Tips for what to do with bolshy yearling

[Mb02]

Hello, we have recently rescued an 18 month old gelding. We were told that he was very well handled but unfortunately we have found he is quite bolshy. He is good to lead but can get strong and try to ignore you when you ask him to stand.he has also recently began to kick his door. His main problem however is that sometimes after you put his headcollar on he will push you with his head with quite some force.We have tried to correct him by telling him no and backing him up but he knows he can move you by pushing your body with his head and does not seem to give in, even after he is reprimanded. Has anyone got any tips for dealing with this? He doesn’t do it all the time but we would like to nip it in the bud as he is quite bolshy when he does do it and doesn’t want to back off. Obviously he is a rescue so we don’t know his background. Thank you in advance.

 

[Michen]

A decent pressure halter (I really rate Richard maxwells one they are quite sharp) and do not lead or remove horse from stable without it.

I don’t know what you mean by pushing your body with his head, if he’s head butting you I’d be making myself extremely big and scarey and making it very clear that it’s not acceptable behaviour. Tbh, I’d probably be giving him a wallop.

I might even use a schooling whip when entering stable to gently tap and ask him to move back, so that he is never even in your space enough to get his head that close to you.

 

[twiggy2]

How much time in a field with a herd of other horses for company does he get?
What feed is he on?
Both questions are relevant because an awful lot of issues with young horses dissappear if their way of being kept changes.

 

[windand rain]

How much time in a field with a herd of other horses for company does he get?
What feed is he on?
Both questions are relevant because an awful lot of issues with young horses dissappear if their way of being kept changes.

This if he is cooped up for hours he will be pushy As above a good halter and lots of groundwork until he stands quietly in his own space. If you dont already know how get a very good instructor to teach you before he turns into a thug

 

[TGM]

Agree with the above, if he is spending too much time stabled then it is far more likely he will kick the door, get strong to lead and be bolshy in the stable. Youngsters have plenty of energy and like to play. They are too young to be in work, so that energy needs to be expended in the field. Ideally at the moment he needs to be out 24/7 with others of his own age.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I agree with everything above. He really doesn't need to be in a stable except very minimally. What have you rescued him from?

 

[Mb02]

Hi everyone. Thank you for your replies. Yes he is out all day with others. It is only after you have his headcollar on he starts to head butt you with his head. His food is non heating. He isn’t ‘excitable’ he is rather laid back and calm he is just head butting us after we put his headcollar on.

 

[Mb02]

He is stabled at night at the minute as that is what the rest of our herd do and the ground is too wet at the moment for him to stay out as we haven’t got the land for him to ruin. He was rescued from meat.

 

[Mb02]

He is respectful in other aspects as he will quite happily move back when we enter the stable as asked. It is just after you have put his headcollar on and very occasionally when you do up his rug he will head but your body. We are just trying to find the best way to tell him that is not acceptable and nip it in the bud.

 

[MissTyc]

My now 2.5 yo was a bit like this. I am a very experienced handler/trainer, so he quickly learned the rules but seemed to think they only applied to me and all other humans were fair game. He was a weakling and my gelding seemed to worship him instantly and let him get away with everything. Last summer, I threw my angriest most marish mare into the mix and within 2 months little boyo had turned into a respectful young man with all horses, humans, dogs ... Your description sounds familiar! "fun-loving" young horse, but they do need to learn boundaries, so I would go for groundwork (Warwick Schiller style for me, but everyone has their preferences!), play with rules, and then mostly left alone to be a horse where possible.

 

[ihatework]

It’s a yearling. Not much different to children, they have no preconception of how we want them to behave unless we educate them. This sounds like one small thing from a multitude of behaviours you will experience as it grows up. Just correct them behaviour every time. One of my yearlings was recently doing an annoying pushy head butty thing when I went to take off the headcollar - she just got sent away each time she did it and soon cottoned on that the headcollar came off quicker if she stood still.

That said, don’t underestimate how over handling has the potential to create rude pushy youngster at that age. Get the basics right then leave your fellow equines to do the other part of behaviour management for you.

