Turning round on hacks - ideas needed

[Mayandbump23]

My friend lives in the middle of a long country lane, either end of which is a very busy A road. To hack out we generally ride to the end of the lane and then turn back as the A roads are too dangerous to ride on and there is no other way of making the hacks circular (there are no bridlepaths nearby). One of her horses has, however, realised that we always turn back at the end and started misbehaving: napping, spinning and trying to turn back home. He's a big boy and his behaviour is starting to get dangerous. Does anyone have any ideas how we could deal with the situation? We have thought about dismounting at the end and leading the horses round, making them think it's the end of one ride and start of another but would be grateful for any other ideas anyone might have.

You won't fool them by getting off and back on again. Can you get permission from a landowner to ride around their land, perhaps for a small rent every year?

Does your friend always do the same hack? If so her horse will be really bored which will make his behaviour worse as he has now discovered a great way of making things interesting. Schooling may help a bit but if the horses are getting stale a complete change of scene may be the only answer. Plus, if he is too big for her to handle she should perhaps consider getting something that is more her size?

Do you trot / canter when you turn back? If you do he may be getting excited for that. In which case vary your routine and trot/canter out sometimes and walk back.

I agree some schooling would help, also perhaps lunging before going on the hack if that's possible.

We normally walk all the way back, having done the fast work on the way out so excitement or excess energy shouldn't be an issue. Not sure schooling's the answer either, the horse in question is well schooled (does dressage to advanced medium) and my friend is an experienced rider. The land at the end of the lane is used for livestock grazing so I'm not sure we'd get permission to ride on it though we have thought about it and my friend was going to ask the land owner. We do get to ride on my friend's neighbour's land but the lane is the only option of a longer hack we currently have (it's a veeery long lane).

Any other ideas?

Is it possible to let them graze at the end of the lane, and then sort of meander the turn still grazing. Or feed polos on the turn and stand still after the turn and more polos. I can see your problem and it is not an ideal situation.

Another sugguestion is to turn around at different stages on the hack so he doesnt guess which bit of the lane he is going to turn in.

Not text book ideas but worth trying anything.

I'd give Primroselady's idea of varying where you turn back a go.............the horse won't be anticipating that, and it may break the habit.
Let us know how you get on.

Yes - on your next hack, turn before he starts misbehaving and take him by surprise?