I got this in from Graham, and thought it would be an interesting question to post – how to work with a stubborn horse:
“Thanks for the tip, any advice about problem horses that won’t cooperate?
My 4 year old refuses to do anything – pick up her feet, ride very far or long anymore , i have not abused this horse by any means she is spoiled – good food and treatment ,any advice?
Graham”
I thought I’d post it because I’ve had few similar ones in.
Please do leave your comments below – would love to know your collective thoughts on this one.
Here’s a comment from below on how to work with a stubborn horse, that may have a few of you nodding your heads:
“Stop thinking like a human and start thinking like a horse. Good horsemanship focusus on:
Knowing your horse and knowing yourself. If he is underconfident and scared of everything than “slow is fast”.
U need to establish trust with him by actually introducing new activities such as lifting his hoof. Work on that activity for about 10 minutes then stop. If u take him for walk in bush and he spooks, stop and let him smell and familiarize himself with object he’s scared of. If he is an overconfident horse u need to put more pressure on him to push him to his limits. That’s how to work with a stubborn horse.
U have to be the leader. Think of it as being their mother. Momma protects them and makes them feel safe because she always has control. Her babies stay beside or behind her because they know she will give them a back kick. U need to do the same.
How to work with a stubborn horse
Everything is about pressure and release. For instance, you get on the horse and he doesn’t want to go. Don’t be afraid to take the crop and give him a light tap on the shoulder. If he doesn’t respond tap him harder on the shoulder. If that’s not enough give him a good wack on the shoulder. U need to find out what makes your horse tick. Most horses don’t like to back up or turn around. Do that when he doesnt.
Don’t start something and then give up when he misbehaves. That teaches him to misbehave. How to work with a stubborn horse is all about being consistent.
Rosalind”
A big thanks to Rosalind – do have a look at the comments below if you’ve ever wondered how to work with a stubborn horse (who hasn’t??)
Again, it’s the comments below that have all the helpful stuff.
Best
Naughty horses does not necesarily have to play up, they can be just lazy as well, trying to get out of work – I have a thoroughbred who I exercise after work, so the other horse is in the stable and he has to work, he pretends to spook and refuses to move – just be firm and a good tap with the whip changes their minds quickly – it is a matter of discipline!
Hey Karien, I agree with you, some horses need extra encouragement with a firm tap with a whip behind the saddle. Letting a horse be lazy sets you up for futher problems in the future.
I give a light tap to my 4 year old grandson when he needs a reminder. He weighs all of 32 lbs. If I tell my horse to move and it does not, I will beat his ass like a run-away slave. I do this the first time the horse disobeys me. When it is very young and I can control the horse. After all, this is why God made horse whips. You actually hit the animal so it complies. If you don’t hit the 500lb yearling, the 1250lb colt will be dangerous and injure you or one of your people. Pussies that think hitting horses is cruel and that John Lyons will never hit a horse are stupid. (Lyons on horses, page 17) Not hitting the horse is all a part of political correctness. Political correctness in a barn will get your head caved in. Just saying.. Spank the horse today and it has an unpleasant day, but have a good life. You do it right and you won’t have to do it twice.
Wow. God did not make horse whips you idiot. I hit my horses if they Mia behave but there 8 – 9 years old. You don’t beat them. And those “pussies” might have a real reason they don beat there horses. Maybe they were beaten. But some assholes like you come along and be all “oh I’m mr. Tough watch me tell off all these idiots”. When your really the pussie. Bye
Amen Jesse. Thank you for saying what I was thinking and about to say. He’s a uneducated idiot.
HEY BOB, THAT ALL SOUNDS A BIT ROUGH AND AGGRESSIVE TO ME. SO GLAD I AM NOT YOUR HORSE!!!!OR YOUR 4 YEAR OLD GRANDSON, FOR THAT MATTER!
Obviously Bob has never heard of Monty Roberts or the other horse whisperers who grew up watching their fathers beating horses and were beaten themselves. These guys understand that this never gets the right response from a horse. Sure, you may get quick reaction but you certainly aren’t creating a cooperative team member who WANTS to do what you expect.
Here’s another perspective: my mustang was lazy, wouldn’t let me pick up his feet, fought the saddle and me getting on him, just like the original question. Now we’ve discovered he’s got a spinal neck issue that was the underlying cause. He wouldn’t/couldn’t pick up his feet because he can’t balance; wouldn’t/couldn’t move out quickly or accept the saddle because he hurts and feels uncoordinated.
How about that, Bob? You claim to be a horseman, then learn to think from the horse’s perspective a bit more and you might get better cooperation.
What i never heard such a thing. God made wipes. My 3 year old was on the stubborn side. I found out it was the tack. Also as a trainer of all kinds of horses i found it can be the rider or handlers themselves. so yes be firm be stop and use your sences to figure it out. A 14 year gril used her head to catch a horse. So use your head
A light tap for encouragement is a hell of a lot different than beating his ass as Bob would suggest. If you can more or less reason with an animal since you are “supposedly” the more “intelligent”, Bob, and I use the term intelligent very faciously, then maybe you should not be riding your very smart horse.
love it bam, you put it so maybe he will understand .bet he worked in a slaughter house for a living .no respect for living creatures .sad man . 🙁
Couldn’t have said it better Jess!!
WOW Bob! I cant help but have a mental picture of your household. Lots of un-altered barn cats that you use for target practice, lots of beer cans/spitter’s around? Horses in worn out halters that have rubbed all hair off faces and can’t be caught without a promise of a coffee can full of all stock. With all the money your saving, maybe you can pick up a pocket dictionary so you can understand the big words people are using on this forum! Maybe even help you post a tutorial on the many uses for bailing twine? I am guessing someone is thinking they would like to “beat your ass like a runaway idiot”
I can see putting a little or even sting with a buggy whip but cannot agree with whipping a horse. I would rather have their trust and respect than their fear. This particularly applies to stallions. You should never turn your back on one and especially one that has been beaten.
I think your thought process is way off. I think maybe you should be beaten, or maybe that is your problem. You need to earn respect not gain fear from an animal. People like you should not own any animal. And beating slaves was wrong also, since you don’t seem to understand that either!
OMG, really??? I can’t believe you said that You are a dangerous and abusive person who should not be allowed to own animals.They are innocent at birth and you can teach them from birth with love and affection…
There are alot of different ways to get a lazy horse to move. Did you ever think that maybe you are giving the horse a signal he doesn’t understand? Try changing his direction, get his mind off what you are asking him to do and ask him to do something else, and then go back to what you were trying to teach him. Just like Children, horses need to be taught, NOT BEATEN. That is considered Child abuse. How do you think your horse is going to feel? You and your horse are a partnership, how would you like it if he turned around and kicked you? Research it, Don’t beat it.
Bob ur just a bully try picking on someone that can fight back people like u disgust me
You horrid disgusting specimen! I have never hit a horse with a whip. If a horse can feel a fly land on it, why on earth would you need a whip to animate it or teach it a lesson. You shouldnt be allowed to own a goldfish never mind a highly sensitive intelligent animal like a horse. The saddest thing about your post is that someone might just take your advice.
Flip me, Boy! If I saw you doing that to your horse, I’d tear that damned whip of you and give you the same good hiding with it to see how you like it! You don’t deserve a horse. The whole idea of the whip is to support your leg aids. If they don’t move off at the first request a light tap behind your leg is all that is needed! A young horse needs encouragement – he’s still learning himself! Man, you’re a complete BRUTE!!! 👿
Horses I have seen hit when they did not understand why end up scared and confused and more unable to learn. We rescue horses and the hardest to help are those who are scared because some human raged on them, or they shut does completely. I will make contact if necessary to protect myself….but belies it is never in either beings best interest to hit over and over again. That is rage and it is confusing to a horse. I prefer to build trust first. There are many creative ways to avoid “beating” a horse. That mindset sets the relationship up for war and fear, submission is not the same as partnership and respect. I tap a horses heel with the hoof pick and make it unpleasant to avoid doing what I want. A horse that refuses to go forward I turn to pull out of balance and get movement started. I constantly release pressure when I get what I want and work in small increments to give the horse time to process. I am asking you to please reconsider this attitude of “beating”. Does it resonate with how you want to be with a horse really? Is it an end gain for you….or are you willing to take on the journey that respects both yourself and the horse. Thank you for considering another view.
