Help needed horse not respecting my space

My_chestnut_mare

My_chestnut_mare

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i have had my mare Hari for 3 months and is bl00dy perfect in every way.


EXCEPT when handling her on the ground.

For today i was getting my lesson and because she was leaving her friend behind she was(always is) very bargy and was like i was invisible just barging right in to me and also barging and squashing me against a gate.

I need to stop this behaviour as it is not acceptable but i have no idea on how to.

Can any body please please give me help/ advice?
frown.gif
 
The end of a whip in the chest or ribs depending where she is barging you. Just poke her once and say over she will soon get the message. My 18hh ISH did the same when i got him (mostly out of fear) now he walks in his own space thank god.
 
oh dear...my experience was that if a horse did this to me I would've pushed it back and said no you will wait til i am ready...slightly harder when you have a chuffing great horse to contend with though...I will not be bullied about by any horse...take her back to where she started getting bargy and make her stand still until you are ready for her to move...and tell her nicely but firmly at the same time...if that makes sense?...and keep repeating this and one day she will get the message...
good luck though what ever you do..
 
I have a long lead rope I use on my bargy boy, he would walk all over me when I first got him.
Every time he barges I flick him with the free end of the lead rope, which backs him out of my space. You have to flick it in a way that just irritates them a bit so they move away - as opposed to whacking them!
When my horse responds by moving away I praise him. It didn't take long before he learned to keep his distance. Every so often he tries it on and so out comes the long lead rope and we have a groundwork session - then he is fine. It is important you use your long rope the second the horse barges so she understands it is that bit of behaviour you want her to correct.

I also play a leading game in the school where I lead him beside me, stop and expect him to stop too - if he doesn't I calmly move him back to where I wanted him to stop using my long rope. Then pat. Then walk off, expecting the horse to do so, adding turns, trotting, halting, all the while if he doesn't stick beside me I use the rope to put him where I want him. This taught him to pay attention to me while I am leading him so he focusses on me not his friends!

I use an ordinary headcollar for all this but you can buy a Be Nice halter if she still doesn't get the message.
Michael Peace's books have helped me a lot.

Hope that helps!
 
[ QUOTE ]
I have a long lead rope I use on my bargy boy, he would walk all over me when I first got him.
Every time he barges I flick him with the free end of the lead rope, which backs him out of my space. You have to flick it in a way that just irritates them a bit so they move away - as opposed to whacking them!
When my horse responds by moving away I praise him. It didn't take long before he learned to keep his distance. Every so often he tries it on and so out comes the long lead rope and we have a groundwork session - then he is fine. It is important you use your long rope the second the horse barges so she understands it is that bit of behaviour you want her to correct.

I also play a leading game in the school where I lead him beside me, stop and expect him to stop too - if he doesn't I calmly move him back to where I wanted him to stop using my long rope. Then pat. Then walk off, expecting the horse to do so, adding turns, trotting, halting, all the while if he doesn't stick beside me I use the rope to put him where I want him. This taught him to pay attention to me while I am leading him so he focusses on me not his friends!

I use an ordinary headcollar for all this but you can buy a Be Nice halter if she still doesn't get the message.
Michael Peace's books have helped me a lot.

Hope that helps!

[/ QUOTE ]

^^^ fab advice! i ditto this ^^^
 
I use to help with an ex racer who use to be a nightmare to lead bargy and going up in the air.The owner spent alot of time working on ground work and the horse improved.When he was lead we also use to have to have him on a long rope and if he moved ahead of us or started to invade our space we would poke him inbetween the sholder with the handle side of the whip.Not hard but enough for him to understand and he would straight away slow down and respect our space.He just need a reminder sometimes. Good Luck x
 
Tahnk you all for the advice and i will be trying this asap.

she isn't nasty with it i think she just knows her own strength which i have never let her away with. just didnt know really how to correct properly as having a 16.2 horse barging you isnt fun.
 
Try watching the monty roberts stuff on youtube. If you establish yourself as the leader she will respect your space and not barge you. If she barges you you should try and communicate in horse language and do what other dominant horses would do in the field...turn your back and walk backwards towards her. Stamp your feet a couple of times if she doesn't back off. She should get the message. I don't claim to be an expert and I only telling you what I have seen work. Good luck
 
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