Leading issues

[nuttychestnut]

My horse has been on box rest for a number of weeks which has finally gone to his head! Finally allowed T/O but is an absolute nightmare to lead to the field.
His way to get away is just to jump forward and kick back towards me with his hinds or rear, strike out with his front then turn and use the back feet.
Tomorrow he will be in a chiffney and lunge line but I do need some way to cease the striking out.
He's a big lad (17.2hh) so I'm not massively comfortable getting to close!
Any ideas until I get a pro to help?

 

[Dottie]

I did ground work in the school before we ventured up the field . I had my hat, gloves, long schooling whip, chifney and lunge line. Mine has always been a ****** to lead, but after the box rest he was dangerous.

He needed to learn WHOA meant stop, straight away. If he barged past me, he has a tap on the chest and asked to move BACK. You need to stay by his shoulder and try not to get ahead of him or behind him. If he launched forward I could let him have more rope and move myself quickly out of the firing line.
I found it hard because I'm quite quiet and needed to have a firm posture and voice which doesn't come easily to me.

We practiced it until he understood and was listening to me. We used cones,wings as guides to stop and walk around.
When we ventured up to the field, we stopped reguallary (but not for too long) to make sure he was listening. Any naughtiness and he got turned round and headed back to the yard so he learnt he couldn't get to the field any quicker by being naughty. This happened several times...

If you have a hedge or fence he is unlikely to jump, lead him from that side so if he leaps forward in front of you he will head into the hedge and not a 'open' area.

Please be very careful though and have somebody with you. I had moved to a new yard when all this happened and the yard owner has been so helpful and taught me this basic groundwork. I had just excepted that he was 'bad to lead' and put up with it, which was not right.
And please please make sure you have your hat on! In pure excitement mine kicked me in the face when I was hand grazing him when on box rest and I was very lucky just to get away with bruising. He had never done anything like that before but they are big dangerous creatures when they have been stuck in a long time.
And if you have any Sedalin- give him a load of that!

 

[D66]

You won't be able to stop him if he's heading directly away from you but if you are quick you can step to the side and pull him off balance by tugging side ways. Using a bridle will help too.
Good luck.

 

[ilvpippa]

Mine hasn't long come off box rest about 2 months & she was in for 6 months. Just done a week of in from snow & she was turned out in a bridle. She was great managed I hold it together till her field & reared like a good one!!

I found a bit of sedation really helped me & allowing her to graze on the way up to her field. It took her a good month to revert to being calm again going out as field is her fav place on earth!! I feel your pain as mine is only 16hh she's a full chestnut tb mare!! With attitude!

 

[Red-1]

With one finishing bx rest I always have 2 people, one each side with a lunge line through the bit. That way you can each keep the other safe. It means you can be calm, have space and it is all more orderly. I still use hat, gloves and toecaps tho!

 

[nuttychestnut]

I was ready for a fight with him today, prepared the rest of yard with what to do (just in case). Had him in a chiffney, lunge line and whip. Guess what? - he walked out like a donkey. Didn't even walk off when let of just quietly grazed. Pleased that he was great but annoyed that I wasn't able to correct the poor behaviour. Oh well!
Thanks for the tips!

 

[ilvpippa]

I'm sure you'll get plenty of opportunitys! Mine randomly gives me them; I try to ignore them as much as I can in till she threatens to rear then she gets a quick reminder that I'm on the other end of a rope! Hehe