A slight tap on a horse is all you need! doesn’t matter if you tap him or give him all you got! The horse will be scared of a tap and know that somethings wrong in the future! And FYI when a horse is “misbehaving” its most of the time a fault of the RIDER!!!! I worked with a filly that had been abused… hard… it was a heartbreaking process but shes almost back to normal now… and i’v taken on a gelding that was abused as a 3 year old…. no one could touch him… he is now 8 yrs old and i just got him and i can now touch him. And if you “beat his ass like a runaway slave” your just going to make him afraid of you… I dont know about anyone else out there but all my horses ENJOY my company and i ENJOY theirs!!! And thats how it should be i think!… and i’m sure as hell your horses don’t enjoy your company.
If you have a horse that appears to be lazy, it is because you are not animated or interesting enough for the horse to feel enthusiastic about working for you. Go back to your groundwork. Make the lessons short and interesting. Try some join up, be your horses leader, but please please dont hit it with a whip. No living animal should be hit with a stick.
People treating horses like that ought to be whipped themselves!!
I have a RACEHORSE that suddenly stopped while I was riding and REFUSED to move. I started with light tapping with my heels and GRADUALLY ended up kicking as hard as I could, flapping the reins, using the riding crop as HARD as I could on his hindquarters and he still stood there absorbing every blow while remaining calm and sweet…he was just being a jackass! So I strapped on a set of BLUNT spurs got back on him and gave a LIGHT tap with the spurs. He cocked his head to the side and looked at me…I gave A BIT harder kick and he flattened his ears while still not moving!! I gave an ALL OUT kick with those spurs; he squealed and BUCKED me sky-high!! He took two steps forward, turned around and looked at me with pricked ears. After picking myself up off the ground, I took off the spurs, went to him without saying a word, got back on, ASKED him to move forward which he did NO PROBLEM!! And I have NEVER EVER had another problem with him again!!! That was 2 1/2 years ago. THAT IS HOW YOU HANDLE STUBBORN HORSES!! NOT BEATING THEM SENSELESS!!! You are supposed to be their LEADER not BEATER!!!!
😯 i am working with a rising 4 yr old who was passed from pillar to post and learnt to use his teeth and hooves so no one wanted to be with him .i have had him over a a year now and instead of an argy bargy bitey bucky asbo i have a calm contented horse who will walk quietly beside me in the field .we have a bond as a team were we work together my mini shetlands who are rising 3 who i have had since they were 5 months old they are a law onto themselves honestly all tho they have manners respect (in a fashion) they are just typical minis
You’re an asshole bob.
you are truly a very sad individual, Bob.
One never beats an animal ! no animal..
Good God! You are the kind of person who would send your horse off to horse slaughter because he misbehaves. And if he misbehaves it is because you beat him. Humans can be such A__holes. You have just proved it.
So Bob my guess that you where drinking and bored when you posted that. You intended it mostly as a joke to see what kind of reaction you would get. “beat his ass like a run-away slave” is the give away. No one in their right mind would say something as offensive as that unless they were fishing for attention.
At least that’s what I’m going with.
I Do not agree to whip horses to make them obey. There are other ways and the problem may have another source than lazyness or stubboorness all together. What is the cause of his attitude? Find the cause and find the solution other than the whip!
Really BOB!!!! brawn over brains.. wow! PROVES WHAT???? NOW YOU HAVE A HORSE THAT FEARS YOU> What a big man.
I agree bob – but some of the words you used were just not necessary.
“beat his ass like a run-a-way slave”
“pussies” “God made horse Whips”
humm you smart about horses but you think
like a redneck asshole. God made the materials for everything – But man formed
the material into a horse whip.
There is usually a reason for everything a horse does and the way it behaves. It is all too easy to label it ‘naughty’ simply because it will not do what we want it to do. The most common reason is pain or discomfort somewhere (might not be easily detected) or maybe a lack of energy because of incorrect feed. I doubt if horses ‘pretend’ to spook; they just recall to mind an previous incident that when relived makes them feel insecure in a particular situation. Also horses do have ‘off’ days and this also needs to be considered if the problem is not persistent.
I absolutely agree. We encounter far too many horses that have been messed up by lack of understanding and lack of skill. Anyone can use a whip. Not everyone can get the best out of a horse until they gain some skills and understanding. It’s a lot of work to try to undo the mess created by someone else.
My OTTB gelding WILL find things to spook at. Around and around in the arena isn’t fun for him. We can pass the nearby garden 20 times no problem, then all of a sudden, he spooks, tries to get/stay away from that area, and blows hard out his nostrils-for no apparent (to me) reason. I decided he does this because he’s bored! He will even work over ground poles or small jumps 3-5 times perfectly, then suddenly he “forgets” how, and either starts knocking them down or giving refusals! He LOVES trying new things but once he does them, he’s done with it! Then we must move on and find something else for him to learn before I get the same results time and time again. He keeps me thinking and on my toes!
I also have an OTTB gelding that does the same thing. He is bored easily. He loves to trail ride all over Patapsco State Park. He loves to run up the hills, through rivers, streams..he is a blast. But put him in a ring and he is miserable. 🙂
This horse sounds like my oldest boy when growing up. Sorry i got off track. but think of it you treat a horse like an animal it will act like one. Treat it like a mammal like we are and you will diffently find a difference. I use this all the time. Dont want to move find we will stand here till you want to but you are not going to move you are going to stand here till i ask you to move. then you will be award with moving on to where or what i wanted to do. It takes. Time and patience and you have to have patience and this also gains trust and willingness.
totally agree with you try working with a spoilt rising 4 yr old who has has 1 owner (before me) 3 loners 10 at last count sharers and more part sharers hes had that many owners carers he didnt know who was who and acted up accordingly so in the end no one wanted to look after him as if he threw a buck whilst leading him to the field most let go so ? if he wanted to go some were he made sure he went and they just tagged along at the end of the leadrope no manners whatso ever and then i got him all changed and hes happier for it hes willing to work now days x
Ha Ha. I get what you are saying, but horses are NOT stupid. They can learn how to manipulate other horses as well as people. As you know, they are a very social creature and they have developed skills to get their way, if they can. I knew a horse that would fake a injured foot with a “weak” rider. He was checked out thoroughly just to make sure he was ok. Then was ridden again by a strong rider and after a few minutes there was not a peep out of him. He was fine from then on. He had just not been ridden in months and became lazy. Once he understood he had to work, he was eager. He changed by “NOT” being abusive to him, but being persistent and clearly letting him know business needed to be attended to. He was never struck in any manner. It was quite funny, he faked his way out of being ridden and he knew “exactly” what he was doing. So, yes, they can be quite good actors. He was a pleasure to ride after this and would eagerly come to the barn and stand quietly while being saddled. He began to look forward to his daily ride. At least he wasn’t board anymore.
Bravo Dr Jane Perry! You use your common sense! And sensitivity relating to horses. Would we like to be whipped because our shoes hurt our feet or we have pain in our back, or we do not understand what the teacher is asking from us???
Animals are living creatures. Lets not forget it ever!
