Advice for problematic horse?

[BumbleBoo]

I recently acquired a lovely 5 year old gelding, and his mother. Unfortunately, said gelding has never learnt anything, and as such, is proving a bit of a problem.

He's never been separated from his mum, and ideally I want to split them; just trying to find her alternative accommodation. The main issue isn't this, but is instead that he's never encountered anything in the world (moving yards was the first time he'd seen cars or houses), and he's terrified of everything. On top of this, he doesn't know how to be led properly. He's normally very, very sweet, and is well behaved in his pen. Moves in response to pressure, listens, is friendly and calm. I took him for a walk yesterday, but only got as far as the doorway to the barn before he spun and started dragging me around.

That's my real issue. For 5 years, he's been taught to drag people around if he doesn't want to do something, or is scared and wants to go back. Being such a big horse (16hh+), and quite well built, he can do it if he wants. Basically, I need advice on how to teach him to lead respectfully and safely. As mentioned, the world is scary, so need to stay away from anything that he might interrupt as intimidating.

 

[blitznbobs]

My first advice is get a pro in. If you are asking this question on an Internet forum you are not experienced enough to handle this alone and you are going to get hurt. Second has he had a bridle on cos this is one of the few occasions I would consider a chiffney. He has to learn to walk with you quickly and if you can't do that in a head collar or normal bridle then just til he starts understanding a chuff net can give you some control. He is going to need time and consistent handling to get anywhere but from what you say this situation is an accident waiting to happen.

 

[blitznbobs]

Horses reaction to everything is to be scared - they are flight animals they need to be taughtto channel that fear more constructively - avoiding everything scary will just shrink his world more and perpetuate the problem.

 

[JillA]

Different bits of equipment (bits, chifneys, dually headcollars, rope halters) won't do a thing unless the person who uses them understands, and more importantly, knows how to teach the horse what they mean. The separation is a difficult one because you need him to learn to obey the cues you are giving him with the equipment as a conditioned reflex before he will do it while under the stress of losing his dam.
I would suggest you get professional help, maybe one of Kelly Marks' RAs (http://www.intelligenthorsemanship.co.uk/specialist-horse-training.html) to show you how to have him take notice and respect your cues. Or at the very least buy borrow or otherwise obtain a book on ground work (Perfect Manners for example) and spend this awful time of year working on that.

 

[p87]

I second the above advice on using a chifney, then over time working from that, to a snaffle bridle, to a headcollar and lots and lots of leading practice. Get on with the ground work this very minute, get him responding to your voice. Teach him key words such as 'stand', 'steady', 'walk on' etc and get yourself a scary voice for when he is misbehaving! I look after a mare who can be a right pain in the ass and when she starts all it usually takes is my scary voice and she quietens down!

I had a similar problem with my arab, he was in his previous home for 12 years and never left the yard gates. He went from field - stable - school and back again. It was no life at all and he came to me terrified of his own shadow and even spookier than he already was. Thank god I took him away before he went completely brain dead!

I've had him a year and after first of all giving him 3 months off in the field to establish himself with a new herd I started lots of ground work with him and introducing him to as many things as I possibly could. Walking him out in hand, out on roads, bringing him over to watch when the farmer delivered the hay, having him walk over tarpaulin, flapping plastic bags at him, walking him down the lane which is full of pheasants and rabbits darting about... you name it we do it. And of course there were plenty of moments where I thought "what on earth am I doing?!" but I had the end result to focus on and knew we would get there. It wasn't his fault he was like this, it had been done to him.
The first time we met a bus I thought I was going to die... so off we went to stand at the local bus depot to watch them going in and out and I repeatedly walked him along the bus routes... and guess what? He now doesn't bat an eyelid at them!

It will take a lot of time and patience, but if you are determined enough you will get there. Forget his past and focus on the NOW. Horses don't live in the past, they are very much focused on what is happening right now. There is no point fretting because "oh what is he going to do, he hasn't seen/done that before" you are only going to wind the pair of you up even more. Just go and do it while thinking positive thoughts and giving lots of praise at the right times.

Good luck

 

[Cortez]

Please don't use a chiffney, or indeed any bit, as a first resort with what is an essentially feral horse. The chiffney (and every other bit) works by hurting the mouth; not the way to start off a young and probably quite stressed horse. I would heartily second the advice to get professional help AT ONCE: these sorts of horses are not for the amateur. You can start to teach a horse to lead in the stable, if you know what you are doing - and this is the perfect example of why horses need to be handled EARLY, when they are receptive and not set in their view of their own importance in the scheme of things. Get help; don't get hurt. Good luck.