Getting horse out the field...its such a pain!...any tips?

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hannabanana

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I'm having bother leading my horse out the field, catching him is fine, its leading him! He will walk, but then he will just stop for no reason several times. I've had him for 3 years and hes ALWAYS done it no matter what field he is in. I'm fed up now, and I feel like he hates me because he used to run up to his old owner, but not for me! I spoil him rotten! He was okay for the first weeks I had him and then decided he didnt want to leave the field. He's turned out 24/7, and I dont just get him out the field to ride, I regulary get him out to just faff on with him and have his tea. The only time he has ever actually whinnied and galloped over to me to bring him in was when he was in the stable, and in a smaller field for a short amount of time (due to healing from an injury) I've tried taking treats; that just makes him greedy. Waiting for him to decide when to move when he stops; I'm there all day. Constantly speaking to him nicely; doesnt work. Shouting at him; does work a little bit, but I dont want him to become frightened. Being nice to him when he walks but a telling off when he stops; doesnt work. Zig zagging him; doesnt work. The only time he walks without stopping is if my big scary dad leads him or someone is behind clapping there hands or patting his bum, exept I dont always have a spare person to help! Am I doing something wrong here? or am I being a walk over?
 
Agree with the above. Take a schooling whip in with you and when he stops, just tap him with it on his hindquarters and tell him to WALK ON. But keep facing the way you want to go, if he refuses tap a little harder and the WAlK ON a little firmer in your voice.:):):):)
 
thanks for the reply, problem is I cant go anywhere near him with a whip, I'm not sure if he had a bad past with them, but he will not let me anywhere near him with a whip or any kind of stick, Even giving him a smack on the shoulder with the rope makes him go nuts, I ended up with rope burn on my hand
 
oh i so feel for you - my horse is exactly the same - bloody selfish, when field is bare and hes hungry he comes running to me - when hes in a lush new field - no chance.
I jab him in his shoulders to make him walk on - if this dont work, agree with others - take a whip - hes not a bolshy know it all cob is he?????????
 
just read your latest reply - jan him with your shoulder in his, or use end of lead rope - horses eh - why do we do it lol
 
Pressure halter and a long rope.

If he stops, or rather when he stops(!), turn him, back him up, anything, just make him move his feet. When you're leading him anywhere stop, start, turn at odd angles; if he turns one way, you turn the other. If there are particular spots where you know he's likely to stop, you stop him first, or turn away, anything that gets you to be in charge of what is happening rather than him.

Work on the ground rules, work on making him respect your space, work on him looking to you as the boss (yes and food etc. as well). Stop trying to make him love you. It isn't going to work.
 
Well I was going to suggest a schooling whip as well, not to touch him with it but to wave in his field of vision to get him moving, that sometimes works better as some horses resent being touched with the whip and that makes them worse. But if you really can't get near him with a whip in your hand, try getting a long lead rope, hold it across the front of your body as you lead him and flap it behind you, letting it slap noisily against your coat. Be absolutely certain that you are not getting in front of him, stay by his shoulder and whatever you do, don't pull him, he will only pull back against you. Are you using a headcollar? If so it would be worth changing to a halter, it doesn't need to be anything fancy but a simple rope halter will give you more control.
 
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I would do as MrsMozart suggested, backing up turning etc he'll soon learn that its less work for him to come quietly lol
 
Thanks for the replys guys. Yes I'm using a headcollar, I will try your advice tomorrow, first with the shoulder jabbing and/or mrs mozarts advice. If thatt fails, I think I will be buying a pressure halter. :) The wierd thing is, is that when im in the field doing ragwort picking or whatever, he follows me around like a lost puppy, but when he realises im heading down towards the gate he stops....so frustrating!
 
You need to do just lots more groundwork with him. The getting him to move his feet really does work (and not letting him make you move yours!). Tried it on any number of horses. Dizzy is the biggest 'prover' of it - if I let her move me around then next time I'm in the stable with her it's bedlam :(. Definately respects me much more when I'm in charge :)
 
Hi Yes its really frustrating when they do this my mare used to try and do it with me when I first got her, this is what i did they are all different but it worked in her case. She like your horse was good to catch so as we got out of the gate i would be really positive with her say walk on and we would lead off I focused on something in the distance and I kept marching! because if I slowed down she would know and try to stop, i didnt talk or reassure her as she wasnt nervous and it might have made her think there was something scary if that makes sense .when we got into the yard I would say good girl and carry on as usual, I always looked straight ahead never turning her round in circles as it would confuse her as to what to do and it would just waste time, also dont turn and look at your horse as mine also would take advantage at this point, hope this helps good luck. sorry about the rambling as this was quite a long time ago.:)
 
thanks guys, I did try that branmash, but I just get pulled back haha XD I know the spots he does it in, so I have done the circling and it is working, Im trying to do it with me by his shoulder, I still have to be in the front to keep him going, or else I end up doing a circle every second XD, I will get there!
 
Agree with post(s) above re. ground work. At the risk of offending, I'm gonna suggest that what's happening in the field is symptomatic of the real problem, not the problem itself, i.e. your horse is not, at the mo, respecting you as herd leader - if he did, you wouldn't have a problem.

This needs addressing firmly but kindly, out of the field in the first instance. He has to respect you and when you say "walk on" or whatever, he has to follow with you not resist, and at the moment he doesn't have that respect, or trust, in you as herd leader.

So you need to work with him on the ground. Use a pressure halty if necessary and if you don't know how to use it get someone to show you as you can do more harm than good if you don't use it correctly, i.e. pressure and release (reward) rather than pressure to punish.

