I want to back to the field and I want to go NOW!!!

[Fiona]

So glad to hear this OP... good luck and keep us posted.

Fiona

 

[Leo Walker]

Got someone coming out to my little darling at the weekend to help, fingers crossed! Thanks everyone for your opinions

Good plan Its all well and good saying give it a whack with blue pipe, but you need to know the moment to do it. Mine would like to be a thug and when I was very ill he got the better of me as I was just to weak and ill to deal with it. I'm better now and hes been fab for a while. I moved him New Years day and he lost the plot a bit, as he went from a part livery yard with a strict routine to a much busier DIY type yard, and he just couldnt cope intially.

We had an issue last week bringing him in as he has to walk 400yds through another field to the yard, almost everything else was in and he was hysterical. He went up in the air waving his feet about and got a rollicking, came down and went up again with his feet waved at me, so he got an even bigger rollocking. He came down but was still wired, so we walked 20yds with him on high alert and bouncing about, but he kept the lead rope slack. I then stopped and he had a head rub and I let him graze. If I'd gotten after him for jiggling about then WW3 would have broken out. Theres a time for a big telling off, and a time for being soft and quiet and letting minor indiscretions go.

Someone else will be able to point that out and teach you much quicker than you will learn on your own

And just for the record, I have a big, would like to be pig, HW cob, and I could beat him black and blue with a blue pipe and he wouldnt even bat an eyelid. He just couldnt care less. Yet a pull on his Dually and a verbal rollicking and he settles. Quite a lot of cobs that I've met and owned just couldnt give a flying fig if you wack them, but are surprisingly sensitive to other methods of telling off

 

[Olliepoppy]

Thank you frankiecob, it's so reassuring to know mine isn't the only one with attitude and I totally get what you are saying. That's why I'm getting someone in to help so I don't mess it up! Most of the time he is lovable and good natured but when he has something to say you don't half know about it!

 

[Leo Walker]

Same with mine, other people think its very funny and cute. I think hes a moron :lol: Hopefully you will get yours sorted soon. Getting a new instructor really turned things round for me, and I really should have known better! But sometimes things go wrong and a 3rd party is needed to get them back on the right track

 

[EQUIDAE]

Just to give you an example of how easily good behaviour can deteriorate...

My sec D stallion is the most polite horse I have ever known (I started 'the stallion appreciation thread' about him). Yesterday when my hubby was bringing him in he barged past him into the stable - he has never done this before. Seems that he didn't correct the behaviour as today he tried the exact same thing with me! Normally he will back off with a simple movement towards him, at most you need to say the word. Today he ignored me and tried to walk through me, I upped the pressure and told him back - ignored, did a backwards movement with the rope halter - ignored (this is the most I have ever had to do before), smacked him on the chest with the lead rope - ignored, he finally backed up when he got a boot in the chest. It took a further 20 minutes to de scale the pressure so he would back with just a forward movement from me... But the key is that not only did I correct the behaviour, I saw it through and then got him behaving as he normally would under normal conditions. It's no good saying 'bad boy' - as well as disciplining, you also have to correct/modify the behaviour.

I absolutely loathe getting physical with my horses but if they act dangerously I will come down on them like a ton of bricks.

We'll see if he is his usual well mannered self again tomorrow

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

I had a fine rope training halter which my pony respected, he behaved when he had it on, but knew that he could take the pixel without it, it started when I had a bad knee and was not able to hold him, occasionally he would take off if he happened to decide that he wanted to, a big field of nice tasty grass was his choice, rather than his own field, I was usually ready for him, but he would wait til I was doing the gate, he was very intelligent. He also knew how to untie his rope, but always waited til I was out of sight. He never did anything then, just wandered about or picked at his haynet!
But when my little yearling lunged at me with her teeth, she caught me by surprise the first time, of course the next day she was semi rearing, with teeth and got a good rap on the neck with the lead rope, that stopped her. You have to stop them, and there are various ways depending in the horse, when giving them a "punishment" it should be short and sharp, with a thug like yours [he's not your little darling], get it sorted and get him to respect you. Do not go back to cuddles, be the strict herd leader he needs. He should learn to listen to you, and that when you reprimand him, he will know that he must do your bidding, make it clear what you want him to do, and he has to do it now. In the end you will both be happier with the situation. he may not be what you expected, behaviour wise, no matter, he still has to behave properly.

