Horse testing me with his strength / pulling/ barging/ HELP

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Agree you have to watch like a hawk...mine pulls to grass and I have tried everything to stop it. The only thing that works is being tuned in and stopping her as the first flicker of a grass though sparks across her brain. Once she has started to move it's a battle of strength which you will lose.
She is a clever one, she used to speed up to get a little slack in the rope then lunge for grass, I realised what she was doing so never allowed her to get that little head start....then she started briefly hanging back then diving for grass behind me. I swear it's a battle of wits!
The problem is that you can't really reward them for not pulling to grass, the biggest reward they could get (in my girl's eyes anyway) is a mouthful of grass. No reward you can give will trump that grass.
I have also tried firm and fair punishment but it makes no difference. It's like trying to work with a junkie, the grass hit it worth the punishment.

There are quite a lot of food rewards that most horses will choose over grass. Are really saying that if your horse is eating out in the field she will not raise her head if you offer carrot/polo/something else? IME when leading, most horses believe that a bird in the hand is worth 3 in the bush! (Substitute the word 'treat' for bird).

 

[JillA]

Blimey, that doesn't sound like good value for money! What did the trainer say he/she was doing?

No idea lol. The mare is a sweetheart but her owner was scared of her, all it needed was for me to show her how polite and responsive the mare could be and the confidence began to return. There are even more "local experts" in the Nh world than the horse world in general, they think they have a starring role in Mr Ed lol

 

[little_critter]

There are quite a lot of food rewards that most horses will choose over grass. Are really saying that if your horse is eating out in the field she will not raise her head if you offer carrot/polo/something else? IME when leading, most horses believe that a bird in the hand is worth 3 in the bush! (Substitute the word 'treat' for bird).

Yes, really. If in the field eating grass she would rather eat grass than lift her head for a carrot / polo / treat / apple. She really is that hooked!
I am yet to find any treat that she chooses over grass (including non-food rewards such as scratches etc)

 

[Hallo2012]

I think..................that i wouldnt over think it! lead him with something he has ultimate respect for, chain over nose or bridle and if he puts a whisker in to your space, reverse him away from you so sharp he's got friction marks on his butt cheeks from trying to get out your way. Not a nice easy blah blah blah rein back, but a get the &&^%%%^& out my space sharp reverse that makes him think.

dont spend precious seconds wondering which way or how just get the job done-he MUST realise that walking in to you/past you/in front of you is horrible and uncomfortable and NOT where he wants to be...............not saying that understanding what you are doing is wrong but dont think, react (in this particular scenario) or you (generic) can get dragged in to being too nicey nicey, accurate steps, joining the dots/training by numbers etc.

my young stallion is absolute dope on a rope but goes everywhere with a chain over the nose so he can be corrected instantly IF he ever pushes the boundaries....................and he did when younger, and then all the bullet point, well thought out *nice*advice was zero help because every good stud/stallion owner told me in far more simplistic terms "if he barges you,make him think you're going to kill him,make him realise alpha mare is in charge, get him out your space pronto by whatever means needed".

i looked to the stallion owners and studs producing well mannered horses and none of them thought about turning circles, disengaging hind legs, elbow in shoulder, waving a rope in their face etc and certainly NO TREATS-they just led them in something they could correct them in and really bloody told them off if they didnt pay attention. simple.

your loaner has to be on board though or it will never sink in, when my boy was being handled by other people he would never do anything nasty but he just pushed them around bit by bit and because all they did was pull against him, try and hold him back with an elbow or turn him in a circle and tell him "nooooooo" very calmly..............he 100% zoned them out. hopeless!

 

[Queenbee]

Yes, really. If in the field eating grass she would rather eat grass than lift her head for a carrot / polo / treat / apple. She really is that hooked!
I am yet to find any treat that she chooses over grass (including non-food rewards such as scratches etc)

so, if this is the case - the answer is simple. Hand pick some grass, put it in a good old fashioned bum bag and feed your horse that as a treat/reward

 

[meleeka]

The best thing I bought was a headcollar with chain under the noseband. My usually good cob forgot his manners while on box rest/handwalking and became dangerous. I didn't ever yank it but the first time he went to bog off it obviously caused discomfort as he didn't ever do it again. I'd previously tried a bridle and rein over the nose.

 

[little_critter]

so, if this is the case - the answer is simple. Hand pick some grass, put it in a good old fashioned bum bag and feed your horse that as a treat/reward

Not trying to be difficult here but why would a pony wait to be given grass by me when it can just help itself by tugging on the leadrope?

 

[DabDab]

It stands for left brain introvert but IMO means nothing.

The parelli-ites I knew who liked to classify their horses this way (left/right brain introvert/extrovert) got a bit waylaid by it in some weird, complicated way and stopped just treating their horse as a horse and using simple, effective horsemanship that the horse could understand.

What a bizarre way to describe a horse....

Thanks for taking time to explain to me

 

[Dynamo]

Apologies if I am repeating things said by others - not read all replies.

I think it is important OP not to think of groundwork as something you do, fix an issue, and then stop doing. It is an ongoing thing with all horses. Every time you handle them you are, in a way, doing ground work, and asking for obedience at all times is part of that. Some horses will need more reinforcement than others, so for some it's just a case of being consistent in how you handle them, while for others it's a case of actively training and practising obedience.

With a new horse that is barging and walking over me I always carry a hoofpick in my back pocket. I use voice commands, do the halting and backing up and everything that others have described here, rope over nose, dually or whatever, AND the hoofpick. When I ask for the halt or reverse while leading, or back up when I open the stable door, or back out of my space, if there is the slightest hesitation, or if the horse is getting too forward I jab the horse swiftly and firmly in the chest with the blunt end of the hoofpick while using my voice in a commanding tone. It requires no physical force from me whatsoever, no panic, all controlled, but the horse knows that it is a reprimand and it pulls them up quick sharp without needing to lose your temper or get physical. If he does what is required without the hoofpick he gets a 'reward', which is a scratch and a good boy. Every time I lead to and from the field, riding arena, mounting block, in and out of stable, I will do walk halt transitions every few steps, until he is completely focused on my instructions and too busy to think about pulling away or walking over me. A week or so of that and I soon find the hoofpick unnecessary and the 'tone' will suffice. Any regression and the hoofpick comes out again. No whips and ropes in the face, no making them headshy or spinning them about, just a simple trick that gives them a shock and has turned a few horrible, bargy horses that no-one wanted to handle in to biddable and compliant animals who are nice to be around. But you have to be consistent and do it as a matter of routine.

 

[yhanni]

I once had a mare that did this and she could knock you off your feet, she was so quick! Stopped it by flapping my hand at her eye the moment I could see she was contemplating doing it. I never actually made contact but it was distracting enough to stop her. She gave up pretty quickly after that. You have to really watch them though and do it the second they start to think about turning across you.