MOST horse people would agree that there are very few "nappy" horses born. It is something that can happen for a reason.

We all know people who go through life without appearing to have any worries about doing things that other people think are frightening. Horses are no different; some are naturally very bold and others need a lot of time and patience to develop the confidence needed.

Let us look at some possible causes: a) early handling; b) breaking-in; c) riding; d) pain.

A: Early leading of a foal is never done with a rope but by the handler putting one hand around the chest and the other around the quarters. This is the first stage to urging a horse forward from behind.

You hear awful stories of foals tied firmly to a post (swinging) or whipped until they stop fighting and give in. It does not take much to physically and mentally damage the foal by doing this. We can realise why, from an early stage, a foal which hasn't been taught to go forward willingly, but forced to, will take time to reassure.

Next to consider is the young horse. At this stage they can become cheeky and many colts will stand on their hind legs. This is normal behaviour in young horses. The quiet, confident horseman will let the horse have its head so that he can maintain his balance. The competent person lets the horse know the ground rules in a firm but understandable way and this paves the way for a confident well-behaved horse.

Some people bit the horse too early. If used too strongly and against the horse, he will feel pain at the bars of the mouth and pull backwards against the pressure.

B: Breaking-in for a horse is not the easiest thing. There are many experiences at this stage which can or cannot create long-term problems.

A horse is by nature a herd animal and usually learns to venture and develop confidence through following the mare or herd. On breaking-in, the horse is very much on its own; therefore the role of the handler carries tremendous responsibilities.

The handler must be confident in his or her manner building up a bond with the horse. It worries me to see a horse being led from behind with the handler being unaware of the pressure they can put on the bars of the horse's mouth. Many horses need the assurance of a person near them, if anxious, and if a pulling match takes place between them a lot of bruising of the bars can occur. So after, as a result of being driven, young horses stay behind the contact, which in riding terms means the horse is behind the leg and not thinking forward.

Another important aspect is when the rider first mounts. It is essential to have a very competent, light, good rider, one who does not clutch the horse when the horse gets tight and tense, but consistently sits quietly, encouraging and allowing the horse to move forward. The horse needs a sense of direction and confidence from the rider in order to develop security. If a young horse at this stage gets a rider who takes up too much rein contact and tightens, he will put his back up and be worried about moving forward.

C: We would all love to be able to get such a loving response from the horse as Carl Hester does, or ride across country giving confidence to the horse as Carol Dennis does. Unfortunately many of us have to think honestly about the type of horse we can sit on. If the horse and rider are not matched, a young horse can soon lose its confidence in the rider and then may not wish to go forward.

There are other things that could lead to a horse napping - 1 When a horse stops and needs his mind to be made up by the rider, that is exactly what he needs. Not nervous clutching of the reins. The fear of the rider goes down the rein and the horse does not go forward.

2 In the wild, when a horse sees something which moves they normally stop, look and move on. At this point some riders get too aggressive and try to face the horse past the object with a big fight. A horse is looking for reassurance and, if a strong leg and a forward-thinking hand or shoulder-in positioning away from the object does not get him past, then he is probably genuinely frightened.

3 At a time like this and if you are on your own it is wise to dismount and lead your horse past the object, then remount. Let him take the lead - horses and arguments set up by the rider are not good. Use logic to convince your horse that he is capable. When riding out, it is never a good thing to take the horse so far and then turn back and return the same way. Always try to use a round route.

D: Discomfort or pain in humans makes life very unpleasant, but we can say where and how much it is hurting. Not the horse.

Horses accept discomfort for so long and if the cause is not dealt with he will find genuine reason to resist.

Consider if the saddle fits correctly. If not, it can lead to bruising and pressure sores. Dirty numnahs and girths also result in sores and galls. All will be magnified to the horse when the rider gets on.

The fit of the bit is so important. If it is too high it pushes up against the molars, causing distress. If the horse has had a rider previously with bad hands it is possible to cause small splintering of the bone on the bars of the mouth. Any pressure on the rein is enough to cause great pain, so again the only way to get away from the pain is not to go forward. This was first pointed out to me 20 years ago by an Australian vet, who said the worst bit for causing this was a snaffle incorrectly used. If the hands go below the level of the bit, then the pressure on the outside of the bars increases, rather than acting on the corners.

Good farriers can balance feet well, but modern road surfaces are slippery so road nails or studs give confidence.

A horse with back problems or muscle strains may become resistant - the rider who understands his or her horse should feel when something is not quite right.

How to deal with the nappy horse - for a horse to nap it is the last point of showing that he has no trust and does not know what to do. Sadly, if not dealt with quickly, it becomes a major problem.

Nowadays many horses never go beyond an indoor or outdoor school and, if in a large space, he can feel agoraphobic. This will become apparent when you are in a field as the horse may keep napping to the gate. He obviously feels safer by the gate so start by working the horse there, and then gradually move further away as he gains confidence. Sometimes circumstances mean that the horse has work on its own, so lunging in the field will help gain confidence. Secondly, check the horse's teeth and ask the vet and/or physiotherapist to look at him for possible back problems. Thirdly, check all your equipment fits correctly and, fourthly, are the horse and rider compatible?

Why does he just not want to go forward? Is it leaving his friends, has he been moved from one yard to another or through the sale system?

1 Riding out in company is often all that is needed.

2 In some cases the horse will not follow them so we need to consider other ways - start by leading the horse out of the yard and mount further away from the yard. Often the horse will continue happily. Just by walking alongside him the rider can give him the trust that he needs.

3 If the rider is nervous it is better to get another, one who has a positive but fair approach and passes confidence through to the horse.

4 If the rider is on their own, long rein the horse out of the yard.

For a horse to nap in the first place there has generally been a good cause, loss of trust or confidence. The only true way to overcome this is to take time to use firmness and patience, not force.

Be safe - do not get into a situation where you might get hurt

Published: 28/01/2005