Help please new horse rolling

gable

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Picked up my new horse a few days ago - he is very sweet but rolls in the sand school when on the lunge - even with tack on.

He was turned out in the sand school at his previous home while they mucked out, so I presume he thinks its ok.

I shouted at him, made a lot of noise and even gave him a tap with the whip - he did get up, but I would like to get him out of the habit quickly - especially with tack on.

Could you share your experiences please and/or advice.

Thanks in advance.
 
Poor confused horse.

I should think making a lot of noise and shouting at him is not the best way to embark on a new relationship, so can you ride or long rein him instead until he until he understands that in his new home sand schools are for working in, gets to know you and gets the idea of rolling out of his head?

If not I would save your tack for now, lunge him going forward actively, and anticipate the slowing down/legs bucking, as soon as you see it, get him going forward again. Don't run at him, flap at him, or make noise at him - a flick with the whip and a firm "walk on"/"trot on" should be sufficiently authoritative without startling him. If you can't do this then avoid it until your relationship has developed and he understands his new environment.

Good luck best wishes
 
Did he come with tack etc
I would rule out any pain or pain related equipment
Some horses do it when they either I'n pain or pain related or sweaty
Also I would either not ride or be on caution when riding
Because the can also do it with a rider aboard
And can become dangerous
Either all things come back ok then I would say it's a habit and needs to be resolved
 
He just needs to learn the difference between being the sand school to chill and being in the sand school to work.

If he were mine I'd take him onto the sand in his headcollar and let him go and roll whilst I fetched his tack. Once he'd rolled I'd catch him up, brush him off and tack him up and start working him. If he's intending to roll he will show signs of getting down, so when he slows up send him on firmly and then praise him when he goes forward. Presumably he goes out on grass and doesn't roll if you ride him on grass so he just needs to learn the same when on sand - tack means I am working and I don't roll.
 
Tack and back checked - I do think its just a habit as he was allowed to do this at his previous home. Hasn't attempted it with me on his back ...yet!

He is a very sweet boy - lacks a few manners which we are working on successfully - apart from rolling in the school.
 
My mare does this when lunging with roller on. If you go up to her crack whip she lies flat out if you walk away she sits up. I dont mind her doing it. She never does it with rider or tack .


My pony on the other hand does and with rider she seems to only really do it when she is wet i e been in field before ridden, she does it to dry off. I tell rider to to leg her on when she starts to buckle .
 
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He just needs to learn the difference between being the sand school to chill and being in the sand school to work.

If he were mine I'd take him onto the sand in his headcollar and let him go and roll whilst I fetched his tack. Once he'd rolled I'd catch him up, brush him off and tack him up and start working him. If he's intending to roll he will show signs of getting down, so when he slows up send him on firmly and then praise him when he goes forward. Presumably he goes out on grass and doesn't roll if you ride him on grass so he just needs to learn the same when on sand - tack means I am working and I don't roll.

Totally agree with this a very sensible answer.
 
Well it's probley a habit then , soon as you realise he is going to do it change the work Ie different rein, pole work etc anything to divert his mind from rolling
Also if it ever comes when your riding him
Another thing that may help you is if you have a horse that starts pawling the ground. Put all your weight on the side he is pawling on. This will make them adjust there selves to keep there feet under them. And if they still happen to roll as soon as they start to get up work them real hard from the ground. Them give them a break to get their air and just stand there. Making the right thing easy and the wrong thing hard.
 
Problem is your still allowing problem to carry on by allowing to roll
It's
Not retifify the problem
And teaching him rolling is not allowed while tack up or
Working
 
I would rather get him out of the habit of rolling in the school - he has a field and stable for that
School is for work
 
I would rather get him out of the habit of rolling in the school - he has a field and stable for that
School is for work


Precisely, so explain the problem to your YO and get their permission, do a few days of allowing him to roll with no tack, then being very firm when he's working and then once he's learnt the difference he should never, by the rules of your yard, be untacked in the sand school and should have learnt not to roll whilst tacked up.
 
I would rather get him out of the habit of rolling in the school - he has a field and stable for that
School is for work

Precisely! as long as he gets out in the field that is where he should roll.
I would walk him in hand in the school and not allow him to roll,keep him moving and his head up when he has walked round a few times without trying to roll ,praise him and turn him out in the field.
After a few days I would hope you could then move on to lunging again, allow him into the field straight after for a roll.
He needs to unlearn a habit and it may take a little while .
 
Precisely! as long as he gets out in the field that is where he should roll.
I would walk him in hand in the school and not allow him to roll,keep him moving and his head up when he has walked round a few times without trying to roll ,praise him and turn him out in the field.
After a few days I would hope you could then move on to lunging again, allow him into the field straight after for a roll.
He needs to unlearn a habit and it may take a little while .

My friend's horse did this the first time she was taken into the school after arriving and walking her around in hand (and keeping her walking) was exactly the way my friend tackled it. She's never done it since but she would quite like to get down in the water when hacking through fords so stay aware that it might be something he likes to do and be ready to move him along.
 
God i hate this habit two of my four horses were allowed to do this by previous owners a school is for learning and work a field is for rolling and having fun end of no grey areas. sorry so blunt but it took me a year to stop a 17 hand thinking after work he could just go down and roll even though i was still on him.
 
mine did this when he was on box rest, and allowed out twice a day in the sand school to have a roll and do a bit of loose schooling.

in the end i got into a routine- if he didnt roll at the beginning of the session ( i gave him 5 mins) then i stopped him rolling for the rest of it, as we were working, and if he didn't roll at the beginning i would let him roll at the end, by letting him go and telling him to do so

i stopped him rolling in the middle by sending him forwards every time he even LOOKED like he was thinking about rolling lol, and this seemed to crack it
 
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