Big young baby ID planting!

Hoof_Prints

Hoof_Prints

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Posting on behalf of a friend as she has little computer skills. She has bought a 4 year old ID who is a dream under saddle and great in the stable, his only glitch is that when coming in from the field he plants his feet and will not move. Can pull and push all you like but he will only move if someone else gets behind him and waves a whip at his bum to get him moving. As a result, she can't catch him on his own. He has done it in the stable yard but now only does it in the field . He has been doing this for 3 weeks now. Any tips? Funnily enough I know someone else with an ID that also does this so maybe it's in the breed!
Thanks
 
Mine was doing that last year, a good smack with the whip was the only way! he's very big and there was no other way of moving him! its a lack of respect!

Now if he tries it I just have to show him the whip or the end of the lead rope and he moves on!
 
Rope halter or a dually and teach pressure/release might help. Or handle on long line and push him around in a circle with a lunge whip.
 
My ID used to do this when he was 4/5. I remember crying in the field as he just would not move. I can't remember what I did, but she is not alone and it was just a phase.
 
Hoof_Prints said:
Posting on behalf of a friend as she has little computer skills. She has bought a 4 year old ID who is a dream under saddle and great in the stable, his only glitch is that when coming in from the field he plants his feet and will not move. Can pull and push all you like but he will only move if someone else gets behind him and waves a whip at his bum to get him moving. As a result, she can't catch him on his own. He has done it in the stable yard but now only does it in the field . He has been doing this for 3 weeks now. Any tips? Funnily enough I know someone else with an ID that also does this so maybe it's in the breed!
Thanks
Click to expand...

Why is he planting? There could be a number of reasons;
1. Separation anxiety if leaving field mates.
2. He's scared of something in the way in.
3. He's testing boundaries to see if he's dominant to the puny human. :)
Try to get inside his head before you plan a solution.
I've often found waiting it out to be effective...
S :)
 
Has she tried unbalancing him when he plants as in getting him to cross one foreleg in front of the other? That's probably what I'd try first. I'd also carry a whip and use it to direct him if the unbalancing doesn't work. Lead him in a long leadrope or lungeline, if he can't be unbalanced put rope/line in left hand, move behind the shoulder and hold right arm and whip to belly/backend to encourage movement. He may try to cut in front or barge off so keep an eye on his body language for this. If he tries either, back him up then repeat walking forward.

It would probably be best to teach him this on the yard first where he doesn't plant, then turn him out. This way he knows that is being asked/expected of him.
 
I think he is trying to get back to his friends in the field, and also trying it on at the same time as he's done it in the stable yard before and when he friends are not around, his friends just amplify the issue. He certainly knows his own weight! he said he tried planting and broncing when ridden for the first week but then packed it in when he realised it got nowhere. I think she is more confident in the saddle then on the ground . I said it's early days, but at 16.3hh it is unnerving ! It's tricky enough when my 14.2hh pony tries it on, so you have my sympathy Murphy888! I'll forward the advice, thank :)
 
I'm usually all for discipline (being daemonic and all that) but I really wouldn't smack him for this. If she does, the problem may get worse, she may not be able to catch him etc.
Go for positive reinforcement - have a feed waiting for him in the stable. Take him away from his fieldmates to go in hand grazings in the grassy tracks if you have them.
Give him a treat when he gets 1/4 of the way in, then 1/2 and so on. If he plants, just wait it out.
Basically, you want him to enjoy coming in, being with the human. Otherwise if you make a fuss and smack him, you'll just confirm his opinion that he's better off in the field, thanks.
S :)
 
My 18.2 ID does this sometimes too. I have trained him with a Dually halter and if he does pause, it isn't for more than a few seconds. I also find it a Godsend if he decides to jump at "monsters" over the hedge etc and he totally respects the halter and doesn't drag me around. Really recommend the Dually from Intelligent Horsemanship.
 
Find a breeze block, put it near where he plants and when he does, tie him up to it, then sit and watch him, read a book or something. He'll soon get bored of being stuck to the spot for an hour or so and be only too happy to move. Did this three times with one, he's never done it since nor anywhere else either. If you don't want to tie him up then wait it out with him but don't let him move anywhere unless it's the way you want to go.
 
My draught filly tried this with me, as soon as she decided to "plant" I reversed her quicky, and turned her so she was reversing in the direction I wanted her to go. It took the control away from her before she realised she had any! I then made sure she always had her feed ready so she wanted to come in. She tried it a few days later, but once I started to send her backwards she realised it was futile. Never tried it since.

I wouldn't hurt a horse that didn't want to leave the field, you might find them hard to catch the next time and who would blame him!
 
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