Managing an impatient horse

Ben2684

Ben2684

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Have had my new boy 2 weeks now and had our first solo ride today. He has been so good with everything, the traffic, open spaces, livestock etc etc. Our only sticking point is stopping. By this I mean from a walk to a halt. At roads waiting to cross it so most noticeable but also if I want to stop and speak to someone, he will start chomping the bit, tossing his head and if a hard contact is taken start bunny hopping. He really starts thinking backwards with anything other than the lightest contact on his mouth at all times so I have been using my seat and voice to encourage him to calm so far, keeping my hands low and wide and relaxing my body and we are having some successes but can anyone recommend me anything to try/confirm I'm going about their the right way. It needs to be minimal pressure as I think if I started an argument he would go up. I am also aware that he is yet to learn that he can trust me so I think this is a big factor. It is the same when alone or in company.

Thanks in advance
B
 
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I'd be stopping regularly. Stop, give him a scratch on the wither, praise him, maybe give him a treat, then walk on. Start off with just a couple of seconds in halt, gradually building it up, always praising him and encouraging him. It may take a while, but worth it in the long term!
 
That's what I've been doing JB, and not moving off until he's quiet. The issue is when waiting for traffic to stop, once it stops I feel I have to go even if he is still being a pleb, there is no option to go only once he has stopped throwing his head around. He will stand and be brushed all day long, can tie him up without a haynet whikstni muck out. Stops when I stop when leading and is never bargy or pushy. It's only when I am out riding. It is also both on the way out and on the return home so isn't a dashing home response. Could it just be because it's a new area/rider/new home?
 
2 weeks is nothing, you're going to need to be patient, it could take a few months! And if you're mixing it up with also expecting him to stop necessarily for traffic, it's going to take even longer. Everything's brand new to him - give him time.
 
I hope so, it's not nasty at all, it's almost a stress response, as it's worse if we go somewhere he hasn't been or with someone new... just wanted to make sure I was texting in the right way so as to reward the positive behaviour rather than punish the negative behaviour as I feel with him that will just not work!
 
Also, I wouldn't be waiting until he's quiet to move off. Literally stop, scratch his wither, praise him, move on. Stop, scratch his wither, praise him, move on. Maybe next time, stop, scratch him, praise him and give him a treat, so he stands for 3 or 4 seconds. Slowly slowly catchee monkey.
 
He's being so good, he's just so impatient, and totally different from my other horse. Very sensitive to how he's ridden. The person that had him before the lady I bought him from was over horsed, scared of him and rode with very heavy hands, hanging on his mouth hence anything but a light contact gets him very backward thinking to the pout where if you took too much of a hold he will back up and if this carried on he would go up. Just needs a very sympathetic rider
 
The only way to teach a horse to stop is to stop. And stop. And stop. And stop. Count the seconds and build it up.
 
i don`t pick a fight with them, just do it gradually, and practice somewhere safe to start so there is less tension and more concentration on your part, when they do stop i don`t stand too long, just build it up gradually, you can also start training in hand or on longlines.
 
If he won't stand put him in a tight circle few times, if when you stop he stands great, if not keep circling. Should avoid him going up or bunny hopping as will be on tight circle
 
You can do this on the ground , teaching them to ground hitch. Plant them where you want them and if they move put them back. Gradually build up the time you ask for them to stand still. Mix the exercise in with other things like weaving through poles, stepping over poles, just to spice it up , so he doesn't get bored. All my horses ground hitch. So I can shut the gate without turning them around in a narrow area. It doesn't take long and doing stuff on the ground can be fun for you and the horse and builds up confidence.
 
He sounds lovely.I would tell him to stand all the time,when you bring him in,when you turn him out, leading him anywhere, use the same word all the time,he will soon get the hang of it
 
I absolutely wouldn't give him treats. You don't want him screwing his head round for food every time you halt. As has been said, just ask for mini pauses to start with.
 
Thanks everyone... lots of things to try! On the ground I can literally park him Anywhere and he stands, he also halts beautifully just by dropping my weight down into my heels and tightening my core, I don't even need to do anything with my hands/the reins, it is just when hacking out he gets very stressed if asked to wait, and to some extent slow down (he is 17.2 with a loooong stride so walks quite fast) though this is less so than actually stopping. I know it will take some time but I will work on it, thanks for the help :)
 
Friend had this issue with hers and found turning a tight circle was the best way to safely negotiate road junctions. When I was teaching my baby horse to hack I made liberal use of the neckstrap as a halt aid. You could also work on it in the school, think of the halt and immobility as a movement and ride it, rather than letting your mind wander while you are stationary. Don't make the immobility too long at first, gradually increase it once he understands. I also did this with my chap, we spent ages on square, straight attentive halts and vary whether we walk on, trot on or do something like turn on the forehand so he doesn't anticipate. It's still early days with your chap, and you have no idea how well or badly his previous owner(s) might have trained this, so give him the benefit of the doubt and just treat it as a gap in his education.
 
I wish I knew; I've had my mare 7 years and she still does it. I've tried everything and come to the conclusion it's just her and I have to live with it. It's a shame because I would love to hunt but she just will not stand and becomes so agitated it spoils it for everyone.
 
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