Frumpoon
Well-Known Member
Snaffle bridle with stallion chain through the rings like a curb
Hi, thanks for this - I did buy one of those to try out and picked it up out of the field after 5 minutes minus the chain that he had broken tanking off in it. I really wish that something like that would work for me but it seems that he has zero respect for any pressure on his head and will just run through anything.My big wb would p**ss off whenever the mood took him, so I bought an Eskadron control headcollar (chain). You need to let them ‘test’ the headcollar themselves, don’t yank on it. If they pull, it tightens.
I use it on the loose setting now, he is an angel.
I know this sounds harsh, but nearly 700kgs of horse taking off is no fun.
Thank you for your comment, I do want to say that I did 2 solid months of groundwork and no riding with him last year - we followed the Warwick Schiller plan. It helped to some degree but as I said this is an intermittent problem and not something he does all the time. I also do ground work with him once a week and he also does this with other more experienced people and not just me. I totally agree that these things seem to wind him up more than help so thanks for your advice.You've had this horse for a year and a half and he is still not respecting you or following your lead. Gadgets really aren't going to help, except possibly to wind him up, it sounds to me as though he cannot see why on earth he should listen to you, you are not a leader for him and gadgets won't help, they will make you (in his mind) a bully.
Get someone who knows this stuff and learn how to do it properly. It will stand you in good stead for your future years of horsemanship
Thank you for the recommendation - I'm in Bucks so I will check out what areas he coversI don't know where you are but some years ago I had Paddy Gracey out to a loan pony I had with similar issues and he was brilliant
This might sound a bit weird but i wonder if he could do with re-learning to respond to very light pressure. He mightn't respond to pressure on his head because he's learned not to. He's got used to it, a bit like a horse that's become dead to leg pressure. They can still feel it but they don't respond as we want them to.Hi, thanks for this - I did buy one of those to try out and picked it up out of the field after 5 minutes minus the chain that he had broken tanking off in it. I really wish that something like that would work for me but it seems that he has zero respect for any pressure on his head and will just run through anything.
This might sound a bit weird but i wonder if he could do with re-learning to respond to very light pressure. He mightn't respond to pressure on his head because he's learned not to. He's got used to it, a bit like a horse that's become dead to leg pressure. They can still feel it but they don't respond as we want them to.
Maybe you could try leading, stopping him and backing up from a very gentle feel on the lead rope. Start very soft and give him time a decent time to respond. With some types, rather than increasing the pressure its best to keep it soft and steady until he reacts. It can take time but when he does, release the rope and praise him. It can take a fair bit of repetition for them to get it. Perhaps lots of practice with this away from the area where he tanks off. I think improving his response to pressure will help in general but as the tanking off is a learned behaviour, he's likely to keep doing it until something interrupts the habit. I don't know how to do this though, so I'd second the advice to get a professional in.
I've also found it helps a lot to give them something to do so you keep their focus.I think this is a very good point. It is what I did with mine who was used to lots of pressure on his face. He hates it when you put too much pressure on or get too heavy with the rope/halter. Teaching him to respond to a light feel has made him much happier and easier to lead. Also agree that you need to interrupt the learned behaviour by doing something different and make him think and always be listening to you. I did this by leading mine round the field in very haphazard way, changing direction all the time.
I did this too - and the situation improved.My horse (17hh) can be v forward in hand at times and I have managed to slow him down by turning in a circle every time he goes a fraction faster than I want. I mean I would literally turn in a circle every few steps until he got the message. It didn't take long and he was so bored with turning in circles he slowed down to my pace. I can even walk super slowly and he will match it. Worth a try, it's pretty simple to do and worked for me. Good luck.
Yes i agree - it's all in the timing and unfortunately I don't really have any experience with that. I'm looking for a trainer in my area as I clearly need some help! xMy tank of a cob is best in a rope head collar but I did have someone out to work with us on using pressure and release. Timing is everything with it.
