Pushy yearling

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Rocky01

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How would you cope with this. I have a yearling who is a dream to deal with most of the time but is getting a bit of an attitude while leading. He is fine for about 1/2 the trip up to the yard but then starts pulling and trying to push you over. If you push against his shoulder he does mini rears (front feet underarm height), he's 14.3/15hh already and going to grow more to 16.1hh. We were thinking of a be nice halter or a chain across the nose as the rearing is getting dangerous. He is coming in every day and doesn't get his feed until the end of being groomed etc. He knows what he supposed to be doing he's just getting a bit big for his boots. If I'm honest he hasn't been handled as much as he maybe should have but it's been wet for so long (cheltenham). Any clues, and are our thoughts right, I don't want to put a bit in yet (not for leading when he's being naughty, when something else would work).
Thanks in advance
 
The only thing I can suggest is maybe leading with a lunge line to give you more distance if he does rear, also always wear a hat! We have a three year old colt at work who is a bit pushy (doesnt rear though) and we lead him with two lead ropes, one attached to the other side of the head collar so if he pushes into you, you can pull him away. We also lead him with a whip with a plastic bag attached to the end of it. When he starts playing up we shake it and the noise startles him so he forgets about what he was doing. Might not work for yours though if its a rearer.
 
GigglePig thanks for the tips especially the headcollar one. The leadrope he has at the moment is pretty long (longer than usual). I don't understand him sometimes, yestersday he was really well behaved it's just when he wants to get somewhere, like the yard with other horses in it, and you're holding him back he gets stroppy. Fingers crossed it's a phase that can be worked through, gives me taste as to what he might be like when he's older though LOL. He's now in with a calm older gelding his size (no back shoes) so hopefully he'll be a good influence on my boy. Thanks again.

Please can anyone else give their tips always welcome.
Thanks again
 
You might not need a chain across his nose - try just threading the lead rope so it goes across his nose - this will give you much more control, so you can stop him pulling, and if you can stop him pulling and he respects this, then with any luck he might stop barging/rearing as well!

Maybe some 'groundwork' exercises designed to teach the horse to respect your space - e.g. those in Kelly Marks' Perfect Manners book, or Richard Maxwell's books - would be of some help too? They are supposed to be very effective for 'bargy' horses - even very young ones.
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He has to see you as the leader rather than just another one of the pack. He needs to appreciate your space. When I have a yoiungster that behaves like this I make him stop and either turn or step back so he is effectively following me and stopping when I stop.
 
Something that I know eventrider23 found really useful on her usually very quiet colt who turned into a bit of a nightmare when the hormones kicked in as a yearling was a "Be Nice" halter : it sounds as though your chap is behaving in very much the same way, and she found that her colt was completely controllable with this rope halter, and very quickly learnt to respect it. I'm sure that she'll tell you more if you PM her! Good luck - I have this coming up with my 8 month old, who is already VERY large, and I'm not looking forward to it - I think that they almost always go through a testing out stage as yearlings ....
 
I use a Dually halter on my filly, she will be 2 in may and stands around 15.2hh, my friend had this halter for her horse that rears and he very quickly learnt not to do it. Although my filly isn't particularly naughty she can get strong and forgets her manners sometimes so i use it to bring her to and from the field and also for ground work, it only puts pressure on her when she mis behaves, may be an option?
 
HTobago, thanks for letting me know that a leadrope might be all that's needed. I've been doing loosescholling with him and he is SO well behaved afterwards but it is ina field and with the weather ...... anyhow hopefully when it dries up we can start again.

AmyMay, I really don't want to use a bridle on him whilst he's misbehaving and it won't help the rearing in will only possibly hurt his mouth but thankyou fore replying.

rufusbluemoon, thankyou so much for the suggestion I willl definately try the be nice halter and I might PM eventrider 23.

Bellboo, thanks for the suggestion of the Dually Halter I hadn't really known about it so will definately do more research.

Thanks everyone so far, more replies welcome.
 
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AmyMay, I really don't want to use a bridle on him whilst he's misbehaving and it won't help the rearing in will only possibly hurt his mouth but thankyou fore replying.

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The minute the youngsters start misbehaving on my yard they are put in to a bridle. It does stop them from rearing, and like all things - used properly will not hurt its mouth.

We used to use be nice headcollars, but found they could have the affect of encouraging them to go up - so stopped.

Most youngsters go through this piggy stage, and it's a matter of finding a system that works for you best in handling the situation.

Good luck.
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Also being entire still will be adding to things I suspect

I'd bit him too, especially if he has been able to get away from you after spining round. He could do himself a lot more damage if he gets loose and injures himself than having a bit in, just use a rubber straight bar or happy mouth with one lead rope off the headcollar and one off the bit. Only use the bridle if he really arses about.
 
Using a combination of bit and headcoller is not a bad one, we'll definately try it if the be nice halter doesn't work. Thanks
 
I'd just like to say thankyou. This is such a nice forum. I have posted this post on another forum and got a rather different (even hurtful) response, so thankyou everyone for being thoughtful.
 
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Using a combination of bit and headcoller is not a bad one, we'll definately try it if the be nice halter doesn't work. Thanks

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Could be your answer.

I would add, always ensure that you use a soft 'pull' through rope on the bit if you do not intend to use reins. That way if he does get away from you the rope will slip harmlessly to the floor should he stand on it.
 
We have a long rope that is very soft that we either loop through the headcollar, bit rings, etc. It doesn't have a clip on either end, so if the youngster gets loose the rope will slip to the floor of its own momentum, or if the horse steps on it - without damaging itself.

