Ellen is frustrated by something I suspect has happened to us all at some time – your horse stops walking:
“Hi Alastair,
I need help and advice please!
Me and my horse are green, but advancing at a slow pace. She has got a four month old fowl, so I did not ride for a while, only started about two weeks ago.
I mostly work in the ring with her, doing groundwork, flex, walk, stop, canter etc. When I ride it is more of the same thing. I try to keep it interesting, doing different things with her. The problem is that during each session she freezes at some point. I just can’t get her going for about 10 minutes. My horse just stops walking. I try getting het to flex to distract her, but she is not really responding. Yesterday I got off, walked her around and get up again, but she still did not move for another couple of minutes. Then all of a sudden she goes again as if nothing happened.
I mostly ride with my body, not really using hands to steer etc. She is normally very good natured and loveable, I never had any “accidents” with her.
I would really appreciate to hear what you think of the situation.
Kind regards
Ellen”
Horse stops walking
“I have recently taken on 2 rescue horses to foster until they can be adopted. Part of this process involves me riding them frequently as they would be more adoptable if they can be ridden. I have been doing some light walk, trot work with them, but the mare has stopped completely and refuses to walk under saddle. The gelding will do some work but after awhile just stops and refuses to go any farther. I am at a loss. Nothing seems to work to get them moving. Help!!!
Frustrated.”
“What to do if your horse puts your boot in his mouth while riding him. We’ll stop for a short while and he turns his head and puts my boot in his mouth. I remove it of course but should I do anything else to correct this behavior?
Jan”
Who can help, Jan, ‘Frustrated’ and Ellen with her horse that horse stops walking?
I thought I’d post it because I know it is something we’re all familiar with. Please do let us know your thoughts.
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To try to keep the ring fresh for my young gelding, we work him in the ring for a while, then take a breather by walking/relaxing him around the outside of the ring on grass. This has helped to settle him into a new barn(walking him along the fence gives him support, outside not as spooky),focuses the ring as a work area, and also found out that he does not like to relieve himself in the ring.
I bought a horse in feb this year, she previously did cross country, when either my partner or myself ride her she refuses to move, we’ve had her feet done, her teeth cleaned also had a massage and a saddle fitted as previous saddle was too tight so have tried everything, and when I take her into round pen ro walk, trot, she turns round and kicks out her back legs to me, we are both novice riders so maybe she’s taking advantage, please can someone help!
Janet and Derek
Have you tried using a lunge line and doing a bit of lunging with her first before you start to ride? When your horse stops they are saying to you I don’t want to do this any more and your answer should be get moving.
My horse grabbed my boot with her teeth, I just shook my foot , and she let it go. Someone told me that they had heard of a horse pulling the rider off when they grabbed their with their teeth.
I’ve seen more than one race horse grab a jockey with its teeth and throw it off its back rather than work. There is a need for some serious attitude adjustment, since the horse lacks respect.
If there is injury or unsoundness, that needs be addressed. After that some serious work on ground manners. Then create learning experiences where the horse learns it is less work to do what is requested the first time, rather than after. Caveat: Abuse, beating, harsh work will NOT get your goal.
For the horses that won’t move. You need to squeeze, cluck, & spank. Start out as light as possible & get as assertive as necessary. Start this on the ground & get it really good. When round penning or lunging start with a point the direction you want them to go, then a cluck if they don’t go off a point, then spank the ground with a whip, & if they still don’t go spank their butt. Repeat this until they will move with energy from just a point. Then when you ride them they should be more willing to go off just a squeeze with your calves. If they don’t then cluck while holding the squeeze, next move the end of your reins back & forth at the shoulder or just behind your leg, next tap the horse back & forth behind your leg with the end of the reins, & increase as necessary until the horse moves then release all pressure immediately.
If the horse puts your boot in his mouth while riding bop him in the mouth with the toe of your boot to let him know that isn’t tolerated.
Hope this helps! 🙂
This is sound advice.
But sometimes none of that works. I trained an endurance horse once that would just stop after about half an hour. I had a ten mile loop with all the expected endurance terrain. When we headed that direction he would just quit as he knew what was out there. No impulsion would move him, he finally started going backward. I let him, for ten miles, the whole loop backwards. When he backed past his starting point he figured it out.
Also the boot biting can be dangerous.
