New horse is an attention seeked - HELP!!!

[Kelly1982]

Well i love my new horse to bits already but yesterday we encountered a few problems, nothing major and i am sure its coz things are all new and exciting but i want to try and nip them in the bud now as she is young an dont want it to becoem a habit.

At her old yard she was never tied up and everything was done in her stable so i think this may be where the problems lies. If she is tied up and your doing stuff with her she is as good as gold but as soon as yuou walk away to get grooming kit of whatever she starts scraping constantly and if you are away for longer then a few seconds she then pulls back and breaks the leadrope/string. She doesn't run off she just stands there as if to say 'NOW will you listen to me'.

I'm sure once she settles she will be fien but like i said i dont want it to become a habit if she thinks she can get away with it.

Any ideas??

 

[flohelf]

Maybe just give her some time to settle in and learn new manners...Bad habits die hard !

Although you're right to not want to let her get away with it.
For the scraping when on her own, try leaving her a few seconds and pat her when she doesn't act up. Do it several times and a bit longer each time so she gets used to it ..?

Depends on horses, some cop on real fast, with others it can take ages...

Good luck ,though. I'm sure you'll be fine with plenty of fun ahead for the two of you

 

[spaniel]

Get yourself a bungie rope and then totally ignore her.

Dont say a word if she starts to fuss and dont give in. It may take months but in time she will realise that this does not get her any sort of reaction....hgopefully it will stop sooner but you need to be extremely patient with some horses!

 

[airedale]

try tying her up with a haynet there all the time
and when you are doing things with her untied (which I'd continue for a while as that is her comfort zone) then don't have a haynet

 

[Kelly1982]

She starts as soon as your back is turned though. I'm sure it is just a case of settling in and getting into a routine but she is only 4yo and you know how quickly they pick things up at this age.

 

[Kelly1982]

Thats a good idea, she is fine when you go back to her so i am sure its an attention thing.

I have thought about a haynet too just until she gets used to the idea of being tied up and then gradually start to take it away again.

 

[flohelf]

Try ignoring her, as Spaniel recommended. and if she eventually gets tired of scraping give her the "Good girl" pat...

Might take some time. Just don't give up and be consistent in your demands so she does understand.

 

[Kelly1982]

I think i need to get a bungy thing too as well as i have tried ignoring her scraping and thats when she pulls back, naughty girl!!!

I'm sure we will manage to sort something out, i'm not overly fussed about it just didn't want it becoming a habit.

Just seen the title as well

Should of paid more attention before i posted LOL

 

[Super_Kat]

Black eventer please get rid of that hoof print thing in your sig, it's making the posts stretch too wide.

And I'll back up the bungee idea, it's worked for a number of horses who would start pawing then pull back and break the rope.

 

[bandit]

you've had some good advice with the bungie and also a hay net....

my old horse was like that at 15 yrs old when i got him, but he'd settle eventually.

hope she's just settling in and possibly still not sure of your routine, such as if you leave her, when will anyone come back? she will learn to know you are goign to come back - in your own time!!!

Bx

 

[Marina]

I had exactly the same problem with my horse. He was used to being stabled and was a total idiot when he was left even if he could see me. I solved it by making sure when he was turned out in the summer i brought him in every day to groom him, and in the winter i made a point of taking him out of the stable to do stuff. I totally ignored his scraping, which is easier said than done. I also tried feeding him a magnesium supplement called Magic Calmer. I only needed to use two tubs and he turned into a totally different horse. It kind of took the edge off him while i was re-training him. Apparently a lot of fidgety horses are suffering a magnesium deficiency. I stuck to the same routines till he realised what he was meant to do, and i ended up with a horse that would stand perfectly until i'd finished what i had to do..... hope this helps

 

[LEC]

When I first had my horse he scraped the ground would not stand still and he was generally horrible. Now he is fine will occassionally paw but nothing like before. Settling in helped and learning the routine. He also gets a smack if the pawing persists. I would say be strict but also give her a bit of time.

 

[Kelly1982]

That has really helped thanks

I do try and ignore her but like i say she then pulls back and breaks the string and also other people on the yard have started shouting at her for doing it as it winds them up too but i dont like that as i would rather disipline her myself.

I'm sure she will settle its just a matter of time, she has only been with me 2 days so is still very excited.

 

[so03]

I think it was Richard Maxwell, or Monty (but please don't quote me on that) or someone similar made a dvd and said that if a horse paws the ground or bangs the stable door, best thing is to get a leather strap and attach some round balls to it. Fairly small but not light. Let them dangle from the strap. Attach the strap to the leg either just above the knee or around the fetlock.

When the horse bangs the door or paws the ground the balls bang on the leg, not enough to really hurt but to make it uncomfortable. Supposidly they soon stop.

