Help needed

[vicky_744]

Hi, we have recently purchased a section c gelding, he’s 5 years old, owned him roughly 6 months now, when purchasing we gave him a month to settle in to his new home. Just bringing him into the stable to be groomed and then turned out.
I’m struggling with his ground manners. As soon as I bring him into the stable he wants to knock whoever is in his way over, he rubs on anything in his way, this is before I can even get his rug off. When I eventually manage to get his rug off I leave him roam in the stable for a good 20 minutes before trying to do anything with him. In this time he shakes his head, walks round in circles and rubs his sides up the walls and rails, he puts his head into his hay net and rubs this until it is over his neck. He does not rub his tail at all. His coat is in great condition and there are no signs of fleas or sweat itch.
When grooming he again tries to knock whoever is in his way over, he swings his head to the side, doesn’t care if he hits you. He swings his bum into you but has never kicked out. If he is left alone in the stable after he has had his mad moments of rubbing and shaking his head he calms and happily stands eating his hay or just looking at the wall.
Whilst riding he, especially in an arena , he turns out of the straight line and will continue walking even though the rider is trying their hardest to get him back onto the track. His head is turned say the the left but he just continues to walk the other way. I’ve never seen a horse do this before.
Please any advice will help.

 

[Equi]

Get a professional trainer. He sounds like he’s walking all over you and has some separation anxiety/napping tendancies. Also get his tack and rug checked for fit.

 

[Arzada]

Re the rubbing: I'd stop rugging unless the weather is heavy rain and windy or heavy rain and icy cold

 

[dottylottie]

i also have a section C, who did a lot of these things. lots of groundwork would be my answer! she used to absolutely walk all over me, with no respect for my space at all. i did, and still do, a lot of backing up, disengaging the hindquarters, following and stopping when i stop, yielding the shoulders etc, and she’s now very very respectful. my main bit of advice would be don’t give him an inch - mine has to walk in the stable, stand quietly whilst i take everything off, and stay out of my space whilst i leave. she backs up for her bucket/net etc, and if in doubt i tie her up - i’m not chasing her round the stable! my other horse is just an angel by nature, i can take her headcollar off in the doorway and chuck a bucket in with her stood at the door because she doesn’t take the mick, but if i relax the rules with diva she goes back to being a madam! if they rush through the door, back up and try again until they don’t. we reverse around the stable until she stops trying to walk forward, then the headcollar comes off.


…however, the mad 5 minutes is something i don’t think she’ll ever grow out of!! she goes in and rubs her face on her nets, pokes her nose in every corner, checks to see if i’m bringing anything better, and then eats her net i have no reason to think this is anything more serious though, and what she does when i’m not in there is none of my business if she’s not doing anyone/thing any harm

ETA: with the swinging into you when grooming, this was a massive issue with her too - she used to paste me into the wall! i tied her up outside where there’s more room and less solid walls, and every time she moved i just pushed her back over, eventually the game gets boring and she stood still. this is where the groundwork comes in though - until we did the groundwork she didn’t understand pressure and release, so didn’t care about a finger in the ribs. i just try to keep my body language quiet - the bigger reaction i gave, the bigger reaction she gave.

 

[94lunagem]

Groundwork, firm but fair, and consistent boundaries. And keep at it.

If you’d stopped at the rubbing in the stable I’d say not to worry. My little Sec A does exactly the same if I put him inside when he’s wet. He ties himself in knots rubbing his head and body (never his tail) against a haynet, it can be quite a sight! Doesn’t do it when he’s dry.

It is possible to make changes. I inherited one who had zero personal space boundaries and would wave front legs about begging for treats. She has never been nasty, she just wants to be right there getting all the fuss all the time, but in my view being over familiar is just as much of a problem as aggression. I’ve never been big on treats, I don’t mind if others ask to give them (as long as it’s in or outside the stable, never over the door and never in an open field) but it’s rare for me to give them. With her I have a no treat/feed from hand policy and it’s surprising how quickly they get out of bad habits, she is altogether more respectful and the leg flailing is once in a blue moon. It’s also surprising how quickly they slip back into bad habits if allowed, hence I stick to my guns and my no treat policy is zero tolerance.

I’m also a fan of ignoring certain things. The leg begging, for example, I don’t tell her off. I simply don’t acknowledge it and ignore her.

I’m not at livery so I can control the environment, but it is possible to make changes with the right handling.

If in doubt, it can never hurt to get physio, teeth, saddle etc checks done to rule out anything physical first.

 

[vicky_744]

Re the rubbing: I'd stop rugging unless the weather is heavy rain and windy or heavy rain and icy cold

Thanks it’s just too muddy and wet at the moment to stop rugging, he also likes to be clean, he won’t roll in any mud, he never comes in with evidence of him rolling his head or neck in the mud. Very clean pony

 

[vicky_744]

Groundwork, firm but fair, and consistent boundaries. And keep at it.

If you’d stopped at the rubbing in the stable I’d say not to worry. My little Sec A does exactly the same if I put him inside when he’s wet. He ties himself in knots rubbing his head and body (never his tail) against a haynet, it can be quite a sight! Doesn’t do it when he’s dry.

It is possible to make changes. I inherited one who had zero personal space boundaries and would wave front legs about begging for treats. She has never been nasty, she just wants to be right there getting all the fuss all the time, but in my view being over familiar is just as much of a problem as aggression. I’ve never been big on treats, I don’t mind if others ask to give them (as long as it’s in or outside the stable, never over the door and never in an open field) but it’s rare for me to give them. With her I have a no treat/feed from hand policy and it’s surprising how quickly they get out of bad habits, she is altogether more respectful and the leg flailing is once in a blue moon. It’s also surprising how quickly they slip back into bad habits if allowed, hence I stick to my guns and my no treat policy is zero tolerance.

I’m also a fan of ignoring certain things. The leg begging, for example, I don’t tell her off. I simply don’t acknowledge it and ignore her.

I’m not at livery so I can control the environment, but it is possible to make changes with the right handling.

If in doubt, it can never hurt to get physio, teeth, saddle etc checks done to rule out anything physical first.

Thank you, he is never given treats or feed, he’s a good doer and lives off the grass and hay. Have had his teeth and back checked which all were good, he does wind suck tho so this is another issue.