Handling big young horses..

H

H-J

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 June 2006
Messages
6,386
Location
Essex
www.piczo.com
Who has big young horses and how do you handle them??

Connor is 5 and not been handled much or done much at all and he is 17.3hh ish!
crazy.gif
couldnt get the stick that close to him!

He is as good as gold with everything when ridden hasnt once bucked reared napped etc etc

But is quite bargy when handled he is getting much better now and respects our space alot more.

Yet the last couple of times my mum has gone to get him in and has gone to headcollar him is is putting his head in teh air and walking through her then when she finally got him headcollared she walks him in and he walks away from the other horses (he is in adjacent field becaus eof kick) he keeps trying to circle back to them!

Now she let him go today and told him to bugger off and left him out!!

Anyone have any tips! Is he taking the p*ss or what! I really am at my wits end with horses this week!!
frown.gif
One of those weeks!! She now wants him to go as although very very talented she is worried when he is muscled (he is VERY poor at the mo) he will be too much to handle!

I will be getting him in tomorrow to see what he is like.

Any views/tips?!
confused.gif
 
All the horses on my yard are big - but we have the advantage of having bred most of them, so they learn the rules from the word go.

Personally in your shoes, only one person would be handling him - the person most competent to do so, until he has learnt some manners.

I would use a controller or stallion chain on him - and reinforce the ground rules everytime I entered his stable.

We never allow a horse to barge out - the doof is opened and the horse must wait until it is asked to move off - again this is started from day one, and they get the idea very quickly.
 
I would turn him out with a headcollar on then all your mum needs to do is clip the leadrope on and that will solve him sticking his head in the air. when she leads him in wrap the leadrope around his nose, otherwise put a bridle on him, but if she is struggling to put a headcollar on that probably wouldn't work.

He'll get better the more you do with him
 
Yes I think his problem is being passed around a bit and they have let him get away with it.

And he thinks it is the norm to be bargy now, its always me and my mum that handle him mainly me, and your right it is just constantly laying down the law with him I think, he has got so much better but it has really upset my mum this morning which then upsets me, bloody horses.
 
He did have a headcollar on at all times in the field but it rubbed!! So will sew some fluff on and he will have that on at all times as I think that will make it easier
 
I would use a chain over the nose and if needs be a lunge line/ longer lead rope.

Also whenever he trys to run through you he be backed up pretty damn quick.

Initially to get a headcollar on him I'd probably have a treat to hand.
 
Big horses must not be allowed to behave like this and when they have begun to have this lack of respect for humans then you need to be firm and not allow any one who reacts in a submissive way to handle him for a while.
I , with my stallions, who are big and my 3yr old gelding who is 17.2hh use a stallion chain under then chin. So that you thread the chain first through the ring on the head collar on the nearside then under the chin and out through the ring on the off side and then clip on on the ring at the top off side. Make sure the rings on the headcollar are round and smooth so that the chain runs freely. I then make sure i have a piece of plasic pipe about 1/2 inch in diameter and about 90cms long. This is not to hurt but to make a noise so that you can tap him on the shoulder so that you can keep him in his space and you in yours. I have used a split bamboo cane but they get trodden on and broken so the pipe is the most robust. The chain will only work when he pulls and releases when he releases, so he teaches himself that you ARE higher up the order than him.
When you walk in the box he must step back from you.Tap him with the pipe on his chest and push the fingers in the groove that run betwen the shoulder and the nech muscle. Pat him when he reponds. For little people handling to put on head collars is difficult, i dont like to use 'treats' but you can use them to lower the head and reward for doing so.
Some times you really have to hold your ground and the chain and the pipe give you a way of being able to reinforce your will. Keep good eye contact and when you use your voice keep the tone low and firm.
When they have learnt to be bollshy you do have to re-establish the 'order' so you may have to be quite touch for a week or so so that he really gets the idea that it is not his place to push you around.
Once you have established this a simple NO, or AHAH, will be enough of a warning, andyou will have a pussy cat.You do need to really mean it when you tell him!
 
Forgot to say have a long lead rope on the chain[i dont use lunge lines as you get in a tangle and i dont put the chain over the nose because it is too sensative and is easily damaged should they pull back, it also does not have such a clear 'release' ]
 
i agree with all the stallion chain suggestions but know it can be difficult to get them on in the field! i have just had my 16.2 id x tb gelded, he used to be very bargy too, found a felt covered whip very good to keep or a piece of pipe would do just as well, once he'd learnt he didnt get a smack if he didnt barge he was fine, he was never taken out of his stable without the stick, much easier! it was the noise that was the trick as he is the sort of horse who feels no pain!! i wouldnt bother 'tapping' him though, he must learn respect and this could well mean a good strong smack!! i used to have to smack mine up the neck, i know some may not like this but when faced with a striking rearer it is better to be safe than sorry!! hope the advice helps, if there's anything else i can help you with let me know! ;-)
 
I did'nt say smack him because i could not be bothered with the Parrelli bunch going off on one about carrot sticks and all that......... begins with b and ends in ocks!
As a relative new poster you have yet to learn that some times you have to 'moderate ' how you put things across.
Believe me the pipe makes a really good noise with relatively little force, but i will give them a good thwack if the message is not responded to.
 
Yes we have mr whippy outside the stable at all times which he gets accross the chest if it barges!!

Went and got him in at lunch with the chifney and he was as good as gold, little monkey!!
 
I too am a fan of a chain under the jaw. My cob is only small - 15 hands but very strong and went through a bargy stage. I bought a dog choke chain, thread it from one ring under the jaw to the other ring and then put the two rings onto a long lead rope. I actually use a set of draw reins - lighter and not as long as a lunge rein, but plenty long enough.

A few hard jerks was all that was required to stop him pulling. He has also had a lot of groundwork - being made to move back/over on command. If he did not, a short whip initially was used on his chest/side, then graduated to a rope and now a command/finger is all that is needed.

If he tried to rush out the stable he received a smack on the chest and was backed up and not allowed out until he walked with his head at my shoulder.

He was also made to submit to aggressive body language again - now my "fish finger" stance and a hiss is normally enough to stop him dead.

My 16.3 very temperamental WB mare also had a chain used - took about two weeks to stop her rearing, galloping and crushing me - I then used to keep the chain on as a reminder that she should behave.

As I am only 5' I need mine to behave. With Fleur I also only had very confident people handle her - she was not nasty but a big mare who knew how to make less confident people do as she wanted.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top