New first time owner ups and downs

[fairylesley]

Hi, so I've had my first big boy for 3 weeks now and already had lots of ups and downs! 1st ride out ended with him discovering a wasps nest, we've had a broken down fence, ripped rugs etc. But we've also had lovely rides out and him running to me and calling to me in the field, which felt amazing. Just wondering how others found the first few weeks/months?? :0)

 

[FestiveFuzz]

The first few weeks with my new boy was a real battle of wills. He was bolshy and obnoxious and had no respect for boundaries. 3 months on and I finally feel like we're starting to bond. He whickers when he sees me in the field and has begun listening to what I ask and respecting personal space. We've still got a long way to go but I'm confident we'll get there in the end

 

[Duvetdays]

I just posted about my first week with my big boy earlier......a bolt from cows, a broken bridle and mud fever......and although he comes to me in the field, I don't really feel he is pleased to see 'me'...rather anyone lol.....it is certainly up and down. My lovely YO told me to expect tears and snotters at first, so was prepared, and I anticipate it may get worse before it gets better.....forming that bond and trust takes time I think, and I just want to cuddle him, but am aware that I want him to respect me first lol....so, there will be no pussy footing around him until he knows who's boss....

 

[fairylesley]

Thanks guys! Feel much better now. My instructor came out to me on Sunday as I have him at home with me, she said he's trying it on as I've been far to soft. How did you earn respect? Any tips for showing him who's boss? :0)

 

[FestiveFuzz]

Unfortunately due to a sore back we've been stick doing groundwork for the last few weeks but it's done wonders for our relationship and really got him listening to me.

When I first got my boy he walked all over me as he was my first horse in several years and as sad as it sounds I was desperate for him to like me. When tied up he'd frequently place me where he wanted me by swinging his quarters and stepping in to my space - each time I naturally stepped away from him to get out of the way. It was only after a horrific lunging session where he almost kicked me in the head that I realised he thought he was in charge of me. From then on whenever he stepped into my space I would step forward towards him and ask him to move, holding my arms out wide if he didn't respond immediately. I did this any time I felt he was in my personal space uninvited and found in a matter of days he would stand happily when tied without getting in my space and has been a much easier horse to handle and be around.

So my advice is to be firm and consistent with him. Imagine you have a bubble around you and make sure he doesn't enter your space uninvited. I also always praise my boy with a scratch of his ears when he does as he should do.

Hope this helps x

 

[RainbowDash]

Hi,

Respect is earnt through consistancy and firm handling. The softy softy approach has its place - but your horse needs to know you mean business. By that I don't mean beatings but stand tall, shoulders back and take charge!

Also, spend time on ground work. General leading, stable manners etc. Take him out inhand to a spot where he can graze and you keep look out for tigers - builds a trust .

Don't expect too much too early but revel in your successes no matter how small .

 

[9tails]

Thanks guys! Feel much better now. My instructor came out to me on Sunday as I have him at home with me, she said he's trying it on as I've been far to soft. How did you earn respect? Any tips for showing him who's boss? :0)

Be calm, consistent and insistent but never get angry. Horses appreciate fair, they don't want love and cuddles one day then shouting the next day for doing the same thing. Try to never shout, they don't understand and being a "boss" isn't about dominating and intimidating.

 

[siennamum]

Be calm, consistent and insistent but never get angry. Horses appreciate fair, they don't want love and cuddles one day then shouting the next day for doing the same thing. Try to never shout, they don't understand and being a "boss" isn't about dominating and intimidating.

Really? I disagree. Some horses never need to have more than an eyebrow raised to get their attention, I am happy to bellow at the rest though. Less softly softly, more normal, no bloody compromise obedience and you will have less problems.

 

[9tails]

Super, let's teach all new owners to bellow at their horses.

 

[siennamum]

yes, lets get them to behave in a normal, confident manner, yelling and getting stressed if needbe, as that is the real world. Let's not have them pussyfooting round afraid to raise their voices, being terribly considerate to their equine friends and being walked all over.

I have a very intimidating 'barn voice' which I can use to good effect if I see a horse being a tw*t. they don't fall over in shock or never trust me again, they generally look sheepish and apologetic. It gets results though and there is a clear line over which my horse don't cross.

