Advise regarding youngster

daffy44

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I'm afraid I agree with the others, thats a lot for a young horse to have done, they are often best just left alone in their herds as long as you are able to do the basics, feet picking out, leading etc. Personally I wouldnt worry about her having to come in at night over the winter as long as she is able to out all day, I think that routine of being led twice a day, picking out feet, and seeing the general yard stuff going on is really helpful. But while its summer and she can be out 24/7 with her herd I'd pretty much leave her to it, and let her be a horse, she wont forget everything she has learnt.
 

Goldenstar

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The lunge is a signal you use it towards the shoulder / elbow / rib area ( where is a matter of choice it should mean step away from me if you use it behind the horse it means move forwards .
Horses ought not to respond to the lunge whip through concern it’s a learned reaction .
I teach mine in hand with a dressage whip ( it’s easier ) if I move the whip towards the elbow /rib area the horse steps away When I lay the whip against them they stop take away and move it towards them they step away .
Voice ques are used at the same time .
In time they learn over followed by walk on or on as the whip comes behind to push them forward .
A horse should never ignore the whip They learn it’s an aid lIke your legs, voice etc.
 

Asha

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You've done everything (and more) that needs to be done with a young, unbroken horse, perhaps just leave her to be a horse for a while. It is possible to over train and sometimes being fussed with annoys horses, especially if they have horse stuff to do with their herd. Horses, being herd animals, will always prefer to be with their own. When I ran a biggish stud farm with 20 - 30 youngsters of all ages, we would handle the foals for a couple of weeks to get them catching, leading, tying and lifting feet, etc., and then only handle them every so often after that until they were ready for proper training.

Absolutely this . Leave her with her friends , theres years ahead of you both to do all the other stuff . Let her enjoy being part of a herd.
 

Ambers Echo

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I genuinely don’t think it’s that she doesn’t understand what I want from her she just does not move for a whip because she has no reason to worry about it.

Horses dont just move for a whip because they worry about it but because they understand the cue and are responsive. Eventually you want her to move off your leg but you also want her relaxed about being accidentally being bumped as you mount or if you lose a stirrup. You dont want get to completely ignore your leg because you've taught her not to worry about it. It's the same thing with the whip.

Desensitization includes teaching a horse the difference between things that are for them to attend and respond to and environmental 'noise' that they can ignore. So its fine to ignore a cracking whip near them which that is not communicating with them or directed at them but a horse should still be instantly responsive to a whip used to communicate or instruct.
 

Sara1210

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Horses dont just move for a whip because they worry about it but because they understand the cue and are responsive. Eventually you want her to move off your leg but you also want her relaxed about being accidentally being bumped as you mount or if you lose a stirrup. You dont want get to completely ignore your leg because you've taught her not to worry about it. It's the same thing with the whip.

Desensitization includes teaching a horse the difference between things that are for them to attend and respond to and environmental 'noise' that they can ignore. So its fine to ignore a cracking whip near them which that is not communicating with them or directed at them but a horse should still be instantly responsive to a whip used to communicate or instruct.
Ok that’s a very valid point. She hasn’t been trained to work to a whip she has been desensitised to a whip. So this is my fault for not teaching her what it is used for. A dressage whip she will move over for and forward but I do have to tap her belly or bum before she listens. A schooling whip does nothing she thinks she just has to stand still. That’s fine I can work on that when I need to. Right now I have no intention of lungeing so that can wait.

I feel she was having a hard time a few days ago when all this happened, for whatever reason....whether that was too much grass, me expecting too much from her, her being stroppy because of age, season whatever but she is back to her normal self again now so thank you all for your advice ?
 

Meowy Catkin

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Yes a bit of time might be all she needed and she may never rear again anyway. :)

It will definitely be worth your while teaching her to respond to cues. If she ever does go to rear again you know that to swiftly get her to move forwards is the correct response from you now.

My grey (the one who reared as a yearling) tried it as part of napping and the whole thing from the start to her giving up on the idea took about two weeks of training. Years later she went to go up and I was a bit shocked so sent her on rather half heartedly and she didn't rear but did a perfect little trot circle around me. She had remembered and was more on the ball than I was. ;)
 
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