Can't get horse out of paddock

[SunSetRider]

I have started training a 2 1/2 year old (soon 3) year old gelding. He is really sweet and nice to train. But ever since he got a new field buddy who is the same age (they are the only two in the field), he won't come with me when I try to lead him to the round pen. I have tried getting him out with treats, but he still won't come with me. What shall I do? He can still see his friend from the roundpen as it is only about six metres away. Can anyone help me?

Thanks.

 

[Orca]

Catch the friend, catch the youngster, release the friend, go to work in the round pen?

 

[AdorableAlice]

Halter break him properly and he will follow you anywhere. At that age he only needs to lead, behave for the farrier and vet.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Halter break him properly and he will follow you anywhere. At that age he only needs to lead, behave for the farrier and vet.

This.
It sounds like he is voting with his feet! Which in most circumstances shouldn't be allowed but in this case, he is in the right. You are asking too much of him - and working on a constant circle is bad for his joints. Leave him to grow up.

 

[Cortez]

Assuming the horse is a normal rising 3 year old and mature enough to begin work, then there is no reason you shouldn't start the breaking process. However, the very first thing a horse/foal needs to be taught is how to lead properly and it appears he doesn't know this yet. You can start at the beginning by teaching him to lead in the paddock he is in and when he's doing that happily, then leading him to the pen will follow as a matter of course. How you teach him is another matter, there are many methods, but it sounds as though you need some experienced help with this, and therefore perhaps are not the person who is best suited to attempt to continue the breaking process?

 

[kc100]

My rising 3 year old hates it when his field buddy leaves the field without him - mine is never hard to catch (he was trained as a 1 year old to be caught properly) but sometimes he doesnt want to come in, he'd rather be eating grass so makes me walk all the way to the back of the field. If he does this, we just take the field buddy out first and sure enough my gelding comes cantering over as he doesnt like being left alone.

So if you are really struggling then take the field buddy out first, I'm sure he'll come racing over when he sees that happen.

However as Cortez said, this should be something he was taught at a young age - do you know his background and why this didnt happen? It needs to be practiced, before you start lunging/working with him really - the basic manners need to be instilled before he starts any work ahead of backing. I'd take him out to the field, when the field buddy isnt there (or another field if that isnt an option, or failing that turn him out in the school loose and practice), then work on catching him.

At first its unlikely you'll get him to come to you, but you should start by walking over to him with the headcollar, give him a rub & a pat for standing still (treats arent necessary) then pop the headcollar on. I apply the process for turning out as well; I dont take the headcollar off and let him go until he has stood still, had a pat for standing still then he walks away from my calmly. They can easily get into bad habits if you let them rush away from you when turning out (bucking etc too close to you), so again the process should work both ways regardless of whether you are turning out or bringing in - they stand still get a pat and can then walk away/come in with you.

Practice this a few times a week (every day if you can) and you should see some improvements. It should all be tied in with teaching him to lead properly, to stand tied up, to stand still by a mounting block, to have his feet picked up, move back when asked, not come into your personal space....all these basic manners I established with my youngster at the age of 1. Now he is nearly 3 I have no problems with him, because he knows all of this already.

So if I were you, I'd take it back a few steps, stop the lunging etc until the basics are instilled. I'm not lunging or doing any work to start the breaking process with mine until he has actually turned 3, and even then I'll wait a few months until he's closer to 3.5 to start the process. He turns 3 in May, so I might start doing some of the early work like putting a roller on with a saddle pad so he's used to that in June/July, then he might at best get lunged once a week/once a fortnight in August/September when I'm ready to back him. From most of what I've read in books on youngsters (I've got dressage in mind for mine) you only really need to lunge 2-4 times with tack on before someone gets on providing they are sensible on the lunge; obviously this depends on the horse and if the horse is not taking well to lunging then you'd need to spend more time with that before a rider gets on.

But if you have said he is easy to work with other than the catching issue - then it doesnt sound like you need to do too much in the way of lunging etc, and can probably focus on manners and then in a few months when the summer comes think about backing him.

It is each to their own with youngsters, and of course should be based on how the horse is growing and developing - but lunging can do a lot of harm to young developing horses as their growth is very much ongoing so I personally am taking the less is more approach with my youngster as he is my forever horse so I'd rather not rush him and let him develop slowly.

Good luck with yours!