getting a youngster to go forward...

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Linz29

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i need some advice..
I have just got a 2 yo who arrived about 3 weeks ago,
i am having trouble getting him to go into his stable at night, I dont want to start up an argument with him as he is 16hh so i am using food to coax him in and he usually goes in after 5mins,
I would like some advice on how you would go about getting him to go forward i dont want to go down the road of being harsh to him/shouting ect.
Also he has never travelled in a trailer before.. advice on going about this, It took 1hour last weekend to coax him in gently .
He is a x arab so i just dont want to get in a fight with him as they can be so stubborn! :confused:
 
Mainly patience and repetition! When I first got my unhandled 2 yo she went into her stable fine the first few times then started refusing. No reason for it that i could tell she has a massive stable with a window for light in day and its well lit electrically at night as well and has a humongous door. She didnt do anything naughty just planted, and getting a 17hh WB to move if it doesnt want to is really rather difficult :p. We found 2 ways that worked, firstly if someone stood off to the diagonal behind her (out of kicking range -not that she does but you never know!- but so she could see them) opened their arms wide and made a gentle clicking noise she pottered in. Or a few times I played the waiting game and stood in her stable with my back to her (slightly off to the side in case for any reason she leapt forwards) with the leadrope held loose and eventually she would get fed up and walk in. At the beginning I was just bringing her in for the night over winter with the others and her dinner would be waiting for her in her stable so she did get a reward without it coming from my hand as I find she can get cute and try to mug you which isnt good manners. Within a wk or 2 she was walking in and out like a pro. She also comes in for allsorts and knows not to expect her dinner to be there. I spent plenty of time grooming her in the stable and doing other things she likes like praising her by itching her cheek which she loves (weird horse :D). If hes a food orientated horse perhaps you could try putting a little of his favourite food on the floor in the stable the first few times and just carry on playing the waiting game like you have been.

My girl isnt particularly food orientated but like all my lot LOVEs badminton hifibre nuggets (the chunky ones) so when I was teaching my girl to load I used them the first couple of times as rewards for getting on the ramp, standing on the horsebox floor (I scattered a few about on it for her to hoover), and allowing the partition to be shut on her. She now loads fine. Just if you use food make sure you repeat exercises without food there and they just recieve plenty of praise so they dont expect food every time. Hope that helps a bit :) im sure other people will have different ideas, this is just what worked for my girl and shes a lovely, well behaved and easy to handle 3yo now :).
 
Any reason he is stabled? What do you do with him and what's his routine? Also, what's he like with general handling and overall attitude?
 
Handle him a lot, use a Dually or similar head collar, grooming, tacking up, and so on, lots of things to keep his interest.
I must say I had a problem with a horse who had never been used to a stable, they don't like going in to a dark place, but I decided in the end he was just being a pratt and asked someone to give him a quick flick on the top of the bum with a lunge whip, no problem after that. I tend to avoid treat training as normal, most horses end up mugging you after this, and you have used up all your options, just make it clear what you want him to do, and praise him when he tries, ignore any negativity or reactive behaviour
Re trailer training, wait until he is following you everywhere without hesitation, then let him let him sniff the ramp several times, as this is what he does to anything new. The trailer must be stable and not flimsy or noisy, with the sunlight shining in to it, and the front ramp open.
When you feel you are both ready, ask him to walk on to the ramp, if he is scared you can ask him to walk over it sideways to get him confident in its stability, then try again going straight on to the ramp and in to the trailer, and then out the other side.
I think you will be able to find a good book which will give you a few ideas on youngster training.
 
I used to have this problem and I tickled the bottom of the horses heal with a long schooling stick until he moved forward. Worked every time and wasn't cruel or frightening, after a week or so he walked straight in by himself.
 
