Problem Solving: What to do When a Horse Won’t Go Forward

Some horses get in the habit of stopping in the middle of the trail and refusing to go forward. They will either stick their feet in the ground and stand still or actually run backwards.

A horse that suddenly stops and runs backwards usually does so for one of two reasons:

1. 1. He may do it because of a lack of respect, which means that your “go” button isn’t good enough. When you cue him forward with your legs, he doesn’t respect you.
   2. He may do it because of a lack of confidence. You might be coming up on an object or obstacle that scares him and causes him to back away from it.

In both instances, the more you try to get the horse to go forward, the more he will resist you or want to back up.

If you’re dealing with a horse that gets stuck in neutral and won’t move forward, Clinton shares tips on how to correct your horse’s behavior in the Problem Solving section of the Downunder Horsemanship app. Learn how to solve your problem in the FREE video: Horse Won’t Go Forward.

To access the video, download the Downunder Horsemanship app. When the app opens, scroll down to the Problem Solving section. Select the video, “Horse Won’t Go Forward.”

The Downunder Horsemanship app is a free download from the App Store and Google Play as well as AppleTV, Roku, Amazon Fire and Android TV. Learn more about the Downunder Horsemanship app and adding it to your device on our website.