My next equine project horse

Disaster.

Ted totally lost it this morning. I failed to read the warning signs, he was suspicious from the start, the roller was a demon and the long lines snakes. He panicked to such an extreme I had to get out of the barn for my own safety.

I really fear for his future. We had been going so well and this morning it was as if he was untouched again. The puzzling thing is despite the epic panic, wild galloping, broncing and two falls he kept coming to me but I could not stay in with him because he was dangerous. He is massive now and I can do without being mown over.

I am on the way to ruining him I think, time for a rethink.
 
Sad to read this he had been doing so well, you both have. Have you got anyone locally that is experienced with heavy horses? Might be worth getting someone to come and help. You have my sympathies I have a horse who is now has flashback moments and becomes dangerous when panicked, its so difficult because deep down you know they don't mean it.
 
Once they go long lines can be pretty scary though I guess as they keep following you (even Frank thinks so!) What happened when he stopped? Maybe you could do with an extra pair of hands for a bit ;) or he could go to big school so you take the pressure off yourself :). Just remember how good he was for the YFC training.
 
Oh, drat.

AA, you are not on your way to ruining him, he is an exceptionally lucky lad to have found his way to you. We've all been there, when we've pressed on with training a horse even though, on a particular day, we should have backed off. I'm glad that both of you are safe.

However, agree that it may well be time to make plans to send him somewhere else for a professional 'heavy' person to carry on with the starting. They can make a full assessment of him, and you can take it from there.

Chin up. These set backs happen, even with the most caring of owners.
 
I an no expert, certainly not as experienced as you AA, but when I first tried to long line my three year old Connie that I have owned from a yearling he spun round and round, ended up like an oven ready. Chicken! You just have to take a step back and try again a bit later on, Poor Ted life is hard for him. Don't knock yourself AA your are truly amazing.
 
willhegofirst said:
I an no expert, certainly not as experienced as you AA, but when I first tried to long line my three year old Connie that I have owned from a yearling he spun round and round, ended up like an oven ready. Chicken! You just have to take a step back and try again a bit later on, Poor Ted life is hard for him. Don't knock yourself AA your are truly amazing.
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I am truly stuffed at the moment ! gave up the blooming horses this morning. After Ted's wall of death I found my cob mare with a hind chestnut hanging by a thread, dealt with that and told OH to take me to lunch. Home now and sofa claimed.
 
Long reining can be very tricky and I have heard of some horrible associated accidents. I use a driving saddle and have the lines lying between the terrets, so that if there's a problem, I can just let go of one line and flip the other one off the terret so that you have the head and a lot more control, avoiding the parcelled up scenario.

AA, don't be too downhearted, these things happen and Ted will get over it, he trusts you and you have built a solid foundation with him. I reckon if you just go waaaay back to the start, forget about tack and lines etc and spend a couple of weeks doing baby stuff, he'll be back to you in no time.
 
Having met you and Ted neither of you are quitters. It has been bad weather and everyone is jumpy... Took me 20 mins to catch the coloured angel... Why because she could....was she frightened... No...scared no... Just high spirits! Did laugh but was very good. Teds hard start may just be too much, he huge... Yes he could do a lot of harm .( not nasty just big) . Hope Martha is ok? Lots of love from D
 
AA do you Clicker train? It saved my ass a few times, tho not every time, by helping me get him used to scary stuff, including long lines. I led him out with a long line trailing behind me so I could drop it when he started panicking.
If he managed one step with bugging eyes but holding on to sanity , click and treat etc. Sounds painfully slow, and it was. We got there tho. Best of luck, it's not easy but you'll feel a million dollars when he gets it.
 
First - I agree to go back a few steps before forward again. He is obviously going to be a tricky customer......;) I still believe in your partnership. The fact he was trying to go to you I see as he trusts you and was looking for reassurance. I second teabiscuits idea of clicker training. I used it to amazing effect with my very difficult baby. It is basically just reinforcing any good behaviour with a treat. Its most certainly does not make horses bite as mine did before and stopped once he started his training. Used with 'shaping' it is very effective. 'Shaping' is basically like old school small steps at a time, but more like tiny weeny mouse steps at a time. :cool: Some horses just need the steps to be very very small........which does seem a bit of an oxymoron with Ted's great feet! ;) You have come such a very very long way, please don't forget that xx :)
 
Thank you, will research clicker training and heavy horse specialists. He was a bit sorry for himself this evening, doing that nervous gulping again.

We will get there in the end and even if we don't I have promised him I will never pass him on. His advert would read - Project horse, impossible to catch, rarely awake, grows an inch a day, dropped on head at birth, epic panic attacks, frightened of everything including dock leaves and the cat, field trashing feet, humungus appetite, does impressive imitation of a kite on the end of the lead rope on windy days and has the balance of a teenager on alcopops.

