Any ideas about un-nerving behaviour of TB? (sorry - long)

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BIrish

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Hi,

I'm usually just a lurker on here but looking for some new ideas about my TB's behaviour.. Running out of things to try and it's un-nerving stuff! Thought you guys might be able to shed some light.. ??

Stan is a 6yo TB. I've had him since Feb this year but he hasn't been ridden much - he was in bad shape when I bought him but has recovered now. He had serious tooth issues but they are being addressed. He has no back problems. He is ridden in a simple curved mouth eggbutt snaffle with a flash. He's very genuine in all ways but one particular thing.

He has always been unhappy about contact. I would say that this is primarily due to the state of his teeth. We have worked through it on the lunge and longreins and he accepts the contact there. When I get on however, different story. Out of nowhere he will suddenly stick his head on the floor.. pulling the reins/contact away with and outwards then downwards movement. His entire (considerable) front end disappears when he does this.. it's cliff edge time! Tonight he did it in trot, then tripped and nearly stacked it! Scared the ***** out of me
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..

I have a bit of a thing about going out the front door/horse falling after my beloved G had a heart attack while I was riding him earlier this summer.. he went down in front and flipped me over his head before landing pretty much on my legs before rolling to the side dead.
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Now everytime Stan does the head thing I have a total "moment" .. ridiculous but it's happening..

Anyway.. I've tried riding him more forward, sending him on, getting a bit tough with him, riding on the buckle etc etc.. nothing works apart from flexing him constantly to either side (which is not ideal). He no longer does this on the lunge with the pessoa or in longreins. What can I try
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.. It's really getting to me now..

Martini for those that got to the end..
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Hi.. Thanks for the comment..

The bit isn't really the problem I don't think.. He had a happy mouth and he still did it .. perfectly happy until there is contact in any bit it seems ..

I'm not really prepared to go bitless.. he's aimed at county level Workers.. so eventually has to wear a double.

I forgot to add that this is something he only seems to do in the school..He doesn't do it hacking. Although head down and charge seems to be his "thing" when he tries to tank (well, Stan's version of tanking anyway) he sticks his head down and goes..

He's an ex-pointer but not your typical TB.. very laid back and mannerly. I've had plenty of experience with OTTB's but never one with this issue.. in fact never had any horse that did this!
 
Sorry to hear what happened with your old horse back in the summer! I'm not surprised its unnerved you!

Since you have managed to overcome the problem lunging and long reining I wonder what would happen if you got someone to lunge him with you on board? I am sure you are right that it all stems from the teeth problem, but whilst he seems to have finally accepted that it doesn't hurt any more being lunged or long reined he still feels the need to take evasionary action when he has a rider on board! Anyway just a suggestion. It sounds like you have made real progress already!
 
Try riding him long and low. That might get his confidence up and later he may be able to take up more of a normal contact. TBs can be very sensitive - mine is - but you need to give him the benefit of the doubt.
 
Hmmm.. the lunging sounds good. Sounds obvious but somehow didn't think of it.. Will have to nag my livery / OH to help out as have horses at home so difficult to find someone to do it.. but it sounds like a plan!
 
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Try riding him long and low. That might get his confidence up and later he may be able to take up more of a normal contact. TBs can be very sensitive - mine is - but you need to give him the benefit of the doubt.

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Hi.. I'm used to sensitive TB's..
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have had a selection of OTTB's now.. Stan is by far the most laid back too .. Bizarrely you can ride him on the buckle and he'll still do it..

He isn't being asked to even make a shape yet.. he's a real baby schooling wise.. We initally went right back to the beginning with him to re-school.. started with lunging and built up to longreining in the school and on the road, then longreining in trot and canter etc etc.. I'm just looking for enough light contact to be able to control energy going out the front end and to be able to steer!
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My instructor reckons that the memory of discomfort persists after the pain has gone. Can you try to ignore it hope he stops bothering with time?
 
This is just an idea and it may well be a stupid one, I'm just throwing it out there. If the sudden pulling down is really making you feel worried how about those grass reins they put on ponies to stop them from pulling children's arms out while trying to eat grass?

It won't help with the general contact issues but may help stop the scary behaviour.

On the contact problems I was taught this exercise in a lesson with Jane Bartle Wilson a couple of weeks ago and it works really well with my youngster who was very reluctant to pick up a contact: both reins in one hand (right hand if you are right handed), move the hand to the left of the neck, keep the hand low (level with withers) and turned inside (not thumbs up as you would normally ride) and ride left circles. This turns the right rein into a rein of opposition and does the work of brining the shoulders round. Maintain an even pressure until the horse relaxes his neck then allow to go forwards a few strides then back on the circle. When you master the left circles try the right ones, then try moving from one circle to the other.

Good luck!
 
when you say he's ok on the lunge do you lunge him in side reins?

would it be safe for you to ride him in side reins to see if that helps?

i do know it's supposed to be a big no-no before i get shot down, but i've ridden in side reins (under the supervsion of my RI) to good effect, only needed a couple of sessions to get the message across.

it didn't feel dangerous at all
 
Have you tried him without a bit? (.e just a head collar? or a bitless bridle?) It will give you an idea of what's causing it - pressure on his head in general, or pressure on his mouth specifically. Something about the rider taking up a contact upsets him - probably the 'trapped' feeling and a memory of pain (are you sure it's definintly just a memory and he's still not sore? Have you tried him in diffreren't bit and without a flash?)

I would try and school him out of it with a bitless bridle (if he's well behaved there shouldn't be a problem) then wean him back into a bitted bridle once it's sorted. There's no reason you need to stay bitless and it's silly to dismiss it just because it's not 'traditional'.
 
Ok, as someone who has retrained an ex racer (only one though) they HATE contact.

Ty would do exactly the same thing and quite violently pull the reins out of my hands - he also sat down on a few occasions where something was just too difficult to learn.

You really need to ride him through this - or get someone who can. I was lucky enough to be on a yard with someone who helped me reschool as there is no way I could have done it on my own. Worth the pain as I now have a well rounded, well behaved TB!
 
PS - don't bundle him up with gadgets - nothing substitutes good schooling and riding through a problem......and there's nothing wrong with admitting when you need help from a more competent rider (I do all the time!)
 
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