More advice please on my youngster...

Devonshire dumpling

Devonshire dumpling

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Brief recap for those who don't know :-

2 yr old strapping 15hhish HW Drum cob, in a 4 acre field with a barn for shelter with 2 other 2 yr olds.

Spent 2 mths touching him, got to the point of nearly getting a headcollar on, then we employed some extra help and bless her she managed to get the headcollar on within 2 sessions! As you all know I was rejoicing!

Since then the girl has been putting another headcollar on top, and hes still very very unsure but she can do it, then we had the bad weather and all horses playing and unhandable, so had a bit of a setback! Anyway no doubt she will get there again as shes fab with him!

We have been doing leading sessions with him, hmmmmm nightmare other horses gallop up and he breaks free and gallops off with them (we are looping leadrope through headcollar so he can safely break free)

Today he had a lovely 10 min groom then he said ok I am bored now, pulled back , did a mini rear and off he went! This is just teaching him he can break free!

We hope to move him in 4 weeks to home and he will then have areas to work in with a lunge so he can't escape so I am not too worried , sure we will get there, and obviously the other youngsters won't be there to interfere, his 2 new mates will be in their 20's!

Will ask our resident expert what she would do re leading him,but what do you guys think?

Would you even try with the leadrope? Would like to be able to lead him into his mode of transport!

Everything will be so much easier in our new home :rolleyes:
 
I would be leading with a lunge line, and not letting go. My now 4 year old used to be an **** to lead, but with leading work on a lunge he learnt he still went where I wanted to, just took a bit longer!
 
Sounds like you have been working hard with him! :) If it was mine I think I would hold off until you have somewhere you can lead him without the others interfering. As you have found, doing it with the leadeope just looped through in this environment is only teaching him how to misbehave! ;) When you do practice with him in the new place, I would use a lunge line with a handle on the end and if he tries to 'opt out' then you have a bit more to keep hold of - and don't let go! Or the breaking away will become a bad habit, and bad habits with youngsters tend to escalate quickly lol! Good luck with him!
 
astonsmummy said:
I would be leading with a lunge line, and not letting go.
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Ooo don't do this. So dangerous.

OP you have to handle this horse every day - twice a day. Don't tie him up, he's not ready for that. And take him out of the field to do it. Put him in a stable and groom him, feed him etc. Then out to teach him to lead and behave.

Do this for two weeks and he'll be a different animal.
 
A lunge line is not going to help you, if he does get away you will have more issues with trust, being chased by a long "snake" could cause him to really panic. Also when they get some speed up and use this against you no way will you hold him.

For the loading I would get your experienced person to take charge of the situation, she should probably lead him with you following to assist if required. Try and lead him a bit more each day, hold the rope firmly and try to prevent the pulling away, a well timed treat may keep his attention until you decide to release him.
 
Don't loop the lead rope through! That's just teaching him to get away.

Put him in a stable. I'd be leaving a rope hanging off his headcollar, so he can learn about stopping when he stands on it himself.

But again, that's just me. I cannot stand cobs that have learnt to just use their weight to get away, and unfortunately, once they've learnt it....they're rather heavy to try and match up to to stop it again [which you can't, I see it as a shetland can tow you if they wanted to!].

Lot's and lots of ground work, all pressure and release stuff. When you're in the stable, get him coming up to you/moving away from you, then pop leadrope on and work on turning him in there etc.

If he's going to keep getting away, leave him be till you're in a suitable environment to work with him, otherwise it will only get worse.

For loading, I'd much rather just run him up into the lorry loose, if he's going to div around and panic leading into it.


[ETA Coming from a girl with a scar on her forehead also, if you're slightly wary or if he's going to be a bit reactive, I'd strongly recommend wearing a hat.]
 
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amymay said:
Ooo don't do this. So dangerous.

OP you have to handle this horse every day - twice a day. Don't tie him up, he's not ready for that. And take him out of the field to do it. Put him in a stable and groom him, feed him etc. Then out to teach him to lead and behave.

Do this for two weeks and he'll be a different animal.
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No way would i stick a powerful heavy cob on a lunge and hang on, I would end up sking at high speed around a large field, I am not talking about him legging it,he means business he is frightened hes scared, had a bad start!

He leads nicely until something spooks him, and we can just about groom him.

Amymay - as soon as we are at new home, I shall be teaching him what a stable is and handling every day, and we had a little paddock which is shorter than a lunge, so I can teach him leading there and he won't be able to get away, I don't intend in getting into any battles with him, he is learning trust through firmness and kindness, in no hurry X
 
be positive said:
A lunge line is not going to help you, if he does get away you will have more issues with trust, being chased by a long "snake" could cause him to really panic. Also when they get some speed up and use this against you no way will you hold him.

For the loading I would get your experienced person to take charge of the situation, she should probably lead him with you following to assist if required. Try and lead him a bit more each day, hold the rope firmly and try to prevent the pulling away, a well timed treat may keep his attention until you decide to release him.
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Thanks I agree! Our expert is going to have a couple sessions with us a week now also :-) just spoke to her, she has every faith in him. He isn't being horrid and using his weight, he is fearful of him life, so lots of groundwork and stabling as people suggest is right of course, but not until we move!
 
