Advice please - putting roller on youngster

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NotAnotherChestnut

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Hi there, I was after some advice from all you knowledgeable people out there..
I'm starting to slowly slowly think about preparing my 2yo for backing next spring and this weekend thought I'd have a go at putting a roller on her back.. She's had rugs on and I spent a lot of time leaning with my arm over her back etc etc so a bit of weight there is no great surprise to her.

Anyway, Sat, put it on - she stood like a doll while I fastened it loosely then, after about 30 seconds completely bronco-ed with it on.. managed to catch her attention again and then took her for a little walk with it - she was completely OK with it on the walk.

Did the same again today - this time in the field (unfortunately don't have an indoor school) and again she bronco-ed for 2-3 mins, calmed down and again we had a nice walk, stop, reverse with it on. Lots of pats and praise.

I know this needs perservering with, but was wondering about the best way to go forward.. just continue with regular short sessions and praise when good or.. turn her out with it on and leave her to figure out it's not going to hurt her by herself? OR... any other ideas??

Would be v grateful for any observations/advice anyone might have? Also please give me re-assurance this is not completely abnormal!!!! (Sorry this truned into a ramble..)!

Thanks
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make sure you use a breastgirth or a bit of baler twine to stop it slipping back if she starts, otherwise it'll slip back and become a bucking strap and really scare her properly

also with a breast girth you dont need to fasten it so tightly,as she'll be unaccustommend to the pressure under her, also make sure it isnt pinching her
 
i would carry on with what your doing
,one thing i say tho i wouldnt turn her out in it as she may become caught on something with it and could scare her more
 
Keep going as you are- if she is calming down after a few minutes then it is the 'putting on' that she is objecting to and leaving it on her won't be beneficial
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try making it something that happens every day and put it on before she gets a small feed, its amazing how such scary things often become uninteresting when theres something tasty going on
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i disagree with the other posters saying to carry on as you are- you do not want a youngster to get into the habit of broncing everytime you tighten something around its girth area.
imo, if you do you will get the same reaction with the saddle and the same reaction when you ride it and put your legs around the horse.

what prep work did you do before putting the roller on?

i always prep mine with a long lead rope- i drape it over their back and catch the end under the horse's stomach and then hold the 2 ends up by the wither so the rope is a big U shape around the horse.
that way, you can tighten the pressure and release it and tighten and release until they get used to the sensation of something closing around their middle.

then i move to the roller and it goes on and off for a good few times from both sides before asking the horse to move with it.
unorthodox but i do this in a field of really lush grass to start with so the horse is naturally wanting to walk around slowly as it grazes so it gets used to the roller without marching around and having nothing else to focus on apart from the girth.

imo, you need to nip this in the bud immediately as this behaviour can become ingrained in the horse very quickly.
 
Put it on, and leave her in it... in the stable to start with, then turn her out and leave on for a few hours.

Be warned when there like this, can often be a little tricky to back lol! She needs to realize its not going to hurt her and that she has to put up with it, simple as that.

Make sure it isnt to tight, to start pull up very gradually, it is the feeling of tightness they object too.
 
She is most definitely a horse that has a tantrum at something new and then calms down and "gets over it" - she is not worried about the putting roller over back etc as she as accostomed to me/a rug/weigh tape etc leaning over her back. It is the tightening.

That is an interesting idea re the leadrope in term of getting her used to the sensation of tightening Millitiger. My only concern is that if she takes exception to this, and starts playing up, this might flap on her legs and she'll get it off thereby learning the behaviour that bronco-ing it a way to lose the pressure?
 
I hve just doen this with my 2 yr odl to get her used to it, admittedly she didnt react by bronching but the first time i put it on i put it on without a girth on it for few seconds, took it off, let her sniff it and play with it on the floor, then put it on her and took it off severl times. then put it on and wiggles it a bit and stroked her with it. next day put the girth on and just layed it on her very quietly, took it off, then on again then let girth down and took it off so she got used to something dragging across her back then put it on again and repoeated. then if o.k put it on and did girth up loosely but tight enough so if she spooked it would not slip back and become a bucking strap. lots of praise all the time then took it off and put in on again etc then next day put it on and did it up normally then took off and let it bang about, drag acorss her back etc and walked her with it. no probs. I think the realisation that she has to wear it but that it will go away but come back in the main thing so she doesnt feel forced into it. built up her confidence so she doesnt think oh my gosd i have to get away form this or get it off. I would say you know your horse better than us though and just try different approaches and see what suits her. she will get there.
 
Lots of horses bronch when they first feel a roller. Best to let her keep it on in the stable until it is no big deal - most foals argue about a headcollar to start with but then learn to accept it and there is no lasting effect. It is important to keep going until you can put it on with no reaction for several days running. They must learn that bronching doesn't help so a roller is better than holding something round them as that way you can't keep it on if she objects - the quickest way to teach her that she can dictate terms. Also, as abracadabra says, a breastgirth is essential to prevent an accident with the roller slipping back. As they relax the girth will become looser. Most young horses will object to something. If they get the bronching out of their system at this stage they learn to trust you and are less likely to be difficult to back. If they don't do it when your going through the initial stages on the ground then there is every chance that they will when you get on. I worry far more about the ones that haven't reacted as they will wake up at some point!!!
 
Thank you for all your advice everyone.. that makes me feel more confident that she'll get there.. (just need some reassurance sometimes!) I have to say that although she was clearly v scared - both times, she settled down after 5 mins and not once did she try and get me or hold it against me - she was just frightened of the pressure round her girth. Both walks I took with her she was v good - had one small bounce about but I held her and told her "NO!" and that was that.

I'll leave it on her for a bit longer next time and definitely put some kind of breastgirth on her. I'll let you know..!
 
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I'll leave it on her for a bit longer next time and definitely put some kind of breastgirth on her. I'll let you know..!

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last one i broke in, my breastgirth was too big so i used a side rein on a ring on one side, passed across chest and clipped on other side

dont know how big your chap is but that might be a thought
 
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