That’s rather simplistic, without being sure that there are no pain issues this is behavior that could escalate. Saddle fit or other pain management is a first consideration. I personally have never ever in my 50 + years of riding met a lazy horse. I have however met quiet a few lazy handlers that prefer to whip and spur their way threw issues.
An example I could not understand why my gelding was becoming reluctant to be caught, I had thermal imaging done and found pain without any indication of heat, in 3 areas. I treated with cold water and a topical cannabis tincture and rest of cours. I now have my lovely and willing pal back.
Thank you for listening to your horse!
I totally agree with Geraldine! Let’s look at the CAUSE of the problem before forcing our will on these amazing animals
Naughty horses are misunderstood horses. One shoud only physically punish a horse if it is kicking, or biting etc; when it could be a danger to the handler. Even then it must be at the exact right moment and that moment just has to be justified. I do not believe a horse will ‘pretend’ to spook. It is possibly aware that a whip is coming its way. So sad that so many trusting and loving horses are misunderstood so very often. Horses, dogs, no animals in fact think as humans do. There is no Dr Doolittle in the majority of us either.
I look forward to someone posting an answer I can accept in reference to a lazy horse, or bored, uninspired horse maybe?
i think you said it all when u said she is spoilt! she probably doesnot see u as a leader so will not want to work for you try being a stronger leader and that includes when around other horses as she will watch. also try to make sure you use positive reinforcement and fun eg. a good gallop not just road work/schooling! good luck
I she’s spoiled, then it is the HANDLER’S attitude that must be changed first! And then, the horse will follow….
Refer to my previous comment – my thoroughbred only spooks when the other horse is in the stable, when his companion is in the paddock next to the dressage arena, he works fine, I think after 40 years of working with horses I know when a horse is naughty or when he’s in pain, just tried to help by giving you an example of what my horse is up to.
once i was riding a lazy horse no matter how hard i kicked him he would not go into a trot but then i was told to grab a bit os the reins and give him a little whip on the withers.
If I were you I wouldn’t really freak out, you horse is still a baby, I have the some trouble with my horses!
Horses are herd animals. If they think their owners rank lower than them, by all means, they’ll show that. Yes, sometimes it is necessary to use the whip and even spurs, because that horse needs to be broken of its bad habits. Other times you may need to look a little more into it. Show your horse who’s alpha, and they’ll listen a lot more.
My friend’s 9-year-old only just started lifting his hooves. We trained him to give his hoof first, get a treat, and then hold it for longer periods as we continued. Now we can pick his hooves without worrying about him kicking and/or stomping on us.
For the riding issue, keep things interesting! Never do exactly the same things every time you ride; your horse will come to expect it and learn to get bored very quickly. Take more walk breaks than you’re used to if you have to. And make sure she knows who’s alpha!
Good advise Cheyenne! I’ve always believed that if you know horse, herd behavior and learn to communicate with you horse that way you will have possitive results!
We do not break horses; we train them. It is quite different!
Come on people (horse people?)
Karien didn’t tell you to whip the blood out of the horse… She told you a good tap with the whip… And she is right… It grabs their attention and shows them who’s alpha. It is a question of safety to teach the horse to properly answer and not act up… She did’nt even put sss on her words… A GOOD TAP WITH THE WHIP… Their brain is the size of a fist. Sometimes it takes what it takes to keep it safe!
My 2 cents…
No such thing as a naughty horse.
They are able to think/remember their past experiences.
For example,they will always remember the abuser and the crap ‘job’ they have done,and so will feel that is the norm..
I bought an 8 month old colt a couple of years ago,who was abused..I kept him stabled 24/7 for 3 months while i worked on him…he is now a fab boy,who although is still naughty..is confident and happy.
I have shown the whip in order to keep him away from my personal space..
D.
See Debs…
Goes to tell…
He remembers your personnal space…
Stop thinking like a human and start thinking like a horse. Good horsemanship focusus on:
Knowing your horse and knowing yourself. If he is underconfident and scared of everything than “slow is fast”. U need to establish trust with him by actually introducing new activities such as lifting his hoof. Work on that activity for about 10 minutes then stop. If u take him for walk in bush and he spooks, stop and let him smell and familiarize himself with object he’s scared of. If he is an overconfident horse u need to put more pressure on him to push him to his limits.
U have to be the leader. Think of it as being their mother. Momma protects them and makes them feel safe because she always has control. Her babies stay beside or behind her because they know she will give them a back kick. U need to do the same.
Everything is about pressure and release. For instance, you get on the horse and he doesn’t want to go. Don’t be afraid to take the crop and give him a light tap on the shoulder. If he doesn’t respond tap him harder on the shoulder. If that’s not enough give him a good wack on the shoulder. U need to find out what makes your horse tick. Most horses don’t like to back up or turn around. Do that when he doesnt
Don’t start something and then give up when he misbehavse.
That teaches him to misbehave.
Hi Al, Need help, my poor mare keeps rubbing her butt her worming is up to date, and the only hair loss is on either side of her rump. The last horse that was in her yard suffered the same problem. Anyone have any tips on what to spray her yard with to kill whatever is biting her, and anyway to tell what it is.I wipe her rump with ivemectin and then apply a natural pest repellent of rosemary and lemon. Thanks Deb
Deb:
Butt scratching is not always a insect or worming issue. Do you give her a good bathing in the hind end and udder area once a month? Cleaning from anus to the belly? There is soap just for sheath and udder cleaning. I bath that hind area for my mare once a month in season and out of season. This stopped the itching she could not scratch without rubbing off fur and tail.
In our barn, despite the worming we did we had 2 mares rubbing their tails off. It turned out to be roundworms, which don’t clear with most worming meds. You could see them on the sides of the anus at night if you looked with a flashlight. Prob from eating dirt. The vet fixed it. Good luck!
Hi Deb, When I first got my mare she was doing the same thing and when I lifted her tail I saw actual hard spots and fissures around her private area. I talked to a vet and he said it was a sort of yeast infection and told me to go buy a topical antibiotic cream (for women) and use that. Before long everything cleared up and then, on my own, I started “powdering her butt” every day, using Gold Bond Medicated powder (and a powder puff!) to get back in, to either side under her tail where skin against skin makes it moist. That was 3 years ago, and haven’t had a problem since. good luck!
It is possible your horse has thread worms. The only wormer that I know of that is currently available that kills thread worms in Anthecide. I was given a TB by a neighbor who decided not to race him because he was lethargic. I realized after I got him that he was rubbing his behind and that the usual wormers were not working so I got a stool sample done and sure enough thread worms. They will infect some horses and not others and are usually picked up as a foal.
I think you have left yourself open for comments. . All good words of advice. I look forward to my emails. I don’t think removing yourself from alstairs emails is a good enuf reason for someone else opionions. We all have our own feelings of how to discipline our horses. Do what you have to to make it work and whatbis right for you. Don’t become angry and take it to heart.
I am totaly SHOCKED,alot of hotheads, that you bet a horse at young age, horse are horse as dogs are dogs,NEVER hit a horse he will be shy away from you and he;ll put that bad experience to you, young horses just need to be worked with, my GOD use patience,
I disagree. My 3 yo TB mare that I rescued bit me a week after I got her. We were doing ground work (there was no riding her for a long while do to injury and under weight) and we walking along everything both of us cool calm and collected. All of the sudden she pinned her ears and tried to, almost succeeding, take a chunk out of my tricep. Like she was thinking why is this little white dude leading me around??? Out of pure reaction before I could even think I socked her in the nose. She looked at me like “okay cool”, put her head down and started walking again quiet as could be. Haven’t laid a hand on her or had a problem with her since. She is definitely my babygirl! Other people that come to my pasture are intimidated by her and the way she acts. She knows her size (16.1) and tries to use it to her advantage. Horses waaaaaay smart. People don’t give them enough credit.
horses do not have the same thought processes as us so therefore don’t wake up one morning and think, “I can’t be bothered I’m going to have a day off and not work”. There is nearly always an issue of pain somewhere.
