Dealing with equine shut downs

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Highmileagereindeer

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My daughter has a late backed horse. He was five before he was started, although he had been well handled, according to his old owners. They bought him at 8 months old, and he had been on their yard all that time. He is a 16hh thoroughbred type, no problem to back, hacking very happily, done some schooling and groundwork, and not pushed to do more than he can cope with. Occasionally, he decides he isn't doing something and shuts down. This week he wouldn't go into his stable, and ended up being turned out again. Daughter spent three hours in the pouring rain lining him up with the doorway, moving his feet, not allowing him to turn or reverse. Nothing. It's as if his batteries have been taken out. He just stands. After two nights in the field with his haynet, he walked into the stable without a problem. He isn't scared, no panic, no drama, he just switches off. Any ideas?
 
My horse doesn’t particularly like being stabled, and will occasionally plant.

I think that the whole “Show them who’s dominant, don’t let them turn away, keep them moving” thing is pretty outdated now. I don’t blame either of you for giving it a go but it was one of those early 00s things that kind of became a fashion.

Have you tried just giving him treats or a bucket of food to go in or just whenever he makes progress?

I actually have to practice going in and out of the stable, even though he is now stabled every night.
 
I would have offered a bucket of feed to tempt him in. In fact I would routinely have a bucket waiting for him when he is due to go into the stable. I think horses like this need a strictly consistent routine, so that they knowx exactly what will happen when.
 
I agree with the above. I use positive reinforcement with my youngsters, they always have a handful of haycare in their stable waiting for them and then when I turn them out, they stand nicely, have their headcollars off and I click and scratch too.

I am not trying to preach - I have tried natural horsemanship too but it doesn't work for my ponies (2 of which have had a horrid time prior to me and cannot take pressure) and positive reinforcement does work but I did have lessons to make sure I understood the timing etc

If you have a positive reinforcement trainer near to you, I would book a lesson for your daughter and horse and set up some strategies to help.
 
So first of all, saying ‘no’ is typical adolescent behaviour in every animal. To us, to their own species, to life. Growing up and being able to move past that - either through effective communication about what is wrong or becoming more resilient (depending on the situation) is part of growing up. You have a young horse without the tools to tell you about the issue who is now learning just to nap. If he is kind, that’s all you will get. If he is a more standard kind of being, he will learn to do this whenever he’s not keen on something.

Which sounds fine - but if you are in the middle of a road or in any other situation where he must, absolutely, trust you, then this may well put him in danger. Medical care, emergencies, all sorts of things can require a horse to communicate and trust. To do what you ask even if it’s not ideally what they want to do right now.

That issue - if someone knows what they are doing, is solved as part of life. If you don’t, then I would suggest getting someone out to show you how to help your horse learn. He doesn’t just need to learn to do as he is told, he needs to learn how to tell you what is wrong, to trust that you will listen and to trust that if he follows your lead all will be well. To do that, might involve you learning to read him better too.

Secondly, the stable - rats? Birds? Something bothered him then that isn’t now.
 
Conversely my YM now doesn't have Dex's feed waiting in his stable for him as he started to be a bit keen to come in, and as she's about 8st dripping wet and he's 700kg, it wasn't ideal. There is no hard and fast rules with horses, and it sounds like you remained calm and kind, so don't beat yourself up.
If you can afford it I would definitely get someone out to observe, it may not be shut down like you think and the differences can be incredibly subtle, or there may even be a warning point where you can head it off
 
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