Rearing/leaping/broncing in hand?

LaurenBay

LaurenBay

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 November 2010
Messages
6,037
Location
Essex
Visit site
Ok, so most of you will know by now the problems I faced at my old yard when Ruby went onto individual turnout, she became and handful to ride and a handful on the ground. Prior to this she was laid back both ridden and on the ground. Since moving her back to the first yard we were at, she seems to have gone back to her laid back self. Majority of time she is fine. However she is still playing up to come in, I had hoped she would settle in time, but she sadly hasn't :(

She can be VERY unpredictable, she might just jog and throw her head around, another time she will try to pull away, another time she will leap, another time she will rear etc. Sometimes she will walk in with no issues. There is no pattern or warnings, she just flips and starts playing up. She is better with me and I never let go of her no matter what, I also make her stand nicely/back up until she settles. Doesn't matter if she comes in first, last, with another Horse leading, with another Horse following behind. Have tried bridle, headcollar and dually headcollar. I am very confident with her on the ground and she HAS improved from old yard (was dangerous tbh). There is grass out in the field and she never has dinner right away when coming in.

Any ideas on what to try next?
 
Would it be worth using a chiffney and limiting the number of different people bringing her in just so she gets consistent handling and to try and break the behaviour into becomming a habit. Even if she starts behaving keep with the same plan for a few months to try and break any cycle.

Good luck.
 
Liane said:
Would it be worth using a chiffney and limiting the number of different people bringing her in just so she gets consistent handling and to try and break the behaviour into becomming a habit. Even if she starts behaving keep with the same plan for a few months to try and break any cycle.

Good luck.
Click to expand...

Majority of time it is me bringing in, on a rare occasion (stuck in traffic etc) my confident friend will bring in. I never ask the other girls as they can be a bit nervy and I wouldn't want them losing their confidence evenmore.
 
Is it practical to give her a bucket feed & perhaps a quick groom near the gate before bringing in, so she's already chilled before you walk back? Obviously not if there's a gale force wind & a herd of horses trying to fight through the fence for the feed. Or could you throw tack on at the gate & go for a 5min hack, even if its just round the car park & to yard? Just trying to think of a way to break what sounds like a habit of 'quick I'm going in'.
 
Is she getting better and better just with the odd blip now and again?

Sounds like your doing all the sensible things, it just might take time/ consistency to get rid of the habit.
 
LaurenBay said:
She can be VERY unpredictable...

There is no pattern or warnings, she just flips and starts playing up. She is better with me and I never let go of her no matter what, I also make her stand nicely/back up until she settles. Doesn't matter if she comes in first, last, with another Horse leading, with another Horse following behind. Have tried bridle, headcollar and dually headcollar.
Click to expand...

She will be predictable, and there will be warnings if you watch her closely and learn to identify them.

I would not use a bridle with such a horse, and a Dually is next to useless unless the horse is barging past and trying to run on. The Be-Nice is my tool of choice, but you have to know how to use it to minimise the horse's resistance to pressure.

Whatever you decide to lead her in, you have to be proactive and work her headgear constantly to let her feel that you are there and in control, and to keep her attention. If you leave her in the wilderness for a second, she will take control and give you trouble.
 
She's not strong or bargy at all weirdly. Occasionally she will rush, I give her a quick growl and a tug on the rope and shes fine again. I will try grooming near the field, I do think it's just a habit I need to break. I've sorted all her other issues, but this I can't seem to "fix". Thanks for your ideas.
 
I had same problem with my ex racehorse, I used a chiffney together with a normal head collar. I used to lead him off head collar but when he was naughty use the chiffney, it worked wonders, he is a donkey to lead in now. Good luck
 
You could be describing Shy when he's having a walk out when confined to barracks :eek: BUT if I am leading him, and pretend I'm not looking, it's like he is walking along normally...it is so funny. All four hooves of the ground - "ME - NEVER", I know he is just having fun.

That said, he now knows his boundaries as I had to use a chifney when he really took the pee. And will use it again (and he knows it) if he is too cheeky. I love my boy x
 
It is not all the time. Yesterday she leaped, reared and then leaped again, I gave her a tug and growled made her back up and she came in nicely. Tonight she shook her head and went to so something. Told her off and she walked in nicely. It's a pain in the bum, she doesn't frighten me at all, but I don't want it to get to the point that she can only be handled by me if you get what I mean. I can see no logical reason why she is acting like this. At least at the old yard she had an excuse (she was seperated from the others)
 
I am having exactly this problem with my girl this winter, but its when she is turned out. She's a very big horse and its no fun when her hooves are three foot above your head. :-(. I really don't want to resort to a chifney but if she gets to the point of it then I will not hesitate.
 