Good points, no malice in him, lovely silky feathers (handy when they whip past your ear), loves his lip being tickled and adores cola cubes. Open to offers. PS, new owner will have to lead him home because hell will freeze over before he loads.
 
I have a book and a clicker... Welcome to borrow ... I used it a lot with Freddie . AA you forgot... Good to plough a field quickly.... He might just take flight in harness but excellent if ploughing needs to be done at speed!
 
I thought I'd ruined kenny once. He was a 4yo when I got him who had been backed by a good friend of mine who had done a fabulous job. Not long after I had bought him I was walking past him in the field with a rug I had just taken off another horse when the wind caught it, it flew out my hands and straight onto his head! Well I've never seen him move so fast. Luckily the rug fell off as soon as he took off but then I couldn't catch him for 2 weeks! Tried feed, hay, treats, nothing was getting him caught! The way the fields were set up it wasn't possible to simply run him into the yard and catch him in his stable. I was convinced id broken him and felt so bad for my friends who had put so much hard work into him. In the end I rang them and broke the news feeling like the worst person in the world. Turns out the exact same thing had happened with her youngster, within a few hours they had turned up, helped me catch him with a few hints and tricks and that was it!

I guess all I'm really trying to say is we've all been there and thougt we've broken/ruined/permanently traumatised our horses. But they all turn out fine in the end!

Get Alice to give him a good talking to, no doubt she'll tell him to man up and stop being such a pansy! x
 
Oh AA don't be so hard on yourself!

I'm sure you will win ted round!

You also missed out..... Bit of a ladies man- from afar!

Alice will have given him a hard time for being so nawty and I'm sure he will be feeling worse than you xx
 
Sanity has returned, and along with a few ideas from HHO members who responded to my long lining query thread, Ted was very civilised today. After it took an hour to catch the little git all went well. He is now banished from any paddock of more than postage stamp size and has returned to wearing a head collar with a rope swinging.

Alice has dumped him forever. Her half brother is finally home and is polite, sweet, does not fart on her, nick her handbag, spit or call her names. She thinks he is the bees knees.
 
Great to hear!

There was a recent thread in which various people (me included) were commenting on how nutty our horses have been in the last week or two. We blame the recent rapid grass growth, which certainly sends my normally sensible cob bananas. Maybe Ted was affected in the same way when he had his blip? The weather has certainly been 'odd'.

So Alice's half brother is out of the same mum, is he? (I'm not very good at the niceties of breeding speak :o.). How old is he? Glad that Alice approves of him!
 
Yes, he is one on Monday.

We have just taken my 80 year old mother to dinner and called back at the yard so she could see the horses. She is not mobile so Ted had to stand by the car and be spoken to from the window. He stood there, ears pricked butter wouldn't melt expression whilst she told him how to behave and how he should be grateful for a good home. She then gave him his favourite cola cube sweet and I led him away, I swear he said yay, whatever, before farting and tripping up.
 
Could we see a picture of the half brother please? I remember he had the most Incredibly long legs as a foal, so would love to see how he has grown in to them!
 
CLM said:
Could we see a picture of the half brother please? I remember he had the most Incredibly long legs as a foal, so would love to see how he has grown in to them!
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He hasn't ! he is taller than Alice and is going to be a stunner but at present he is like a drunk giraffe.
 
AdorableAlice said:
Yes, he is one on Monday.

We have just taken my 80 year old mother to dinner and called back at the yard so she could see the horses. She is not mobile so Ted had to stand by the car and be spoken to from the window. He stood there, ears pricked butter wouldn't melt expression whilst she told him how to behave and how he should be grateful for a good home. She then gave him his favourite cola cube sweet and I led him away, I swear he said yay, whatever, before farting and tripping up.
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:D Sorry I can just imagine this! I have one that wriggles his head to get into the car via the window. Car drivers stopping for directions are most alarmed to have a 15hh cob's head on their lap looking for polos! ;)
 
For goodness sake, AA, write this damn book, it's far too good to be trapped in here and nobody but us to see it. I know a very good editor if you feel the need, she's horse mad too having just bought Bea!

Definitely time for pics of the young man, you can't keep him to yourself. xx
 
For you Maesfen, taken this evening after he had done his training session. We have walk on, stand, walk on cracked. A few steps of trotting this evening which produced a dust cloud and a lot of farting.

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Maesfen said:
He's seriously smart!
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Clipped out and fit he could be a nice hunter, perhaps not a Shire Pack but he would cross a slower country. He will be a long job but he will make it. Crosses fingers tightly and hopes he does not remove his headcollar over night, the little git has mastered the art of not being caught.
 
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