problem horse

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westernriderH

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i bought this horse last august and he's from uruguay and western. he bites EVERYTHING and has started to take the mick with me. he even rears and tosses his head and jogs about sometimes when he's being led. i don't want to sell him because he's really good at other things, like being ridden and generally. i'm just not sure how to discipline him exactly, he doesn't seem to understand anything i do. he's either thick or really intelligent. help!
 

Could you try the dually halter for leading issues ?

For biting, I used to prod my pony in the neck with my thumb, not hard before anyone shouts at me lol just so that she went oh! whats that, I dont agree with hitting specially when it comes to biting problems. Might be worth a shot.
 
thanks
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i think i might get this dually halter.

on the subject of biting, whatever i do he seems to not listen, my guess is that wherever he came from they were quite rough with him, and although i don't want to be rough, he doesn't really take any notice of me just telling him no or prodding him. i haven't tried prodding him in the neck though, i'll give that a go.
 
If i lead a horse who bites, i keep my elbow up so that if he tries, he bumps into my elbow. It is then of his own doing and i am not being the agressor. he soon learns that it isn't worth it.
 
well when he's being led he walks behind me, and sometimes he's fine, but other times he starts tossing his head and jogging, and then he'll run into me or rear. he did it today, don't know if it was because it was really windy or if he just felt like p***ing about.
 
I know exactly what you mean!! I got a polo pony from uruguay last july and had lots of handling problems but she is so excellent out riding i had to keep her!
i would definitly recommend the dually headcollar and also doing lots of ground work too, i did a lot of backing up and then coming to me, and also lunging just with a headcollar until they lighten up on the rope. too. I have found that being very firm with them helps, but never never never scaring them, and spending a lot of time just generally looking after them helps.

She is know by far my best horse and a pleasure to have around, but i think in uruguay they are treated very roughly and en-mass so they get very little handling individually and actually can fear people.
Hope that gives you some hope!! xx
 
thanks
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i did try lunging once but he went really weird and started trying to gallop into and away from me, and then reared on me every time so after that i didn't try it again.

i love riding him it's just these few things that ruin it all :/
 
I'd go back and start him on some good groundwork. Basic respect for his handler, staying out of your space, walking at your shoulder rather than behind you etc etc. Take as long as it takes coz I think MalteseCat has it spot on that different cultures bring young horses on very differently. We were in Austria on holiday a couple of years ago and 2 very nice horses pulling a tourist trap were "parked" at the side of the road. I started to walk up to them to say hello (as you do) when all of a sudden a man came running frantically shouting Achtung! Achtung! Stay away! They bite! VERY clear that totally different training/mutual respect methods are used. Is your new ned a youngster? Might he only have been gelded recently?
 
My horse did exactally this when i was leading him in from the field, often crashing me into fences aswell- great fun and a bit scary at times!
I tried things recommended by others ie leading in a bridle- he still did it and i was worried i'd damage his mouth.
In the end i didnt even tell him off. just stood perfectly still while he pratted around. when he calmed down we went forward and he had a pat- after a while he seemed to realise the quickest way of getting in or out was to walk nicely!!
It took a while tho
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he's quite young, about 6 or 7. no idea when he was gelded but we bought him last august.

i'm going to get a Dually and see how that goes.

thanks
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just to update you, today and yesterday he has been really good, still not perfect obviously but much improvement. this might just be because of the fact that it's nice weather and they were turned out all day today, but still.
ordered a dually so it will come soon.
 
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