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Sue
Member
Username: Suef
Post Number: 2
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, Feb 22, 2005 - 10:50 pm: |   |
My three year old Gelding is starting to become headshy and will pull away from me when I rub his head. Today he kicked at me with his front leg. I haven't worked with him much this winter and don't know where he picked up this bad habit. The only thing I can figure is that since putting a 7 year old Mare pony in with him that is the boss and kicks at him as well as dominates him maybe he is trying to make himself higher in the herd with me.My question is how do I work with this type of behavior?
Thank you,
Sue |
Holly Wood
Member
Username: Hwood
Post Number: 568
Registered: 3-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, Feb 22, 2005 - 11:44 pm: | |
I once saw John Lyons working with a headshy horse . . . He asked the simple question (why is it so hard for us to think of??), "What is easier for the horse . . . for our hand to STAY on its head for a LONG time or for our hand to stay on its head for a split second?"
He then proceded to nonchalantly run his hand up and over the horse's forehead and ears with very confident, smooth, quick motions, all the while ignoring the horse and continuing to talk to the audience . . . and then, over time, he slowed down his movements keeping his hand a fraction of a second longer on the horse's ears each time until the horse accepted that nothing bad was going to happen. If the horse looked like he was going to throw his head, John went back to stroking the horse in a slightly quicker fashion that was comfortable for the horse . . . and then he, again, increased the time his hand stayed on the ears, a tiny bit more with each stroke . . .
There MAY be something bothering your horse's ears, though, so you might want to check that out first.
As far as the striking at you . . . Uh, oh!!! Keep a dressage whip handy with you whenever you lead or groom him . . . and if he gives ANY sign of striking, confidently sting his offending leg with the whip . . . just once . . . HARD . . . and then continue with what you were doing . . . and be aware . . . It shouldn't take too many times of him getting stung for just THINKING about striking at you before he decides it hurts to think about it let alone DO it. |
Alden Chamberlain
Member
Username: Alden
Post Number: 169
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, Feb 23, 2005 - 8:52 am: | |
Sue,
I think your horse is about the right age to become a little independent. With no history of abuse or a scare concerning his head I would approach the head shyness and flinging the front feet as symptoms of one problem; it sounds like a little 'I'm a big horse now, don't do that' to me.
I'd address the feet flinging first and put that energy to positive work. Take control of his feet, when he can't stand still put him to work giving his shoulders (turn on the haunches) and giving is hindquarters (turn on the forehand). I think you will find the head problem will slip away as you demonstrate to him that you control his feet. This way you turn a problem into a positive training opportunity by working on ground control exercises.
Good day,
Alden |
Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro
Post Number: 12158
Registered: 1-1997
| | Posted on Thursday, Feb 24, 2005 - 7:09 am: | |
Sue we have a article specifically on this topic see, Training Horses » Behavioral Problems » Aggression in Horses.
DrO
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Cheryl Hohler
Member
Username: Chohler
Post Number: 93
Registered: 8-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, Feb 24, 2005 - 2:00 pm: | |
Your boy is testing the waters...... I agree with alden, get controll of moving the feet and then you will get control of the head. My gelding recently kicked out and hit me in the knee, I made moving very uncomfortable by doing a bunch of sending exercises, he then decided holding still ie not kicking is a good thing. I always assume that unless I've been working alot with my horse that he will be fresh so I get control of the feet before I ask for anything else. Also if this happened when he was in the same area as the dominant mare, it seems to instigate some naughtiness from the lower members.
My upcoming two year old just started doing something similar. Almost like, she's the boss but now you will be lower than me....WRONG..
I take my guy away from the area with the mare and work him to remind him to be nice and then before turning him loose I work him near the mare. I also work the mare a little in front of him so he see's that she's got a boss too. |
Cheryl Hohler
Member
Username: Chohler
Post Number: 94
Registered: 8-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, Feb 24, 2005 - 2:04 pm: | |
Remeber as Clinton Anderson says, " Horses are just maintenance with legs" |