Provided he isn't rude or bargey in general, & is just a bit unsure about a new stable, I would assume he just needs to build his confidence up a bit. If he goes in after a few minutes just leave him to it. Just make sure that once in the stable is a fun & enjoyable place to be, & avoid keeping him in long enough to get bored. Having a horse he likes in next door helps too. Same with a trailer, feed him of the ramp, then halfway up, then with his head inside etc so he's confident at each step. But at 2 I'd focus more on the stable first, once going straight in there loading will be easier. And i'd do some in-hand stuff, only a few minutes at a time but if he gets used to following you around poles on the floor, through small chutes made up of either bales on each side or jumps, he'll build up the confidence to follow your lead.
 
flying solo said:
I used to have this problem and I tickled the bottom of the horses heal with a long schooling stick until he moved forward. Worked every time and wasn't cruel or frightening, after a week or so he walked straight in by himself.
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I do this too - although around the stifle area.
As soon as there is some forward movement the tickling/tapping stops.
I also do this for tiricky loaders.
I had one horse who took us 2 hours to load when we needed to take him somewhere - i had him in the box within 5 minutes using this method & never had problems since :)
 
I would keep doing what you're doing - food rewards and patience...

Could you let him follow an older horse in and out of the trailer and down the road?

I wouldn't go down the schooling whip route with a two year old!
 
My new 3 year old was just like this when I got her never been in a stable and just planted at doorway. Also planted trying to get her out of field. Someone behind her telling her firmly to walk on and waving arms did the trick initially. I fed her a little when she went into the stable and never brought her in unless another horse in stable next door. Now a few weeks later she is happy to come in and even stay in overnight and lie down! Just preserve and try and make it all a pleasant experience.
 
Not sure I would bother with treats as they soon get wisest this and realise that the more they mess about the more treats they get ;)

TBH if he's been in it before and seen it a few times I would get someone standing behind him to just rap his a**e.

Yes they gave to have chance to have a look, especially when they are young, but he's had a look.
They have to learn that even if it's a bit scary, they just have to do what you ask of them. As long as you don't ask him to do anything stupid that will hurt him, you will probably find that thus method gives him as much confidence as anything.

He's got to have a look but at the end of the day he's got to go where you want him to, no ifs or buts. Particularly if he's 16hh at 2yo! ;)

Someone behind him, when he starts to stop and think about it, quick tap on the bum (dont get kicked!) or even just a loud 'get on!' and he will probably just spring into the stable, problem solved.

IMO if you are treat training him now then you'd better have deep pockets full of carrots because he will learn pretty quick that all he has to do any time he doesn't want to do something is stop and he'll be 'coaxed' with carrots for 20mins.

Have had lots and lots of young horses and IMO one of the most important lessons they learn early on is, yes they can have a look, but then they HAVE to go. No questions.
 
thanks for all the advice! he is stabled at night as the weather is still bad up here and hes a x arab,
generally he is very well mannered behaved not bargy or anything, he just plants at the stable door.
He has recently had an accident tho... got spooked and jumped over a 5foot gate on thursday so he is now on box rest until next week as he has had some stitches :-( my older horse is in the stable right next to him so he doesnt get anxious - this will not help im thinking but i need to think positive!!
he doesnt mind being in the stable in the least i just think he is trying me out. The 1st few days i got him he went in fine it just started 4-5 days later so i dont think he is scared of going in just being a bit of a brat!
 
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I used a quick-release pressure halter with my 3yo. He went through a phase of refusing to go in his stable, especially when he was stressed. I find the key is patience. I taught him to yield to pressure in an arena and once he'd got the hang of it I used it day to day. Every time he stopped and didn't want to go in, I'd give a constant firm pull on the rope and tell him to 'walk on' and as soon as he gave in, release the pressure. He soon worked out that when I said 'walk on' and pulled the rope, it was much easier to walk on. No shouting and no stress. I used the same thing for loading, he still stops occasionally but never for long.
 
My 2yo was like this initially though slightly different circumstances (wouldn't leave his herdmates to come in to a fenced off part of the field for a check/pickfeet) and I found using food as a positive reward really helped. As soon as he got into the fenced off part I would give him his dinner straight away (just his topspec balancer) then I'd quickly do his feet and pop him back into the field with his buddies. It took a few weeks but now he loves coming in as he knows he'll get food and he'll leave his friends right over on the far sight (has even done it in the dark too). Maybe as soon as he enters the stable give him a small feed straight away just so he associates going in with a positive experience.
 
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