It's a really useful bit of kit, and used on everything from the babies to the oldies.....
 
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We have a long rope that is very soft that we either loop through the headcollar, bit rings, etc. It doesn't have a clip on either end, so if the youngster gets loose the rope will slip to the floor of its own momentum, or if the horse steps on it - without damaging itself.

It's a really useful bit of kit, and used on everything from the babies to the oldies.....

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Yep we use something similar on our babies, really good for when you are teaching them to lead. Slip it through the foal slip then if they have a paddy (or should that be when?!) you just let go and they cant get tangled up.
 
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I'd just like to say thankyou. This is such a nice forum. I have posted this post on another forum and got a rather different (even hurtful) response, so thankyou everyone for being thoughtful.

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No - you got some honest and considered advice that you didn't want to hear so YOU were rude to the people who bothered to respond!
 
I do appreciate the advice that is given on forums and the generocity with which it is given. I'm trully not trying to be rude what I am trying to do is clarify what is the case with my youngster and that he is not like some of the obviously dangerous or heading that way colts that you have had to deal with. I tried to get across (obviously unsuccessfully) that I've just been through some of his yearling phases (kicking, biting etc) and havn't needed to use much force (in fact the couple of situations where I have used force he has had a really big blow up and stops thinking) so I was really trying to find alternatives. I'm sorry if you thought that I was being rude I really didn't mean to be. Hopefully this clarifies things.
 
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I do appreciate the advice that is given on forums and the generocity with which it is given. I'm trully not trying to be rude what I am trying to do is clarify what is the case with my youngster and that he is not like some of the obviously dangerous or heading that way colts that you have had to deal with. I tried to get across (obviously unsuccessfully) that I've just been through some of his yearling phases (kicking, biting etc) and havn't needed to use much force (in fact the couple of situations where I have used force he has had a really big blow up and stops thinking) so I was really trying to find alternatives. I'm sorry if you thought that I was being rude I really didn't mean to be. Hopefully this clarifies things.

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Well said!

But you DID say in your original post:

"starts pulling and trying to push you over. If you push against his shoulder he does mini rears (front feet underarm height), .... the rearing is getting dangerous. .... He knows what he supposed to be doing he's just getting a bit big for his boots."

This IS classic behaviour from a colt of this age - even one who has been well-handled at a younger age and has a basically good temperament - when he starts 'feeling his hormones' and thinking he's now a big man! Nobody is suggesting 'using force' - hell, they're bigger, heavier, and stronger than we are - but useful disciplinary techniques that have been suggested can be used lightly and sparingly - or more strongly if needed - to remind him who is in charge. If you don't nip this behaviour in the bud, then it WILL get worse. The only difference between a dangerous colt and a well-mannered one is the handling he has (or hasn't) received.
 
Thankyou, I think I've decided that he's going to get gelded as soon as it's a bit drier whenever that might be LOL. Because even if the hormones aren't the main cause they can't be helping and I've realised that my reasons behind keeping him entire just weren't enough to outweigh the restrictions he would undoubtedly face as a stallion, it's just not fair on him. Thankyou.
 
Sensible decision! It's something I have to constantly weigh up with our colts - although fortunately the best pure-bred colts have all HAD the temperament to make them potential stallions (whether they pass the incredibly stiff grading process required for them to become R.I.D. is yet to be seen!) But I have a rising 3 year old coloured - well bred, excellent conformation, fabulous movement - which I WAS tempted to keep entire as a potential coloured competition stallion. But he was an EVIL little sod! We kept him in check but it was a constant battle, he just kept trying it on, to the point where only my stud groom or myself could handle him - he'd rear up and strike at the girls, just because he knew he could. So I gelded him - and it improved him considerably (for about 8 weeks!) Then the remembered behaviour started creeping back. Although he's MILES better - and continues to improve - he's still not 100% trustworthy so I've had to keep him on until he's old enough to back. Hopfully, work will sort out the last remaining problems.

I still get moments of regret when I look at him move - he really IS incredibly smart - but he'd have been an evil sod as a stallion and it's not worth contemplating breding from that sort of horse because it was obviously largely genetics - the hormones just made it much worse.
 
I'm sure I'll have the same regrets as he gets older. His temperament is still very good (other than the leading) it's just that anywhere I take him on livery around me he'll be isolated and have to stay in a stable all the time and I just can't do that to him so I'm not going to be selfish (He just loves the outdoors and other horses too much). I just realised that also the hormones must be confusing him aswell at the moment so since the deed is going to be done at some point I think it might be now that it's done.

Thankyou everyone for the tips, I will definately take them on board and I might well decide to ask for tips on cleaning after gelding at somepoint (watch this space).
 
My rising three year old gelding (when did that happen??) went through this stage at that age and he was a similar size. I have to say the best thing I did was have him gelded when he was 9 months and in hindsight, I wish I'd whipped them off sooner!. Like your colt, he loved to stand on two legs and he was a bit of a boxer as well. We got round this by using a load of different things - I bitted him and used this in conjuction with a rope halter (similar to a Parelli one), so that the bit only came into play if he went up. I didn't yank unnecessarily on him - he learnt that if he went up, there was pressure and he didn't like it so he stayed on the ground (eventually...!!). I also carried a stick so that when he tried to turn his head in and bite me (he was a sod for that), he poked himself in the nose - I didn't poke him, he moved onto the end of the stick and I ignored him. It didn't take long for him to learn. But, at the end of the day, it was definitely a phase he went through and I'm pleased to say he did come out of it the other end a relatively well behaved, well mannered boy. Thank goodness!
 
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