HELP! Young horse difficulties

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wexford

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Wexford my 16hh irish draught sports horse gelding is becoming really stubborn. He's recently turned 5, and when I brought him in November he was really green, having never been xc, jumping a single jump in the school and going on a few hacks. Over the last few weeks hes gradually got worse, now he wont walk down to the school or go out on his a hack on his own when riding. Before this he was great and didn't put a foot wrong, he's great with traffic. As soon as he's out with another horse he's brilliant and we have a great time! I would just like to go out on our own a few times.

Also when we're jumping, he'll jump great - apart from he normally stops atleast once before he will actually jump it. He's improved this lately, but will still stop quite a bit. He's sometimes really difficult to get going apart from doing xc which he seems to enjoy as long as he's with other horses.

I really need some help with what to do with him, it's starting to get really difficult as we can only work in the school and not go out on hacks.
 
Poor Wexford - the horse AND you. He is baby. If he came from Ireland, it is probable tht he was rather quickly backed (and maybe hunted) without much education being put into him. 3 and 4 year olds tend not to know how to argue - they go with the flow and people EXPECT them to be green. But a horse of ANY age is green until some good schooling is put in!

He lacks confidence in YOU - not necessarily your fault - he may NEVER hve lerntto be confident in his rider. So he relies on his 4-legged friends.

Our 3 year olds are expected to hack alone almost as soon as they go out (they MIGHT have one or two hacks out with a sensible companion first.) By the time they've been backed 6 weeks, THEY tend to be the 'sensible companion' for the next baby to be backed! But that's nota general rule. MOST people surround their youngsters with sensible companions - and the youngster doesn't LEARN self/rider reliance.

Your best bet is probably to find a GOOD trainer who specialises in youngsters to restart him and get him going properly! If you're anywhere near the West Midlands, I could help - we see (and cure) this sort of problem constantly.
 
Luckily I know his history and he was broken and bred in England from the person we brought him from. But they didn't do that much with him, and now it seems that he's reached a point that he doesn't want to do anything on his own!

On saturday we decided to go back to the basics him and I am spending more time schooling and lunging him on his own.

Also I am in the Wext Midlands area, near Banbury in Oxfordshire. Thankyou for the advice!
 
This may seem a mad suggestion because it is not on your own exactly but why not try taking him autumn hunting/hound exercise. He will learn to go forward and to think about someting completely different and also when autumn hunting he will have to go off on his own sometimes but because he will be watching hounds etc he may forget to worry about being alone. I have found that hunting cures most young horses who are a bit backward when on their own because they find something else to think about other than themselves! Good time of year for it.
 
wexford said:
Wexford my 16hh irish draught sports horse gelding is becoming really stubborn. He's recently turned 5, and when I brought him in November he was really green, having never been xc, jumping a single jump in the school and going on a few hacks. Over the last few weeks hes gradually got worse, now he wont walk down to the school or go out on his a hack on his own when riding. Before this he was great and didn't put a foot wrong, he's great with traffic. As soon as he's out with another horse he's brilliant and we have a great time! I would just like to go out on our own a few times.

Also when we're jumping, he'll jump great - apart from he normally stops atleast once before he will actually jump it. He's improved this lately, but will still stop quite a bit. He's sometimes really difficult to get going apart from doing xc which he seems to enjoy as long as he's with other horses.

I really need some help with what to do with him, it's starting to get really difficult as we can only work in the school and not go out on hacks.
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To be honest I wouldn't have expected him to have done all that he's still a baby learning. Too many jump horses too young then wonder why they have tendon, ligament and other such problems. Take it slowly maybe your asking for alot too soon.

If they (as you say) didn't do much with him then he needs time to learn. If you rush him it'll all go t**s up.

Good luck:)
 
first thing i would do is make sure his tack fits correctly even more so if this is just a new thing, also worth getting his back checked out
 
I too would say have fun with him take him Hunting or do a pleasure /sponsored ride

I would also get his back looked at. As a baby he is still maturing and he could easily have done something.

My horses are checked several times a year and always before a big competition,even if I don't think there is anything wrong.
 
I know a few people who've recently had to turn 5 yos away for the summer. The unusual heat combined with being pushed further in their training can lead to mental exhaustion. I'm not a fluffy bunny by any means, but I know many horses genuinely do need a bit of a holiday at that age. They usually come back fresh and ready & I'd then recommend autumn hunting :)
 
Time and patience I think is the only real answer, he's a five year old, he'll be getting to that stage in life when he likes to make some decisions for himself rather than being a young naive youngster that he once was, the more he's done in the past the more you'll expect of him, but it doesn’t work like that, there all different, now he's digging is heals in...bit like a teenager.

Take a step back, don't rush things, keep it all simple, less demanding and more enjoyable for him but stick to a work routine that he does well (even if it’s not progressing to what you want) or turn him away for 6 months, otherwise if you think you have problems now, wait till he’s a 6yr old, sometimes they can worse then.
 
Defo hunting. Just take your time and be patient with him..let him learn that it's ok to be a larry and that after he's finished work he can go and see his friends again.

It will all be worth it in the end and you'll have plenty of "bad days" but persevere. I'm sure everyone on here will be with you every step of the way :)
 
I have a young pony, and when we first got her, it was difficult to believe she was just turning 5. She jumped, sometimes with large amounts of encouragement, she has massive scope, and XC fences dont seem to faze her whatsoever.
However, her dressage and flatwork is a drawback. She can do it all but she finds it difficuly as she can sometimes flybuck. She got a very short choppy stride (some people relate her to a sewing machine!!), this helps her jump. But she just finds flatwork VERY difficult.
So maybe, he's finding what your asking of him difficult? Because, all horses/ponies have a problem with something here and there. I know he's managed it before, but if he's changed in his growth or development, he may find it difficult?
Its a suggestion, and its hard to tell seeing as we dont know Wexford!! Im sure he will be fine. Just go back to basics, and take it slow, thats what im having to do, and it seems to be working a treat.

Hope Wexford is back to his normal self soon!! :)
 
Thanks for all the advice guys! He's getting his back done monday, and hopefully we'll be going on our yards fun ride the following week. We had said we would take him to his first show with us the week over and do the 2"6 and possibly the 2"9. Now I think im just gonna take him for the experiance and do some clear round, then is he's good we will do the 2"6. ill try and keep you guys updated on how he gets on!
 
To me it sounds like he has probably got bigger and stronger and is now testing his boundaries. If he was mine none of his behaviour would be tolerated. You need to be very black and white about what is acceptable and what is not. if he stops at a fence and its well within his confidence then he is told that its not acceptable. If he jumps it first time then give him praise. I am dealing with a newly broken 7yo at the moment and I had forgotten how black and white you need to be having not started one off for 5 years. If the horse steps out of line he is corrected and you have to stay strict with this and not let them get away with something one day and not another.
 
well at 5 he is still young and green. you need to be the alpha in this relationship and instill confidence and manners(and take no arguments etc) . take a step back and go back and re establish lunging long reining, pole work, grid work. get him forward off your leg (dont worry about shape as long as he is going forward and doing what is asked) Get a good instructor and work him forward then you will progess to better things. hacking with a good reliable buddy for 2 times then make him do the same route on his own(no excuses wobbles accepted you are the alpha) but make his challenges do able and you will get a nice horse at the end. fun rides and cubbing with a reliable saint to hold his hoof will help. ps keep his turnout to a max and his feed to a min as he is starting to find his strength, height, and weight. reward well , pat up and encourage with voice, but do not indulge his tantrums!
 
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