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

Make sure you have a good long lead rope and give him a rap when he needs it, he is not a pet, he is disrespecting you, cut out the cuddles, be strict with him. No need to spend hours on ground handling every day, though it sounds as though both he and you need to be taught good ground handling, but every day he has to walk in hand while you walk at his shoulder, tie up for as long as you want, and walk back in hand to the field, go in to field and wait till you tie gate, then facing the gate with the horse, you remove headcollar, he must not attempt to kick you at any time.
Plenty of work will probably sort out some problems, also no sugar in his diet, no molasses / carrots / treats.
Fast Fibre is probably a good feed for a cob in light work,

 

[JillA]

Ok so where would you hit him and what would be 'the right time'? Its not something that sits well with me but if that's what it takes to stop the behaviour then I'll give it a go (as most people seem to agree it's the best course of action) but I want to get it right

It takes experience to get the intensity and timing right - and if you have that experience you wouldn't have the problem in the first place. It isn't about punishment (and fear which can set up self defence which makes it worse quite often) it's about respect, leadership and boundaries.
Can you find someone off this list near you http://www.intelligenthorsemanship.co.uk/specialist-horse-training.html, most are not hugely expensive. Or someone with a reputation for having quiet well behaved horses?
Good luck, when you do find how to have him on side you will have a very good bold horse - which you won't if you scare him

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

The problem with blue pipe is that you have to carry it at all times which is not practical long term, so if you are going to belt him, do it once and see what happens, but again, you need to be experienced to use it effectively! It is likely you might be a bit frightened of him, and you must get past that.

 

[Olliepoppy]

'little darling' was meant sarcastically! He does not get cuddles unless he is in dope on a rope mode. I am not scared of him and he leads at my shoulder, no pulling etc, he waits patiently at the gate to go in/out if the field. He also waits nicely to have his headcollar removed. I can move his feet any direction and he will back up on command. He has never tried to kick me, the worst he's done is to try to walk through me. I do not tolerate him getting pushy and shout/chest slap him and make him back up if he does try it. This behaviour has started since I started taking him out in the trailer. He really doesn't like it and now trembles in anticipation when I bring him down to the yard even if the trailer is nowhere in sight! I just dont know the best way to handle this particular behaviour as I genuinely think it originates from a fear/dislike so want to tackle it in the most appropriate way. I will look at the intelligent horsemanship list to see if there's anyone nearby and see how we get on with the behaviourist who is coming on Saturday

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

Well this is a different problem, I would make sure he has to lead past the trailer every day on his way back to the field, and also try to go different routes back to the field, give him his feed near the trailer, etc etc, I had a woman "horse whisperer" who massaged my boy, he would have done anything for a bum massage!
Try a month on Feedmark steady up, magnesium based calmer with herbs.
Have the trailer serviced / checked over before using it, might be better to use a lorry if possible for a while.

 

[Olliepoppy]

I have brought him down to the trailer a few times and fed him in it then just taken him back to the field. He loads fine, and waits patiently to come out but stress poops and trembles in it. The maximum journey I've taken him on is 30 mins. Its a single trailer which is fully serviced and I drive it like a grandma! I've got him on magnesium added to some chaff. I only have one route back to the field but could certainly leave the trailer out for him to go past..

 

[EQUIDAE]

If the trailer isn't next to where he is walking to the field then it is unlikely to be causing the issue. You also say that the worst he has done is walked through you - that is totally unacceptable behaviour! I think its time you stopped making excuses for him and started looking at how your behaviour is facilitating him. I had my arm broken by a rude horse that barged through me...

 

[jmd481]

My tb mare (sorry not a cob) had issues with being tied up.... she would stand and let me do whatever needed but once she had had enough she would pull back until something snapped I went through so many lead ropes it was rediculous...... I only have to make my voice slightly louder and usually she will behave (even if out in the field and she's being a bully) anyway we had sorted the tieing situation by plenty of time and patience it only really took my loud voice and bringing out the whip (never used it I only ever placed it near her usually rested it against the wall) one day the farrier was out and I couldn't get there I was in hospital after having my little girl and for obvious reasons I forgot to tell my mum (more experienced than me) and obviously thought she had stopped acting like this..... how wrong was I........ half way through having her feet done she had an episode, she reversed back and wouldn't release my mum and farrier tried everything and the more they got involved the worse she become it resulted in her pulling down the wall of the stables, getting herself in a right state and scaring everybody around her....... them acting stupid when being tied up isn't acceptable in any way and I was so lucky that no one was hurt down to my horse wanting her own way....... I think you right to get experienced help, milly now ties up again fine and had no issues since (this was nearly 12months ago) but I'm still on my toes with her.

 

[Olliepoppy]

Gosh jmd481 that sounds awful! Glad you have got through it safely!

 

[jojo5]

Get right on it, OP, as others have said. A few weeks ago, after 19 years together, my boy decided to rub himself against the haynet as I was tying it up. He has always been opinionated and I have always watched out for him throwing his weight about (literally!!) - it's only occasionally but still needs addressing after all this time. In this particular instance, he moved forwards and started to position himself for rubbing his neck - and in seconds I was pinned up against the breeze block wall of the box by half a ton of solid cob. Normally, a sharp 'move back!' Will do it, but he was focused on itchiness, and I had to resort to a knee in the chest accompanied by a shout. I NEVER physically punish him unless the transgression is really serious, but this was really serious as I could have been crushed, and the behaviour in the OPs example could develop into something equally dangerous.