Seems to me like you and others on here simply are not willing to listen to what your horses are trying to tell you. They do have a voice you know, though it is not the voice you are used to listening to! Please for the sake of your horses, it is not about ‘making’ them do things! Become partners! They are trying to tell you something – to do it differently!!
I was at a Clinton Anderson clinic and there was a horse there that kept putting his riders boot in his mouth to and before long the horse lost his footing and went completely down with the rider. Clinton Anderson told her that was a very dangerous habit to kick the horse in the nose every time he did that that he was being very disrespectful.
I have had the same problem with my horse, to the extreme I might add, but what I have learned is: always keep your feet lightly sliding, or tapping across your horses middle, very gently so he knows always feels your motion, therefore he thinks he is suppossed to keep moving. I may not have explained it very well, maybe someone can explain it better, but it does make a difference on my horse. Try it, what have you got to loose.
In my experience, the horse that stops and/or tries to bit the rider’s boot is often suffering painful girth issues. Try a soft, shaped girth. Ideally, try something like a Fairfax girth.
I was always taught that a horse that freezes like the one described had been over tasked. You might be missing some little clues that your horse is becoming stressed and/or confused and continuing until she gets overloaded.
I have a similar horse but he doesn’t freeze but gets faster and faster until he explodes. He has taught me not to push things too far out of his comfort zone!!
If I was working with her I would do not of ground work asking for something simple with the slightest possible command I.e. Stepping back with the lightest pressure on her chest. Stop at a small try and give her time to think. This way you will get to know her sensitivity and small tells of stress. My horse holds his breath and gets tense in the withers if he has had enough or is confused.
Once you know the signs you can aim to stop a particular training as soon as she tells you it’s all getting too much. Then go back to something she knows well and can relax while doing.
Good luck 🙂
Feels like you are more on the right track to me – yea for the horse!!
We had a problem with one of our geldings who would stop mid-ride and it would be difficult to get him going again. It turned out to be a condition called tying up. It is painful and the horse simply cannot move forward until the pain subsides. The worst thing you can do is force the horse to move forward if you suspect tying up. There is a powder you can give to a horse to alleviate the problem in future. I can’t remember what they were called but we used to buy them at the Co-op when there used to be Co-ops.
Good morning. Nearly every problem mentioned above for all of you folks goes back to basic leadership that your horses need so desperately to be a partner in your journey to become a horseman. The journey that I am talking bout will take lifetime of learning on your part. However the good news is there wealth of information out there to get you all started presents a no-nonsense practical approach to getting leadership of your horse under control. Remember, we need to have a conversation for understanding each other. Your horses are light years ahead of us in body language and intention of thought. Enjoy the journey.
Jan, Try giving him a bit more than he wants to chew. Press your boot into his mouth gently further into his mouth. He’ll quit. We do this with dogs…If a dog seems to be wanting to bite, make a fist and put on some pressure. They don’t expect the extra mouthful. Might take a couple of times but it always works for me. Gentle discouragement
Frustrated. How about a butt tap with the lounge rope.
I hope you’ve checked out physical issues that might make it hard or impossible for your horse to move until the condition lessens, such as a locked stifle or ”tying up,” a muscle spasm/cramping that usually affects the hindquarters. Horse.com defines tying up:
“During exercise, affected horses develop a short, stiff stride; these signs can worsen if exercise is continued. Upon stopping, horses often are very reluctant to move and might adopt an unusual stance.” Please get a vet check if you think a physical problem might be the issue.
Looking for suggestions: I have a coming 2 year old filly that I am starting round pen work. Traditional methods have to be modified as she is deaf. Having trouble getting her to lock on to me, everything outside catches her attention, suggestions?
