Leading my youngster - help please

SpottyTB

SpottyTB

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Hi all, if you've seen any of my recent posts you may no i've been looking for a project/youngster, well I found her! 14hh (to make 14.2) 3.5 year old reg section D.. Got her home the other day and already love her HOWEVER...

Today we took her out for a walk in her bridle - to take her mind off having it on for the first time, she was fantastic - we literally only went up the lane and back but it was enough for her. She lead really nicely, stopped occasionally to have a little look around and then when asked to walk on would with a little encouragement (pressure at a slight angle).

I got her back to the yard and wanted to put her back in the stable, but she had decided she didn't want to go in, basically she planted herself. If I applied pressure on the rope at an angle, she's move but only a few steps. I literally couldn't get her going forward, so in the end I got my helper to go behind her with a lunge whip and tap the floor - which was enough to get her to walk on.

This mare has ONLY been handled once in her life - she's lived in a herd for 3 years and just been looked at/stroked morning and night but no real education. She's lovely and very willing to learn - done so much with her already and she's really enjoying it (without over facing her).

I sound like a right idiot posting this, but having always had horses (always youngsters) that have pulled/dragged whilst walking i've not come across THIS problem!

All replies welcomed and another post will be put on at some point with photo's :) I am very pleased!
 
This made me smile. Don't worry, I've had a few planters! I really wouldn't go down the lunge whip route again, not condusive to long term success. Trick is to make them move any way. That is ask her to move to the side (step there and pressure) she will be taken off balance and follow. The reward by stroking between the eyes (builds up trust as unsighted for her). Carry this on and you'll be fine. Always allow time for this and don't ever attempt to lead if time limited. I OCCASIONALLY use a food reward but always regret it LOL. You'll be fine!:):):)
 
scarymare said:
This made me smile. Don't worry, I've had a few planters! I really wouldn't go down the lunge whip route again, not condusive to long term success. Trick is to make them move any way. That is ask her to move to the side (step there and pressure) she will be taken off balance and follow. The reward by stroking between the eyes (builds up trust as unsighted for her). Carry this on and you'll be fine. Always allow time for this and don't ever attempt to lead if time limited. I OCCASIONALLY use a food reward but always regret it LOL. You'll be fine!:):):)
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Yes wasnt keen on the lunge whip route (not that Sienna really cared much i must say) but it was peeing it down and beginning to thunder and i thought we could be in for a real bad experience if i don't get her in (!!). I shall bring her out again later and try your method with her :D .. she was just having a tantrum which was rather funny, she looked like she wanted to through her self on the floor :L
 
Get her desensitised to a long leadrope - draping it over/around her body.

Then next time she plants, maybe you could try this:

loop the loose end of that long rope over her backbone, around her dock and back to your hand to complete the loop, then gently pull on that to apply forwards pressure to her bottom while you walk forwards with your usual command without having to pull on the bridle/bit/poll. Just make sure you face forwards. Don't turn in to face her and then try to pull her past you. You both need to face the same direction.
(does that make sense?)

it works for me but may not work for everyone or their horses. Basis is it's the same sort of gentle but firm encouragement forwards as when you clasp a small foal inbetween your arms.
 
So let me get this right. You've got a youngster whos only been handeld once, bitted her and then took her for an in hand walk all in one day? It sounds very rushed. Esepcially as she's new to you and needs to learn to trust you.

I think you should go back a few steps. Teach her to lead properly in a headcollar before bitting. If she plants then back her up and then walk on again. Don't look at her and give loads of praise when she does go in.

With bitting I would put the bridle on and lead around the yard. Perhaps cover with honey and sugar first so it's nice and tasty for her.

I wouldn't lead out just yet. Do you have a school you could use? To maybe long rein and free school to bond. So she can learn to trust you. Will make in hand walking so much better for the both of you if you have a mutual trust and bond with eachother.

