Stable manners or rather lack of

M

mandy4727

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 November 2005
Messages
1,388
Location
Lancashire
Visit site
Calli is a 16hh (nearly) 3 year old filly. Unfortunately we don't have winter turnout as such just a piece of field which is mostly muddy where we can turn out whilst we muck out. A small sand paddock we can turnout again whilst we muck out but Calli keeps jumping out. And a large paddock for riding and lunging only. Cos of Callis age and the lack of turnout we have been lunging her over the winter. Not on tight circles at all and making sure we are using the full area of the large school (we can't free school in the large paddock) to protect her joints. She is also walked out in hand. Just setting the scene. She is brill on the lunge will do everything is calm, obedient, well mannered etc. Same in hand. But in the stable a different matter. She is so intimadating. It is a large stable and if you are trying to skip out she just follows you round and stands so so close, trying to stand on you. She gets you in a head lock and tries to trap your shoulder between her jaw and neck and squash you. She bit my back today on my operation scar!!! She will not back off at all if you square up to her and look her straight in the eye etc. I know the easy answer would be to tie her up either in or out the stable but just wonder why she does this and how to stop it. None of my other horses I have owned have never done this and none on the yard do. In the field she is not a dominant horse infact the other way round. She will not go back if told as you enter the stable and it is a battle to stop her barging over the top of you and out the door. Luckily she hasn't done this yet. Someone else is giving her hay in the mornings for me and said "she has no manners at all does she?" Which I can only agree to. As I said out of the stable for a nearly 3 year old she is brill. It is the trying to crush you between her jaw and chest which is my main cause for concern with her. Ideas on what to do and why she does this please.
 
She's missing the interaction with other horses, has become bored & is treating you as her playmate.
Personally speaking I would take the tie her up option, (especially in your situation) as it's something that she will grow out of, & I don't see the point in having unecessary battles.
Having said that she needs to learn respect. Start by making her back away from you on command when she's in hand. Use your voice firmly, backed up by a stick if required.......not to hit her with though, more to push her away & create a barrier between you. Also teach her to move over & away from you in both directions. Keep your verbal commands clear & concise, & back them up with clear physical signals like pushing her in the chest when you sy 'back' & on the side when you say 'over'. Horses do lean in to pressure though, so you signals should be gentle nudges rather than constant pressure.
Don't let her crowd you when you lead her either. Again a stick held in your right hand with the leadrope & held parallell along her neck & nose so it is facing forwards will help create a barrier, & preserve your personal space. That may not be a very good explanation of what I mean so please ask if can't picture what I mean!!
Another alternative is to send her to me for the summer & we'll show & produce her for you!!
 
Jane. She is on her way as we speak!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for that. I just find her rather a strange horse. Usually a dominant horse is the same in the field but she isn't. But again it could be her age but there is another youngster on the yard who certainly is the boss in it's field. On the lead she is perfect. Stops when you stop, backs up on command, trots as soon as you start to jog and comes back to you so easily. It is just in the stable - she really is a cow. But when she has food she is a different horse. You wouldn't know she was there. Tucks into her hay and never puts a food wrong. Maybe I am not feeding her enough but she is well covered, healthy, shiney, growing well etc. So dont want to give her any more and blow her brains out with having no turnout either.
 
Watched a Richard Maxwell demo where he was working in a round pen with a very cheeky and inquisitive colt. The colt just wanted to play colt games with him which can get over-boisterous and out of hand very fast. I remember the colt approached him from behind and tried to bite him, as they do. Max just made sure the colt walked straight and hard into his braced elbow. He didn't attack the colt with it, just let him think he had walked into it all by himself. He immediately turned to the colt and said aaaah, did you bump your nose? oh dear, and rubbed his head to show no hard feelings. Colt thought it was an accident and from then on gave Max respect in his personal space. I've also read that if it's getting serious, take the cut off end of a broom handle with you and make a BLUNT "point" at one end. You can then brace this in the same way as Max let the colt run into his elbow and let the horse think she caused the unpleasant bump herself. Also, try gripping a metal hoofpick in your clenched fist so that the round end of the metal just sticks out between your fingers. This gives you a much firmer prod to make her move OVER or BACK when you ask. You need to have perfect timing for this and total consistency. Parelli would say press the hair, press the skin, press the muscle. So always start with a light touch but up it to a firmer one if you get no response, then up it a level again if you still get no response and really mean it: and DON'T MOVE til you get the response! With total consistencey, you will eventually get a response from pressing the hair only as your horse will know that you will ALWAYS follow up with firmer and firmer presses. Regardless of why she's doing this, you need to be safe in her stable.
 
Seriously she is using you as another horse!! You need to remind her that you are a person, & that you are the brains of the situation. Tie her up when you are doing things in the stable. When you take her food in make her back away from you........don't let her push forward. It's the difference between you giving her the food & her taking it. It's her way of being dominant over you. Put the headcollar & leadrope on her when you go in with her so that you can keep control of her. That being said don't overdo it. Don't expect her to stand for ages, all she needs to do is show you some respect. Going in with a stick may be the answer, but again the stick is used to create a barrier, & not to hit her with.
(What time will she be here??
grin.gif
)
 
I know we need to get on top of this. And I know it is me. She doesn't do this with my daughter, only me. Will start some serious work with her now. Jane. Will take a couple of hours i would think so get some shut eye first!!! Will you back her about in a few months time too??? As I said, never had this before with any of my horses and even the dog and cats are well behaved so i must be doing something right. I am sure she can sense that i am wary around her and takes advantage of the situation. Off for my MUGA scan tomorrow. Whatever that is. Testing my heart to see if it is strong enough for my chemo. Fingers crossed they don't find anything else wrong with me eh?
 
'Bumping' as Max calls it is a brilliant way of making a horse give you space as to an extent it's speaking to them in their 'language'. However Max does warn that with persistant offenders it may be necessary to make yourself some 'elbow pads' to prevent pain & bruises...........to you!!
 
My boy has a set of rule when in the stable, field, yard and at feed time. (Though I have similar issues except mine are with leading and we are going to be getting some training on that front and my boy is rising 2 not rising 3, the training is going to be halter work and if there is time we'll get him used to a bit and long-reining in March).

My rules are clear and he knows them very well. I won't tie him up initially and if he's good he can stay loose, if he isn't and doesn't stand still when grooming or sweeping around him etc or doesn't do as I ask in terms of moving over I put a headcoller on. If he is still misbehaving I put my hand through the headcoller and hold him whilst I groom him. If he is still misbehaving I put a leadrope on and drape it over his neck so that he feels its weight. If he still is misbehaving I tie him up though by that point he has to be really annoying me.

Since I only see him every so often (every 2 months or so) it takes him a couple of sessions to remember the rules (my friend just ties him up automatically but she has small children and he's still entire so it's just too risky for him to be loose) but after a couple of times of having to do this he stands like a lamb for about 30 mins (after which he takes a break and then stands still again).

We have also taken away his food if he is bargy when we are going to give it to him until he settles. I hope this helps. It takes a while but if you are passive but firm they tend to respect you far more.

Good luck
 
My younger TB does this with me, he is just playing, but they must understand that its not on. As the others have said she need to learn to respect your space. If she is now 3 could you not consider backing her, and then giving her a little ridden work, just to make things more interesting for her.
 
Have to say I would be looking to get her out more. If not where you are, then I would try and find somewhere that offers either daily or option 24/7 turnout. It would make a huge difference to her attitude.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top