Horse is a heard animal and his mission in life is to keep or advance his position in the heard. When you are with your horse, this automatically creates creates the heard of two: you and him (her). One of you has to be a leader. If you do not establish yourself as a confident, trustworthy leader, the horse will take over. Refusing to go under the saddle is disobedience. If that horse has an alfa mare next to him …..I bet you anything – he will go forward! Alpha mares are not nice to any disobedient heard members….they beat the crap out of them! We, humans treat horses like they are people, and they do not understand that. To be with a horse you must learn to think like them, and to react like them. They move away from the pressure, and stop when pressure goes away. When your horse refuses to go forward, increase the pressure! Whip on the butt a few times and he will go forward. Show him that you mean business! The worse thing to do is to get off; he gets rewarded this way for being naughty…..and things get worse from that point on. Stay on his back and persevere. No matter how hard you spank his butt you can not hurt him. Just remember, when they discipline each other they kick a lot harder than you can ever kick! Once he gets moving, pat his neck and continue riding in a relaxed pace. Stop, and make him go again. He gets moving forward, pat his neck and continue walking, or ask for a little trot. Quit when you think he has done his job correctly. Reward him and make a big fuss over him. It should be clear to him that you decide when to stop and when to go…. and he doesn’t!
My horse used to do something similar. I would always ride her for about an hour(without realizing it), so eventually when it came to be that time she would just stop responding. I let her get away with it more than I should have because that was the routine for me. But I quickly realized that this was going to become a problem, so I “made a deal” with her. So long as she kept moving her feet, I would let her go wherever she wanted at whatever speed she wanted(because she knows damn well that I hate to trot). Even if it meant she trotted in tiny circles around the gate for half an hour, I kept her moving. Normally she’s a very light touch horse. I wiggle my legs a certain way and she’ll go. I tap her side and she’ll trot. Give her a light squeeze and she’ll canter. But when she got into these fits, I’d be squeezing, (light) kicking, and hitting her with the popper just to keep her going. After the first few small circles she would realize she couldn’t win and would keep going, but it is very frustrating. I’m still trying to break her of the habit(I let this go on WAY longer than I should have)
saddle fit, saddle fit, saddle fit. (for stop and go horse).
I have two horses that would stop when out riding. It’s a sign of no trust and disrespect for your ability. I’m not into hitting my horses so what I did was more ground work but until they learned to trust me more I would do one of two things: 1) dismount and walk for a few minutes then get back on or 2) turn them around and make them back in the direction I want to go. The idea is to make your idea/want seem more appealing.
As for not wanting to longe, use a flag or plastic bag on the end of a fishing pole type rod. Wave it at the opposite shoulder that you want the horse to move. Example: I want my horse to trot clockwise or right. I would point in the direction, tell them what I want and the reinforce by waving the flag/bag at the left shoulder. Sometimes aggressively but never touching. This worked great on my mare that no one could seem to get to longe. Thank you Julie Goodnight for this advice. Took a few times and some aggressive flag waving but she longes now without much effort.
Hello, I also have stop and go horse. She is an older mare started later in her life.
she is a lovely mare gentle and definitely a people horse but when she feels she has worked enough she stops. I found a strong leg and touch of a dressage whip gets her moving again..she is getting better..time will tell..
Well, the same thing happens to my instructor’s horse. I find it is more common with mares, trying to test you out, or horses thinking they’ve done enough work, or the work is to hard, or they are getting mixed signals.
I would just say assert your leadership, keep signals clear, and don’t over work them. Put in plenty of breaks, stop, walk around the paddock/arena, get back to it. Constantly keep them listening and thinking, whether that is riding funny patterns, lengthening or shortening strides, leg yields etc. Ask, reward.
Also try to keep workouts short, as once they have worked for a while they tend to lose interest and can become difficult.
I have brought a new 13HH cob last month, he was brought as a project pony, he also goes and stops, first couple of times I rode him he would walk a few paces then stop, I gave him a little pat told him he was a good boy and waited till he moved, as he moved a gave a little squeeze and gave the command to walk on and tell him he’s a good boy, if he didn’t move I turned his head so he would then move his feet to the side and tell him good boy, few days ago he wouldn’t get into trot and I had to give him quite a bit of leg (for walk to) etc etc, I rode him today (4th time), and he was very responsive and learning what I want him to do and each time he walks i tell him he’s a good boy and give him the command I want and he only needed a squeeze and walk on command and he responded lovely (learning quick)…. if ANY of that makes sense hope its helped 😀
To sum it all up in fewer words, leadership is effective when the horse has respect for the handler. When the horse is typically obedient and respectful, you would know then that something is amiss when there is an issue that pops up. In the event of a newly acquired horse, one would need to find the level of that horse’s respect and manners and continue training from there, especially on the ground.