Spoiled !! Needs Discipline….Naturaly
I have a probblem with my horse spooking. I mean every little thing spooks her. It can be dangerous to just stand around her. I give her grain and she stops chewing every few seconds and just listens, like shes waiting for something to happen. I’ve never had a horse like this and not sure what to do. She knocked me down last week trying to get away from whatever spooked her, I didn’t see anything. HELP !!!!
this is for everyone but thinkin of mary’s 😥 😥 problem mare is spookin at everything. check the feed protine value and sugar content that you feed cause too much high energy feed is not good fer some horses .I was called out to check a 4 yr old gelding he was way to spooky for my new client. so i worked with him for a short time and suggested to the trainer that they cut back on the high energy feed until they star workin the horse more . wow they said what the heck dose that got to do with any thing . well I said YOUR HORSE HAS NOTHIN WRONG. HE IS STONED ON THE FEED .soon after the horse was fine .ta da !!!! 😆 😎 😯 😳
Stoned on feed! Funny way to put it, but so true. LOTS of behavior issues are because a horse is on a sugar or carb “high” OR on a sugar crash. I was told that sweet feeds made by most local co-ops are to a horses brain as cocaine is to a human brain. Choose feeds that are high in protein and nutrients with minimal or no sugar & starch contents. Feed as little as possible on a case by case basis.
Yes, and high energy, sugary foods lead to laminitis (founder) so get that horse off of high sugar and carbs asap.
Do you know her backround??? cuz if she was abused then you would treat her different… i would say take her out and do something calm… no running, no pressure, no nothing… bond. That is the best way to do anything with a horse. bond with it and you will be suprised.. and when i say “bond” that doesn’t mean make him like you by giving him treats! Just spend some time taking care of him and enjoying… trust 🙂
I do believe this has a lot to do with circulation and the blood pumping through correctly. They are not looking for anything to spook, they feel the jolt coming (ever jumped suddenly when asleep, its the heart missing a beat) and it is a weird sensation so are alarmed as such (spooked out)
I had a spooky pony once and it turned out that she had sight problems and was seeing ‘monster’ trees, etc out of one eye but had good sight in the other eye. Once she developed a trust in me, that I wouldn’t let the ‘monsters’ get her, she would still ‘prop’ a little but it became less and less during our rides. She even ran up to me for ‘protection’ when the neighbours were having a bon fire and it was making a roaring noise, she went into panic mode, I went out and called her name and she ran up and stood next to me, so close, huffing and puffing but starting to calm down, it was a great feeling really. Anyway, I just thought having your mare’s eyes checked could be useful… good luck with her :))
Hi Mary, I’ve never had horses until the last 4 years, so I am by no means, an expert. But I do know that when my horses stop chewing and are ready to bolt, I need to do something to put her at ease, so I simply walk over to the barn door and “stand watch” while she eats. do this a few times and see if things lighten up for you. I hope..
Am very shocked that many of you seem to to work by the theory that causing pain to a horse is OK.
I have 23 yr old mare and 5 yr old mare who I have started under saddle etc… I have NEVER hit either of them.
Horses should work for you because they want to not because they are terrifyed not too!!
I use a wip-wop or giddy-up rope to encourage a lazy horse to move forwards, put it into google and you will come up with loads of very useful information. It is a very soft white rope which you flop on either side of horse while riding and I have found it to be FAR more effective than any whip.
Also I have found that if you help a horse to understand what you want then he will co-operate better. Maybe your horse needs more help than others.
4 is very young for a horse, I didn’t ask my youngster for anything at all till age 5, some horses don’t mature till later in life.
If you hit this horse he will not trust you and you will have a lot of work ahead of you making him trust you again.
Hitting him will cause far more issues than you can possibly imagine. Please,please don’t hit him into submission, it is cruel and violent.
Thank you for being sensitive to your horse’s needs. We so often try to pick up the pieces for horses that have been abused one way or another. We never ever hit them for any reason. Those that bit and kicked when they arrived have all learned not to without any kind of violence to them. Yes, you have to be firm with them, be alpha. Go with the resistance. For example, if a horse won’t go forwards make him go backwards. He will soon choose to go forwards. If he won’t stand still, keep making him move and change directions till he prefers to stand still. Skills that work can be learned. I don’t think there are lazy horses. I think there are unmotivated ones, ones that don’t regard you as their leader, ones that don’t trust you to keep them safe or that are confused about what you really want because you are giving mixed messages, like pulling on the reins and kicking them to go forwards, etc… When your horse doesn’t comply, see it as an opportunity to grow in your skills. I haven’t yet met anyone who knew it all however long they have been around horses. Horses comply because they trust you, because you are a leader, not a bully. When people start coming up to you and asking, ‘However did you manage to achieve that with HIM?’ and you can see the horse is responding willingly, then and only then will you be worthy of your horse.
OK right horses have good memories .think ? they know how to come home by their selfvse . they learn tricks, games, movements and signals . can u imagine if you were beaten as a child or even smack with a wooden spoon or beaten with an electric kettel cord .you would never forget that shit .it stays with who’m ever recieved this type of so called training . so try to understand the task and work around about why of incourage both you and your mount to get r done 💡
Laziness and not picking up feet could be a soundness or pain issue. Dont be so quick to blame the horse.My horse was stubborn and “lazy” after riding a while. I now think he had an old injury to his left leg because he would not pick it up. suddenly he wouldnt do lead changes or pick up any of his feet. He was slightly off but it was barely noticeable. Turned out he had a ligament strain which later became a deep flexor tendon strain. Now that the pain is gone it took him a while to realize that picking his feet up no longer hurts and he is much more willing to so. If your horse wont work for you find out the cause, dont reach for the whip.
My exmoor pony can be very stubborn. Once she gets started she is a wonderful ride. But it’s the getting started that’s actually the hard part. Have you got any suggestions? I hear exmoor’s do have a mind of their own though…
A small, wild and starving mustang mare with her filly came to me last year. Never did causing pain come to mind as a good training technique. With two exception – biting & kicking. I go by John Lyon’s 3 second rule to strike back – which goes along with natural herd behavior. Biting & kicking is never, ever to be tolerated. The potential for human harm is too high.
It sound like you have a quiet animal, which you love very much, that may be willing to understand but at the moment is thoroughly confused of it’s purpose with a human friend. A pokey horse with little interest in the human handler needs to go back to square one. I agree with others here to determine if feed is correct and determine if there are any pain issues. Then, consistent ground handling and work are needed. The HUMAN has to put forth much effort into relationship building with their horses. Good horsemanship knows that relationship with the horse is more than a few hours a week saddling it’s backside. It’s lots and lots of the human first showing interest in the horse.
I wish you well with your equine companion.
i agree… BUT horses have short attention spans… like in Lyons book i read, you have 3 seconds to strike at him. after that NO! and if he bit and then ran away, no doing anything. and absolutly NO NOTHING on the face!! the most sensitive spot! NO NO NO hitting there EVER!
The only 2 reasons a horse has habits is due to handling & boredom. Always rule out pain in a horse young or old that is hesitant to move. They are fight or flight animals & if they aren’t moving, they very well may be in pain somewhere. Horses young & old can become bored with routine & need stimulation beyond the normal. If you ask for a walk at the lunge & it just stands there, tap it behind where your stirrup would sit until it begins to move then release the pressure. Beating it as someone stated above, doesn’t do anything more than to teach it to fear you & in turn causes more problems such as becoming high strung, head shy, & over all unstable. Your horse will no longer trust you.
does anyone have any tips on how I can tell if my horse is being lazy/stubborn or in pain???? she has arthritis 🙁 and she is sometimes a stubborn horse since she is a mare often she has her own way of thinking 😕 sometimes im not sure whether i should push her or let her rest??? any tips would be great 😛
When you get to an age where you have arthritis, you will know about pain! What are you doing for her arthritis? There are all sorts of natural remedies that will help a bit.
