Napping & Rearing

Question
QUESTION: Hi,

Please help me - I am getting really frustrated with my horse!
I own an 11 year old Danish Warmblood gelding and have had him for about 3 months now.
We have spent time getting to know each other and building a bond and I cant fault his ability to handle and manners on the ground.

He is stabled in a barn with others around him and is turned out during the day and comes in every night even during the summer. He is fed a basic diet from the Simple System range.

When we are riding in the arena at home, he goes really well when he concentrates and has excellent showing potential but he does have the really annoying habit of napping and then rearing.
Not only is hacking out alone a problem but he has now recently started doing it going into the arena at home and in the show ring.

He seems to grab hold of the bit and pull me in the direction he wants to go and i cant do anything to turn him. If I try and be forceful with him then he justs starts rearing and we end up battling which other which cant be good.

The hacking out is actually improving as I have built up his confidence by going out with others and going a bit further each day on our own which does seem to be working although he will still occasionally nap when out.

I'm really concerned that he is doing it in the show ring, not only will he do it when coming out of the line up but also did it when going round with the others which I don't understand.

I am in the process of doing the usual things, tack, back, teeth etc but everything like that is kept upto date and checked regularly so I would be surprised if anything like that was the reason.

Could you offer me any advice on how I can tackle this problem, not only at home but for shows as well as I bought him to compete and don't want to dread every outing for fear of him misbehaving.

Many thanks.

ANSWER: Hi Rachel!

Before I make any recommendations, I'd like a little more information.

What was his job before you bought him and how often did he do it?  You did not say what discipline you ride him and what kind of shows are you taking him to?  What bit was he riding in with his previous owner and did you change it?  If so, what did you change it to?  If it is the same as before, how long would you say he has been in this bit?  What other tack is on him?  Be specific.

What level experience do you put yourself at and how are your hands?  Do you consider yourself dominant to him?  

Do you ever longe him?  If so, what does the longeing consist of?  When you say "rearing", what exactly do you mean?  Hoppy jumping up or straight up rear?

Lastly, do you feel you are pushing him to perform in any way?  Such as you are on a deadline to compete and you are forced to advance him to meet this goal.

Solange

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi,

The lady that owned him before mainly did dressage with him and he would go out and compete regularly but she did start to do some showing with him and he won his first ever showing class.
I want to continue with the dressage but do alot more showing classes with him and have started off at some small local shows but would like to go to county level and higher.

He was used to being in a double bridle with his previous owner and this is what I use for shows but do sometimes ride him in the double at home.
Other times he is in a french link bit with a flash noseband, although his previous owner didn't use a flash and had him in a virbindum bit (don't think thats how you spell it!)

He doesn't wear anything else, no martingale or anything and just a straight cut dressage/showing saddle.

I've had ponies/horses for 20 years but have never encountered this problem before with a horse which is why I am unsure how to deal with it.
I am light with my hands and try not to pull him about when he is acting up as it just seems to stress him even more.
I am dominant with him so he knows who is boss but he doesn't seem to take any notice.

I haven't lunged him as yet.
Most of the time it is hoppy jumping but on one occasion he really did rear quite high so I know it's in him.

I'm probably not pushing him in his work as much as I could to be honest, although I do have goals for him, I think I need to toughen up a bit with him and push him harder.

Hope this helps.


Answer
Hi Rachel!

What you are describing....the napping, rearing, grabbing the bit and so on, is not the "problem" in this situation.  These are the symptoms of a much deeper rooted problem.  If you were to address the real issue that is causing all the trouble, the troubles would stop on their own....understand?

One, you have owned him a very short time and he does not respect or care to obey you....yet.  You must make him.

Two, you have completely changed his discipline on him in a very short period of time....he doesn't understand this and acts out in the arena by napping and then when you (most likely) incorrectly push him on, he resorts to ugly rearing.


You need to stop riding him the current way you are, because it's not working and will not just magically start working one day, so it's time to change your ideas and methods.

It seems to me you thought you bought a horse out of a box....take him out, brush off the packing, turn the key and TA-DA!  One perfect horse with no effort involved.

It never works like that, not even with advanced, well-trained mounts.

You said "I am dominant with him so he knows who is boss but he doesn't seem to take any notice."  You just admitted you are not dominant, you know it and more importantly, HE knows it.  Big Warmbloods are hard horses to get through to.  Once you have established a real working relationship and partnership, I think they are one of the most loyal and obedient of breeds.  But, you are nowhere near that yet, so he is completely discounting and disrespecting you.

I see that you say you have been in horses for 20 years but, I still think you need some help here.  I cannot do it from the Internet.  You need hands-on help from a real Dressage/Hunt trainer with experience in Warmbloods.  Someone who will instruct you from the ground AND ride your gelding to also correct him.  It's imperative that your horse understand that the days of *tricks* are over and he is back to obedient working.  I feel you cannot do that on your own, so you must hire a professional to show you and your guy the way.

If you two are left to your own devices, I am sure this will all only get much worse and much more dangerous.

So, get some help...be patient, be firm and be consistent.

Good luck and remember to always wear an ASTM/SEI approved helmet!

Solange