Manners

[Rachael42]

Hi,
Recently I’ve been struggling having my horse tied up. When he’s tied up outside he dances back and forth, pulls his rope and paws the ground. It’s a recent thing, he’s 14 so he knows fine well how to stand tied up.
Is there anything I can do to stop him? I don’t want to constantly have a haynet with him to make him stand. Anyone else dealt with this? He’s so impatient!
Thank you.

 

[scruffyponies]

Tie him short to something really solid with a rope that won't break, then walk away where you can see him, but he can't see you. Do this regularly, and only come back after he has stopped being a div. He will only waste energy for so long.
My best 'waiters' are the horses who have had to stand around whilst I sort out kids and novices. They expect to be standing around for half an hour with no attention at all, so they go into 3 leg dozy mode.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Why don't you want him to have a haynet, while he is waiting for you?

 

[Carmen6]

Do people think it's bad to give a haynet to horses while being asked to stand?

I always gave my chap a haynet when he was tied up outside his stable while I was mucking out. Mostly because I wanted the net with the left over hay out of the way, but generally because horses do the grazing thing and I thought it would keep him entertained while I faffed about.

With or without the haynet, he'd stand quietly though, and haynet was back in the stable re-filled by the time I was ready to tack up.

 

[scruffyponies]

It's not bad to give a haynet. It's bad to have no choice, dictated by a brat of a horse. As per post title. Manners.

 

[Ownedby4horses]

OP are you tying him up and then walking off to do other things? If you’re there with him grooming etc then ok but if you’re perhaps out of sight, then why not give him a net to entertain him.

 

[IrishMilo]

Why don't you want him to have a haynet, while he is waiting for you?

I imagine many people are like me - they don't want to have to fill up a hay net every time they tie their horse up. Some yards don't allow nets outside stables, either.

 

[scruffyponies]

You should not have to be right by him for him to stand nicely. A horse you can't leave alone is a liability. What's wrong with spending a bit of time and patience getting him used to it?

Some of the best bits of horse training involve the judicious use of doing absolutely nothing for as long as it takes.

 

[Arzada]

Why is he being impatient? At what point in his day is this? Before his feed? Waiting to go out? Is he hungry?

 

[MuddyMonster]

If he's always tied up well and now doesn't, I'd look at why.

Is he in pain? Discomfort? Nervous about something? Hungry?

 

[Snow Falcon]

My son's pony was just bratty. I tied her up and she would paw. I can't stand it so I would stand by the barn door. As she started pawing I would say "NO" and crack a lunge whip. She soon learnt that was a noise she didn't like and the behaviour stopped. She now ties up and stands quietly.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I imagine many people are like me - they don't want to have to fill up a hay net every time they tie their horse up. Some yards don't allow nets outside stables, either.

I don't like to see horses tied up outside stable anyway. In fact I only tie mine to bath them, when they don't get hay. I don't use haynets either, except for travelling.

 

[Winters100]

Tie him short to something really solid with a rope that won't break, then walk away where you can see him, but he can't see you. Do this regularly, and only come back after he has stopped being a div. He will only waste energy for so long.
My best 'waiters' are the horses who have had to stand around whilst I sort out kids and novices. They expect to be standing around for half an hour with no attention at all, so they go into 3 leg dozy mode.

I would do exactly this - no attention until he stands nicely. Has always worked for me.

 

[Cragrat]

Hi,
It’s a recent thing, he’s 14 so he knows fine well how to stand tied up.
.

As MuddyMonster said - why has he changed? Ulcery? Change of routine?

 

[Winters100]

Ahh, my apologies OP, I did not read carefully enough. Interesting that it is a recent thing. In this case some change in routing / health or some event I suppose. I'm afraid I don't have other suggestions.

 

[IrishMilo]

I don't like to see horses tied up outside stable anyway

Why? If I'm not riding but want to groom, doing it tied outside the stable avoids a situation where we're both breathing in dirt spores. Or if I want to clip and make sure the lines aren't crap, it's much easier doing it in daylight. I know a couple of horses who have never been taught to stand tied quietly and it's always those ones who have accidents rather than the ones who're used to it.

 

[horsimous]

Is your horse impatient to get back to its friends in the field Or anxious at being away from them? best to nip it in the bud as soon as possible as it will escalate to other unwanted behaviours. Is there anyone you can get in to help you?

 

[fredflop]

Why? If I'm not riding but want to groom, doing it tied outside the stable avoids a situation where we're both breathing in dirt spores. Or if I want to clip and make sure the lines aren't crap, it's much easier doing it in daylight. I know a couple of horses who have never been taught to stand tied quietly and it's always those ones who have accidents rather than the ones who're used to it.

At the yards I’ve seen horses tied up outside stables… it generally means that other people then can’t walk their horses in/out of their stable. Horses fighting over stable doors, and it just generally being an enormous inconvenience to everyone else around the tied up horse

 

[canteron]

Slowly slowly reteach him.

Tie him up, move away, if he is good, come back and pat him.
Do it again, but more further away and leave for a little bit longer , etc, etc.
Do it again, a little bit further and a little bit longer.

But the totally important think is, don't go back when he is agitated, teach him that calmness gets the rewards him wants.

He isn't being a brat, I am guessing that unintentionally he has learned something else so needs reteaching - and old teacher used to say, what you allow you teach?

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Why? If I'm not riding but want to groom, doing it tied outside the stable avoids a situation where we're both breathing in dirt spores. Or if I want to clip and make sure the lines aren't crap, it's much easier doing it in daylight. I know a couple of horses who have never been taught to stand tied quietly and it's always those ones who have accidents rather than the ones who're used to it.

Because on a livery yard they are usually in someone else's way. It is perfectly possible to teach a horse to stand quietly inside. Mine is usually ground tied.

 

[EllenJay]

Because on a livery yard they are usually in someone else's way.

Really? At all the yards I have been at, there is plenty of space to tie up outside the stable - never causes an issue,and never in anyone's way