Need some help

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rebeccaandgrace

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I've got a 16hh cob x he's realy chunky he's great to be ridden etc but when your leading him he can all of a sudden just tank off and there's no way of stopping! He's 18 so semi retired its so dangerous sometimes we have to cross a road to put them out he dragged me in front of a lorry lucky it stopped o don't have a school or feild I could do some in hand with any ideas realy need some help its getting me down
 
I would get a halter with a bit more control so maybe a dually or even a rope halter has more control than just a standard halter. It sounds like he needs to learn to respect you on the ground so Id start some natural horsemanship basic ground trianing with him. You dont need a school just a small bit of space to back him up and get his hind moving. You need to be gentle but firm to start with so if you don't ask him to move and he does then you have to back him up to where you asked him to be. I hope this makes sense. If you go on youtube there are plenty of basic nh exercises you can do with him. It just sounds like he thinks hes the boss but you need to become the herd leader that he can trust. When he knows where he stands and knows he cant just take you for a ride then he wont put you in these dangerous situations.
 
If you're taking him across a public road then put his bridle on to lead him. If he needs his head collar on in the field put it on under his bridle and just take the bridle off when he's safely in there.
 
I use a rope halter (not too thin) and a schooling whip. Hold the schooling whip in front of his nose, where he can see it, or tap his chest with it. As others have said, practise leading him in a safe place, so that he hasn't got you at a disadvantage. It is really all down to determination and body language. You are not stronger than him but you can be more determined. It might be worth using a bridle until he learns that you do mean it.
Years ago we bought a Clydesdale mare and 4 of us led 4 horses into the stable yard every winter evening, after dark. Clydie mare was led by a novice rugby-playing 6ft plus big bloke. She behaved perfecty until we got to the yard then - CHAR-A-A-ARGE, off she went, big bloke could do nothing about it and she banged him into any obstruction that she could in the race to get in. We swapped around and 9st experienced woman led the mare, who didn't even try to rush. All down to body language.
 
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