 

[Mb02]

Yes, he sounds very similar to yours. It is only after you have put his head collar on. We just aren’t sure the best way to tell him it’s not acceptable as if you try to push him away and tell him no he just comes back and headbutts you again. For leading and backing up etc we have had no problems! We just don’t want him to think head butting us is acceptable

 

[TheMule]

Forget about his background and the fact he is a 'rescue', it is not relevant to the situation. I would fine a youngstock herd for him to go and live in for a year or so until he's rising 3. He has had basic handling, he sounds frustrated with his living situation.

 

[Mb02]

I believe the fact he is a rescue is relevant though as he has had poor treatment in the past and we are trying to be respectful of that with his handling. He isn’t frustrated with his living situation as he is actually very happy to come in and wants to be the first to go to bed. He seems to more have a problem with his headcollar since he headbutts after he has had that out on.

 

[Marigold4]

Make sure you only take advice from people who have a lot of experience/credentials with actual yearlings rather than general, adult horses. Youngsters often oneed a different approach.

 

[windand rain]

It is not relevant if you handle him as a blank sheet he will respond as such. If you worry about upsetting him because of previous handling he will never learn that is not how horses are handled start as you mean to go on and stick to firm but fair rules you would apply to a stud bred youngster. As to experience I have been raising horses from newborn to ridden for 50 years for the past 10 it has been from weaning to ridden but the rules dont change

 

[Tiddlypom]

Hello, we have recently rescued an 18 month old gelding. We were told that he was very well handled but unfortunately we have found he is quite bolshy.

Who told you that he was very well handled?

 

[Mb02]

Who told you that he was very well handled?

The sanctuary that we got him from

 

[Mb02]

It is not relevant if you handle him as a blank sheet he will respond as such. If you worry about upsetting him because of previous handling he will never learn that is not how horses are handled start as you mean to go on and stick to firm but fair rules you would apply to a stud bred youngster. As to experience I have been raising horses from newborn to ridden for 50 years for the past 10 it has been from weaning to ridden but the rules dont change

yes we’re not handling as if we worry about upsetting him. We are trying to be stern with him as he is already big and want the behaviour nipped in the bud now. We just don’t know the best technique to do so with him as when he headbutts you, pushing him away doesn’t work as he comes back and does it again.

 

[windand rain]

You have to be more persistant than him you say he backs up so back him out of your space everytime he moves into it as I said earlier if you dont know how get a fully trained instructor to teach you. Its not rocket science he is made to move back every time he takes a step forward no ifs no buts everytime, he is not allowed to move forward until you ask him. If he moves to headbut you you send him back into his space. No hitting no rope wagging just firm fair rules no deviation from that

 

[Tiddlypom]

The sanctuary that we got him from

What did they say about the problems that you are having with him? Have they advised you about how they think you should handle him?

 

[Mb02]

What did they say about the problems that you are having with him? Have they advised you about how they think you should handle him?

They just say it’s because he is in a new place and that I should just turn him out permanently. However, that is not practical for us with our land and other equines. He isn’t as handled as they stated as he has been left for a couple of months in the field with little handling.

 

[TheMule]

They just say it’s because he is in a new place and that I should just turn him out permanently. However, that is not practical for us with our land and other equines. He isn’t as handled as they stated as he has been left for a couple of months in the field with little handling.

It sounds like they have given you sensible advice. Yearlings should be left in the field with little handling. Otherwise you risk ending up with bored, frustrated, pushy young horses.

 

[Mb02]

It sounds like they have given you sensible advice. Yearlings should be left in the field with little handling. Otherwise you risk ending up with bored, frustrated, pushy young horses.

Unfortunately he is in too poor condition to live out currently. Plus won’t the same problems just remain and happen again just when he’s older and bigger when he comes in at three?

 

[GinaGeo]

Nope. As others have said - his equine friends will do the hard work for you.

I sent my young horse away to a young stock herd when he was getting a little over familiar. Worked a treat.

He’s a young horse to be living a grown up horse lifestyle, friends his own age and a bossy broodmare are what he needs right now.

 

[Mb02]

Nope. As others have said - his equine friends will do the hard work for you.

I sent my young horse away to a young stock herd when he was getting a little over familiar. Worked a treat.

He’s a young horse to be living a grown up horse lifestyle, friends his own age and a bossy broodmare are what he needs right now.

Yes he will be going out with two bossy mares here.