My experience of so-called stubborn horses is that I need to learn to listen to them and when I do, they are no longer stubborn. Learn to read her. Learn to be a good leader, a good motivator, teach your horse to trust you. You will grow as a human being and your horse will thank you by obliging.
I just got my 1st horse in august a 20 yr old gelding he will go out with other horses but I can”t get him to go off the property with me. What’s the best for me to do????
Just as nervous, “spooky” horses need “cool/calming” feeds and confident handlers, “lazy” horses need “hotter” feeds. I agree with others that a veterinary check is neccessary to rule out any pain issues.
I also feel that a change in routine to keep the horse interested for example, ride in the arena one day, then out on the trail, maybe some pole work/jumping the next day etc so boredom doesn’t set in. One mare we owned got to a point where she was just so lazy and bored that she nearly soured. If all else fails, spell the youngster for 6 months with minimal contact (only farrier, veterinary and feeding contact) and see how she goes when bought back in. We usually start our green horses, back and mouth them, teach the basics and them spell them for 6 months. We have never had a lazy horse since using this method.
okay, I tried, I tried not to leave a comment but after reading what “Bob” had to say it just overwhelmed me. I feel so sorry for your human family and most assurdly for you horses! Beat your horse like a runaway slave? GOD! I’ll bet your white too.
Listen, God has or had NO part in your cruelty or lack of compassion…you did that all by yourself. I do not believe that beating anybody or anything is the right thing to do. I look out at my two beautiful mares and am overwhelmed with the feeling of being humbled by these magnificent creatures. “They were NOT put on this earth to be abused by some idoit that is living or hoping too, many centuries ago! I actually thought we had advanced as a race. My mistake. If you feel the need to beat up something, flog yourself! I see that as the humain thing to do.
Please, please do not beat your horse for any reason, because there just isn’t one.
A tap with a whip does NOT constitute a beating; it simply gets their attention, and sometimes that’s all that’s needed. Other times (or for another horse) it may need to be repeated. The main thing is, never do it in anger; you’ll lose control of yourself and the situation.
Some years ago I was given an older, thoroughly experienced trail mare who was a major barn rat. First time out the long lane she spun around halfway out and ran back to the barn. I spun her around and kicked – hard – and ran all the way to the end, then turned around and walked back in to the barn, most of the way in her mouth. The next time I rode her, I brought some carrot pieces and apple slices. On the way out toward the road, I stopped every few feet and hand-fed her a goody from the saddle; on the way back I roughed her up a bit. She quickly decided there are compensations to going away from the barn and was never a problem again. She was much too big for me, so I soon sold her and got a more appropriate horse (pony, actually; I’m a little under 5′ tall). I hope Rags’ next owner was happy with her, and vice versa.
Ok guys, its sometimes ok to give a light tap to an older horse (say, 8-9+) but certainly not to a young horse!! What Dr. Jane Perry said is certainly the best way to go about things. So if you have a lazy horse, check them and their tack over, especially if they are not normally lazy. And yes, sometimes horses have ‘off’ days just like humans! 😛
Oh yeah and ps. dont listen to this Bob person, they are an idiot who just finds the easy way around problems instead of trying to fix it.
oh and pps. any tips on how to get a fidgety horse to stand still while getting their hooves trimmed? thnx 😀
Try singing to your baby. Mine hates the whip as he is an ex racer so when I did carry a crop he was perform so I threw it down and now use my voice. As humans we get embarrassed if our chi,dren and animals don’t behave properly if you ignore this and stay firm and don’t give in they end up giving up. At night when I put him in his stable I call him he comes up and stares at me, challenging. I stand in the stable singing to myself and he will come in with a big sigh and come up to me for his kiss goodnight. Some nights he likes to take longer but I do like this little game and I never give in. While on his back when he starts his nonsense I sing to him, God help the public as I don’t have a singing voice but hey my baby loves it and listens and clams and plods along. Good luck. I have learnt a lot more from all the different advices from this site. Thanks to all of you and happy horsing…
Like any youngster, their concentration span is not too long. I found that when I started schooling my TB mare (4 years old), she was able to concentrate for a maximum of 15 minutes the first session. One must understand that the concentration required for racing is vastly different from that of flat work and schooling. Just trying to get their hindquarters under them is taxing, as well as trying to understand leg aids and getting ón the bit’. I did this everyday and extended the time to 20 min then 25 min. I listened to her once she had had enough but only once we were passed the 15 min or 20 min mark. By allowing her to think she was setting the pace, the schooling became interesting for her without her getting bored and wanting to buck and rear and throw a tantrum. I still let her stretch her legs out at least twice a week by going for a controlled gallop in the sugar cane fields. Within a month we were doing 40 min flat work, with neér a problem and NEVER a whip!
I find that catching the horse being right and then rewarding it is a very effective way of dealing with a reluctant worker. You may have to set things up a bit to start with though. First find what reward really works with your horse, a scratch or a food treat perhaps. Then ask your horse to go forward to a place they like i.e. the stable. As soon as your horse moves forward reward him, even if it means he has to stop for you to do so. Once he it going forward happily as for more steps forward before you reward. Gradually you should be able to reduce and eventually only give rewards on very special occasions as the behaviour you are looking for becomes a habit. Hope this helps 🙂
not sure about the roughness of getting a horse to do what you want it sounds a bit cruel
😳 Lunge her every day ride her as often as possible 4 to 5 times per week, when she wants to stop or other have a crop in your hand and let her know you mean business wakk her on the shoulder or backside, you have to let the horse know who boss and of cause you are the boss, but your horse thinks she is, lunging you horse regularly can be a wake-up to them. let me know how you get on
Lunging a horse with an undetectable injury as you suggest, may cause further problems. I suggest having a vet check a horse who repeatedly seems “lazy or won’t work.
😥 to Bob the horse beater. It is obvious your intelligence is limited…(much lower than a horses i would think) I never hit my horse i use my voice. It works very well, and when he does well i reward him with a nice rub on the neck. He is perfect in every way and a pleasure to ride. I bet i can figure out why yours is not fun to ride…..hahahahahaha There is also something you might want to take into consideration Bob he may be in pain, you may have injured him. I hope not for his sake and his bucking your butt off would please me to true happiness…..keep up the good work idiot maybe i will get to laugh at you
I would rule out any medical issues before anything. I have a 5year old Arab who displayed very aggressive dominant behaviour around strangers and my other horses. He started bucking more and more when I was riding him. I knew deep down he didn’t want to be a bad pony as he shows great ability and eagerness to learn. After months of taking one step forward and three back, I asked a Physio to have a look at him and low and behold he wasnt lame lame but he did find certain moves very uncomfortable. My mare was bad for throwing her head in the air as sooon as pressure was put on the bit, she needed her teeth rasped! Listen to your horse and learn to work with him/her, not against them. As soon as you look at life thro their eyes, they will love you ten times more and be 100% more willing to please you.
