Bad Manners

A

AJmoss

Member
Joined
20 March 2008
Messages
26
Location
South Lincs
Visit site
I bought my 16.2hh 9 year old warmblood gelding 3 weeks ago. He was EXTREMELY underweight and living without grazing in a small barn, shared with a bad tempered mare and a number of sheep. When I rode him, he was calm, quiet and yet, alert.
I couldn't possibly leave him where he was (even if I didn't like him ... which of course I do). Since then, he has begun filling out, and becoming a very switched on soul. The problem I have is that he keeps butting me. If he's tied up or just has his head over the stable door, he butts me. I am constantly pushing him backwards or sideways and gently pulling his head downwards in a submissive manner (him not me), but his shoving is becoming more and more forceful and I don't want him to assume he's the boss. Am I expecting too much too soon or should I try something different? He's not a nasty horse, but he is very green in all aspects. I don't have much info on his history, but the owner before me didn't have the time for him and apparently neither did the owners before her (not that I completely believe her). He has 3 meals a day consisting of beet and Spillers conditioning cubes ... and as much hay as he can eat. He now has grazing from 8am til 6pm.
I have been advised to 'go with it for a while', but I'm unsure whether that would be best, I don't want him to get the wrong impression.
 
Rather than shoving him back or trying to move him, have you tried making yourself big and scary with flappy arms and a shrill shout?

A quick response in this way is 'usually' enough to stop them in their tracks.

Another way of course is to make it difficult for him to barge you by trying not to be in a position that he can. Difficult i know when trying to put collar on etc or standing outside the door but at all other times, make sure you aren't in his butting area.

Rather than pulling his head down, try pushing it away from you, hand full on the cheekbone and pushing right away with a firm 'no' as you do it.
 
speaking from experience - nip this in the bud now, obiously you have an emotional attachment to him but he needs leadership and has to learn to respect you. If he butts you tell him off so he reacts and gets the message, I doubt you'll have to do this more than a few times until he understands, as long as you are consitant in your reaction the behavior will stop. Hes not being nasty hes just pushing the boundaries. My youngster started with this and it crept on gradually all of a sunden I had a rude monster as I just ignored it and blamed his age, when I started tackling it it soon stopped and life was sooooo much easier, he became much more respectful to ride too.
 
My irish TB is dreadful for headbutting, go into his stable and before you know it you are flying across the yard
mad.gif

By making yourself bigger, facing him squarely and waving arms about to make him back out of your space does work
grin.gif
.
I also read that a horse should not follow you when being led as in a herd the dominant horse will push it's herd along. Which could mean he thinks he is telling you where to go
blush.gif
.
 
[ QUOTE ]

I also read that a horse should not follow you when being led as in a herd the dominant horse will push it's herd along. Which could mean he thinks he is telling you where to go
blush.gif
.

[/ QUOTE ]

that;s interesting because Ty always follows me when I'm leading but I put that down to him being blind in one eye!
 
Making myself bigger probably makes sense actually ... he's 16.2 and I am 5'7" and 9st wet through!!
He does strike me as though he's had a bad time of it in his distant past though, as I waved my hands at him on a couple of occasions because of his butting, and he became extremely nervous and head shy. Still, perhaps I should toughen up and persist(?).
 
and make eye contact too.
with the arm waving,you need to do trial and error so that you do just enough but not too much.
 
You don't always have to respond to flinging your arms about and making yourself bigger. It may make things worse with a headshy horse. Does he know your commands? i.e 'NO!' We have an Irish import Cob and being bolshy and cheeky came with extreme head shyness and not being able to stand anyone near his face. Two and a half years later we still have a cheeky but lovely cob who responds to NO or his name being said which is very similar (also in the same tone) and only two syllables to any naughtiness but we have no bad manners. We taught him by a click of the fingers and 'NO' as soon as he tried to bite or headbutt, worked for us.

Doing anything near the face with a horse that is not 100 per cent around its head doesn't seem the right way to go with me.
 
Ooo err, my cob "butts" me because he wants a cuddle!
Is this normal??

Reading thru this post, it sounds as butting is just related to dominant behaviour.... in my case it's his way of saying....look give me some flamin attention will ya!!!

Soon as I give him a hug it stops, no hug and I could well end up sitting on the floor!!
 
Just goes to show how hard it can be over the net to give advice on behaviour when we arent there. Our cob still gives u the odd butt but in a gentler way for a bit of lovin
wink.gif
What he had to learn was 'butting' to get his own way for everything wasn't going to work.

I still don't think flapping and roaring can be the best way with a head sensitive horse, if thats the way he goes when she tries that, she could end up in a worse situation. JMO
 
[ QUOTE ]
Ooo err, my cob "butts" me because he wants a cuddle!
Is this normal??

Reading thru this post, it sounds as butting is just related to dominant behaviour.... in my case it's his way of saying....look give me some flamin attention will ya!!!

Soon as I give him a hug it stops, no hug and I could well end up sitting on the floor!!

[/ QUOTE ]

My horse is like this too
blush.gif
i think he is just attention seeking, he also loves to 'lip' you especially if you have pockets
wink.gif
 
Try and get a hold of the first Parelli Partnership pack on Ebay, or some of the Clinton Anderson stuff.
I agree...start as you mean to go on. In your mind you are still seeing the poor underfed rescue horse. He is taking advantage of your being soft because of that. Look at the horse you have now at this moment. He lives in the moment, so should you.
He needs to learn to give to pressure from all directions, lowering the head is good, but as soon as he goes to give to the pressure on the halter, release! It has to be instant...instant reward. Once he gets the principle, and you do, you do it all over the body. Pressure on the shoulder for side stepping, pressure on the nose for backing up, etc. It will give you a wonderfully light and responsive and polite horse.
Practice leading,...don't let his nose go in front of your shoulder, swinging a long rope in a circle in front of him will show him where the boundary is, and if it bops him on the nose, he'll know that was too far,...keep him a couple of feet to the side of you, giving you space. It is a slow process teaching an older horse manners, but at the end of the day it will be so rewarding and so much safer for you.
Try to get him into a round pen to work on all this stuff if you can.
I know some people diss Parelli, but it works wonders for starting you off with seeing horse handling and behaviour in a totally different light.
 
Try reading 'The Fearless Horse' by roger and joanna Day. Its brilliant.

Also always wear a riding hat whilst on the ground (and riding of course). they know your head is your most vulnerable area, and it will give you more confidence knowing you are protected as well.

Try imagining there is a bubble of at least 45cm all around you at all times, and he is not allowed into this bubble. If he does make yourself bigger until his feet move, the moment he does instantly drop your threat. Hopefully, you will gain his respect and he will want to stay with you politely at an acceptable distance.

Good luck
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top