Leading advice. Stumped.

[xTrooperx]

I recently got a cob, few issues quite underweight, lumps & bumps over body - mainly on right side.
Some thicken of the bone from these injury, horse is over just 3yrs & more or less unhanded accept to be hit by looks of things.

said cob will not lead of right hand side, left yes, just, but likes to walk right behind you instead, he will also wonder towRds the right side while lead as far as rope allows which ain't great for walking down rds, when trying to get him to walk on right side he will move sideaways/back try spinning, anything at all.
i have tried to lunge left side perfect right side was a battle, but ended on good note with him walking about a foot around me for one circle on right ride which was huge improvement.
i know ppl going to say well just lead from left, but while walking on roads I like to wear vi viz and walk next to horse So we are seen, and when broken to drive/ride I can't allow the wondering to the middle of road.

Any one got more ideas to try? I will start lunging for 5 mins daily to get him used to right, but once back to leading it's square one, I can not not use whip or rope to 'touch' to make him move etc.. As still in the ' we won't hurt you faze' and swinging ropes is still scary for him, as in stands & shakes.

 

[Tinsel Trouble]

If you can I would get his back looked at. My pony used to wander into the middle of the road, it was down to his sacroiliac not being quite right.

What's he like to groom and handle on the left hand side? Does he let you there at all?

I would start with two or three steps on that side, maybe take him from the stable to where you tie him up to groom him.

Don't make a big deal of it though, it'll come with time and patience. He's still so young!

ETA: Have you had his eyes looked at? My horse is blind on one side and much prefers having you on his good side to lead from. He won't really lunge properly when his blind side is too you either.

 

[Red-1]

Well done for the work that you have already done, and I think you are on the right lines with the lunge idea. I have done this with a few horses who are young or reluctant, and the "lunge" at walk can quickly become driving with a short rope, and then leading. My current horse had to be taught to lead from the right like this.

Other than that I would say a lot of time, and by that I don't mean months. More go out to the arena in hand, and have a "task" such as to step one step back, and then practice until it is with a light aid. For this to work with a nervous horse do plenty of "full stops" after he has complied, as in lower all aids and have a "good boy", and a rest of a few minutes (yes MINUTES if he is very nervous).

By doing a small task then a break where you and the horse are just "being" is where it will start to be a small heard of just you and him.

Next day can be a task of quarters to move, next front end to move, next to come forwards, next to bend head round to tummy off light touch...... ad infinitum.

As with the above poster, that was after back etc checked.

 

[Dry Rot]

Use reward based training rather than swinging ropes (Parelli??). And if you want to swing ropes, make the swing a trigger for receiving a reward starting with as small a swing and as far away as he will tolerate without getting upset.

Erode the threshold. Do things he doesn't like but only so far as he shows signs of unease, then reward with a slice of carrot for tolerating the annoyance. There will be a point at which he will simply not tolerate what you want to do (e.g. swing the rope), say at 5ft, and a point where he couldn't care less, say 20ft. The threshold is anywhere between 20ft and 5ft. You need to gradually erode the threshold, so reducing that 20ft a little bit every day. (Someone will be along in a minute to tell me I've got my terminology wrong, but it will still work if you have the patience!). Deal with one phobia at a time and be content with very small steps and very slow progress.

 

[xTrooperx]

He has sight in the eye though has a fracture/break ( healed) on that side of face as well.
He is good to brush/play but before I go near any side I go slow and make it known what I'm doing, he goes tense or sometimes moves a step away but settles very quickly.
I reward him for every good thing and just ignore the bad or redo depending on what it is, normally voice or little stroke, I don't want his demanding treats & I use them for his really good behaviours ( coming over/being caught), but will try start rewarding with longer stops as well.
I haven't consider back/pelvis may be out, I can see how that would cause a one way pull.

& no swinging ropes here ( pareill), just plain out common sense. & time.

 

[Dry Rot]

He has sight in the eye though has a fracture/break ( healed) on that side of face as well.
He is good to brush/play but before I go near any side I go slow and make it known what I'm doing, he goes tense or sometimes moves a step away but settles very quickly.
I reward him for every good thing and just ignore the bad or redo depending on what it is, normally voice or little stroke, I don't want his demanding treats & I use them for his really good behaviours ( coming over/being caught), but will try start rewarding with longer stops as well.
I haven't consider back/pelvis may be out, I can see how that would cause a one way pull.

& no swinging ropes here ( pareill), just plain out common sense. & time.

Rewards do not create muggings, treats do. There is a difference. Muggings happen because owners allow it and often inadvertently reward it.

Very many years ago I watched a very impressive performance by a handler with a number of horses in the circus ring. I noticed, and have never forgotten, the handler occasionally slipping a reward to one of the performing horses. We use rewards all the time here and any (rare) attempt to mug is countered and quickly nipped in the bud so they hardly ever happen. I have also bought ponies that would lead from only one side and just assume they have been handled by someone who didn't know any better.