Anyone who intentionally inflicts harm on a horse needs their heads examining and their horse taken away. My TB is handled sensitively in just the way he likes and as a consequence I have a very sweet, laidback horse willing to go wherever I want him to go and wants to stay with me at all times, even in his field!! He “knows” what I am thinking – I am sure of it – its like he can read my thoughts. Everyone who meets him says they have never ever met such a beautiful laid back TB before, he is certainly not typical. I would say tho he wasnt always like that. When I first got him he was as skinny as a coatrack, bit and kicked everyone in sight and a yard full of so called “professional” horse people were afraid of him and left him to me, the mere novice to handle!! It took about a year for him to get to know me properly and I learned that in his 16 years I was owner no.15. No wonder the poor boy had “issues”. Have had him now for 10 years and he is the most loveable, trustworthy horse I have ever met. I have also noticed that horses really do reflect their owners, most highly strung, agitated horses are only that way because their owners are that way. You be calm, collected and peaceful around your horse and your horse will be the same with you. You wave your arms around, shout at him coz he decides to shift position slightly whilst tied up (yes, I’ve seen it happen) and you will end up with an anxious horse who just wants to get as far away from you as possible. You must project TO your horse the behaviour you wish to receive FROM your horse. That is my view on the subject and just based on my own personal experience. Let me know what you all think.
You said, “anymore.” Have you thought of having this horse tested for lyme’s? It’s rampant around where I live and can have subtle to no symptoms. It’s worth the money to find out. May not be behavioral at all.
Hi Graham,
I attended Buck Brannaman’s Clinic this past weekend and I have to tell you if you invest some time learning Natural Horsemanship it will change your life. You don’t need fancy equipment just a rope halter and 12′ leadrope and Buck’s Groundwork book. That will get you started and you will be amazed at how quickly you see changes in your horse. I am doing this training with my horse and I get changes just about every time we practice.
After watching Buck I have a hard time trying to figure out why everybody isn’t using this method, so I sincerely hope you will check this out…you won’t be disappointed. 😀
Glad that most of the people who responded to this are more enlightened than Bob. Violence doesn’t give provide the horse with an incentive to trust or a willingness to work with you it only breeds fear and distrust.
Sounds like Bob should’nt own horses! (Or be left alone with the grandchild!)
there is no lazy horse, always a reason behind the not wanting to go forward.
I had a horse in my healing centre he battled to go forward, its was an effort for anything. When he started to show signs of being annoyed I called the vet in to do bloods. He listened to the heart and said nothing wrong, but took bloods to humour me. Never had then tested though and 3 days later the horse died of a hear attack.
So have the heart checked out properly, do all the correct heart tests, a stetescope means nothing.
Understanding a horse is hard and trying to keep ones mind ooen harder!! I have a hw traditional cob mare 6yrs old started to slow to stop no matter whatI did. She had sore feet in main but also we found was board. So I stopped all schooling and show work. Let her stretch her neck no collection and Hit the bush (so to speak) oh boy third time out she was keen and off. Now working half as much as before in the school but shes forward going again and better than before!!
Hi
My daughter taught me that teaching a to move his feet start with a lot of ground work,this also teaches him respect and you get to bond with your horse.No whips, no disrespect to the horse,just asking him to move out.A kind hand and heart goes along way.
I had a ‘lazy’ OTT, was sold to me as ‘very quiet, suitable for a beginner’. I am not a beginner but did not really want to buy a horse ‘project’ at my age. I brought him home and he was a lovely nature but hard to move along, resisted rounding his body. I gave him a week off in the paddock (which he had not had whilst with the beginners, who rode him everyday), then had his back /neck checked out, all was good but very very tight from having beginner (adults) putting badly fitting tack on him and riding with out instruction. Another week off relaxing in the paddock, a bit of a massage and brushing each day and he is up and ready to work! He was tired and sore, we all need a holiday. Within 6 weeks I have him nicely rounded and bending and moving forward happily. He is only 4 and I realise now how nice a horse he was not to have tipped me or the previous owners off. Happy days all round now. 😆
Jesus christ bob. You should get over yourself. It’s amazing how much bullshit people will post on the internet. If you ever did that shit in my presence I’d rope your sorry ass and jerk you down like the idiot you make your self out to be
Pretty small man there pard.
Often a horse (especially a youngster) that “refuses” to so something is physically unbalanced. We can most easily control the direction of the head, so a simple turning the head to one side as you ask for a forward step makes it easier.
Similarly if a horse is standing square it is easier for them to pick up their feet.
If we take our time with a youngster and work on co-operation and understanding from the ground we build up trust and co-operation under saddle. This includes lunging, long-lining (driving) from the ground etc.
I agree that biting and kicking need reprimanding. A good shout is often enough.
Elaine, another singer to horses…LOL. One night, right after dinner time for the horses, we had a terrible storm. The horses generally prefer being outside during storms. But this storm had nearby thunder and lightening, hail, and howling wind. I locked my mini and my old mare together in one three sided covered stall, and they were fine. I locked my young mare and gelding in another larger one. Lulu and Scooter (the young mare and gelding) were having a fit….yelling and running around and totally freaked out. I climbed into the stall with them, stood between them, and started stroking their foreheads while I sang them lullabies. Next thing I know, Scooter and Lulu both fell asleep with their back leg cocked. I stayed until the storm let up because I was too scared to try to make it back to the house. Singing does help…LOL
Bob, If you’re ever hurt by one of your horses, I’d say you had it coming. It may take a little longer to work patiently with your horse, but patience will make you the winner in the end. Your horse will respect you and have a pleasant time with you instead of dreading you, sighing with relief when you’ve finally left him/her alone.
WOAH, I have never hit my horse, he has had hoof issues and firmly planted them to the floor, working issues showed through from time to time and we managed by making things more enjoyable with the occasional treat and clicker training with them to teach them new things (great with the feet picking up problem). Also schooling has interesting occasional rewards and a variety of different things to challenge them 🙂
Sometimes, people just say ridiculous things in a post because they know it will ruffle the feathers of the people reading it. Funny, nobody even commented on the racist comment Bob made. I just read an interesting article that said people will feel more sympathy for an animal then for a person and we had a good example of that here.
Bob, you are a stupid heartless bastard. You should be charged with animal cruelty. If you had any ‘horse sense’ you could get your horse to do what you what without being abusive.
I adopted a 4 year old gelding. i’ve had him for 2 years now. he is slowly but surely getting thinner and thinner by the day. i feed him twice a day. i do believe air sucking is the cause. this is so sad to see. he literally cribs on any wooden pole he sees. PLEASE,,any advice out there?
I have a 17 year old TB pony who also loves to windsuck at every opportunity and is also terribly tricky to keep in good condition but as soon as I started to feed him 3 times a day (small meals) he gained weight and looks great!I also gave him an aloe concentrate in his feed which seems to be very soothing on their digestive systems. Try also to give him a lot of bulk feed to increase condition, teff, lucerne, or oat hay…perhaps you could give him an extra haynet during the day as well.
Good advice Taryn, but ultimately see about giving your horse constant turnout either a stall with a run or paddock with run-in shed, and free choice hay (if 24 7 pasture is not an opt). As horses are plains animals many can’t psychologically handle being confined in a “cave-like” stall.
Good luck and happy trails!
Get him moving. Cribbing and wind sucking are largely psychological disorders from lack of what horses crave naturally; socialization and movement. In the wild they live in herds and move more than 50 miles a day. If you can’t provide another equine companion, spend as much time as possible with him. That can be working in the barn or pasture nearby or actually playing with him. He’s wasting away from depression and psychological deprivation. Also try adding rice bran to his feed. It will provides an easily digested and good source of fats.
Beat his ass like a runaway slave? What the flying pink Jesus is wrong with you, Bob? I have grandchildren and horses and I pity the fool that even thinks about striking either. “That’s why God(?) made horsewhips? You must be dumber than soup…boy!
i have a really good suggestion for lazy horses so please read!!
make your horse want to work. this works with my horses. after riding give him a treat or do something he loves. if he does not work hard then do not give him an extra treat that day. your horse will soon catch on that if he does not work hard he does not get rewarded.your horse will look forward to a treat after his excersiseand know that he has to give his best into it to get a treat. Please try this !!!!
also you need to check your horses condition. from your description im assuming your horses are in pretty good shape but all horses have a certain extent hey can go. if you have multiple horses or have had other horses and are used to their endurance or speed just compare both of their builds. you’ll probably see that one horse is naturally longer legged and made for racing and another is bigger boned and are made for carrying large bulks. every horse is different so put that into consideration.
hey bob i think you have the wrong idea about disciplining your horse. and i actually think your head has caved in. your horse obeying because hes scared of you is never true harmony. your horse and you are a team. there are ways to make him want to work instead of doing it forcefully. it always goes back to the same thing. you can lead a horse to water but you cant make it drink. you obviously need a little help so i posted those tip s above for your use.
