Need advice about hard to handle horse

[Adonissaan]

Hi all

So basically I have a shared horse (only my second week with him) he's 16.2hh thoroughbred cross.

He's wonderful to ride but am having major problems handling him on the ground. He lets me catch him with a small amount of difficulty and as soon as we are out of the gate he runs off...

Not sure what I'm meant to do against a horse his size - in all my previous horses their problems have been when riding so I have no idea about how to go about this problem!

His owner has had him for a long time and doesn't experience any problems with him

Any tips?

Thanks in advance

 

[ImmyS]

Hi all

So basically I have a shared horse (only my second week with him) he's 16.2hh thoroughbred cross.

He's wonderful to ride but am having major problems handling him on the ground. He lets me catch him with a small amount of difficulty and as soon as we are out of the gate he runs off...

Not sure what I'm meant to do against a horse his size - in all my previous horses their problems have been when riding so I have no idea about how to go about this problem!

His owner has had him for a long time and doesn't experience any problems with him

Any tips?

Thanks in advance

Hi,

Has his owner made any suggestions about what to do regarding this behaviour - I know he does not behave like this with them, but they should know the horse well enough to suggest how to handle the behaviour?

If it were me I would catch him with a rope halter and long line (lunge line length) so that he cannot get away from you easily. I would also suggest doing a lot of groundwork in his field or enclosed area so you build a good relationship on the ground.

 

[Adonissaan]

She just told me to tie the lead rope around his nose when leading - I'll try this tonight but I don't think this will stop him to be honest. He's so strong against me it's ridiculous!

 

[ImmyS]

She just told me to tie the lead rope around his nose when leading - I'll try this tonight but I don't think this will stop him to be honest. He's so strong against me it's ridiculous!

You need to get to the bottom of the issue and the only way to do that is to do lots of groundwork with him. In the mean time to bring him in safely have you tried bringing him in in his bridle with lunge line?

 

[Adonissaan]

No I haven't tried a lunge line but I will - I think there's the possibility of a stallion chain as I think they used that when he was much younger but he hasn't needed it in years apparently!

 

[Fiona]

She just told me to tie the lead rope around his nose when leading - I'll try this tonight but I don't think this will stop him to be honest. He's so strong against me it's ridiculous!

This may well work - it worked on a previous horse of mine who occasionally tried to test us...

You definitely won't hold him in an ordinary headcollar and rope anyway, so its definitely the first step.

FIona

 

[claret09]

try a dually and a lunge line. i agree you won't hold him in a headcollar and a lead rope. you might find a rope halter ok. make sure you have a hat and gloves on if he is difficult

 

[meleeka]

When I had short term leading problems due to box rest I used a chain under his chin. He only ever tried to go once and stopped in his tracks. I found this far more effective than leading in a bridle.

 

[Adonissaan]

Thanks for all the suggestions! Definitely feel much more at ease going tonight now I have a lot of different ideas what to do!