Good luck :)
 
LaurenBay said:
So let me get this right. You've got a youngster whos only been handeld once, bitted her and then took her for an in hand walk all in one day? It sounds very rushed. Esepcially as she's new to you and needs to learn to trust you.
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No have had her a week now.. and she was handled a fair bit before we picked her up, so is actually ready to have a bridle on and to do these things..
 
Suechoccy - Thank you, that makes sense, have used that method before with a friend's horse. Will definitely give it ago :D

LaurenBay - Having read your complete post now, thank you for your adivce. Having left a herd enviroment several weeks ago she is really relying on people at the moment. She's extremely trusting, she calls to me when she see's me, follows me around the stable etc. I really would not do any of this if I didn't feel she wasn't ready, she settled amazingly well and is very relaxed in her new home. She's so bored she is looking for the education now and like i said, REALLY enjoying it. I have never seen a youngster (apart from my other mare) enjoy learning so much like this girl. She also accepted the bit very well too, its only a happy mouth, so is a nice warm temperature and is a nice feeling in her mouth. :D. Haven't had a problem with her leading wise yet, she's walked beautifully around the yard with me and 50 or so yards up the lane. Think she just fancied staying outside next to the lurking cob monster in the field by my stable. I should have wrote it out properly, she had only been handled once until i said i wanted her :)

- should also add, she had had her bridle on for a bit 20 minutes in the stable and walking around the arena area before the 50 yard walk! :D
 
Always exciting getting a new horse and especially a baby one! I got a 15mth old last year and not long after I asked a lady who is very good handling horses - uses a mixture of various methods - to help me with some basic groundwork/handling tips.

For the walking forward she uses a schooling whip and showed me how to do it. Essentially you stand facing the horse and tap lightly with the whip on the horse's side and increase the intensity of the tapping until the horse walks forwards, you then stop the tapping and praise and walk a few strides. I also say "walk on" but you don't have to say anything. Basically you are tapping where you would use your legs so it's a pre-cursor to that really. My youngster cottoned on really quickly and really well - they should not be scared of the whip though, you are NOT hitting them it is being used as an aid to ask them to move forwards. IF the horse at any time looks worried then gently stroke them with the whip before continuing. After a while (probably a very short while with a welshie) you will only have to tap very lightly to get her to move forwards. Make sure you alternate which sides you tap and also remember to praise when she walks on. we did it for a fair few minutes with mine and mixed it with asking him to go back as well.

I think he actually really enjoyed the 'work' as he had to think - he certainly stopped his nipping (his usual 'game') throughout the session as he was having to concentrate. You can of course then move on to standing with them to the side of you and asking to walk on as you would when leading a normal horse and use the whip on their side with your outside hand then. I have found I don't really have to do this now as mine generally walks on pretty well now.
 
Ladyt25 - thank you! That is so helpful:) I really think these babies enjoy learning!

I went down tonight and led her outside and did a bit of walking up, backing up and after a while of that, she walked on into the stable like a little lamb! Did it several times and she was fine :)

Such a learning curve, or though I have done all of this before, every horse is different and it's very exciting :)
 
Have you tried backing up?

My mare is now 6 and is going through a phase at the moment. I've nipped most of them in the bud, but the one I was struggling with is getting her in the stable. She decided after 5 months of having her stable she no longer liked it and wouldn't go in :o:rolleyes:

I tried different methods but backing up worked the best. I first of all tried the firm approach, If she would stop I would grow and then flick the lead rope at her bum or use a schooling whip. She did go in but it didn't stop her planting when she came in the next day. Moved on to the next method which was completly ignore, I removed her haynet and put in stable so she had no food outside the stable. I would then look the other way and stand there til she got bored. She eventually came in of her own accord but again didn't stop the planting all together. Third was backing up. She planted, I backed her up the whole way accross the yard then walked forward and she went straight in. *Touches wood* she hasn't planted since. That was about 2 weeks ago now.
 
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