Is your horse 'good to do'? And would you compromise on manners on the ground?

Auslander, I have a horse like that. He knows how to behave but we've been together for years and so our relationship has developed to an easy understanding. He knows when it's time to be good and the times when we're both feeling easy and indulgent. He's funny and I enjoy seeing the extra facets of his personality. I guess he teaches me not to be so arrogant as to think horses aren't capable of understanding the intricacies of unspoken relationships.
He does know when a situation needs good manners and obedience and because of that, he gets to play the fool too.
 
horserider said:
Auslander, I have a horse like that. He knows how to behave but we've been together for years and so our relationship has developed to an easy understanding. He knows when it's time to be good and the times when we're both feeling easy and indulgent. He's funny and I enjoy seeing the extra facets of his personality. I guess he teaches me not to be so arrogant as to think horses aren't capable of understanding the intricacies of unspoken relationships.
He does know when a situation needs good manners and obedience and because of that, he gets to play the fool too.
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I caught it on video today! https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...fset=0&total_comments=1&notif_t=video_comment
 
I hate bad manners on the ground. I've been very lucky to only have had 1 horse who was a challenge on the ground - all others have always been naturally very well behaved. The 1 horse, was a serious challenge, a 15.2hh Welsh D who had unfortunately already learnt to push his weight around before I got him turning 4yrs old. It took a LOT of work to get him 80% good, but every nown and again he still tested me just to check I wouldn't stand for it! A very very clever horse who pretended he was thick ;) I did however love that horse to pieces and its the one horse who I regret selling, even though I definately appreciate how much easier life is with easy horses... I couldn't have another bad mannered horse as I have a 1yr old son now and I like him to be able to play around with them as safely as possible(he's walked riding both my 16hh ex eventer and my 17.1hh!).
 
No compromise - they're big, they're heavy and could kill us any time they wanted to, so good manners are paramount.

My mare was abused in the past, but far from using that to excuse bad manners, it was even more important to get her behaving herself on the ground.

The first day she arrived, she had me against the stable partition - not in a malicious way, but because she was so upset in her new surroundings she just ignored me - except when I brought her feed, then she tried to walk all over me, barging to the door.

I let it be, then went up early next morning and began work out on the yard. Firstly she learned "over". After about half an hour her reaction was acceptable, within an hour she knew. Then she learned "back". This was a bit quicker - half an hour she was going back on command. All good till I brought her feed, then she tried to barge. Feed went outside on the floor till she learned barging didn't get you your dinner.

Her second day with me was quite intensive, but necessary. These days she moves back without being told when the stable door's opened, especially at feeding times, rarely touches her haynet till she's told it's OK.

She's not allowed to eat when being led or ridden, and will move to the side on a signal if she drops behind me when being led.

She went from a nervous, bargy individual to 90% in less than a week, and neither of us found it onerous. The last few hassles were sorted within a month, except picking her front feet up was quite challenging, though she'd lift the backs with no hassle (oddly, from the beginning the farrier thought she'd been well trained at picking up, so I don't know what that was all about!). I have to admit it took nearly a year and hundreds of carrots to get her to lift all four on "up", occasionally she'll pick them up without being asked.

Her only real issue now is standing at the mounting block. This is something I won't give up on, because I hate to see horses messing about at the block, and/or walking off when the rider's halfway on. It's dangerous and bad mannered, and I will sort it.

I'm not showing off here, just trying to demonstrate there's not many horses that can't be trained with patience and consistency. She's not perfect, none of them are, but anyone handling her knows what to do on the odd times she does kick off (usually on cold wet windy nights when she just wants to get indoors).
 
diamonddogs said:
I'm not showing off here, just trying to demonstrate there's not many horses that can't be trained with patience and consistency. She's not perfect, none of them are, but anyone handling her knows what to do on the odd times she does kick off (usually on cold wet windy nights when she just wants to get indoors).
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I agree wholeheartedly with you. There are very few horses who can't be taught how to be solid equine citizens :)
 
When I first joined HHO it was to ask advice about a loan horse I had. He was fantastic to ride, but I soon found that his manners (or lack of) on the ground were terrible. He was nippy, bargy, and generally bad tempered. He hated being groomed, or indeed touched at all. The last straw was when he barged past me as I undid the bolt on his stable door, the door hit me hard and a fell backwards onto the concrete and suffered from concussion as a result. He was a big lad, standing at 17.3, and used his size to bully and intimidate. He went back, but not after a fight as his owner refused to take him for some time!

Current horse is 100% on the ground generally. She is 90% with the farrier and dentist. She is very nosey, and does march towards new people quite determinedly, but always stops in good time. It sometimes does worry people though, but she hasn't got a nasty bone in her body.

I could never deal with a horse without manners on the ground again, it is just too dangerous.
 
I'd much rather something safe and sane to ride. All of mine have had issues on the ground (one was given a death sentence as he was deemed dangerous to handle). All now have excellent manners and can be handled by novices and kids; although my cob still needs reminding of his every now and again :)
 
Ground manners are very important for me - I'm a novice owner, I keep my lad on full livery and would not expect the staff to put up with bad manners on the ground.

He was bargy, dreadful to catch 18 months ago but I have put in a lot of work to teach him otherwise - he's an older fellow and much of it learned behaviour - now he's very good - can be led by my 4 year old daughter.

I got a lovely comment from a lady who used to work at the yard last year and helping out last week on shoeing day - about how good he was to catch - she used to work there when he was a sod - so I reckon the hard work is paying off x
 
I will never again have 1 with less than perfect handling, it destroyed my confidence last time both handling and ridden weirdly
 
Thinking more - I guess it would depend on how bad it is. As I said, Ned isn't 100%, but I wouldn't count him as dangerous, slightly annoying perhaps, but not dangerous. (He did go through a dangerous stage, but I sorted that)

There was one horse on my yard that I was terrified of, I'm SO glad he's moved now! He would kick, bite, barge and crush you...and that's just in the stable! Catching him was an art, one that I never mastered. He lunged at me every time I went to muck out and when I gave him hay it was horrific! I ended up refusing to feed him. His owner could bloomin' well come and do it.
 
Although I have one who I would class as dangerous my other ten horses manners are spot on and can be trusted with anyone. I do not allow my one horse to get away with his behaviour he always gets told off I did a full year of ground work as he had major trust issue but when under stress he rears and boxes there no reason for his stress its all in his head and hes fearfull not bolshey and very quick you just have to stay calm and deal with it. Hes been worked by me and prof together they have said its the best im ever gonna get hes been with me now 2 years and will never be sold
 
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