How to teach a 25 yo gate manners ??

[taceann]

The cob's companion has been here nearly a month, she is 25 but needs teaching manners at gate.

Big boy is boss of gate as he comes out first. However she has the very annoying habit of always wanting to be too close to him at the gate. I am worried she will get kicked if she persists. I surmise she does this because she is very attached to him, stresses out if she cannot see him, wants to be with him etc but appreciate she is still "new".

So having got him out the gate, she will immediately try to follow him out and has already once managed to barge through just as I was trying to close it, shoving me into the gate as she came through (I have a lovely bruise on my arm to show for it) then proceeded to wander off down the yard ! She is lightning quick too. If there are two of us there to bring in, no problem but I need to be able to do this on my own, and am dreading winter if this persists !

Last night I waved a lead rope towards her to shoo her away and shouted etc, this did some good but she did persist and headed for the gate again. Afterwards sort of regretted this action as when I went to feed her the poor thing was visibly quivering and shaking like a leaf.

I did think of electric tape to make a pen around gate area, but am not convinced she wouldn't just barge in there after him or go through it, so ending up with 2 horses in a very small space which would be scary.

Am happy to try ground work with her and so on, have already gathered she doesn't seem to know much - think at previous companion home she was pretty much left to her own devices so hasn't done anything for 2 years or so. I really need to nip this in the bud - any ideas gratefully received .....

 

[Brandy]

Probably not much help as i tend to bring mine in together! so they stand together, gert headcollars on and come through gate together! saying that, the bargy one has been taught to 'go back' to voice command - i achieved his by way of bribery with pony nuts!! and no it didn't result in him biting, just being very willing to move back to the voice.

or you could chuck her a carrot, to get her out of the way......

 

[Equinimity]

Short term answer - bribery. A small section of hay/carrots etc chucked out to to keep her occupied. However if horse no. 1 is very food orientated you might have trouble with him.

Long term answer - a bit of groundwork to improve her manners/learn some boundaries. You may find she enjoys the contact being a companion and, I assume, unridden.

My 2 are like this. I have another gate outside my field gate and have blocked the other end of the track with tapes. Then at least if no. 2 does sneak out I know he can't go anywhere.

 

[taceann]

Feel a bit comforted that its not only me that has this sort of problem so that's a start. might try the bribery then, if I get headcollar on big boy, then throw her a carrot or apple then see if that buys me enough time to get out the gate. will give it a go !