New horse testing? Or is it

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Lolabug

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Hi,
So I have recently brought a Welsh x ID and we are 3 weeks in. I have had the usual checks done, Teeth, back (including massage) and saddle fitter.

So the issues! When I went to try him I was told the pre owner was a novice and nervous and therefore his bad behaviour was down to the rider and not horse. I brought him off a trainer (she is not a dealer as such she runs a riding school and takes a horse on as a project then sell but that's not her main focus) anyway when I went to try him he was a fantastic, I rode in as many situations as I could (school, hack, woodlands, passed other horses), i turned him oit and caught him from the field the usual stuff,but he was great, no concerns.

Anyway he has come to me and like I say we are 3 weeks in, but he has already got me off by a series of bucking after 8/9 he fly bucked resulting in my first flying lesson in 8 years (don't bounce as easy anymore). I did get back on but he felt like a ticking bomb. My sister brought him last night for me as she has a horse so we take in turns on runs (like part livery but without the price tag) and he reared up and span round.

I'm going to lunge tonight and go from there. But does anyone have any tips for managing challenging behaviour, and what would you suggest I do?

I do have my own trainer who is going to help me and a very supportive yard, however I will not lie it was a nasty fall (A&E trip required).

Thanks
 
id get on the phone to the dealer/trainer immediately. Get them around to ride him, and see if they can help / sort him out / take him back
 
Yes he's testing you. Or stressed by moving home, new owners etc. The usual solution to these things is more work and less feed. Unless he's underweight in which case it's trickier, because keeping him poor just so you can manage him is cruelty.

First speak to your sister, make sure you're both handling him in the same way/expecting the same things/behaviour/boundaries from him, so he has consistency and knows what he's supposed to be doing. Give him a routine to ease the stress. You can usually be a little flexible on times, most horses will accept that (though there are some that won't) but keep the order you do things in the same eg muck out then catch him up and straight into the stable, or catch him up and feed his dinner whilst you muck out then groom him and put away, whatever suits. Does he need restricted grazing (is that were the overfeeding is)? Is he better coming in a little earlier before everyone else brings their horses in, or better left out as long as possible to minimize excess energy from being stabled? Whatever the routine is, keep it consistent every day to help him settle. The riding school will have had a set routine every day so it's what he'll have been used to. If you don't make much progress yourselves, find out from the riding school what his routine was there and try to replicate that as best you can.

Work him as much as you can, it will help to burn off any stress energy. In time once he's settled you might be able to reduce the workload. Even 10min lungeing 3xweek can make a difference to getting the excess energy out. Don't just lunge though, ride him too, else you'll end up with a very fit horse and an unfit rider, which won't help at all. Have a few lessons for the moment because the instructor will really focus you and make you both work. If you can't afford it read books and make your own lesson plans, preferably with a friend on the ground to help you, even someone non-horsey to tell you he's drifting sideways as you try to ride a straight line or that you're looking down a lot can be useful info. When you're feeling disheartened your schooling can become a little unproductive and more focussed on fighting him/trying to calm him than actually doing any work to get rid of the energy, a helper/instructor can diffuse that, giving you someone to bounce ideas off and keep you focussed on working him, instead of becomming frustrated or nervous. Do you have somewhere safe to hack? People and sane horses to hack with? If you can get him out and get him moving that will help too. Any nice long hills to ride up? No opportunity is pointless, 10min lungeing in the morning followed by a plod up the road and back with "grandma" in the evening all adds up to extra exercise. Join the local riding club? Book in for a fun ride? Just don't stagnate and lose your nerve, get cracking with working him.

Think about your equipment. Doing things the "right" way might take a few minutes longer, but if you feel safer and more confident you'll handle him better. So wear your hat in case he rears. Do you need a longer rope so it can't be easily pulled through your hands? A controller headcollar? (before buying stuff like this, try leading in a lungeing cavesson or a snaffle bridle with the noseband removed, both can give you extra control and may be all you need). Just have a little think about what things could make life easier or more pleasant for you/him and invest there, rather than buying 10 different matchy sets or new rugs or whatever.
 
Last edited:
Sugar_and_Spice said:
Yes he's testing you. Or stressed by moving home, new owners etc. The usual solution to these things is more work and less feed. Unless he's underweight in which case it's trickier, because keeping him poor just so you can manage him is cruelty.

