How Do You Build Confidence?

[InTheIrons]

I Promised my friend I would ask you all, so here it is: Her horse is a OTTB, and is mainly used for trails. He is great in the arena when he's at home, but its on the trails and walking back to the barn when his issue comes about. On trails he's very anxious especially if he's not up front. We usually trail ride in a group of 3, and with horses he knows. His actions usually are doing a prancing walk, fast trot, but he's never out of control, just acts nervous and always strong on the bit. Next issue is: Her ring is about 200 meters away from the barn, and she usually hand walks him back to the barn after she finishes their flat walk. While walking back, sometimes he is a perfect gentleman and sometimes its like he's being walked to racing gates. Which means he's walking fast or "jiggy-jogging" and chomping the bit. He's never disrespectful though. I believe its from the lack of confidence and or trust. He is doing training level dressage successfully, and is working on moving up to 1st level this year. He's awesome in the ring. His diet involves A LOT of hay, grain twice a day(2 coffee cans total), 2 feeding of beet pulp (41/2 lbs), and 8lbs of alfalfa cubes. So my question is how do we go about developing confidence and trust in her horse? Or do you think its something totally different. Please feel be as honest as need to be. It wont hurt my feelings.

[gbarmranch]

Some things to try would be taking him out on the trail after a course in the arena, and then riding him back - break up his routine - also ride him with only one other very quiet horse for a while ..

Some horses really never do learn to relax on the trail.. and if he is going to be fed his grain after a work out, that may be the times that he is being anxious to get back to the barn..

Just a couple of ideas..

[Carri]

This sounds a lot like my horse. Repeatedly going on the same trail several times in a row really helps him, so he knows what to expect. LOTS of circles and sometimes letting him be in front, but sometimes making hime ride behind Sweet Pea (my daughter's pony, the ultimate insult) has also helped. I am normally exhausted after the ride, but it does calm him down eventually. When he gets anxious going back to the barn, I turn around and head back out on the trail. It makes him MAD so if she is not a confident rider, she might want to have someone else do this a few times. It really works though, he knows now not to try to take off going back to the barn.
I do the same thing for the walking from the arena to the barn, if he starts to "jig" or run over me, we go back to the arena.
The biggest problem with these methods is that it requires a lot of time. I have missed several places I am supposed to be because I was planning to take a short ride and Opie acted up, and I had to stay out with him and work it out. You guys riding with her will have to be patient too, if you leave her, she might be in danger. He might get even more upset.

[seerfarm]

Just wanted to add to Gbars comments. Something to consider especially since he is an OTTB, some is his breeding and some is his training. Consider this, when trained for a Racing Career they work on a track, and in arena areas pretty consistently, not taken trail riding or out into the woods. Some I believe is nervous energy, and the other is nervousness of the unknown. They are high energy animals, in a sense your friend is going to have to do a bit of retraining, bring him down and learn to relax as much as possible. Reassure him it is OK to be behind other horses and OK to be outside his normal working space. I agree with Gbar on the anticipation of food as well, quite the norm for them to be fed once cooled after workouts and races. As stated, lots of reassurance, relaxation, varied routine and patience.

[Hideaway]

I agree to break up his schedule and switch things around. Has she tried talking to him when he gets nervous? If she's nervous then he's going to be nervous. Most tbs are sensitive and can read your emotions like a book. She has to relax for him to relax. If he wants to be a leader on the trail, so what? So many people want to fight a horse on this. It's something to work on over time but I take it as a personality type. Some people are leaders and some are followers. My first horse is like this. I can get him to walk in the middle of the pack or the back but he loves the front. I won't make him unhappy unless there's another horse that has to have the front. Make a deal with him to even share the front that way you can start to move him back without disturbing the peace.

Another thing is the alfalfa. Is it possible to cut it out? Sometimes that can make them hot as well.

[JoAnne]

he really doesn't sound that bad...does she tighten the reins when he prances/jigs? that is a very natural reaction, but only makes them more nervous . see if she can loosen the reins a bit, sit deep and smile ( so she does not get tense too). also, when he goes back to barn, instead of putting him away, turn around and go back up trail. or work him in ring a bit and then back on trail. he associates going home with getting put away, eating, etc so gets more excited. good luck he sounds cute!

[InTheIrons]

Everyone's suggestions are wonderful. Keep them coming. I'm going to meet her later and print these for her. Thanks you all. Don't know what I'd do with out ya.

[InTheIrons]

JoAnne- she does tighten the reins when he starts to move faster,but when she loosens them he just bursts forward like "WOHOO I GET TO FLY BACK TO THE BARN NOW."

Another thing - when she rides him she hardly ever tenses up. she's always laughing at his shenanigans (a method she uses to keep herself relaxed). She doesnt like his shenanigans, but thats her way of keeping cool. Because he's the type of horse if you get firm with him or yell at him...he just blows up more. SHe does talk to him and tells him "easy" and "walk" and he's trained to stop by where you position your booty. As in if you sit firm he'll imediately halt. But when he gets nervous your seat or signal to stop only acts like a half halt. I am going to mention cutting out the alfalfa, she uses it to help accomodate her poor hay. I'll also tell her about the method of if he acts up while coming home send back to the trails and/or arena. My guess is he's going to be even more MUSCULAR in a couple weeks. Halter horses better watch out! ROFL!

[pasopony]

As for leading, every time he tries to jig ahead, stop and back him and wait for him to settle down and become quiet. No yelling, pulling, etc. Just a whoa, turn and back and whoa again. Then wait before attempting again. Keep repeating this - and be very consistent. Acting up on the lead line means stop and back and whoa, every time. The horse will soon become bored with this routine and learn that as long as he walks, you'll keep walking too. Many race horses are allowed to jog/jig in hand as they're led towards starting gates -so he probably isn't being bad on purpose, just never really made to mind well.

He's also learned that he's supposed to be in front in his race horse days. So it takes a little time and patience to work them out of that. Start by working in the arena and at the walk, have others pass you while walking or trotting. If he wants to go or jig, then make him stop until he settles. Keep doing this both ways until he can do it consistently. Then you can try it on the trail rides. Start out in front, then let others passs you, then take the front again, as long as he stays quiet and in correct gait.

I also agree with everyone else about juggling your routines around, this is very good for the horse and won't let him anticipate what you are going to do each time.

[irishmusic]

Being an OTTB has nothing to do with this horses behavior - these are common behaviors in all breeds. Some horses always want to be in front on a trail ride, but horse should submit to your wishes, whether it be front of the line or dead last. Try putting him behind a horse you know that doesn't kick - that way if he gets too close it isn't a safety issue. If he doesn't obey you and gets too close, circle, one or many times. Disobedience on the trail can be dangerous - so try to modify this behavior before you get on a skinny cliffside trail with a horse that wants to be first in line.

Rushing back to the barn sounds like barn sour. There are many trainers that have solutions for that - Clinton Anderson, John Lyons, etc. The method that I have used is a combo of techniques. If the horse is jigging going toward the barn, go away from the barn. Usually, you will see a sudden cessation of jigging and suddenly 20 lb weights are tied to each hoof! When the horse is slow, turn back toward the barn, if he jigs again, turn away until slow. Alternately, I will work a horse in circles, hard for a horse to jig in a circle. Take them out of the circle and head toward the barn, if he jigs - he works - circle him again. Pretty quickly he'll get the picture - if I jig, I work, and I don't get to go to the barn.