Real awesome stuff. Working with huskies and horses is a life passion for me. Learning a lot from your topics and discussions. many Thanks!! Elfrede
Ellen, there could be so many reasons why your horse stops and refuses to move during a work session. It could range from physical discomfort or pain to just rewarding itself with a break because it can. If your vet can’t find a physical reason for the stopping and refusing to move then you will need to move the horse by whatever means possible. You could start by using an assistant to lead the horse forward as you are asking for forward movement with your forward aids, then the assistant would reward the horse as he is walking. If this doesn’t work after a reasonable time then you may have to be more forceful and your horse could retaliate. If you don’t feel you could handle the situation it would be best to get an experienced trainer’s help.
I have been riding on and off my whole life. I have worked for several different stables over my life. YOU need to be the boss if you are ever going to truly enjoy your horse. Once they establish you are not they will continue to take you for a ride instead of you riding them. I was bucked, scraped, and thrown my share of ties off the back of the horses I rode. Every time I disciplined those horses including hitting one horse (that I had to walk 4 mile back to my barn) square in the forehead with a 2×4! He never dumped me again and I had him for 4 more years of wonderful trial riding until I went to college and had to sell him due to not having the time to give him the attention he needed. Horses will always be my first love but if you are fortunate enough to own one you have to establish who is boss. And it should never be your horse because they far out weigh us and we are the ones that will wind up injured.
Hi avery 1 regarding the biting your buts what you do is semedery lemon juice Al over the buts and give to the horse at the same time as he bit pot more juice into his mouth he will drop the but at ons . Strait at pik the but and give it to hem agen and hi should wak away.
About the horse stopping if hi is ok in the field just pot the ful take on the horse and wak away for a bet and watch the horse then walk towards the horse and send him away and keep walking towards him and send it away repeat that for a while be strong on your tongue of voice then turn around with your back towards the horse and ignore it . start to walk slowly towards the Gate if the horse falling you I’ll come to you prazing .
Then is time to get a liding rope and on the ground start to do the baciks comandos walk stop repeat several times if he obliged then do it the same on the saddle . tip is very important everytime your horse do what is told please praise them .
I have found many horses just get board – same routine – round and round they go. Good rides outside the ring helps, trails and mixing up patterns and routines. Helped mine but all horses are not alike.
As for the horse that kicks out at you – that has to be Stopped. My Mini tried that as he ran free in coral – Not Ok – that shows disrespect. So I had to take firm action to stop it.
As for the one that bites or holds your boot – some horses have been given treats as they are being ridden – that can make them turn back in hopes of treats and not getting them reacts. Not sure why yours does but you need to stop it. Try pulling its head to the opposit side hard. With a push to go.
I just train my horses or mustangs needing help to find forever homes – No formal training
Best of luck and enjoy your horses
I had a 7/8 thoroughbred palomino mare I purchased years ago at 2 1/2 yrs. When I bought her she had not even been halter broken, just chased in and out of the barn with the rest of the herd with a buggy whip – the only language she understood at the time. I called her Missy Two Shoes because she would just as soon kicked your head off as look at you . You couldn’t get near her. I had her for a couple months – any time I looked at her she would run off. I was getting frustrated – I was green enough myself- I rounded her into a box stall and shut the door. I opened the door – if her bum was there ready to kick me I swat it several good quick swats with a crop and shut the door. I repeated that about 3-4 time. The next time I opened the door her head was there – I praised her and gave her a treat. I closed the door, and repeated – if it was her bum she would have got a swat , if her face she was praised , given a treat and petted. It took the one session – she clued in very quickly. She was fantastic after that. She would come running full gallop from the furthest corner of the field when I called her name. she was a real pleasure to ride – people were amazed at her age because she was so well behaved, and we were best buds, would snuggle. It was the only time I used a crop on her ever, never needed to again. I was just glad it worked because I was at my wits end as to what to do.
I don’t know if this is where I need to post this question, but here goes. I have a 22 yr old that is great. I can even ride him. (I’m the grandmother!) My daughter, her husband and my 11 yr old grand daughter can ride him with no problems. When I put my 7 yr old on him, he just won’t go. She weighs 50 lbs and is only 3 ft 10″. She clicks, clucks, kicks, has tried a small crop, but nothing. I can get on him after she rides and he does beautiful! Any suggestions?
Thanks
Jenny