First speak to your sister, make sure you're both handling him in the same way/expecting the same things/behaviour/boundaries from him, so he has consistency and knows what he's supposed to be doing. Give him a routine to ease the stress. You can usually be a little flexible on times, most horses will accept that (though there are some that won't) but keep the order you do things in the same eg muck out then catch him up and straight into the stable, or catch him up and feed his dinner whilst you muck out then groom him and put away, whatever suits. Does he need restricted grazing (is that were the overfeeding is)? Is he better coming in a little earlier before everyone else brings their horses in, or better left out as long as possible to minimize excess energy from being stabled? Whatever the routine is, keep it consistent every day to help him settle. The riding school will have had a set routine every day so it's what he'll have been used to. If you don't make much progress yourselves, find out from the riding school what his routine was there and try to replicate that as best you can.

Work him as much as you can, it will help to burn off any stress energy. In time once he's settled you might be able to reduce the workload. Even 10min lungeing 3xweek can make a difference to getting the excess energy out. Don't just lunge though, ride him too, else you'll end up with a very fit horse and an unfit rider, which won't help at all. Have a few lessons for the moment because the instructor will really focus you and make you both work. If you can't afford it read books and make your own lesson plans, preferably with a friend on the ground to help you, even someone non-horsey to tell you he's drifting sideways as you try to ride a straight line or that you're looking down a lot can be useful info. When you're feeling disheartened your schooling can become a little unproductive and more focussed on fighting him/trying to calm him than actually doing any work to get rid of the energy, a helper/instructor can diffuse that, giving you someone to bounce ideas off and keep you focussed on working him, instead of becomming frustrated or nervous. Do you have somewhere safe to hack? People and sane horses to hack with? If you can get him out and get him moving that will help too. Any nice long hills to ride up? No opportunity is pointless, 10min lungeing in the morning followed by a plod up the road and back with "grandma" in the evening all adds up to extra exercise. Join the local riding club? Book in for a fun ride? Just don't stagnate and lose your nerve, get cracking with working him.

Think about your equipment. Doing things the "right" way might take a few minutes longer, but if you feel safer and more confident you'll handle him better. So wear your hat in case he rears. Do you need a longer rope so it can't be easily pulled through your hands? A controller headcollar? (before buying stuff like this, try leading in a lungeing cavesson or a snaffle bridle with the noseband removed, both can give you extra control and may be all you need). Just have a little think about what things could make life easier or more pleasant for you/him and invest there, rather than buying 10 different matchy sets or new rugs or whatever.
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Thank you, that's exactly what I needed to hear. Me and my sister do handle the same. I have already spoke to his old trainer to get an idea of his routine.

I am going work through this I am not going to be sending him back. I do have an instructor on site so lucky in that respect.

I agree I need to work him and good productive work. He isn't in pain he has been checked and vetted so it is behavioural.

Thanks
 
Moving homes can really make them push the boundaries but I don't like the sound of him. Have you spoken to the seller? My horse was a bit of a thug to handle once he got his feet under the table although always fine to ride, and it's taken strict handling to get him back to the horse I bought. He was just trying it on.
 
Also when someone has a horse to sell, then they really put a lot of work in to make it sellable. So lots of exercise, virtually nil hard feed, unless it really needs it. So is really lovely, well behaved, and just right for a new owner, so it is bought and goes to a rest home!

New owner probably handles it a bit differently, gives it less work. Gives it time to settle in to its new home, poor thing. So new horse then is full of energy and does test the boundaries to some extent, just to find out where they are in the pecking order with the new owner.

I would also add that my experience of Welsh cobs (OK I know it isn't pure bred) are prime no 1 advocates of this procedure. So be firm, and confident, no hard feed and as much exercise as possible.
 
I would expect a bit of possibly nappy behaviour or a bit of barginess when testing a new person. I actually really hate that expression 'testing' as I don't believe horses have the mental capability to be clever enough to test a rider, but I do think they will pick up on weaknesses in a rider and handler and that's where unwanted behaviour starts.
Also the stress of moving can affect some.

However, I would not really expect fly bucking to come into it as a random one off event and I wonder if this horse has a history of this. I'd be onto wherever you got it from and I'd be sending it back. Life's too short to get hurt.
 
scats said:
I would expect a bit of possibly nappy behaviour or a bit of barginess when testing a new person. I actually really hate that expression 'testing' as I don't believe horses have the mental capability to be clever enough to test a rider, but I do think they will pick up on weaknesses in a rider and handler and that's where unwanted behaviour starts.
Also the stress of moving can affect some.

However, I would not really expect fly bucking to come into it as a random one off event and I wonder if this horse has a history of this. I'd be onto wherever you got it from and I'd be sending it back. Life's too short to get hurt.
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All of this.
 
What was he on before, routine and feed wise? I would replicate that, some horses cannot cope with alfalfa (for instance) or maybe your grass is better.
 
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