Training 18 month of colt

[jaydie]

my boss has gotten an 18 month old colt, he was mostly lived out in a herd at the stud and now my boss has brought him to our yard and wants me to work with him. He has know idea how to lead properly on a halter and has because very coltish. He also tries to nip all the time. what can I do to help reduce the nipping and how can I teach him to walk correctly on the halter… he gets quite strong in hand and walks on the left and then to the right and sometimes out of nowhere that he rears

 

[Arzada]

Is he living with other horses at your yard?

 

[SEL]

The nipping is usually anxiety related and wanting to interact with you. My 4yo still has moments like that (& the flying pony on the end of the lead rope) but he lives with older horses so they handle most of his training for me!

Nipping at me is usually when he's out of his comfort zone so I tend to look at what we're doing to see if I can reduce the anxiety somewhat and make him more confident.

 

[littleshetland]

I'd reccommend to your boss he spends more time out with the herd and try again in 6 months or a year. Let the herd discipline him, and give him time to mature a bit more.

 

[Goldenstar]

I'd reccommend to your boss he spends more time out with the herd and try again in 6 months or a year. Let the herd discipline him, and give him time to mature a bit more.

He’s a colt .

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Typical colt behaviour I'm afraid gelding him will help with the nipping and rearing some are better behaved than others at that age.

Is planning on gelding? He could then at least go back out in a youngstock livery until his a bit older, he will then have that important interaction and not be so bolshy when being handled by people.

 

[maya2008]

Is he out with a group of geldings so he can play? I would keep sessions short so you don’t go past his attention span. If you truly have no idea how to teach a horse of any age to lead politely, I would also get some in-person help, so someone can show you what to do.

 

[paddy555]

why is he a colt? if he is destined to be a stallion then he needs to learn acceptable behaviour very fast. If he is to be a gelding why not just get on and do it and save effort. He can go out with his friends and then can start to learn once it has worn off and it will most likely become easier.

I had an 18mo colt from a stud. He had just lived out with other yearlings and in all honesty it had done him little good living with other youngsters. It had simply made him a total bully. I met some of his herd mates and they were pretty submissive and cowed by him. Glad to see the back of him.
He was hard work. He was destined to become a riding stallion which he did but it that was not the intention when we bought him he would have got the chop pretty quickly.


On arrival he simply transferred his bullying tactics to me. One end bit and the other kicked and he was fond of standing up. Food was demanded and grabbed. He was the herd bully and got his grub first. Not with me he didn't

I put him with an older gelding who didn't stand his nonsense.

 

[NR88]

The owner needs to hire an experienced professional to train the colt, who should be gelded, and to train the owner how to work with the youngster going forward.

Green on green makes black and blue. Why does someone buy a youngster without knowing how to train or handle youngsters and then expect someone else who does not have the knowledge or experience to do it instead?