pain in the forelegs, a lot of trotters develop leg problems at an early age.  More work and less hard feed should sort out the bursting with energy feeling, he needs more than 20  mins per day, at least an hour, most of it trot and canter work making him work in a contact and on the bit going forwards.

Might be worth having a blood test doen to see if he was gelded properly, if he is still a stallion, cut him!

Hope this helps.

Emma xx