ChristmasSparkles said:
Don't loop the lead rope through! That's just teaching him to get away.

Put him in a stable. I'd be leaving a rope hanging off his headcollar, so he can learn about stopping when he stands on it himself.

But again, that's just me. I cannot stand cobs that have learnt to just use their weight to get away, and unfortunately, once they've learnt it....they're rather heavy to try and match up to to stop it again [which you can't, I see it as a shetland can tow you if they wanted to!].

Lot's and lots of ground work, all pressure and release stuff. When you're in the stable, get him coming up to you/moving away from you, then pop leadrope on and work on turning him in there etc.

If he's going to keep getting away, leave him be till you're in a suitable environment to work with him, otherwise it will only get worse.


[ETA Coming from a girl with a scar on her forehead also, if you're slightly wary or if he's going to be a bit reactive, I'd strongly recommend wearing a hat.]
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Going to work on shorter sessions with him, and hopefully he won't get into a situation where he is bored and pull free.... I also don't do horses that pull, he will learn manners don't you worry, but at present he is the equivelent to a foal who has just been halter broken, and what experience he has had before my friend bought him of humans is of danger! He has join up very good and comes back immediately, he is just genuinally acting like a wild animal X
 
It doesn't sound like he's got trust issues though, it sounds like he's just learned to pull away. In which case teaching him that he can't pull away would probably be useful. Young horses need boundaries. I know everyone does things differently with horses, but personally I would be kindly but firmly laying down the rules. I don't think giving treats and bribing is what I would do. If it works for you though, great. But I am quite simple, if you don't want the horse to run away, get a long rope and a more enclosed area and don't let it run away. Then it will learn it can't run away. This is just my opinion btw, and what works for me. I know that everyone does things differently! :)
 
Devonshire dumpling said:
Going to work on shorter sessions with him, and hopefully he won't get into a situation where he is bored and pull free.... I also don't do horses that pull, he will learn manners don't you worry, but at present he is the equivelent to a foal who has just been halter broken, and what experience he has had before my friend bought him of humans is of danger! He has join up very good and comes back immediately, he is just genuinally acting like a wild animal X
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I can imagine how he is, we get the occasional couple similar which are just that much more nervous/sharper who just need much more quiet, consistent handling compared to the average unhalter broke ones...hence my recommendation regarding the hat. Other horses bolted off, taking colt we were working with with them, whilst working in an unsuitable area and the result was this: http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hpho...9350871753_708806752_10372111_386062780_n.jpg

He didn't mean it and it was no-ones fault...he just panicked and I sadly was on the receiving end.
4 months on now after patient handling and an environment to suit him, he's getting much better. He leads fine etc, ties up fine and can groom him. It's the initial headcollar being done which unerves him - I think he scared himself more than me when he caught me them months ago! But he's lost the genuine nervous streak now and is coming along nicely. He's a special colt though and he's one of our own for keepers anyway, so we've got all the time in the world for him. If you tried a quick fix with him or strength...well, I know what the outcome would be. ;)

I know you'll see him right :) He's a lovely lad. He'll be very special when he's older!
 
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patterdale said:
It doesn't sound like he's got trust issues though, it sounds like he's just learned to pull away. In which case teaching him that he can't pull away would probably be useful. Young horses need boundaries. I know everyone does things differently with horses, but personally I would be kindly but firmly laying down the rules. I don't think giving treats and bribing is what I would do. If it works for you though, great. But I am quite simple, if you don't want the horse to run away, get a long rope and a more enclosed area and don't let it run away. Then it will learn it can't run away. This is just my opinion btw, and what works for me. I know that everyone does things differently! :)
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ChristmasSparkles said:
I can imagine how he is, we get the occasional couple similar which are just that much more nervous/sharper who just need much more quiet, consistent handling compared to the average unhalter broke ones...hence my recommendation regarding the hat. Other horses bolted off, taking colt we were working with with them, whilst working in an unsuitable area and the result was this: http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hpho...9350871753_708806752_10372111_386062780_n.jpg

He didn't mean it and it was no-ones fault...he just panicked and I sadly was on the receiving end.
4 months on now after patient handling and an environment to suit him, he's getting much better. He leads fine etc, ties up fine and can groom him. It's the initial headcollar being done which unerves him - I think he scared himself more than me when he caught me them months ago! But he's lost the genuine nervous streak now and is coming along nicely. He's a special colt though and he's one of our own for keepers anyway, so we've got all the time in the world for him. If you tried a quick fix with him or strength...well, I know what the outcome would be. ;)

I know you'll see him right :) He's a lovely lad. He'll be very special when he's older!
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Thanks guys.... he does have trust issues and he is on week 1 of the leadrope, so very early days,can't wait to get him home where he can be a big grown up horse and learn boundaries, I think everything has taken so long as he is in a field with others, had we had him home he would have been stabled etc etc, but thats life isn't it! Will keep you all updated! .... don't worry, hats and gloves!! X
 
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