Stopping- not wanting to keep going forward

[alfi-social]

My daughters recently backed horse is coming on nicely in many ways but still stops when schooling and hacking. He is 9 yrs old but was unbacked and hardly handled when he came to us in February being a bottle fed youngster kept in a field with gran and dad until we bought him. He is a friendly and fairly laidback personality and apart from rearing whenever we asked him to do something he didn't fancy he has been pretty easy to train. Rearing doesn't happen now enless he is in very new circumstances but stopping does. I have spent a long time with him on long reins and my daughter is keen to continue his training aboard. She has tried tickling him with stick or rope, tappng with heels, ungluing front feet by turning and using weight shifts but he seems to take his time still. If we are hacking or schooling together he will wait to be overtaken and then move on. So schooling on her own is frustrating sometimes.
Does anyone have any advice please? He is good to lead and now rarely misbehaves on the long reins providing he is in familiar surroundings.
I am aware that going forward freely is very important but am not sure what to do now!

[shoveltrash]

He is good to lead and now rarely misbehaves on the long reins

so, couple the under saddle work with in-hand training.  one person mounted, one person doing the in-hand work.  then it may begin to make more sense to him maybe?  also i'd be tempted to try a bit of clicker training with him too, as a positive reinforcement.

[WendyP]

Does he stop and plant himself? In which case mobilising the front end will undo the planting.  You need to swing the head from side to side and apply legs.  Mike Peace does it and applies alternate legs but I can't remember which way round.
He may be finding it physically or mentally challenging and need more breaks?  Or shorter sessions?  More rewards?

[persianhorse]

Hi Dear,

Do you have any kind of place other than where the horse is now but you have to be with the horse at all times.
Taking the Horse some place else and the person most close to Horse MENTALLY be with the Horse. The Mental Part is so much important.
The horse would not have any ANXIETY in the days spending some place else for most the Horse which has been hand raised and bottle feed.These horses are so much emotional and their handling is so different if not raised (The early years up to now) properly with the others as Herds.

Take care,
PH.