Issues with horses. Ideas required.

[Gazen]

I have horses with issues and I would like some ideas on how to deal with them.

Issue one: Bucking and kicking out at other horses when ridden in school. Horse gets very tense around other horses so if another horse comes up from behind he will try to kick out at it. He does wear a red ribbon at competitions but I want to get him to sort out his issues with other horses as usually the ribbon is ignored.

Issue two: Running out backwards out of trailer. I am usually by myself, if I untie and then release the rear ramp horse will run out backwards and I have nothing to stop him. If I leave tied then horse will run out backwards and then end up snapping whatever is holding him. I want to try and work with getting him to back up on the ground before I do lots of load and unload work with him again. What is the best way of teaching a horse to back up?

Issue three: Horse spooks at nothing. Usually OK, but sometime puts head between legs and tanks off. I have done lots of desensitisation work. I want to be able to take him out places to compete but unless he know the place and has time to snort at everything first he will either shy or 'evade' so that he doesn't have to go near whatever it is he doesn't like or isn't sure about.

Thanks,

 

[Equi]

Try some intelligent horsemanship for backing up.

 

[Flibble]

I am by no means an expert but I am so impressed with Cliçker Training as a way forward for all sorts of issues. I won't give you advice other than to look at Connectiontraining.com and make your own mind up. I pooh poohed it but am much changed in my opinion.

 

[kateandluelue]

I have horses with issues and I would like some ideas on how to deal with them.


Issue three: Horse spooks at nothing. Usually OK, but sometime puts head between legs and tanks off. I have done lots of desensitisation work. I want to be able to take him out places to compete but unless he know the place and has time to snort at everything first he will either shy or 'evade' so that he doesn't have to go near whatever it is he doesn't like or isn't sure about.

Thanks,

I have a similar issue so will be interested to see what advice you get!

 

[Suechoccy]

I have horses with issues and I would like some ideas on how to deal with them.

Issue one: Bucking and kicking out at other horses when ridden in school.
He doesn't feel confident with other horses close to him. Turning him out to live in a herd environment would help, as would playing polo, polocrosse, hunting/hackng in big groups to desensitise him, but difficult to do any of those as not many people will want a known-kicker near their horses. Does he have individual turnout? If so, turnout with a trusted friend might help start the desensitisation.

Issue two: Running out backwards out of trailer.
In-hand groundwork, with or without clickertraining, one exercise at a time, short concentration period (5 mins-10mins), reward, be patient, teach him vocal commands for over, back, spin round on hindlegs, on forelegs, move over sideways, come forward, stand. Then do the same in the trailer at home. And/or wrap a lungeline around his bum while standing at front of him so you have a bit of control over his arse while at front end, keep lungeline contacting him while u let down rear ramp/breech bar, then walk to front, ask him to back up but maintain the lungeline contact around his bum to remind him to do it slowly. Patient calm voice, reward.

Issue three: Horse spooks at nothing.
Again, reactive/confidence. In-hand groundwork will help teach and reassure him, his confidence in himself and in you. Experimnt with cones, teach him to touch them and then reward him (with or without clicker reinforcement), get him walking in and out of bending poles, make a gate with a loop of string between poles, get him walking over poles, around boxes, buckets, tarps, etc.

 

[AengusOg]

Issue two: Running out backwards out of trailer. I am usually by myself, if I untie and then release the rear ramp horse will run out backwards and I have nothing to stop him. If I leave tied then horse will run out backwards and then end up snapping whatever is holding him. I want to try and work with getting him to back up on the ground before I do lots of load and unload work with him again. What is the best way of teaching a horse to back up?


Thanks,

Often with horses the best thing to do seems like the opposite of what seems logical. If I was working with this horse, I would be inclined to work with him to encourage him to come forward into the box, and wouldn't try to stop him reversing out at this stage.

It is very often the actions of the handler, in attempting to prevent the horse from exiting the trailer, which causes the horse to exit the trailer. Any attempts to stop, restrain, or otherwise prevent a hasty retreat usually results in too much pressure, which the horse will naturally resist, and this causes him to panic and reverse at speed.

So, the idea is to allow the horse to exit the trailer if he wishes, working on the principle that there is some reason for him not being able to remain inside. By eliminating any attempts to prevent his exit, the horse's confidence is built and he will become increasingly comfortable in the trailer. Any stimuli which may have given him cause to exit without permission, as it were, has now been taken away so, by use of repetition, the horse will be gradually less inclined to want to leave the trailer.

Then, when the horse is consistently coming back into the trailer, and is more inclined to remain within, the next stage is to start teaching him to back out in a controlled manner. This is the part where any use of the rope is minimal. The horse is encouraged to back up by the handler taking up an assertive posture and stepping toward the horse and, as he backs up, stepping into the space created by him moving backwards. If the horse decides to completely exit the trailer, the handler must follow him out to the top of the ramp without making any attempt to stop him. This will probably be the case initially, but with repetition the horse will begin to hesitate in his reversing out and, at this point, the handler can immediately become passive and back away from the horse and encourage him to re-enter the trailer as before.

Working like this results in the handler gradually gaining control of the horse in both directions (in and out of the trailer), and builds confidence in the horse. Without using the rope to restrain the horse, the handler encourages him to watch his handler's posture and demeanour for his cues, and he learns to back up and come forward free of any pressure or restraint. In other words, the horse chooses to be in tune and in step with his handler.

It becomes possible for the handler to introduce spoken cues at this stage, and, using assertive energy, to ask the horse to back up and, after letting him take a step or two, stop him by simply becoming passive, then encouraging him forward again into the trailer by simply remaining passive and making space for him to step forward.

A horse can be excellent at leading and backing up, but if any attempt is made to hold him against his instinct to flee, he will panic. The horse which exits the trailer rapidly will not be held by physical means, as he is effectively fleeing the trailer. It is only by building his confidence and gradually managing his flight response that control over his actions is gained.

 

[Gazen]

Thank you all so much for your ideas.

 

[shergar]

All good posts above re help with confidence and training,but have you thought of having the horses eyes checked , only you said he does not like horses coming up behind him , and spooks at nothing ,my friend had a horse like this ,when his eyes were checked he was found to have a small cyst in one eye that blocked some of his vision on that side.

 

[FfionWinnie]

Is there no rear bar on the trailer?

With mine I load and unload them hundreds of times without ever actually shutting the door. I do it until it's boring. We stop inside the trailer together then after five minutes (or so) we go out again. Stop on the way in, stop on the way out until a quiet "whoa" is all they need to stand anywhere on the trailer. Then I start tying up and moving around the trailer. Repeat process until completely calm. Then start shutting the door. Repeat loading and unloading process until completely calm. Also when you arrive somewhere don't let them out until they are calm. Same as when you load up. Leave them standing before you go anywhere.

Doing this means my horses will stand on the trailer all day and you wouldn't know they were in there.