 

[siennamum]

2 horses being naughty:

Use of 'Barn voice' haha, butter wouldn't melt!:

 

[On the Hoof]

2 horses being naughty:

Use of 'Barn voice' haha, butter wouldn't melt!:

Brilliant! )

 

[fairylesley]

Luck would be I'm a secondary school teacher so use my teacher voice! He started to play up a little tonight on a ride and rather than shout used my firm teacher voice, worked a treat! x

 

[Tayto]

I have had my girl 6 months now and we have had lots of ups and downs. When I first got her, I think she was desperate to please me as she had been passed around a bit and was foot perfect for the first few months then as she got to know me and gained a bit of condition and started to feel more fit and confident she started trying it on a a bit. We have had strops in the school, while hacking and various other challenges one including her cantering the wrong way up a main road :-O

I have had a particularly tough few weeks with her recently as we have just moved yards which upset her quite a lot but she is settling in now and going back to her usual sweet self

I have been dong lots of in hand stuff including lunging around scary objects such as umbrellas etc to build up her trust in me and we are getting there.

What you are experiencing seems pretty normal hehe!

 

[DragonSlayer]

Luck would be I'm a secondary school teacher so use my teacher voice! He started to play up a little tonight on a ride and rather than shout used my firm teacher voice, worked a treat! x

I have to say this is spot on. I too, am a secondary school teacher and the Power of The Voice does actually work, unless those who think bellowing isn't the way forward prefer to beat it into them instead?

Use of voice is like body language, use it right.....you get the responses you need.

If you would prefer the softly-softly-feed-my-horse-cupcakes-to-keep-him-happy approach, go for it, but I don't like being flattened by a half-ton animal....

 

[Micky]

5 years on and i can look back and laugh at the first few months of having my lad Firstly i isolated myself, he was living out in a field with a few sheep and a field shelter...and me ( obv not living in the field!) At first all was fine, i walked him out for a week or so, then hubby rode his bike while i rode my lad...great...then went out on my own! Nice hack, he saw/heard something, grew to 20hands ( hes 15.1) and before i had blinked, span and galloped off back to the field! Tried to get him past the scary bit of lane to no avail... so hacked him out the next day, fine. Then he decided he wasn not going to pick his feet up for me to pick his hooves out, nope i will not pick them up! After growling and trying persistently for a week, he gave in, and now i just tap his leg and the hoof is presented. Then because he could chase/move the sheep around the field, he thought he could try the same with me and also for fun, not be caught...sigh..pal cam and showed me how to 'monty roberts 'him...so i chased him around the field..took a few attempts ie a few weeks and eventually he gave up and now will walk up to me happily ...note do not attempt to chase horse around a field bigger than half an acre, 3 acres is bloody hard work % years on, hes an absolute sweetie, i know how he is going to react, when his saddle needs checking, when he is off colour ( just diagnosed with cushings) and all but the beach and hunting, how he will react in certain situations...so don't give up, its worth it in the end

 

[Tallulabelle]

Positives are I do feel she is pleased to see me, mostly when I have food but other times when no food and I am grooming her, nip round the corner and she see me and I can see she is happy to see me.

Bad bits, she can be very silly and get very stressed so it's taking time to get her used to hacking outside I the big bad world!!

It's going to be a long haul but she will get there in the end!!

Love her to bits though!

 

[Antw23uk]

I've owned my horse for six months now and I couldnt be happier. Looking back in the first week we went through about 5 leadropes when he was tied up and decided he didnt want to be but that was sorted very quickly but apart from that I honestly don't think he has put a foot wrong

We have grown massivly together this last six months and although I wasnt 100% feeling it in the saddle schooling wise with him we have started having lessons and are really pushing the right buttons for each other now which just takes us to another level so all in all its been an awesome six months

He is a real daddies boy, I know its cupboard love but I love the fact he calls for me and no one else. He loves to be cuddled ... especially just before the bridle goes on ... Naughty but lovable evasion tactic, lol and he just adores being groomed and fussed. I'm extremly blessed and I know how lucky I am to have found him and vice versa due to his reason for being up for sale. I cannot imagine life with out him now

And just for good measure ....

 

[Rudolph's Red Nose]

My first ever horse broke 4 of my fingers the third day I got him, (some 20 plus years later one of my fingers is still deformed!!) took him out of the field he spun round and bolted off up a country lane with my friend running after him - discovered that was his party trick, dope on a rope 1 minute, Grand National winner the next.

Few days later found him with part of an old rusty plough embedded in his sole (never ever worked out where that came from) and he ended up on box rest for 2 weeks - mucking out with fingers in splints was not good !! I severely wondered what I had done those first few weeks / months but I grew to love him lots and his random stupid accidents (head butted iced water trough Christmas eve one year and I spent the day with a sedated horse having his front teeth removed as they were sticking out of his mouth horizontally) but I had the privilege of owning him for 11 years before he went off over Rainbow Bridge, he was my first true horsey love and I still miss him lots to this day, some 10 years later - though don't miss the frequent vet visits