Being the boss

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Charleyrobinson

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Hi all hope you can shed a little light

How do I show my pony that I am the boss and not him? I’ve tried telling him ‘back’ when I come into the paddock with his breakfast but he is so impatient 😓

Any advice would be greatly received
 
J_sarahd

J_sarahd

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I wouldn't let him have his breakfast until he waits. That's what I've started doing with Max and what another girl on my yard does with her pony. Also, pressure and release is a very good way to train horses - so pushing him back and when he moves back, stop pushing. Make him do what you want and don't accept half-hearted results but give praise (release or his breakfast etc) when he does what you ask of him.
 
LaurenBay

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what exactly is it that he is doing? how does he respond if you ask him to move back by placing your hand on his shoulder? if he is bolshy around food then I would not give him food until he is waiting patiently. If he is trying to force his way out to get to the food and not listening to your hand then I would pop a headcollar on over the gate and put a little pressure on the rope to get him to move back, if needs be use the lead rope and give him a whack on the neck with it if he does not listen. I cannot abide rude Horses around food. Once he has backed up, let him have his food.
 
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GirlFriday

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OP, I'd not worry too much about 'being the boss' in general. Your horse probably has to be his own boss/follow an equine herd leader for at least 20 hours out of every 24. You're simply not going to be that individual in his life unless you want to go live in his paddock.

What you can work on is training good manners and that he listens to you when you're around. Why are you feeding in the field? Are there other horses in the field at the time? If this is your (fictional? - check OP's other posts...) 2yr old then he needs equine company in the paddock and not to be fed hard feed (probably at all but anyway) by a novice owner with other loose horses, recipe for disaster.
 
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Charleyrobinson

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Thank you all for your replies he is stabled at night at turnoutdurongtheday he is by him self. There are no other horses around. I feed him outside in his paddock pony nuts
 
fburton

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Forget about trying to be 'herd leader' or anything like that. Instead, concentrate on teaching the horse to give you the behaviours you want and to not give the behaviours you don't want.

If he is pushing you around to get to the food, he will have learned that doing so means he gets food more quickly. One way or another he needs to (re-)learn that doesn't work - otherwise the behaviour is just going to continue and could even get worse. That doesn't necessarily mean you have to use force or fear to keep him away from you. Although that may work, it is risky. If you go down that route, you must be effective or else things will escalate: if he has to work harder and behave more aggressively to get food, that is what he'll learn to do. Alternatively, find another way to get the food to him without putting yourself in the position of being pushed around. From that perspective, I would echo all of GirlFriday's suggestions and questions.
 
fburton

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J_sarahd said:
... Also, pressure and release is a very good way to train horses - so pushing him back and when he moves back, stop pushing. Make him do what you want and don't accept half-hearted results but give praise (release or his breakfast etc) when he does what you ask of him.
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Teaching him to move back is a great idea - it's an essential part of what makes a polite horse - but I would work on this separately with him using release and small rewards. Making breakfast the reward is too high stakes, at least initially, and potentially a distraction.

Taking small steps in the right direction is easier and safer than attempting to fix a large problem in one go. If can be done, of course, but takes skill to get right the first time.
 
Pinkvboots

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horses are herd animals they like being with other horses and it can affect a horses well being being kept alone, you may not see the damage it does as there behaviour can vary from being subtle to quite severe depending on the horse, but over time it can be quite damaging and can cause a lot of problems.
 
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Charleyrobinson

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Can I say how utterly embarrassing you ladies are you should be ashamed! I’m a 33 year old women who is a novice pony owner who needs a little advice and you are basically laughing in my face! You should be ashamed of your self! I know the horsey world can be bitchy but wow !!
 
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Pearlsasinger

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All 2 yr old ponies *need* to be kept in a herd, to learn how to socialise with other horses, which in turn will help your pony to understand that when you give an instruction, you expect it to be followed, just an older horse does. It is extremely unusual for a young, unridden pony to need 'hard' feed (although tbf, it's not that unusual for them to be given it unneccessarily). Ponies are bred to be hardy, good-doers, who can live out 24/7 on very rough grass.
It really isn't fair to a pony of any age but particularly not a youngster, to be kept in solitary confinement.
 
fburton

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For what it's worth, I thought the original question was quite reasonable.

Other issues are now being raised. A horse that can spend significant time with other horses is likely to be happier and hence easier to work with and teach.
 
Pinkvboots

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As the poster above has said as his only 2 he must be incredibly bored on his own and only has you to interact with which is why he may be a bit bolshy and playful, young horses need interaction with horses of a similar age and older so they essentially learn how to behave in a herd and be social with each other, it might be worth feeding him in his stable before he goes out as that is more the done thing with horses. have you had older horses previously?
 
LaurenBay

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Ahh I did not realize the pony in question is only 2.

I would suggest you get him a companion, Horses are herd animals and do not like being kept on their own. Other Horses will be able to teach him skills that you will not. You may even find he becomes less rude once the other Horses put him in his place. Horses learn most of their social skills and manners from other Horses.

Regarding feed - if he absolutely needs a hard feed then feed him in the stable. He is better off with access to Ad lib hay instead though as pony nuts will do nothing for him. If you really want to feed a hard feed then I would at least switch to a balancer.
 
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Pearlsasinger

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Charleyrobinson said:
Thank you so should I wean him off the nuts? And give him Hay at night? Also should I maybe loan him a companion?
Click to expand...

He certainly needs hay at night if he is spending the night in the stable and before long, if he doesn't do so now, he will need hay if spends the night in the field, depending on the quality/quantity of your grass. Rather than just loaning one companion, he really needs to be with a mixed age herd of horses that he can play with and who will also teach him manners and social skills, The kindest thing you could do for him is find somewhere where he can live out 24/7 with other horses at least until he is ready to be broken to ride and preferably thereafter too. Try looking for a breeder, who would let you turn him out with their youngstock, or a grass livery yard.
 
FestiveFuzz

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Ok, giving the benefit of the doubt here as it's a nice sunny day and almost the weekend.

For a start I really don't buy into the whole "being the boss" thing where horses are concerned. I've been riding/owned horses for over 20 years now and not once have I considered myself to be their boss, or anything of the like. I expect them to be well mannered around me (heck they're too big not to be!) but that comes from consistent handling and training rather than being the boss. I work hard to set them up for success, part of which I would consider to be having them in a good routine. A 2yo kept on it's own will be lacking vital socialisation and I'm not surprised is pushing boundaries/unclear how to interact. Horses are herd animals and great moderators of behaviour through herd dynamics. I wouldn't keep any horse entirely alone. In your shoes I would look for a yard that has group turnout rather than getting a companion, as you may find with just two they end up pair bonding and then you'll have all manner of problems. I also think it's great for youngsters to go out in a herd rather than just one other so they learn how to behave and interact around others and will stop him getting too big for his boots.

I would also cut out any hard feed, I'd be surprised if he needs it. And yes definitely give ad lib hay at night.
 
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