Gaining respect

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Footlights

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For those who havent read my previous posts, my new horse was becoming very aggressive toward me and was generally just pushing me around.

I have spent the last few days doing lots of groundwork, join up and chasing him around the field when he approaches me with ears back (probably to the amusement of any one who saw!)

This morning we had a break through, he approached me in the field with ears pricked forward, head low and licking and chewing. He got lots of fuss and came in for a hay net.

However as soon as he is tied he goes back to the face pulling and aggression. When he pins his ears back I get him to back up, but this doesn't seem to be improving. Is there anything else I should be doing? Or is it just patience and consistency that will stop this?
 
Any advice anyone? I am waiting to hear back from an IH associate but wanted to make sure I'm doing the right thing in the mean time.
 
To be honest if all he is doing is pulling faces I would just ignore it. As along as he isn't biting you. My mare has her ears back quite a bit when shes tied up, I just ignore it and get on with whatever I was doing.
 
Can you try tying him somewhere else to see if it makes any difference? My youngster will pull faces and nip over her stable door but if you go in with her or get her out she's really cuddly, it's just that over the stable door she.pub grouch! I do all the body language to tell her it isn't acceptable and she won't actually bite me but can with other people if they have their back to her. Maybe your lad would like it better somewhere else? Good luck. :) x
 
Getting input from an IH person is a good move. It's hard to know why he's behaving like that without seeing it happen, the sort of things that were happening before he did it, and your response to it. It could be that he is reacting negatively to your aggressiveness towards him and pushing him around. If that's the case (and it's impossible to know without at least seeing the situation), a more passive approach would be beneficial. That mean ignoring the ears back, and not being fazed by it, rather than retaliating or threatening him back. It doesn't mean allowing him to move you though - you have to be consistent for him to learn that you are not going to be swayed by his threats and grumpy faces. If you have to punish behaviour that is actually dangerous, do it instantly and in a matter of fact way, and be forgiving immediately afterwards rather than staying angry. (Yes, I realise that's easier said than done!) And, of course, reward nice behaviour by being nice back.

Good luck with the IH associate - I'm sure that will be helpful.
 
That's what I was doing before, ignoring the ears back but it soon escalated into biting and really going for me. Me asserting my dominance seems to be working in the field, but not when he is tied.
 
I did a little bit of clicker training with him when he first arrived, but when the biting escalated I stopped. Maybe the occasional carrot too...
 
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