AmyP28
Member
I’ve had my 6 year old gelding for 8 weeks now and the first 3/4 weeks were amazing. Now he’s turned into an absolute nightmare that I dread doing anything with! I think he might be herd bound but here’s some background info… any help hugely appreciated!
Past owner said he could be a bit bolshy on the ground but usual young horse type thing. She only hacked him out by himself and he didn’t do much else before I had him. Both past owners said he was a dream to catch. Hadn’t been out much in 18 months with last owner but owner before that had taken to XC, arena hire etc.
First few weeks with me I had him in a small paddock with a section A for company - he was perfect! Always came to me for fuss in the field, good to handle, hacked him alone, cantered solo, past cows, tractors, with our dogs. We went to a few lessons in the box and he was brill.
After a few weeks I put him in with the rest of my herd (the section A gelding, another gelding and one mare) in our big field and since then I swear his behaviour has totally changed.
He won’t come to me in the field anymore, I have to go to him and drag him down to the gate. The mare in the field is obsessed with him and won’t let him move metres away without kicking up a huge fuss. She even does this horrible squirt from her bits and squeaks! I can barely get him out of the gate without her coming too! The herd neigh and run around the whole time I’m tacking up. The rest of the herd are all mostly retired and only come out once in a while for a hack.
My gelding now seems totally on edge anytime I handle him. He was calm and relaxed previously, now his eyes are wild, he jumps at the tiniest thing! He was so spooky on our hack tonight it was unpleasant to be on him, even though my husband and dogs walked with us. He tried to take off with me twice and I felt awful tugging on his mouth the whole time.
Hacking alone has become a total nightmare - every step is painful and I have to drive him on the whole time. He’s even started spinning around and I swear he was trying to turn and bite my feet when I kicked. The whip makes no difference. I have to growl and then praise, growl and then praise for about 45 mins before he starts going properly.
I tried walking him in hand a couple of times thinking this would build his confidence - I won’t be doing that again as he nearly bombed off with me and pulled all the skin off my hands. I was clinging on just trying to get him to walk! It was dangerous as he nearly trampled my mum and a few dog walkers and is so out of character for him.
He’s developed issues loading now too - I have finally practiced enough so he’ll go on the box but as soon as we close the doors he starts panicking and bashing around.
I have tried to be really firm with him and used lots of praise, generally treating him like a youngster, but not I can’t tell if he’s taking the mick or genuinely scared!
I’ve been offered a livery space on a yard nearby that has a school but limited hacking – they also turn out as one big herd but I wondered whether it’s the mare that’s caused this stressy behaviour and if I took him away he might calm down again? But I also don’t want to take him away from the herd now if that would only make him worry more in a new place?
He had had 4 homes in 6 years and was only travelled in his last home to come to me so I feel he may have some separation anxiety or am I just putting that on him?!
HELP!
Past owner said he could be a bit bolshy on the ground but usual young horse type thing. She only hacked him out by himself and he didn’t do much else before I had him. Both past owners said he was a dream to catch. Hadn’t been out much in 18 months with last owner but owner before that had taken to XC, arena hire etc.
First few weeks with me I had him in a small paddock with a section A for company - he was perfect! Always came to me for fuss in the field, good to handle, hacked him alone, cantered solo, past cows, tractors, with our dogs. We went to a few lessons in the box and he was brill.
After a few weeks I put him in with the rest of my herd (the section A gelding, another gelding and one mare) in our big field and since then I swear his behaviour has totally changed.
He won’t come to me in the field anymore, I have to go to him and drag him down to the gate. The mare in the field is obsessed with him and won’t let him move metres away without kicking up a huge fuss. She even does this horrible squirt from her bits and squeaks! I can barely get him out of the gate without her coming too! The herd neigh and run around the whole time I’m tacking up. The rest of the herd are all mostly retired and only come out once in a while for a hack.
My gelding now seems totally on edge anytime I handle him. He was calm and relaxed previously, now his eyes are wild, he jumps at the tiniest thing! He was so spooky on our hack tonight it was unpleasant to be on him, even though my husband and dogs walked with us. He tried to take off with me twice and I felt awful tugging on his mouth the whole time.
Hacking alone has become a total nightmare - every step is painful and I have to drive him on the whole time. He’s even started spinning around and I swear he was trying to turn and bite my feet when I kicked. The whip makes no difference. I have to growl and then praise, growl and then praise for about 45 mins before he starts going properly.
I tried walking him in hand a couple of times thinking this would build his confidence - I won’t be doing that again as he nearly bombed off with me and pulled all the skin off my hands. I was clinging on just trying to get him to walk! It was dangerous as he nearly trampled my mum and a few dog walkers and is so out of character for him.
He’s developed issues loading now too - I have finally practiced enough so he’ll go on the box but as soon as we close the doors he starts panicking and bashing around.
I have tried to be really firm with him and used lots of praise, generally treating him like a youngster, but not I can’t tell if he’s taking the mick or genuinely scared!
I’ve been offered a livery space on a yard nearby that has a school but limited hacking – they also turn out as one big herd but I wondered whether it’s the mare that’s caused this stressy behaviour and if I took him away he might calm down again? But I also don’t want to take him away from the herd now if that would only make him worry more in a new place?
He had had 4 homes in 6 years and was only travelled in his last home to come to me so I feel he may have some separation anxiety or am I just putting that on him?!
HELP!