Does Bob really exist? Bob are you still out there, or are you a figment of someones imagination to get people reacting?
Morgan
I know this is going to sound weird, but I need to tell someone about it and I want t know if anyone else has experienced anything like this.
I sang to a horse recently and she sang back.
She had been rescued, she was starving to death and had been abandoned by her herd, found lying down, she is about 2 now. She still often eats lying down.
I tuned into her and moved towards her and waited. Then she lay down, her head still upright. I moved closer and the other horse lay down in exactly the same position next to her. I got a bit closer but not too close and I lay down as well, then the third horse lay down!
I sat up moved closer and found myself singing gently to her, a strong image came to mind of her when she was dying and at that moment she lay all the way down so her head was on the ground, I kept gently singing and she started to sing with me, her voice undulated and changed pitch as mine did…at first I couldn’t believe it was happening, it went on for a few minutes. Then I found myself weeping, and she started to make the most pitious whinnying the pain in my heart was more than I could bare and I felt the need to stretch an move my body. So I stretched my arms out to the side and as I raised them up to the sky all 3 horses get up in perfect unison and started stretching.
Morgan
I agree with Mabelle that the owner’s behavior is reflected in the horse. Both my horse and my dog aren’t respecting me as pack/herd leader all of the time. That is to say sometimes they disrespect me and e.g. my dog will refuse to come or stay when I give a command—sometimes. My horse, a mustang, has spooked the last two times I took him out–once down the street and once in his own pasture near a grove of trees. This is problematic for me because i am disabled and both times he managed to dump me. Now I have a fear factor about riding him darn it. He is a great horse otherwise and he and my donkey always want to be around me outside. I have been making him “move his feet” for me lately while I am on the ground, eg. at feeding times or other times I am just wanting to walk past him. That seems to be helping. Thanks for that tip from an earlier tip on this website. Any other suggestions would greatly be appreciated as my metal knee only bends half way and I don’t want to end up in surgery again. And I dearly love riding Tattoo bareback or with saddle. I just don’t want him to spook. It has nothing to do with him being bored though. Both times he dumped me were in different places, doing different things. I know I need to ride him more.
If possible, can you copy and email me your suggestions? I can’t seem to find my way back to these sites to find answers to my postings. Thank you!
Hey Bob, I would like to give you some of your own medicine and whip you like a runaway slave. If you did that here in Australia the RSPCA would have you for breakfaast, lunch and tea along with the majority of horse and animal lovers. Discipline is important but out right abuse is not acceptable. If that’s how you get respect I suggest you do a course in horsmanship.sorry but you really sound like a jerk bigtime…
bob think you are a disgrace people like you should not have horses or go hit a real man see what happens u was probably bullied at school and your too weak as a poor example of a man to do anything so u beat horses instead pussy comes to mind… 👿
Takes a wise person to understand that strength lies in a gentle hand.
Prerequisites to owning a horse should be respect; understanding; willingness to learn and to listen. Shouldn’t we assume first that our partner is not vindictive and wants to cooperate if properly motivated? Bob you need some serious education…. I pity living beings in your proximity. Sounds like you are mirroring something from your youth.
If this were my horse I would have the Vet check first to rule out pain as a blocking factor. Then perhaps consult an accredited trainer; perhaps there is a communication breakdown somewhere in your relationship? This could be a great opportunity to grow not only in your relationship with your horse, but as a person.
well Bob I guess that’s a little view of beating a horse. personally I think that is animal cruelty and you should hang by your balls. no one likes a tough guy anymore. why don’t you try respecting your horse, there are many books out today to teach you how to handle them. and believe this or not you will pay for that one day
because they are creatures of God.
Omg……….Bob your an idiot I hope your horse bites the hell out of you. You make yourself sound
very dumb and you don’t know what your doing, so
I am done with putting you down although I would
love to beat your ass big boy.
sell the horse you can’t handle it.
Wow! This has really started something. I have my opinion on some of the comments which I think best to keep to myself!
In answer to the original question, I really wouldnt worry too much. The horse is still a baby and will be getting mentally as well as physically tired really quickly. They need to learn to think “forward” which will come with time, work and when balanced. I would reinforce leg with a single sharp tap behind the leg with a schooling whip. They must learn leg aids so not to get “dead to the leg”. Try using 2 schooling whips to reinforce leg aid if first squeeze is ignored. It is vital they learn leg means go forward and in my experience a few taps with the schooling whip and then LOADS of praise as soon as they do as asked. Also at that age it is quality and not quantity. 5 or 10 mins of good work is far more productive than a half hour or longer of arguments. Good luck. BELIEVE in you and your horse. It can be frustrating but it WILL come. It will suddenly just click! X
I have a lazy Clydesdale (doesn’t seem to know he’s a “work horse”). It’s very important that we play with him. Also, he’s very confident so we work with respect a lot! The most important exercise is backing up….in all situations whether it’s feeding time or riding time. A HORSE THAT WON’T BACK WON’T GO FORWARD! For our Clyde this establishes us as the respected leader and him as the adored follower. If he refuses to go into a collected trot or canter I’ll give him a spank with the crop, but needing more than a single firm tap and I’d know we need to go back to basics. WORKING ON THE GROUND AND IN THE SADDLE IS KEY! Now my workaholic Welsh is another story, he would refuse to cross ditches and refuse to get in the trailer to go home (he loves the park!) In both cases I’d back him up. Now of course only if the ditch was free of debris he might trip on, but once he saw he was safely in the ditch he’d relax, AND he remembered next time if he didn’t trust me I’d have him go backwards! As for trailers,I’ve seen so many people beat there horses to getinto the trailer and its about the ugliest thing ever. I know trailers aren’t the main topic, but this exercise is helpful for other situations. I had to repearepeatedly bring my Welsh up the trailer and then back him when he refused. Eventually all horses will getsick and tired of backing and CHOOSE going forward into the trailer as the best choice, and when they find the yummy treats hidden in the hay they know they did right 😀
Happy Trails all!
Hello.
I have an 8yr old gelding, mixed breed.
I bought him a few year back from my cousin, whom was terrifide of him and coudn’t find another buyer for him. The horse was compact and stocky. When I fist saw him I knew he would be a powerful horse withe a lot of enduranse. It took me an entire day just toe get him louded. With a lot of triel and error we finaly created a bond.
The horse was abused in his training. He has a lot of physical and mental scars. I believe he was broken in water because he is terrified of iet ! I can’t even dip or spray fly and tick repellant on him. I have kept him away from water for as long as I can, but I reconed he had to get over it ! So I tride to rub on some fly repellant…. and he went mad as a hatter… he nou so afraid of me, that he won’t even care to look at me when alI enter his meadow, he just storms away as if I’m going to kill him.
Please help me.
Any advise would be appreciated to help me restore our bond and to help him get over his fear of water.
Ps. Please forgive my grammer and spelling mistakes for English is not my fist languege.