I've not tried this as my two don't bang or paw the ground.

As said above though he might well settle ok. This could be a last resort thing. Good luck. Did you get the vet sorted by the way?

 

[Theresa_F]

Scraping - if possible put rubber mat where she stands. Tie up - walk away and grit teeth and ignore. Minute she stops go back and give her a stroke. Shouting etc is a reward for the attention she is seeking.

Fleur used to scrape to the extent sparks flew and her shoe wore away. One night I must confess to sticking a broom up her arse and yelling "you are doing my head in". Problem never happened again - she got the message loud and clear. She was the only one that I did this to. First option worked well with all my other horses - they learn that scraping = no attention, standing quietly = get back in stable quicker and a stroke as I go past.

Pulling back - I had this with my first TB. Answer was to tie her on a long piece of string so she could go back and have room. She got very stressed if she felt she was restricted. Eventually I was able to tie up without the extra string but it did take time. She was not seeking attention, but honestly worried about tension on the rope. She had been badly treated before I got her.

Another view on the subject is to tie them to something that will not break. My gypsy cob had this done to him as a youngster before I got him. He never ever pulls back, even if upset - goes to the side and looks when tied and even at 16 months could be left tied up without a net for 30 mins - anything longer than this and I give a net.

This could be an option but do not go far away in case she panic and make sure that the rope can be quickly released. I would not do this on a mare like Breeze, but would consider it for a naughty attention seeking horse.

 

[Lucy_Ally]

I agree with Spaniel, Spring would scrape her feet, pull back and generally fidget around when tied up. She was ignored whilst she messed around and as soon as she was quiet I would go over and make a huge fuss of her. The worst thing you can do in Spring's eyes is ignore her so it worked a treat. She now stands quietly most of the time even when I am out of sight (something unheard of a few months back), I make sure even now that I regularly go over and pat her when she is stood tied up and being good so reinforcing the good behaviour.

 

[Kelly1982]

Thats really good to know.

She will never be tied up for long just when i am mucking out or tacking up.

It is quite sweet in a way but i dont want her to think she can walk all over me if i start giving in so want to start as i mean to go on.

Think i may try ignoring her and maybe loop the leadrope through the ring for now until i can get a bungee thingy so when she pulls back nothing happens and hopefully she will start to think its pointless.

 

[Rambo]

Be careful attaching the lead rope to the ring if youi have a wooden stable....you don't want her creating her own ventilation system in the stable wall

 

[Kelly1982]

No i was just going to loop it through not tie it up so that it just comes loose when she pulls back. She doesn't run away when she breaks it so i think if i did that she may get bored after a while as she has nothing to fight against to cause comotion.

 

[Laafet]

you could also try a trick a friend taught me for horses that pull back. Tie her up using two ropes one attached the the normal bailer twine and another to a long piece of bailer twine. Then if she pulls back and normal stands still as you said she will still be tied up and eventually may grasp that this.

 

[Sal_E]

Hi Kelly. I have a few comments to make (nothing new there, LOL!). Firstly, true of all horses but particularly a youngster is that there behaviour is LEARNED behaviour - so the more they do something whether good or bad, the more likely they are to do it again. Therefore, always try to avoid the horse repeting something bad even if it means avoids the situation for a little while to break a habit.

Certainly ignoring scraping is better than punishing as you are right in saying it's attention seeking. However your mare thinks she's giving you fair warning before breaking loose & you need to respect that - i.e. tie her up for a very short time initially & gradually build it up.

I would not use a haynet as you are setting a precedent - you've got to take it away eventually...

I once had a horse who would snap the string but not go anywhere - I literally tied him to many, many different lengths so that as he broke one, it achieved nothing. My only warning regarding this (especially with a youngster) is I do now wonder how good it is for the horse to be yanking at strong baling string - I worry it could do them damge, you know? Breaking one bit, fine - but standing there constantly breaking them as my horse did is probably not good.

A bungee is a brilliant idea - it definitely cured my horse. Do secure the bungie to string though rather that directly to metal - her safety has to come before her training, obviously. If she breaks loose when you are there, tie her up but also have her attached to a lunge line that should run through your ring, with you on the end (you can be quite far away) - again, breaking loose then doesn't achieve anything.

I would use the bungie/quick clip on string at all times & do not leave her more than a few moments to begin - as the days go on, she'll get 'used' to not HAVING to break lose (SHE obviously feels she's doing it for a reason...), compounding the behaviour that you want without you having to do anything - behaviour a horse works out for himself is always the best way to learn!

If ever you do get caught out & find her lose - don't react in any way (telling her off, patting her, whatever). Just tie her up again without a response.

Do do it gradually though. Sorry, waffily post - feeling crap today & totally muzzy headed... Hope some of it made sense.