HELP 17.2 Warmblood walks all over me!!

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littlejem85

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Hi
Please can i have any suggestions as to how to handle my very big 17.2 6YO warmblood.
Overall he is a dope on a rope but on occasions he decides where he is going and what he is doing. I think he is going through the TRYING STAGE at the moment. He has now learnt that if i tie him up outside his stable he can just pull back and break the string. He doesnt go anywhere just stands there and looks at me! If i tie him in the stable he prances round and hates being tied up but never pulls away when in the box. His newest trick is that he wont go in the stable with out the aid of someone else with a lunge rope behind him. I just need some ideas as he is so big he i cant fight him. When he is on his headcollar and lead rope he is fine 70% of the time but when he decides he is putting his head up he just goes where he wants. When im on his back he is an absolute dream. Tonight im going to try leading him in a chifney. He is an extremely clever horse and it only takes him a short amount of time to learn things.
Any ideas will be more than welcome!
 
i was just about to suggest a chiffney, it transformed a bolshy horse we used to have at the stables, it really shows them who's boss!
 
He needs to learn manners are respect for you, which it sounds like he's lost! Is he new to you? If so it's quite possible he's been handled by professional who just don't take any of his nonsense, and now he's found out he can get away with whatever he wants.

I'm guessing you're nervous or novice, or just not assertive? (simply because experienced owners rarely have that kind of problem as it's stopped before it starts)

Firm handling should sort it out (which does NOT mean just belting him every time he's naughty - I know a couple of people who sadly adopt that method) but timing and correct release of 'pressure' with a good grasp of what you're trying to achieve, and how to shape the required behaviour, is needed.

How much ground work have you done with him? Moving him away and over and back from body language etc. Giving to pressure. Respect is gained by moving of their feet in the correct direction. Trust comes before or after, depending on their personality.

If you're not sure how to do it, get someone out to help you - a NH instructor would really help you with it. NH is poo-poo'd by experienced old-school horse-people but they are a godsend for those who haven't spent years and years working with horses, learning it as they go along - NH (well, the sensible stuff anyways) just packages 'good horsemandship' into nice easy bite-sized exercises that most people can pick up quickly.

A normal RI would be able to give you pointers on where you've gone wrong, but I've found they're more about training the horses rather than the handlers - I'm guessing he knows exactly what he's MEANT to be doing, so you need the training on making him do it - that's where a good NH instructor comes into their own - they train the handler to train their horse.

if you're in central scotland I can give you the name of a good instructor who would really help you - she's done a great job with my friend and her unruly fell pony.
 
Yes the chifney is definetley coming out tonight. The other thing i was going to try is cross tying in the stable. Also i have read articles on hobbles to get him to sstand in the stable but im scared he will hurt himself????
 
Unfortunatley im not a novice at all ive had horses for the last 20 years! Thats the annoying thing. Im never scared of him although some of the girls who have handled him are (so we have stopped that) he is not horrible at all just extremely powerful. He is the biggest ive had so far and i dont want to go about it the wrong way. Ive handled lots of trouble horses in the past and had very good results. My best friend is an AI and we are at the same point we are not sure where to go next? I think maybe the language barrier didnt help as stand is not in his vocabulary.
 
Oh dear, that sounds like your declaring war!!

How long have you had him? Has he recently moved, lost a friend, had his confidence knocked in either in your ability to keep him safe, or in himself?

Horses can seem to be bolshy in our human eyes, but that in general is just our perception and lack of understanding of the horses problem. I'm not saying that you don't, I'm just suggesting that you maybe need to take a neutral step back, think as if you were the horse and ask yourself why he needs to shout at you to be heard?

It's better to meet halfway in co-operation and friendship than to go into battle with a half ton horse.
 
Not at all ellsbells that is why i have written on here... i need some inspiration! I do think a lot of it is his age and trying new tricks. He loves his routine and is not keen when that is changed so im keeping ebvertything as normal as possible. I went down the yard yesterday and he was in the sweetest mood, i couldnt fault him. But somedays he wants a challenge! Im thinking he maybe bored?
 
I have a giant at 17.2 also. When I first bought him, I only led him around in a Chifney, and now that we've both got used to each other I use just a headcollar most of the time, but if he looks a bit high, I'll always pop it on, just in case.

With regards to tieing your boy up. That can be a tricky problem to solve, as once they've discovered their strength they often don't forget it! There was an interesting and slightly controversial thread on 'swinging' last week. That is when you tie them up to an unbreakable thing and let them pull, and pull until they give up defeated, in order to train them to stand nicely when tied up. I don't think I could bring myself to risk doing that, but I've not had a horse with this problem, so I'm not sure what to suggest, but see if you can search that thread last week, as there were lots of comments and suggestions on alternative methods as well.
 
Forgot to say He was imported from the netherlands in Jan and we brought him in Feb. I would love to say that the language is a barrier but he understands me fine on a good day!!
 
Could it be connected to his feed/work/turnout levels? I have a big TB who can be a total nuisance fidget pants before he's been worked if he's not getting enough to do, but he just needs as little as lunged for 10 mins or so to go back to being easy to handle. Could you, for instance, bring yours in from the field on a lunge line and immediately work him for a short time, then do the grooming and proper work after that? You could perhaps take it a bit further - tie him up in the arena or whatever you have, and every time he breaks the string lunge for a bit and then tie up again, so there is a consequence to him breaking away. You could also think of some reward system for good behaviour, eg if he stands to be groomed without breaking the string, he gets to go straight back out with his pals.
 
Thank u misinterpreted i will take a look. I do think i feel the same as you though that being the big clumsy boy he is he would probably injure himself!!!
 
I also have a large wb although mine is a only a tiny 16.3!! He was imported from Germany and has way too much attitude. He isn't nasty but tries it on big time. I was tempted to try a chifney but I know they can be harsh, especially in the wrong hands. As I had never used one I asked for help on here as you have. I was advised to try an ordinary (and cheap) dog choke chain. Feed it through your headcollar (back of the nose band so it forms a triangle) with the rings hanging on either side and clip your lead rope on to the rings. The difference was instant and amzing. He now respects me and stops when I say stop. Kinder than a chifney too.
 
Thank u, Im loving the choke chain idea. I hve tried feeding the rope through the head collar but i think the choke chain would give more of a reaction.......
 
my 17.1hh does the same thing when tied! doesnt do anything once loose. I now use trailer ties, they stretch so he doesnt panic, and in real emergencies they do break as he has proved!
 
littlejem85 said:
Yes the chifney is definetley coming out tonight. The other thing i was going to try is cross tying in the stable. Also i have read articles on hobbles to get him to sstand in the stable but im scared he will hurt himself????
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This sounds as though you feel that the problem lies with the horse, rather than with yourself and tbh sounds like 'overkill' to me. Please do NOT hobble him. I have seen this do immeasurable harm and take a long time to sort out. I also would not crosstie. I do not tie my horses up, I expect them to stand quietly in the stable. I do not tie up outside this is usually unnecessary and is asking for an accident. TBH this sounds to me as though the horse does not respect you because you are not consistent in your handling of him. This what you need to address.
We bought a Clydesdale mare for a novice 6'2" rugby playing OH, he really struggled to stop her rushing across the yard when he was bringing her in, to the extent that she slammed him into the door frame every day. My 5' 6" 9 stone sister took over from him and no trouble with the mare at all. It really is all about body language and consistency.
I'm sorry if this is not what you want to hear but I'm sure if you are experienced that you will be able to sort it out.
 
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