Very long time lurker here, I have never posted on any type of forum or social media before, but this struck a chord. I had this problem with my ISH (just ask Zaminda, she knows him well!). His preferred tactic was to turn his head and neck away with no warning, by the time I knew what was happening it was too late to try and save the situation. He was very quick at this and because he is a strong chap he would just run through any type of head collar. I was not his only victim either, much more experienced people than I lost him too. There didn't seem to be any rhyme or reason for why he did it either. We could go months without and incident, then one day he would just decide to go off again.
In the end I led him everywhere in a bridle with a lunge line and paid VERY close attention to him, but its not nice to be on such high alert every time you want to lead your horse from A to B. This technique, however, did stop his little game and he seemed to grow out of it. I had no incidents for a good couple of years and went back to leading in a head collar. Then we started to compete and trailer to different venues. He was a bit of a sticky loader but I could get him on in a fashion. Lo and behold after attending about a dozen competitions he blind sided me (as he used to), tanked off at two different venues in quick succession and ran round the car park. Embarrassing and very dangerous for all concerned. After the second incident I decided not to muck about and sought professional help.
Like you I am in Bucks (hence the reason for me posting). I took him to see Sean Hardy on the recommendation of my riding instructor. He is Shabbington way but will come to you if you don't have transport. I decided to go to him as its when I was loading to come home where the problem had started again. He was very reasonably priced and he was very effective. By the end of the session Bob was wandering up the ramp of his own accord. I practised as soon as I got home and he was virtually loading himself, no hint of the running off. Sadly due to some competitions being cancelled I have only had a chance to test the loading away from home once but he was a star. Its also probably worth saying at this point that he did try to run off from Sean the first time he tried to load him but Sean was too quick for him! The whole experience of working with Sean was very low key and relaxed. No judgement, no ego and a good result. I can highly recommend him!
I would also like to say that in all other ways Bob is fantastic, I love him to bits and he is such fun to ride whether its having a blast or going to clinics/competitions. I knew that if I didn't get the loading/tanking off issue sorted it would mean that I would be reticent to trailer him anywhere (I am usually by myself) and it would affect my enjoyment of an otherwise lovely horse. Don't struggle on with this by yourself, get professional help you will enjoy your horse so much more and you will be very relieved to get the issue sorted.
Hi Emma, Yes I agree - i feel like i need training myself to show my how to hold the rope, where to place myself so that I can brace against him etc. I guess my main concern is that I will pay a trainer to come out to me and he will be on his best behaviour lol. I just think it's going to be hard for them to demonstrate this kind of thing to me when he is not actually showing the tanking off!Just reread some of your posts, particularly about doing 2 months of groundwork.
I did loads of groundwork, read books, looked online etc. but ultimately its very hard to teach yourself this type of thing. You need to be very aware of where you place yourself and very good at timing, without a professional guiding you there is no way you really know if you are doing the right thing at precisely the right time. Its also easy to think that your horse is the odd one out who just doesn't respond like other horses do and no-one will be able to solve the problem, but to be honest its highly unlikely to be the case - you probably just need a bit of help in addressing the behaviour from someone who has the experience to do so.
Hope you get it sorted!
So that's my foray into the world of social media over...I will go back to lurking now!
Hi Emma, Yes I agree - i feel like i need training myself to show my how to hold the rope, where to place myself so that I can brace against him etc. I guess my main concern is that I will pay a trainer to come out to me and he will be on his best behaviour lol. I just think it's going to be hard for them to demonstrate this kind of thing to me when he is not actually showing the tanking off!
No, Paddy555, I never have let go but I would want to be able to let the rope slide through my hand if necessary. I *always* wear gloves. I find that bringing them round you can really help. One particular occasion in the snow with a 3 yr old, desperate to get to play with her friend who had gone out first springs to mind. She stood up on her back legs a few times but we got there all in one piece and still together, even after a few circles!
Silly girl, she would have got there sooner if she had walked quietly.