Help! Cob breaking away when led in

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wildandwoolly

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Ideas please (sorry for long post)

Young cob has just started a new trick. Got away from (non-horsey) OH twice when being led in last week. Next time I led him in he tried it with me and didn't succeed. Following day I put Dually halter and long rope on and he was fine for a few days but yesterday he shot past me, kicking out as he went, and got away. Little s**t!

He isn't in work yet and isn't being fed anything except a little hay. There is enough grass to keep him occupied so he isn't starving! He has been lunged and led out in the autumn and has been very responsive to the voice when doing his little bit of work. He is a bright boy and that is part of the problem as now he's managed to get away with it a few times he thinks it is worth trying again. I am sure it is just excitement because he coming in for some hay and to be checked over but I can't have this behaviour, it is rude and dangerous. The slippery ground doesn't help me at all either - hard to keep my feet.

I'm beginning to think he'll have to be led in a bridle for safety but what would you suggest?

Hot chocolate with cream to all who've got this far.
 
Lead him in with a bridle and if he continues to do it withhold the hay, trun him round and do it again ... and again ... and again until he knows its not acceptable to behave like that.

Can you jazz up the hay feeding routine? Change it so he is never sure where or when or 'if' he is being fed when you bring him in?
 
I'd lead him in in a lunge line so it's harder for him to get away, and a bit if necessary.
Had the same problem with my sec D when he was 2, totally the same situation with OH aswell! He soon got out of it though when he realised he couldn't do it with me ;) :D
 
Ours used to do this when we first got him. I used an eskidron headcollar with a chain on the nose for a while, then just made sure my elbow was in his neck as as soon as he got his head he was off!! Not done it for a long time now xx
 
I've always found that cobs are not so much skittish or flighty more rude bargy and greedy.
My friend keeps her two with us and they drag her all over the place. If I or my daughter bring them in they walk politely beside us. We have disciplined them and they know rude behaviour won't be tolerated. The amusing thing is as soon as owner is on the end of the rope they're back to horrid rude brats. They are certainly not daft.
A firm consistent handling routine should work in no time. We used nothing more than usual headcollar and a good telling off.
 
Hmmm.... horrid trick isn't it?!! my boy still does this with me now on occasion and it really Pisses me off!! I used to use a dually all the time but he stopped respecting it and just ran straight through it... used a bridle and again, eventually had not a hope in hell of stopping him. The best thing I did was move yards (not practical I know!!)... I now have a much shorter walk to the field and having 'got tough' with him on a couple of occasions, I can now lead him in a normal headcollar for the first time since I got him 4 years ago(occasionally with rope over the nose)... I still have to stay one step ahead of him and tend to circle him away from me if I feel him starting to do it and then try again... Recently I have found that giving him a treat after he comes through the gate and circles back to me to close it again has helped make him want to stay with me (this was a prime opportunity for him to do it).

Basically I think it comes down to a bit of ground training (practice halting, waiting, walking on and backing up as well as reprimanding him when he is bad) and a bit of bribery never goes amis either ;). Perhaps use a schooling whip as an extension to your arm, to prevent him walking ahead of you?
 
I take my giant 17.3 ISH out to the field in a chiffney, he gets so excited about the prospect of going to the field, and the field is a fair trek down a long muddy path so if he is in a headcollar he knows he can overpower anyone and run off down the path! So the chiffney gives so much more control, he knows there is something in his mouth which wont feel great if I pull on it so he is perfectly behaved with that in.

One tug on the chiffney and your cob will know who's boss, and wont do it again!
 
kc100 said:
I take my giant 17.3 ISH out to the field in a chiffney, he gets so excited about the prospect of going to the field, and the field is a fair trek down a long muddy path so if he is in a headcollar he knows he can overpower anyone and run off down the path! So the chiffney gives so much more control, he knows there is something in his mouth which wont feel great if I pull on it so he is perfectly behaved with that in.

One tug on the chiffney and your cob will know who's boss, and wont do it again!
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Yes - but if a chifney is going to be used on the young cob I would suggest the line is threaded through and not clipped onto the chifney. If the cob does managed to break away and steps on the line it won't be the chifney that snaps it could be the lower jaw.

I have 3 young cobs, 2 babies and one, recently purchased at 6 year old.
All have a simple rope halter on and have been taught to yield to pressure. The babies picked it up within 2 lessons and now walk with no pressure at my shoulder, (one is a shire). The older cob was so rude and bargy but the rope halter and several hidings, soon taught her to be polite.

It is a simple, old fashioned and very effective way of teaching them to lead in a polite and correct manner.
 
I'd just use a rope over the nose first time, if that failed a stallion chain. And keep him moving forwards all the way back from the field. Alternatively, with a youngster who is just in an awkward phase (& in all likelihood just eager to get to the hay, rather than just trying its luck) I would bring in with a higher ranking horse he respects. Other horse either led by someone else in front where he won't dare barge through, or depending on horse alongside if it can be trusted to keep him from getting ahead.
 
Thanks one and all for your helpful replies.

I've just been and got him in (bridle and lunge-line), bit of apple to catch and when I took his bridle off but no hay yet - I'll put that in later. He did think about shoving off a couple of times but was made to halt and back up, bit of fuss, and off we went again. There was a fair bit of tail-swishing so am guessing he's not too pleased about being thwarted but TOUGH! If this is all about the hay, taking that out of the equation should help the penny drop.

I really need to get him past this phase before it becomes a serious problem so am going to be very strict and vigiliant. It's funny as his field-mate, also a youngster, is as good as gold and it is like leading a cloud when I bring him in. They're all different and we learn different things from them all too.

Thanks again everyone.:)
 
when my lad went through this, I had to use a chifney - he's so strong it was the only way to get a handle on it.

Bear in mind that a lot of horses are nuts at the moment - the grass is coming through.
 
Patterdale said:
I'd lead him in in a lunge line so it's harder for him to get away, and a bit if necessary.
Had the same problem with my sec D when he was 2, totally the same situation with OH aswell! He soon got out of it though when he realised he couldn't do it with me ;) :D
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^ This. Lunge line means you have longer to react and get out of the way while keeping hold. Also means less chance of getting away and stamping on a short leadrope (ouch).

And the quicker you turn them (If wide enough) when they go the easier to keep hold.
 
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