2 year olds

[miss_bird]

i need some help please before i go bald with pulling my hair out.
I have the most adorable 2 year old i i bred my self so she is a total pet, but then she turned 2 and oh dear do horse's go through the terrible two's like children.
Well firstly she was happily walking and lightly trotting out on walks in a head collar and leadrope or a bit and bridle. now she goes as far as she wants then just stopps dead and will not move took me about 40 mins to go 100 yards the other day.
Secondly she has now got very bolshie when it is feed times and actually kicked me the other day it is mostly excitement with food which she has no reason as she has never been starved.
Any advice please, i have never hit this horse or used anthing other than a rasied voice on her, but she has gone from an angel to a naughty little so and so

 

[Super_Kat]

When she stops walking forwards turn the bugger around and make her walk backwards, she'll soon learn than it's better to cooperate.

 

[ihatework]

Also, what is she turned out with ...

Any chance you can put her in a group that will teach her a few manners and put her in line?

 

[baybeejay01]

Have got the same kind of issues with my 2yo, obnoxious, knows better than me, headstrong, bolshie etc!! Am just starting Parelli with her as I have noticed that if you make her think it was all her idea she will do it with pleasure and all day long if you want!! Women!

 

[the watcher]

It pays to remember that this is an entire horse that is reaching hormonal maturity, I think it is just a stage they go through and this is an opportunity to re-establish some ground rules.

 

[AmyMay]

Do you long rein her? That can really help - and is how all the youngsters are started at my yard.

Where are you feeding her? If it's in a field - bring her in. If it's in the stable and she turned her back on you and kicked you - then you could always hang the feed on the door - or send her to the back of the stable until you are ready for her to come forward and eat.

Firm handling with continuity.

 

[Claireg9]

ewww, kicked you, well some might not agree but tha is grounds for a whack. Not a beating before you all start but she has to know that is not acceptable and she would probably have been shocked into behaving if you've never done it before.
as to the walking bit, definitely try the walking backwards thing, and i agree with sending her away until your ready for her to eat, although this can be difficult, also when she is eating try doing things with her, like grooming then playing with ears, legs and even putting your hand in her feed, try taking the feed out and putting it back when she stands quietly and generally make her know your her mum you are to be respected and as you treat her well there is nothing that you are not allowed to do with her!
Good luck im sure she'll come good again x

 

[miss_bird]

When she is eating you can do anything with her be it grooming, picking her feet out anything like that, it the getting the food to her, she just charges and i taught her back until the bucket was on the floor, now though if i walk into the field with the bucket she wont go back just starts bucking and rearing. I really wanted to give her a smack the other day but as i was out at the field did not have a whip with me, i did give her a smack with the palm of my hand but she just looked at me as if to say and what was that meant to do.
With the out walking prob i tried turning her around which she did but would not move forward, tried going backwards but she just leant forward on me.
At a total loss as none of my other horses have been like this.

 

[severnmiles]

[ QUOTE ]
When she stops walking forwards turn the bugger around and make her walk backwards, she'll soon learn than it's better to cooperate.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto what Kat says!

Don't push her backwards, shake the leadrope at her and try and make sure she's walking in the direction you want her to go.

 

[severnmiles]

[ QUOTE ]
Have got the same kind of issues with my 2yo, obnoxious, knows better than me, headstrong, bolshie etc!! Am just starting Parelli with her as I have noticed that if you make her think it was all her idea she will do it with pleasure and all day long if you want!! Women!

[/ QUOTE ]

I wouldn't call her obnoxious Lynney, just more clever than you

hehe only joking!

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
she just charges and i taught her back until the bucket was on the floor

[/ QUOTE ]
TBH - an awful lot of horses get excited at feed time if you feed them in the field (I'm dealing with two just like that at the moment, both old enough to know better! LOL). So it's not neccesarily an age thing.

I think though that if it is seriously becoming and issue and is dangerous - then the horse should be brought in to be fed so that is easier for you to re-establish the ground rules.

With the walking thing - how often do you take it out? Every now and again or every day??

 

[miss_bird]

we were doing every other day, then another mare foaled so i have been a bit lapse, but she started doinging the stopping thing when we were going out all the time, maybe it was too much. Think a may risk life and limb and try again tomorrow.
Think i may try taking her out of the field to the food rather than taking the food to her and when she sees that bucket if she starts playing up take her away from it till she behaves. If you never hear from me again i am lying in my field battered by my 2 year old.

 

[AmyMay]

Good luck.

With the stopping - maybe she's just saying 'enough ma'. And personally I'd have to agree with her. Why not just leave her to mature quitely in the field. Consistent, regular handing is important - but at two, do you need to be doing that much really??

 

[trelawnyhorses1]

I do agree with alot of the comments already made make the bugger walk backwards down the road for how ever long it takes if you give in now then itl b soo much harder in the long run. And if she kicks you smack her she must learn what is rite and wrong jus like a child. my two yr old will get a smack but he does learn from it but always remember to reward her when she is gd

 

[Theresa_F]

Chancer is just two and does have his bolshy days. Normally if he has not done anything, ie been left in the field for a week, just being fed and checked, without his training sessions he starts turning into a little git.

He had four days off this week and yesterday he decided standing still was not on and kept swinging and knocking me flying whilst he was being groomed. I found my baseball hat very useful for a few swift smacks to his arse - noise of it soon encouraged him to move over and stand still - once he did he was given a stroke. Within five minutes he was well behaved once he realised that if he behaved like a yob the baseball hat came off my head again.

He like all babies will try his luck.

He went through a naughty stage in the field - I feed mine twice a day. If he barges up - I assume my agressive stance and walk him down. Until he stands nicely he doesn't get his feed. He once made the mistake of kicking out - he got a boot up his bum straight back as another horse would if kicked. He was then kept away to the end of the field with agressive body language (and a muck rake pointed at him) and not allowed near for 5 mins. He then had to walk up gently and stand. He has not kicked out since.

I have found with him that three short - 15 mins or so training session each week keeps him nice. He is very quick to learn and really enjoys his sessions. We do in hand show training, long reining, loose schooling - working on the lunge - but round the school with the occasional circle, never on a constant circle.

This weekend I introduced two ground poles - he took to these immediately and was walking and trotting over and around them like a pro. I do two different things in each session to keep him interested. He is a far nicer boy for it.

He did go through a stage of planting and/or walking over me. I called in a professional and he was very quickly sorted out. Problem was that he had no respect for me or my personal space. With a mixture of traditional and Monty Roberts type methods it took two sessions to sort him.

I am strict with him - no nipping, kicking or barging is tolerated. I try to be fair and consistent with him at all times - on the whole he is a little angel, but can turn into a little devil if not kept on top of.

 

[cariadssogreat]

"I am strict with him - no nipping, kicking or barging is tolerated. I try to be fair and consistent with him at all times - on the whole he is a little angel, but can turn into a little devil if not kept on top of."

Too true of all teenage potential dirt bags!