I can’t claim to have the 40 yrs experience some of you have, but I have learned that each horse is an individual and have to be treated as such. I think it is hysterical that some of you get so worked up over a ‘BOB’ post. To say that all you need is a tap or all you need is to beat the sh*t out of them would be an oversimplification of most horse problems. My hot, flighty foxtrotter was easy to push through a fear situation or a balk but my walking horse – described as the gentlest, sweetest horse in the barn – really is fearless and pushy and has to be reminded constantly that I’m the boss. sometimes that is a tap with the spurs and sometimes, like yesterday, that was a hard kick with the spurs and a whack on the butt with the reins along with the ‘big girl’ voice to convince him he was not in charge of this ride. And, once done, I haven’t needed that level of escalation again with him. I don’t think Bob is saying he always beats every horse, just that he starts early with being the boss. There are some guys that still admit to this behavior, but most don’t, they just take the pushy, spoiled horse behind the barn when you’re not around. I rode for 5 yrs with a guy who trained Tennessee Walking horses. He mainly started colts that no one had worked with because it was safer that way, no spoilage to take care of. During that 5 yrs he worked with 3 barn-sour horse and basically it was hard to watch. He did beat them – it was their last chance. All three horses were dangerous because they were pushy, disrespectful and would fight a human. They had been created by gentle women who did not understand horse behavior and babied them when they should have been disciplined ( see Clinton Anderson and Buck Brannaman for details.) When he was finished two of those horses were and still are very good riding horses. The third was way smarter than we gave him credit for and reverted quickly with a weaker rider. There are so many good authors and clinicians that have a good understanding of horse behavior that there is not much excuse these days for having a spoiled horse. If you are having issues in a certain area get help to figure out if they are testing you or if there is a physical problem. So, lets leave the ‘My Little Pony’ days behind, realize that these are 1000 lb animals that can kill you, and learn to speak their language.
Oh dear, Bob. What century are you inhabiting? I can only assume from your comment that you come from KKK Ranch and the 18th. It is very sad that in this day and age people still think that violence is the solution when training horses or it appears disciplining children.
Graham – your horse is a ‘baby’. Give her praise for the slightest ‘try’ when doing things such as picking up her feet. Even one inch off the ground. I went through this with my youngster. If you ride her out and she doesn’t want to go further take her back and lunge her so she understands that she is not getting out of work.
A horse in pain should not be worked – period. What do you think she is – a machine? Or are you related to Bob? (Just asking!).
Mary – I agree – look to your horse’s feed as my girl was very spooky and changing her diet to chaff and balancer helped a lot but the fact was with her she was spooky because she was a young horse and things frightened her because she had no experience of them! Horses are flight animals after all. Very often you need to work on desensitizing them which should be done carefully in the school with horseman’s flags and plastic bags and again – nothing invasive or frightening for the horse. Build their confidence – and that includes building their confidence in YOU as their ‘leader’. My girl used to spook at her own shadow and now she is as calm as can be. It all takes patience with horses – not hitting. There are no ‘quick fixes’ – just commitment on your part to helping your horse just like you would your child if it has a problem.
Also, everything that applies to horses applies to life. 😆 😆 Our horses often reflect our own issues. That’s been food for thought for me for a long time. Consider that as you read cruel and racist comments. 😉
When I’d read, “beat his ass like a runaway slave” that in and of itself was like being hit with a brick in the head! Anyone who’d use such a term as that should be given the boot off of a site like this! Where so many beginner horsemen/women come to learn the best ways to deal with a problematic horse!
Having parents, both from the deep South, Georgia, and Mississippi, terms like that are extremely offensive! Bob,… try and use a bit of tact and common sense if you can find any in there! Good Lord, what an awful way to express a thing!!!
Hi,
I am just getting into horses . I have always wanted one but never had the land to get one until now. I have got to get the timber cut and fix a pasture before I get a horse but a lady gave me a donkey the other day. He was chasing her caves . He is very sweet. What I need to know how to keep flys and other pest off him ?
Thank you,
Kelly
This is exactly what I went through with my 4 year old mustang, same symptoms. Turns out he has a neck spinal injury which causes imbalance and tiring out quickly on the trails. I suggest you check with a vet before calling your horse “lazy”, as I did. Good luck with this.
ok ok I think if you just ignore the comments of Bob he mite just go away lol. But it is a shame someone would do that to anything. I just got 3 new horses a 3 & 4 year old paint and a 13 year old ? not sure of spelling Dunn. could not whip any of them they are to beautiful and wild going to be fun learning with them.
I have two horses that I’m working with to ‘break’at the moment. One is blind in her right eye following an accidental kick from another horse in her field as a yearling. Whatever you are doing with your horses, it takes patience and perseverance. You have to remember that horses are ‘flight’ animals. Giving their feet is a matter of trust. If she won’t give her feet, keep running your hands firmly up and down her legs and don’t even offer to lift her feet. It might take time but eventually she will give of her own accord.
Try a change in your routine. If your riding in a ring all the time. Go for a ride somewhere with a group of people. Other than your stall or pasture mates. I do it all the time show horses out on an organize trail ride go to the beach or stream to swim or walkthrough you will be surprised how your horse will act when you get off and splash water on him. Be creative keep his life interesting and you will find yourself being a better person as well
There is a mythological creature… a man who likes horse riding.. Bob is one.. but after the scathing attacks of women on here, no wonder these mythological creatures are far and few between. I personally don’t agree with Bobs choice of education with his horse, but I don’t think name calling and insults are the way to change anybody’s behavior or help teach them a better way. Woman can be quite vicious if they don’t agree with you.. no wonder horse people are mainly women.
My new horse and I enjoy our rides together. We go to different areas to make trails different. She does well on roads. She was a 2 weeks summer camp horse. It was at beginning of September for our first ride together. After that, I knew she was the one for me. 😀 But SHAME ON BOB who beats his horse like he would a run-away slave! He sounds cruel, prejudice and a sad, sad man who even beats his grandson! Why is he not in jail for animal and child abuse? 😈
I had a horse who felt inconvenienced by me wanting to work him. My farrier, who’s into a lot of Natural Horsemanship, gave me some homework to do with our boy. He told me my horse was inconvenienced by me wanting to work him. So he told me to tie the horse up, put on the saddle, leaving the girth very lose, but in no danger to the saddle. Supply the horse with water & feed. And leave him there for a few hours waiting for me. It was time he had to wait for me.
And so I did. I would tie him up. Leave him saddled with a lose girth, feed & water at his head. Waiting…. Waiting…. Waiting on ME! (not screaming, emphasizing). Gradually as the weeks passed I started to notice he was happier to see me & far more willing to go to work.
But I also made sure I varied his workouts more. More trail rides. If your horse is lazy & doesn’t want to move out & forward – – trail rides. Canter a lot. Trot a lot. Make the horse eager to move out.
Young horses need a very varied program to be happy. Make your horse happy. A four (4) year old is a very young horse still. You’ve got to make the horse happy.
I hope this helps a little. I’ve always gotten young horses & I stress varied program & lots of trail rides. Not ever had a problem until that one older horse.
Make sure that your saddle and other tack fits well before deciding whether the horse is lazy or not. Uncomfortable tack may slow the forward motion. Will the animal lunge and go forward without difficulty? When riding insist that they move at least 1 foot when you are asking to go forward (even if you need to turn them in circles). Praise the heck out of them then try again. Takes patience but eventually they get the idea. Sometimes riding with another person will also motivate the horse to move forward. Good luck and happy riding!
Wow Bob, you really fit the profile of ‘boys who hit girls are too scared to hit boys’ It is an absolute shame that you don’t know what a privilege it is that horses ALLOW us to handle them. People like you should be thrown in the ring with the likes of Mohammed Ali for a taste of your own medicine. You are embarrassment to the human race.
I recently started riding again after 40 odd years. Loving it, but having a lot of pain in my knees when I’m in the saddle. I do have problems with both my knee caps. Can anyone give any suggestions what I can do to make it more comfortable.
Many thanks