[appsRtheway2go]

My mare Daizy, recently started to stop and want to turn around as soon as we hit the 'gate' (we have our property fenced in and the main road we dont have a gate so we have to post in the ground but no gate)
She will stop and start backing up. i coax her foward, then i nudge her sides, and it gets to the point were i use the strings on the saddle and i 'slap' her rump, she then let out a lil "buck"(lifts her butt up a little but) and walk forward like 10 steps. the back up.
I tryed to pony Roxxi with us, she goes farther, then stops, backs up and wants to turn around.

What do I do?

[Bluwind_Acres]

She is barn sour. depending on your riding level especially with the mentioning of her offer to buck I'd get someone to come out and work her beyond that. if you think you could handle working her through it this is what I would do...

there are afew ways I deal with horses that are buddy/barn sour. first remove them from thier friends they should go by themself.

now if your horse is green or unconfident (this may of been her first trip 'away) from home I would simplly go back to working her in the yard and then dismount walk her past the gate praise her get on ride back. next time have someone with a been there done that trail horse to come along.

if she has been on this 'trail' before and has been used to riding alone and just "decided" to not want to go, which it sounds like is most likely here, next time before taking her out lunge her until she's sweating and worked pretty thoroughly. then get on and ride her down the same path. Do not stop until you have gotten her past the gate and Just walk. she will try Everything in her power to avoid doing what you are asking. some of them get pretty wiley. keep her head up (its harder to buck with her head up or atleast get a good buck out with her head up). also if you feel her start to hop up pull her in a circle until she has stopped (DONT pull her in a circle if you are going more than a walk) the circle is to transfer energy and nothing more. horses rear when they feel trapped. a riding crop might be good to provide a little initiative. again becareful she might want to protest the crop by bucking.

if she still wont go and plants her feet, turn her in a circle and go back to 'in the yard' pick a large flat spot and do circles, figure 8s and anything that would be hard work in her mind then ask again. at this point you will be trying to make the right choice easy and the wrong one hard. you want her to think home=work, trail=relax. until now home has always been where she relaxed.

DO NOT stop if she doesnt go I dont care if she only take 4 steps, stop her and get off, loosen the cinch and take her for a walk. dont stop if she is the one who stopped you want to be the one who stops her. build up from there and in time she should stop giving you problems.

now when you take her home dont put her right in her pen tie her up and let her stand for awhile and think about everything.

only attempt this if you feel its something you can do other wise I'd consider contacting a local trainer or maybe a rider you feel that could handle her just to get the edge of her rebellion off.

if you have any other questions let me know