Ah, you're lucky as I can pass on some good info on this having watched the experts.

Go to get your pony in wearing as much loose and flappy clothes as to can, if you can get them in garish Katey Price colours so much the better. Carry a 10ft schooling whip, a lunge cavason with enough thick white tape to tether the Queen Mary, and if you can get two, three or even more "knowledgeable" people to come with you, all talking loudly about anything but your pony - all to the good.

If pony comes to you from turnout, stand with the gate wide open with said friends and experts discussing last night's telly or boyfriends, wave long whip in pony's face until he rears and then shout at him - using the as many inventive "f" words as you can - wait for the applause of the gathering before throwing the white tape around his neck, then invite all in attendance to "hang on to him for Chissakes!"

Fit the caveson in any way you can even if it involves turning the pony upside down, then before beginning to lead him away - give the tape several massive jerks - and here it helps if you time these words with them - "will..... you... bloody....be...have!" Feel free to add "you so&so!" at any point. Lead him off with your retinue all giving conflicting advice, if pony rears, stops, spooks at all hit him with the free end of the tape - if you can also hit one or more of your attendants so that they upbraid you in foul language - bonus points!

Proceed to your pony's box, put in him and disrobe while all and sundry drop by giving yet more advice but also calling out in high pitched aunty-to-baby voices "Oh be a good boy for mummy Sugar!" etc., etc.

Have I left anything out?
 
Last edited:
LaurenBay said:
She's not strong or bargy at all weirdly. Occasionally she will rush, I give her a quick growl and a tug on the rope and shes fine again. I will try grooming near the field, I do think it's just a habit I need to break. I've sorted all her other issues, but this I can't seem to "fix". Thanks for your ideas.
Click to expand...

Ben behaved exactly the same for a while, admittedly it was testosterone fuelled, he was wonderful in a chiffney, just seemed to respect it straight off.
 
Ok so today she spent the day out with my friends mare. I got the other Horse in first and then went back for Ruby, she was relaxed and content (still grazing near gate) caught her and she walked nicely. She then started headshaking, so I gave her a sharp "AH AH" and he stopped right away, I then asked her to stand and back up, she did this straight away, I then stood for a further 2 minutes or so and she didn't try to walk off or anything like that. Praised her and walked on. She walked fine and then started the head shaking again and started walking sidewards. Gave her another "AH" and she stopped.

Took her into the school, came out (she has to walk the same way to come in from field as her field is next to ménage) and she walked in like an angel.

So defiantly a habit I think.
 
Chifney a no as they can be harsh in the wrong hands, sounds like she needs her boundaries put back, sometimes when they try to rush past, if you have them on a long thick lead rope, just cross it over your stomach and that gives you leverage when they try and it stops them in their tracks.:):)
 
I have used a chifney before Echo Bravo. I spent a year dealing with stallions and youngstock (about 5 years ago now). Just never thought I'd have to use one of her. She's not strong and doesn't drag me, just walks nicely along side of me, then plays up, walks nicely again next to me. Only time she plays up as great on ground otherwise.
 
Mine started this after I'd been on hols for a week and left him in the care of YO and friend who were both a bit nervous (so my own fault, can't really complain) I came home to a feral horse whom they hadn't managed to catch all week and it transpired they'd just been opening the gate and letting him leg it in to his stable each evening :eek: He is a complete piss taker to be fair and probably not for the faint hearted ;)

So I start bringing him in of an evening and he was so rude! Jogging, swinging his head about to gaze at whatever grabbed his attention and completely oblivious to my presence. After he'd head butted me in the side of the head 2 evenings running, so that I saw stars, and then whacked me in the nose nearly breaking my nose, I elbowed him sharply in the nose, hard!! I'm sure many will not advocate the use of violence but a short, sharp, shock did the trick :D Besides which I feel justified in causing him some momentary discomfort - I bet it didn't hurt half as much as the head butts he gave me!! Too bloody big and powerful to walk all over me and he'd pushed his flippin' luck enough
 
It's only been me handling. But I did move her to a yard where they had individual turnout. It blew her mind and that's when this behaviour started (only 10 times worse) amongst other naughty behaviours. Went back to first yard as she clearly wasn't happy. She did settle down fairly quickly and her behaviour got much better. She's a much more chilled happy Horsey now.
 
She was fine there in the summer, they lived out in a big herd, but come winter was out in individual turnout. She did a complete 180! She's settled back to how she was, apart from when she comes in from field.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top