IH / Richard Maxwell Recomendations Please!

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CBFan

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Ok... So I'm on a bit of a downer at the mo and feel I could do with a little help / reassurance from someone who can appreciate the problems I am having with my youngster ( a 17hh and growing CB) who has recently developed a real oversion to having his headcollar on (teeth recently done and problem improved temporarily) plus a number of other issues revolving round general respect for me. He has no qualms about walking into me in the field, despite being corrected. has been prone to dragging me when led - hense some short sharp corections on the dually of late which seem to be working but the scary thing is, he all of a sudden has learnt his strength - something I have tried to avoid. e.g.He knows if he pulls hard enough on a tie string it will snap... that sort of thing. NB he is a good 700kg now... a big lad


I have read all the books inside out, watched demos etc and understand the theory but things still don't apear to be improving! I have been nothing but calm and patient with him since I aquired him virtually un handled at 16 months old and 15.2hh but it doesn't seem to have paid off. All this is exagerated by the fact that he has been 'out of action' due to an injury he sustained in the field about a month ago and I am just about reaching the end of my teather with it all!!

So I am considering getting an Intelligent Horsemanship RA out or Richard Maxwell. do you have any recomendations?

Any tips or advice based on the above? PLEASE BE NICE! I am not stupid or incapable... I am simply going through a rough patch with my 'kevin the teenager!'
 
Whereabouts are you based OP? That would help determine whether an RA or Richard Maxwell would be your better bet.

Have you tried a rope halter instead of the Dually? And presumably you are using a longer line than the normal short leadropes? I sometimes found with the Dually that it didn't give a quick enough release and kind of "jammed" when I used to lead someone's very bargy Dales pony with it.

I think you are being really sensible investing in having a professional out to help you both. Would love to hear how you get on
 
Cross posted with you earlier then the PC crashed. If you are in Herts get hold of Julia Fisher. Not sure if she is still an RA or not but she is fantastic. With groundwork, with youngsters, with ridden work, everything really. (And no I'm not Julia Fisher, nor am I related to her)!
 
Would recomend Max in a heartbeat. He came out in June to my non-loading horse, not talking just not going on box am talking rearing, running backwards into things, and throwing himself on floor. He had sorted him within a couple of hours and i really really wish i done it sooner.

I'm in Cheshire and he travelled down to do a couple on our yard, I think he bases his prices on the distance he travels
 
Thank you so much for the responses.

I was hoping Julia might come recomended as I noticed her on the list of RAs as being closest to me. I take it you've used her ISHmad?

I haven't yet tried a rope halter - I did try the 'be nice' very early on in our training but neither he or i liked it. I chose the dually with a long 'normal' leadrope as opposed to a lungeline, as I really believe in it and it does work but he just doesn't seem to care much about the whole pressure thing. I am reluctant to use a longer rope with him after he broke my arm, not long after getting him actually, in an incident where he got away from me... I think I need someone for my own discipline to set me exercises to do and goals to achieve. In some ways he's such a polite lad but in others he's a complete pig, making it all the more frustrating!

I also had his half sister who was a doddle in comparison, although she was significantly younger when I first got my hands on her.
 
Richard Maxwell had a session with my horse last year and I recommend him.

I am sure that there is a lot he can teach your horse. I think he's based in your part of the world ie Eastern England. He's not cheap but I'm confident you won't regret a penny.
 
I had Richard out for my mare last month and was very impressed and pleased with the results. I'm in Bucks and he does cover most areas. It is a fair amount of money but for me was well worth it and his whole team have been great.
I know lots of people who use IH instructors too and found the groundwork does alot to help.
 
Can only say I found IH (did the foundation and pyschology courses) and RA to keep me and then young CB x on straight and narrow excellent. RA's really really cut the mustard.. the training is seriously rigorous ... my local RA is an e international indurance rider
 
richard maxwell is in helions bumpstead, which is near haverhill so not too far away to come to you.... have only heard good reports about him locally..
 
I have used Richard Maxwell and RAs. Max was brilliant but what I would say is that he is a lot of money for a one day session. I think it was about £200 - £250 for the day. It was worth the money and you learn loads from him and he gives you the tools to carry on with your horses training once he has gone. With the RAs they are about £40 (ish) for an hour or so session and in my opinion, it is worth having several sessions with them over a period of time rather than having just one session with Max. They can make sure you are on the right track and help you with any further problems that crop up as time goes on. I also think that an hour session with an RA is probably enough for the horse to concentrate on, where as a whole day is very intense for them!
 
Thanks all!

I have to say I am verging more towards an RA than Richard Maxwell. Various reasons, cost being one of them and like you say, I think it would be more beneficial to have several shorter sessions rather than one big one... my boy can have the attention span of a gnat and if his tummy starts rumbling an hour into a 3 hour session we might as well write the last two hours off! lol!
 
Julia has been helping me with my big lump of a horse and she has been nothing but brilliant, i cannot reccomend her enough!
 
I've used an RA, not Julia Fisher but I can highly recommend the ethos and training they undertake. They also train humans how to train their horses which was relevant in my case. lol
 
CBFan said:
Thanks all!

