Site Menu:
This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below: |
HorseAdvice.com » Training, Behavior, & Conditioning Horses » Behavioral Problems » The Rearing Horse » |
Discussion on Leading problems | |
Author | Message |
Posted on Sunday, Apr 15, 2001 - 2:10 pm: we are having a probelm with fetching in our cob mare. we have had her 2 years and have had this problem intermitently the whole time but in the last few weeks it has really got worse. when she is being led up from the field to the stable she often goes up, spins and runs off, she does this especially with my daughter who is lightweight and most often in the outer field gateway where it is really (like over your wellies) muddy. last week she did this and also kicked out at Lorna as she went past her so i led her up for a week and when she tried it with me i put a lead chain on her and yanked her back. after that she behaved like a lamb for me, walking by my side, waiting for me etc. yesterday Lorna tried to bring her up and she went right up vertically, the worst i have seen. Today i fetched her and she was fine. She is good in the stable and field, though a little bargy, and fine under saddle, bucking occasionally but never rearing. she is also fine to turn out, it is just fetching her up that is a problem but if it carries on she will have to be sold, which would be sad, so any advice would be much appreciated. she is on 2 scoops of steady up per day already. |
|
Posted on Sunday, Apr 15, 2001 - 11:49 pm: Hello, Claire,I have dealt with this type of attitude in a few horses, and I have found that the following works for me. First of all, leading any horse cannot be a matter of muscling it because they can out muscle any of us. The horse has to be willing to take its cues from the handler whenever the handler asks. There are many ground work exercises or round pen techniques that work to get the horse focused on the handler. What I have learned is to make certain the horse is tuned in to me and willing, before I ever put a halter on it. I have been able to accomplish this by working with the horse free in a small area. If you have a cue for the horse to move forward and, thus, to move forward with you on the ground, that is the first step. If the horse's mind is on you and he understands that he is only to move forward when you ask it of him, then it is easier to get his compliance when there is a halter and lead on him. It sounds like the horse is at times, refusing to focus on the human handler and do what she wants to do; get away by refusing to move forward. I would not be riding a horse that doesn't focus on me on the ground, because there is more of a chance that the horse will refuse to respect my cues when I am on its back. Any of the proponents of what has been renamed "natural horsemanship" (Parelli, Lyons, Brannaman, Hunt, Dorrance, etc.) have specific techniques for getting a horse to focus on the handler on the ground first. If a horse can show you his undivided attention and obediece on the ground, that willing attitude will carry over when you start to work from his back. At some point in the leading, just before your horse decides to go up and away, she is showing signs of not paying attention to the handler. She shows it first in the ears and eyes, and you can probably pick up on it more quickly than your daughter can, thus you have a better chance of "nipping the bad behaviour in the bud," so to speak. I have noticed that many people don't concentrate on their horses when they are leading them. The horses start to get ahead of the leader's shoulder, or start to pull to the side for grass, or balk, and many times the leader ends up jerking or hauling on the horse after the horse has already exhibited evidence that he is thinking of misbehaving. If you have ever trained a dog to heel or to stay, you know that it takes intense, concentrated effort on the part of the handler, and at the first inkling of the dog's unasked-for movement, the handler needs to respond immediately. It's no different with the horse. I have trained problem horses to lead at my shoulder and to stop pulling and balking, and I have found that all the training in the world doesn't do any good if the owners don't learn how to lead the horses correctly. The leaders have to be trained, too. I have seen horses revert to their old ways after a week or so back under their owners' care if the owners' don't take seriously their responsibility to concentrate on their horses' attitudes and to keep the horses focused on them. Of course, some horses are easier than others. Not all horses try to be twits, but most will try to get away with what they want unless they have been impressed with the notion that the handler standing in their presence is the most important thing in their lives whenever he/she is around. The natural horsemanship training is the gentlest and most effective type of training I have seen to build a willing, obedient attitude into the horse. There are as many ways to train as there are trainers. I hope you find a way to deal with the leading problem so you will be content to keep your mare and your daughter and others will feel safe around her. |
|
Posted on Monday, Apr 16, 2001 - 7:07 am: Claire,How old and how much does Lorna weigh and maybe most important how game is she? Holly's suggestion of getting better control of the mare is a controlled situation is a good one. Persistant training in the ring of both the pony and Lorna may remedy the situation. I would also consider positively reinforcing good behavior while coming up: good behavior is rewarded, but remember the horse looks at a bribe as a reward for bad behavior. This all said, I also know how easy it is for these pony mares to distinguish who does what, when to take advantage of the situation. No matter what training the mare gets the handler should be able to correct possible misbehavior in hand, can Lorna learn to do this safely? DrO |
|
Posted on Monday, Apr 16, 2001 - 7:31 am: Hi DrO and Holly and thankyou for your input.Lorna is 12 and 5ft tall, weight about 6 1/2 stone (91 lbs)she is fairly gutsy usually but she was really badly scared when Taboo went right up the other day. Lorna also found the 'loss of face' aspect quite hard to take and was getting rather down that she 'couldnt do anything' and 'didnt want to lead her again'. Taboo has done this behaviour ever since we got her but it is definatley getting worse. also it is very very muddy which means getting any grip is hard. Taboo is 15hh and weight tapes at 550kg plus so she is a lot to hold. what worries me most is that she appears to be calculatedly exploiting Lorna and not doing it so much for me (although she has had her moments). She also doesnt do it under saddle which is odd. |
|