How to calm my horse down when he see's other horses? help!

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Javabb94

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Took Java to his first lesson away from home with me yesterday,

I got him in September so I know its a while for him not to have been anywhere,

when i got him, he was very anxious to get out the trailer and barged me down the ramp! My instructor told us to tack him up in the spare stable.

The stable is next to two other stables, one with instructor's horse in and another pony in the other. Java saw them and instantly tried to "kiss" the horse but eventually got him into the stable.

Once in the school he was fine and we had a fab lesson until....

the owner of the pony was tacking pony up and he saw this and as i rode him out of the school he wouldnt stand still and when i got him back in the stable to untack, the pony was right in his view and he kept barging me round the stable and wouldnt stand still,

and when the pony was led to the school, Java span to the back off the stable to look out of the window to see where it had gone

he is loaded in a chiffney and we hadnt put this back on yet so instructor put it on and have it a little pull and he stood a little quieter,

although question is would Nupafeed MAH liquid calmer be any good???

He is a very laid back horse any other timeits only when he sees other horses/ponies he gets bargy and wants to see and he is 15.2hh and im only 8 stone!!!

He is already on NAF Magic but wondered if the nupafeed was any better?

to be fair he hasnt been out since september and previously before i bought him he had only ever been to 5 shows so i understand he isnt used to "mixing"
but would like something to settle him!!

He isnt bad when he is being ridden, infact during the lesson i had to put some spurs on!
 
It was his first outing for a while and he got a bit excitable thats all.:) Get him out and about more often and the excitement will lessen. I don't think he needs calmers, just more experience and some ground work lessons.:)
 
If he barged down the ramp with you it sounds like he's not respecting your leadership and is being very cheeky and disrespectful.

Personally I'd say work on the ground with him before you do any ridden work, either solo or in company. We had this issue with mine recently - he was fine to hack solo (after gawd-knaws how many battles!!!) BUT the blighter would take the p!ss as soon as we rode out in company.

I had a trainer to help me and she said it was because when the horse is ridden in company, that unless he/she respects the rider as Herd Leader, then you're likely to get this sort of problem with cheeky horses as they're not sure who to look to for leadership. Its basically a survival mechanism, they'll look to other horses for leadership and therefore security, if the rider isn't given them this leadership.

You need to get your horse listening to you on the ground. Get a pressure halty and make him go backwards when you say (and not unless you say!); sideways, leg yield etc etc. THEN get someone to walk past you when you're doing it, then ask them to trot, then canter, etc, whilst ALL THE TIME you're doing groundwork. You really have to keep them at it and be firm about it; even if there's half a dozen horses tanking past at the gallop, your horse has gotta listen to YOU the leader and not be distracted.

You have to have a polite horse who's listening to you and this extends to things like feeding; if your horse barges into you for his feed bowl or hay net, next time make him wait. Use your body language to make yourself tall, lift your arms up high to make yourself even taller, and tell him "back", and push him back until he does so, then feed him. Ditto witih haynet. He has to recognise you as the herd leader and this starts in every aspect of your handling, its the only way.

It might be good to get someone to help you with this issue - I've got a lovely trainer and she's given me so much confidence, plus a really nice polite horse; you need someone with the right approach tho' - I've always found Intelligent Horsemanship people have the right idea, which works for me and mine.

Good luck!
 
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
If he barged down the ramp with you it sounds like he's not respecting your leadership and is being very cheeky and disrespectful.

Personally I'd say work on the ground with him before you do any ridden work, either solo or in company. We had this issue with mine recently - he was fine to hack solo (after gawd-knaws how many battles!!!) BUT the blighter would take the p!ss as soon as we rode out in company.

I had a trainer to help me and she said it was because when the horse is ridden in company, that unless he/she respects the rider as Herd Leader, then you're likely to get this sort of problem with cheeky horses as they're not sure who to look to for leadership. Its basically a survival mechanism, they'll look to other horses for leadership and therefore security, if the rider isn't given them this leadership.

You need to get your horse listening to you on the ground. Get a pressure halty and make him go backwards when you say (and not unless you say!); sideways, leg yield etc etc. THEN get someone to walk past you when you're doing it, then ask them to trot, then canter, etc, whilst ALL THE TIME you're doing groundwork. You really have to keep them at it and be firm about it; even if there's half a dozen horses tanking past at the gallop, your horse has gotta listen to YOU the leader and not be distracted.

You have to have a polite horse who's listening to you and this extends to things like feeding; if your horse barges into you for his feed bowl or hay net, next time make him wait. Use your body language to make yourself tall, lift your arms up high to make yourself even taller, and tell him "back", and push him back until he does so, then feed him. Ditto witih haynet. He has to recognise you as the herd leader and this starts in every aspect of your handling, its the only way.

It might be good to get someone to help you with this issue - I've got a lovely trainer and she's given me so much confidence, plus a really nice polite horse; you need someone with the right approach tho' - I've always found Intelligent Horsemanship people have the right idea, which works for me and mine.

Good luck!
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thanks,

he is perfectly fine on the ground, he followsme everywhere at home!

dont need a headcollar on to bring him in, if you tug on his rug he will follow you! He is superb in the stable at all times at home! never spooks at anything,

i think the ground work is all there, just he has only travelled 7 times in his life and he is 12! and three of those times were to new homes so he may have thought he wasnt going back home again,

it could also have been my mum taking his hay away to get him out he did wait for me to say go before he set offdown the ramp, he may have just been a little unsure of his footing,

he is on a calmer anyways as sometimes he can spook at home and on hacks, but never at tractors, cars he is bombproof, however he likes to nosy at everything,


maybe i am just worrying myself to much, he is normally so sensible, my 70year old grandad mucks out with him on his own in the stable when im at school and mum at work he wouldnt hurt a fly!

im just worried he will be very bargy at a show he has only ever been to 5 but he is showing a lot of promise jumping and for diong some working hunters and i am meant to be going to a working hunter in two weeks, i have another lesson at the same place next week so he may be a little more settled then
 
I would just box him up and take him places like inhand shows etc with no intention of showing him, just to get him used to being in environments where other horses are around and just give him groundwork lessons while your there.
 
im taking him to a working hunter on 26th feb weather permitting, as he is superb when ridden he never spooked or tried anything on during the lesson he was really super and did whatever i asked him,

he wasnt trying to hurt me just running to stable door lots to see the other pony
so i think as previous poster said once he gets out and about he will be fine,

previous owner had him for about 2 years and for the last 5 weeks before i bought him he competed every weekend and they said he stood tied up all day with no bother so once he gets used to going out again he will be fine
 
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