I have to say I am verging more towards an RA than Richard Maxwell. Various reasons, cost being one of them and like you say, I think it would be more beneficial to have several shorter sessions rather than one big one... my boy can have the attention span of a gnat and if his tummy starts rumbling an hour into a 3 hour session we might as well write the last two hours off! lol!
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Can thoroughly recommend Max and he will teach your horse that even if he is hungry he must pay attention to you and not his food! He certainly will not allow your horse to "write off" two hours. The trouble with an hour's session is that in some cases it is not enough to get the message through to a particularly strong or stubborn horse. Max will take as long as it takes.
 
Tammytoo said:
Can thoroughly recommend Max and he will teach your horse that even if he is hungry he must pay attention to you and not his food! He certainly will not allow your horse to "write off" two hours. The trouble with an hour's session is that in some cases it is not enough to get the message through to a particularly strong or stubborn horse. Max will take as long as it takes.
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Fair enough. I did mean it slightly lightheartedly but with the realistic knowledge of my horse and his temperament - being only 3. I'm sure Max is wonderful. I don't doubt that but I feel that for my particular needs at the moment a 3 hour session or whatever isn't completely necessary. these are in reality failrly 'niggly' little issues I'm having which yes, fall under the larger umbrella of 'respect' but it's not like I have a horse with a phobia or major oversion to something like for e.g. loading.
 
I flew Max in to help me with my horse and it was the best money i spent, i have no qualms recommending him.
You may only have 1 session but mine lasted a good few hours with a break for lunch. I know you will have a horse with a different mind set when he leaves, and you will have a toolkit with the neccessary tools to deal with the issues you have.
You will probably be left with homework and support via phone if you need it.
If i ever had problems with another horse he'd be my first port of call.
Good luck whoever you choose
 
Highly highly recomend Richard Maxwell I had a tb mare who would rear ever time you got on her and i mean rear most occasions would go over backwards, and he did the day session with us and basically saved her life.. before him we had tried absolutely everything!! had everything checked etc he was a last resort.. and can only say was AMAZING to watch.. worked with the horse to retrain and then taught me how to carry on the retraining.. by the end of the day i was riding her round without any worries money very well spent imo.. Good luck im sure there is people out there who can help you. :)
 
Cheer up. He is after all, as you say, Kevin the teenager and only 3. My 3yr old pure CB filly has just been backed and turned away. I will not do anything with her until next spring. She will live out with her yearling half-brother through the winter. CBs are different, not obstinate- just different. My older boy is 18 now, but he still has a sense of humour. In a headcollar he can fling and twist his head so that you find you are nolonger holdinf the rope. He can do this with a big strong man too. He doesn't go anywhere - just does it because he can. Similarly he will tie up perfectly, but if he feels like it will break the string. Once when tied to a lorry he broke away and trotted off to join a mate in a dressage arena - fortunately the judge had a sense of humour too. But he is a lovely gentle guy with manners and has given me many years of pleasure since I bought him unbacked, practically unhandled at 4.
My suggestion would be 1. cut up a soft headcollar so you can add a THIN twine breakaway and leave it on. 2. Lunge from a bit and teach him transitions - to earn respect.3. When he does this well turn him away completely with another youngster over winter so that he can mentally grow up. 4. In the spring start the way you mean to go on with the help of NH trainer or other from the start.
Kevin WILL turn into the lovely horse you want him to be.
 
I had Michael Peace out when the new horse I bought turned out to be a chronic rearer and napper. He could not help because he said she needed to go to him for 5 weeks. That was fair enough, but he wanted insane amounts of money. I was recommended a Kelly Marks RA - a fabulous young woman called Rosie Jones, she has absolutely turned my horse around. The Dually is the best piece of kit I have ever bought, a session with a proper RA will teach you how to use it properly and will make all the difference. Rosie comes to me once a week and each week she leaves us with homework. My horse now walks around the block with no rearing and napping. At one point I was going to have her shot because she was so difficult. She is not yet 100%, but we are seeing improvements all the time. I can thoroughly recommend the Kelly Marks RA's.
 
BigRed said:
I had Michael Peace out when the new horse I bought turned out to be a chronic rearer and napper. He could not help because he said she needed to go to him for 5 weeks. That was fair enough, but he wanted insane amounts of money. I was recommended a Kelly Marks RA - a fabulous young woman called Rosie Jones, she has absolutely turned my horse around. The Dually is the best piece of kit I have ever bought, a session with a proper RA will teach you how to use it properly and will make all the difference. Rosie comes to me once a week and each week she leaves us with homework. My horse now walks around the block with no rearing and napping. At one point I was going to have her shot because she was so difficult. She is not yet 100%, but we are seeing improvements all the time. I can thoroughly recommend the Kelly Marks RA's.
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That's brilliant news, BR. All credit to you for persisting with her.
 
Thanks HorseRider, she can still be a silly moo - we also found out she wasn't "good to shoe" and she has had to be sedated - which costs a fortune. Again the Kelly Marks RA has proved immensly helpful, they have techniques you wouldn't have thought would help, but they work really well. Now the fronts are OK, but she is still silly about the hinds, but she is improving.
 
Does she not like having her ears touched? Just wondered as a horse at our yard would go mad if you touched his ears and so would not have a head collar anywhere near him or bridle and had an infection in one of them.
 
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