You just need to manhandle him on the ground, pushing your hand behind the girth, making him go backwards, forwards, circles, whatever - he has to realise you are in control not him!!

I would also suggest that using food as a reward isn't the best "reward" - when he does as you want you could try rubbing his neck as a reward rather than feeding.

Does he lunge? or longrein? Both would give him confidence to go forward on his own but within your area of influence.

The field is obviuosly his "herd comfort zone" which is why he's reluctant to leave it. When you have reassured him that you're his herd leader, he'll be OK to follow you out of that comfort zone, but right now he's obviously apprehensive about leaving it.

You could also do something my friend who'd bought a little Dartmoor pony straight from the market did to gain its confidence; she took a book into the stable and sat down on a straw bale, and read aloud to it so it got used to her being there and the sound of her voice. This is timeconsuming and won't be a quick fix, but just a suggestion.

Your horse needs to learn to trust you and be able to leave his "herd" to be with you. Its a big ask, and its up to you to convince him that you're "safe" to go with away from his herd. There's no quick fix, but I think if you persist you'll get there.
 
Don't keep 'spoiling him' your words......Use a bridle or controlling halter, carry a schooling whip - make sure he is always in front of your eye, you need to stand at his shoulder. Tap lightly with the whip on his flank, and keep him in front of you. Get someone experienced to start long reining him as well for you - that will help too. He is being pretty dominant at the moment, and you need to break that cycle. Reward him when he has done well - i.e. don't give him treats in the field - but reward him when you have him away from the field.
 
Recognise this problem! One of mine started doing it after I had had him for about a month. He's just trying it on, lots of good advice already given. What got mine moving was much along the same lines. A really firm 'walk on', poke in the ribs just behind the girth and a bit of a growl sorted this out! I wouldn't try with food either. This is about a lack of respect, food gives out the wrong message. Good luck! You'll probably find once you get this sorted he start trotting up to you in the field too, as he'll be more secure in his place in the 'herd' :)
 
seems to be a common theme here as my horse did this with me about 4 weeks after i bought him!!! quick sharp poke in the shoulder/rib area did the trick!!!
 
OR you could do what i did with one of mine when she arsed about getting in or putting out. A bum bag full of sliced carrots or apples. I made her stop and stand then she got a treat and made her walk on, after several weeks it was not trouble, just made sure she got her treat at the end, either in field or stable.:):)
 
thanks guys, and no offence taken myjods. Yes he lunges beautifully, long reining not so much, the yard owner tried it once, and he was a right ****, and nearly jumped onto a car and had a 'fight' with YO right next to the sespit area, very cringy moment. The yard owner has a VERY firm hand and had him doing it eventually, problem is, I have let him walk all over me for a long time, so I guess its going to take longer haha. How is a pressure halter used? I dont think anyone uses one down the yard
 
Mine does the same just stop's, nibbles my hands, likes to know whats going on around him? etc. He once bit the back of my top (my fault for walking infront of him) and pulled me back which was a big NoNo. He seemed to just be messing about so i just used to flick with the lead rope which seemed to do the trick(took an extra long one :D) Was thinking of a whip just to carry and make him aware i was coming in whatever happened but i finally made him realise i wasnt just going to leave him if he arsed about. He still does it now and then but hes getting better.

ETA: sorry if anyone has said any of this. Had a few (well maybe a bottle or so :D) of roseand didnt read whole thread
 
Make the right thing easy and the wrong thing difficult!

Lead him in using a lunge rope if he stops, back up, move his feet and then lunge him in a smallish circle using the end of your rope as the driver (as you say he is scared of whips).

As you are lunging move your circle nearer to the direction you want to go in.

Commence leading....if he stops rinse and repeat.

He will hopefully realize that it is a whole lot less effort to just simply lead out of the paddock.

You will need to do this when you have time in all probability lots of it as he is lunging and walking his way out of that gate this time however long it takes. Make sure that is the day you take your Calmer!

Once you have got over your problem of getting him to lead out of the paddock then put some time into making him light forward going and easy to lead.

Good luck!
 
Echo Bravo said:
OR you could do what i did with one of mine when she arsed about getting in or putting out. A bum bag full of sliced carrots or apples. I made her stop and stand then she got a treat and made her walk on, after several weeks it was not trouble, just made sure she got her treat at the end, either in field or stable.:):)
Click to expand...

Is this not the total opposite of what she is trying to achieve?

I agree - he's taking the mick. I would take a bridle (with a long rope through the bit), gloves and a schooling whip and do not allow him to stop at any point. If he feels like he's going to stop, tap him with the whip behind you and push his head forwards in front of you.

Good luck
 
thanks for the tip echo bravo, but I have tried it and he became worse, he always expected food and searched my pockets, and if there wasnt any he would give me a shove :O, naughty horse got a smack. I am liking the Idea of the lunging and bridle though, I currently have all day (lucky me) to faff on, so I have no problem with taking forever to get out the gate. I am currently doing tiny circles everytime he slows down and that is working. Thanks for all the tips guys! your all stars!
 
I dont understand...is the issue that he stops and then moves forward eventually or just that he stops and you have to give up and let go?

If its the first then I'd just keep walking and growl like mad when he stops. If he is stopping so you have to let go, I've found with the baby that I walk to the end of her lead rope, and then I just stand there. She cant go back cos shes being held by the rope, but she can come forward. She always chooses the path of least resistance.
 
He just stops randomly, he will plant his feet but eventually come after a good yank, or turning circles which I have been doing now, but if I just stand at end of lead rope he will just stand and go to sleep, (trust me I have stood for 10 minutes before and no result)
 
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