Move your feet!

[MajorClementine]

My 3 year old mare, Clementine, has developed a stubborn streak. She's always been great about walking with us and I take her up to the store with me, down to my grandfather's place, and on our walks through town. Then, out of the blue, a couple of weeks ago my 3 year old son and I were walking her and when we went to jog/trot across the street at the crosswalk (we've done this dozens of times) she puts on the skids and refuses to move. So I'm in the road with a toddler and a horse. Needless to say we circled back to where we started and waited for a huge break in traffic just in case. I tried just walking her this time with no problems. The next day I took my mother with me to hold my son's hand. We got to the crosswalk and my mom and son went across then I started walking Clem. As soon as I clicked to her to speed up and start trotting she puts on the breaks again!!! She does this any time I want her to speed up from a walk. Sometimes not only stopping but pulling back as hard as she can. She doesn't back just pulls.

Suggestions? Do we go back to the round pen so she respects that I can move her feet? I don't have a round pen at my house but I do down at my grandfather's place (about 1/2 mile away). How long of a lung line do you use with a mini if I want to lunge her here without a round pen? ANY other suggestions welcome as well. This is getting to be a very bad habit and we need to get it worked out before it gets any worse.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

Have you tried tapping her on the butt with a whip? Another thing I would do is if she doesn' want to go forward then back her up to the direction you want to go to, back her up aggressively to. Any time she hesitates back her up and she may very well move forward afterwards. Also working her in the round pen getting her respect back isn't a bad thing. For a lunge line I have used a 14' line to lunge them with or have a 23' long line.

For her to just do this seems very odd, can she trot just fine other wise?

 

[miniponyparties]

You could try using treats to get her to move..........I'm not sure why she is stopping either.

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

Are you getting in front of her? WIthout knowing it? My gelding will slam on the brakes if I get past his shoulder while trotting. He was taught if his handler is in front, stop and don't move!

 

[MajorClementine]

Tapping her with the whip or end of the rope makes it worse. I don't whip her at all just a light tap. She doesn't mind things on, over, around her butt and back legs so it's not like it scares her.

Backing her agressively is a great idea. I'd forgotten about that. I've done that with riding horses.

Yes she can trot when she wants. She has a very nice trot actually. If put her in the exercise paddock I can trot her up and back without ever touching her with the whip. She only slams on the breaks when she is on a lead.

I do get in front of her but that has never been a problem before. Maybe I'll try to make sure I'm staying at her shoulder and see if that helps.

 

[miniponyparties]

Where is she stopping? Is it in the same place? Maybe something is bothering her.....

 

[MajorClementine]

She is stopping any time we move to a trot while leading. It doesn't matter where we are. At first I thought it was just the street where we were crossing. So the next day I took her back. She walked across fine. Then walked back. Then we walked 1/2 way and moved to a trot. SLAM! Breaks went on. We made a circle in the road and she finished walking across. So I tried it on our regular walk route. Again, any time I asked her to trot she slammed on the breaks. Brought her home. Unclipped the lead in the paddock. Asked her for a trot. No problem. Didn't hesitate and no lameness that I could see. I'm starting to think she's just being stubborn. Going to work a few sessions in the round pen this week and will report back if that helps. Also going to back her hard and fast and see if that works as well.

 

[Carolyn R]

I agree with JMS miniatures. My gypsy mare is a butt to get into the trailer unless I get the lead and lunge her in a few circles, stop her, back her, the give her a firm " Now Let's go!" it's not that she is afraid or fights, but rather just stands there like, "um, that's nice, now what."

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

Attitude Adjustment time. If you can get someone to follow you with a driving whip, when you ask her to trot and she stops, give her a good crack across the rump. We had a gelding pulling that, you'd ask for a trot and he's mosey along like "yeah, make me". One hearty smack and away he went, never to pull it again.

 

[dannigirl]

I do have a question. Did she slip or get scared by something as she started trotting with you at some time? She may have to learn to trust trotting again. Otherwise, I like Jamie's idea about backing. I use that with any horse that will not go forward for any reason. For some reason, they do not like backing up and I am agressive when moving them back.

 

[stormy]

When were her feet last trimmed? Could she be a little tender...trotting would be more ouchy then walking if she were trimmed short or if there is a possibility she is having some hoof sensitivity.