Charging through gateways

tangoharvey

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 October 2009
Messages
843
Location
in the clouds
Visit site
So my wild shire TB X has decided that she likes to charge through the gate when coming through with me hanging on to the leadrope for dear life! Things I've tried so far;
1. Sing 'the owl and the pussycat' as we go through
2.holding her tight with my elbow in her neck
3. Holding the end of the leadrope and just let her wizz through
4. Having a carrot to distract her as we go through the gateway

Does anyone have any other suggestions as it's making me really tense which she's probably picking up on!
 

soulfull

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 July 2007
Messages
6,507
Location
Staffs
Visit site
are there other horses near to her?
If so it could be she feels trapped by the gate so rushes. try making a pen with electric fencing to go through or make the others back off even further so she knows you can protect her (even if they are not that close)
 

Dry Rot

Well-Known Member
Joined
31 May 2010
Messages
5,847
Location
Scotland
Visit site
Ground work... with a dually - worked a treat for my horse :)

This ^^^^

Then repeat, repeat, repeat. Pressure-and-release ground work is effective because the horse learns to switch off the pressure by not pulling against it but that won't work if it is fear induced, i.e. horse barges through because it fears the gate will slam shut on it when half way through. That you'll have to cure by repetition and re-building confidence. Time for lateral thinking! Secure the gate half open and hang a hay net in the opening? Repeatedly treat when in the gate way? I don't know.
 

Suelin

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 January 2008
Messages
1,406
Visit site
Chifney, she won't run through that. When she's worked it out you can go back to a headcollar. My vet recommended I use one on mine and it's worked beautifully.
 

ponydi

Well-Known Member
Joined
1 January 2013
Messages
430
Location
Yorkshire
Visit site
Assuming she's used to a bit. Chifney or bridle in some form, or even headcollar rope through mouth. Walk through gate. Walk back through gate. Walk back out again, and so on till rushing stops. Repeat on a daily basis
 

billylula

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 November 2011
Messages
525
Visit site
ah ok well then I would not worry too much but work on groundwork as others have said. Our new boy steps back when you step forward, forward when you step back, its a revelation. We are hoping he will teach our tiny pony the same manners :p
 

ponydi

Well-Known Member
Joined
1 January 2013
Messages
430
Location
Yorkshire
Visit site
Ah, that's a whole different ball game! Don't know enough about dually/pressure halters to say whether that might work. Certainly groundwork to establish halt or back, to small gesture and word of command. A big horse charging through you is no fun at all!
 

3OldPonies

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 March 2013
Messages
1,599
Location
Berkshire
Visit site
Groundwork for basic manners when being lead and if possible, if you don't feel too much of a wally doing it - just going in and out of the gate until she learns it's nothing special and is actually quite boring. If she's always thinking something interesting is going to happen then that would be another reason to rush through.
 

Sprig

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 June 2012
Messages
1,588
Visit site
Set aside some time and just go in, out, in, out, in, out, etc until she finds it boring. It will probably not take long.
 

Dry Rot

Well-Known Member
Joined
31 May 2010
Messages
5,847
Location
Scotland
Visit site
No she's not used to a bit or bridle yet, she was untouchable four weeks ago!

In that case, a bowl of hard feed nearer the gate every day until she will stop and comfortably eat it in the gateway. She can't barge through while she's eating! If she barges, no feed. Then, always treat when going through the gate (as she is in the act of going through the gate) without acting up. It is actually quite difficult even for humans to think of/do two things at the same time!
 

Red-1

I used to be decisive, now I'm not so sure...
Joined
7 February 2013
Messages
17,814
Location
Outstanding in my field!
Visit site
I would set aside some time and make sure she will come forwards and backwards on the head collar. I would play with this a bit until she is really light to go forwards and then change to back, and also have some time to stand still in a relaxed fashion. For this I would maybe draw a circle either in the mud or in my imagination and have her put her front feet inside the circle, and correct her is she moves but as soon as she is parked there relax the rope to no tension.

I would do both of those exercises away from the gate, in the school if you want, or yard, or field.

Once this is solid I would go towards the gate and practice forward and back, and standing, but far enough away that there is no stress. I would try to find the pinch point where she STARTS to feel uncomfortable, it will be way before she does anything big, it may show as a bit of tension, a raised head etc. I would do the exercises there, and once she is OK with the exercises there I would calmly turn around and walk away with her.

I would keep playing the game, never going so far to the gate that there is a big reaction, always finding the pinch point and working through the minor tension, then quietly turn and walk away.

I would go to the gate at her pace, and when you are actually at the gate nothing changes, you still play the game of light forwards and backwards, until she is paying attention, then a rest with a loose rope, then if you are actually in between the gate posts you would have to back away again before actually turning around to walk calmly away.

I would even continue with this once technically you are through the gate, so she does not think to rush away, still finishing on a relaxed stand, then a reverse, then walking calmly away back where you came from. I would not continue in a straight line until you are far enough through that reversing is not a practicable exercise!

IMO more haste less speed.

I think I have said before that a trainer once told me that I do not "train" my horses, I just bore them into submission. This is not what I do, but if my schooling session looks boring to an outsider then I am happy. Calm and positive direction, huge rewards for what looks to the outsider as a small step, and the training tends to stay trained!
 

flirtygerty

Well-Known Member
Joined
1 May 2010
Messages
3,278
Location
Rothbury Northumberland
Visit site
Some really good advice on here, especially doing groundwork, I had a bargy cob (4yr old) in such a hurry to get on with life, I used going into the field to teach him, asked for a turn once through, then a small treat, the treats are reduced as he gets the idea, all of mine go through a gate and turn to face it, if being turned out they wait till headcollar is off and have a pat on the neck before haring off, practise in a stable, or school, stand, back up, turn etc, the stand is very useful, if I drop the leadrope and they walk off, I ask for a stand and nearly always get it.
 

AdorableAlice

Well-Known Member
Joined
24 October 2011
Messages
13,000
Visit site
Put in simplistic terms, the horse is not halter broken. Regardless of gate issues, it just is not halter trained.

I am not being critical - I had one too ! Sadly too many people fail to halter break foals and youngsters correctly. It then impacts on their lives in the future.

With the young Shire x, use a rope halter or dually alongside a total understanding of pressure and release. Timing is key. Keep training until the horse reads what is expected of her without you needing to touch the halter.
 

Vickijay

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 November 2004
Messages
3,243
Visit site
Set aside some time and just go in, out, in, out, in, out, etc until she finds it boring. It will probably not take long.

This. As well as the normal groundwork you are teaching her.

If mine run through a gate, we turn round and do it again, no drama, just repeat until there is no running through. If that means they come through the gate 10 times, then so be it
 
Top