Trouble leading a yearling.

[Char0901]

Before I start let me just say that I know everyone has their own opinions on how youngsters should be bought up. I'm not interested in comments about oh he should be out 24/7 365 days a year, do nothing till he's 3 etc.
My boy is 16 months old and we recently moved to a great livery yard that's brilliant for youngsters. He is out during the day and in at night.
Lots of new things for him, field is fenced with electric tape (now fine with this) new horsey pals etc.
I'm having trouble when bringing him in for the night. I can catch him fine but he plants his feet and won't move when we try and walk up the track to the stables. His field mates don't shout for him and he never calls out to them. The track has fields with horses in on either side so he isn't really leaving them behind, although granted there's lots to have a nosey at.
He doesn't seem stressed or agitated he literally just stands there. I use pressure and release, even one step forward and it's a big 'ohhh good boy!' etc but other times he just leans against it and walks backwards.
I've tried carrying a schooling whip long enough so I don't have to twist to touch him with it but again he just walks backwards and it takes ages to be able to stand at his shoulder and start again. At no point does he appear scared.
If my mum is around she will walk behind him and give him a push or clap etc and he walks up ok, but I can't always have someone around.
There's a fine line between being babyish and taking the p*ss and I'm not sure which he's doing. A 5 minute job of bringing a horse in takes me 30 minutes. I'm in no rush but it seems everything is done in his own time, when he feels like it.
I've also tried walking to the end of the lead rope and he walks up to me. This works but takes forever and again, it's when he feels like it.
If I walk him around the school or the indoor arena he's a little poppet and walks and trots in hand like dream!
I guess I'm pretty lucky with him, he does everything else pretty much spot on for a baby.
He's my first youngster (I bred him) and this is the first time I've been completely stumped as to what to do!
Can any of you lovely HHO's help?

 

[exmoorponyprincess1]

I have two yearlings - an exmoor and a sports horse - and have taught them both to "unlock" their stance by being able to move their feet around me...so if they plant, I ask them to back up or move to either side (so front feet go left or right rather than straight on - just to establish the principle of moving), turn a circle around me (like the back lady would ask for - so ensuring they are crossing their back legs properly as they turn etc) in each direction and by the time they have done all of this they are usually quite happy to walk forward as it's the most straightforward of all the options! Good luck!

 

[Singing Dawg]

Put a long rope round his bum like youd do with a foal, stay at his shoulder.

 

[NeverSayNever]

If it were me I would let him see that it’s rewarding to come with you instead of creating a battle, let him make the right choices. Can you have a bucket of food, just with a token amount in it ready to give him when he comes out of the field. Then every night leave the bucket a little further up the track.

 

[eggs]

When one of my yearlings started planting - to be fair to him he had inadvertently being given a shock off the electric fence when going through a gate and then decided he would go through gates one way and not the other - I found the best method was to get him moving from side to side - it only has to be a small step each way. You can do this by moving their head across in the direction you want them to move and almost pulling them across. As soon as they have moved in one direction switch to them moving in the other direction. After they have gone side to side for a little while they are usually easy to get moving forwards. The trick is in unsticking their front feet.

 

[rosie-ellie]

keep him moving even if its walking in a circle then walk forward. As soon as you feel the planting coming on circle before he get chance to stop. Good luck

 

[Queenbee]

Put a long rope round his bum like youd do with a foal, stay at his shoulder.

I had the same issue with baby Ben... I ran 2 lead ropes, one long and around his hindquarters and one the normal way, I would lead him normally and the second I felt any hint of "planting" use the long rope to create a bit of pressure form behind... This worked very well and within three days the behaviour stopped,when he came in he got fusses and food as a reward.

 

[PorkChop]

I think you are doing the right thing by not making a fuss, the key is to try and keep him moving, whether that be backwards, sideways or forwards!

I do love my Richard Maxwell halter for this sort of thing, they soon learn that it is much easier just to come with you

 

[Char0901]

Thanks for the advice guys! Given me lots to try

I had the same issue with baby Ben... I ran 2 lead ropes, one long and around his hindquarters and one the normal way, I would lead him normally and the second I felt any hint of "planting" use the long rope to create a bit of pressure form behind... This worked very well and within three days the behaviour stopped,when he came in he got fusses and food as a reward.

This sounds like it would do the trick! When bringing him in this evening, I was stood there having stopped about three feet away from his field gate, thinking 'if only I could get behind him!' I tried to go to the end of the lead rope and get behind his bum but he turned and moved his bum away from me because I've taught him to move out of my space! (talk about catch 22!) Will try this tomorrow, he's a very quicker learner (has been about everything else anyway) so like yours may only need to be done a few times. Thank you!

I think you are doing the right thing by not making a fuss, the key is to try and keep him moving, whether that be backwards, sideways or forwards!

I do love my Richard Maxwell halter for this sort of thing, they soon learn that it is much easier just to come with you

It has crossed my mind to try one of these halters, think I may get one if I continue to have trouble. I sometimes feel I'm just hanging off his head, which I hate, so if one of these halters helps him respond quicker I won't be doing this.

I'm wary because his dam got very attached to any horse she was with for more than an hour or so, but he doesn't seem to be unwilling to come in because he doesn't want to leave them which is a good thing I guess. I also don't want him to think it's OK to nap when he's older and ridden... I probably worry about things that really aren't an issue... I tend to over-think!

Thanks again everyone!

 

[Echo24]

I had exactly the same problem with my boy when he was a yearling. A 5 minute walk took 30 minutes! I also did the shifting sideways to unstick his feet and at this age it worked, although it does take a long time! I train puppies for a living and everything takes so much longer with a bubba so I gave myself plenty of time to handle my yearling so it was all positive. Patience is key at this stage and if there is someone bringing in or turning out, try and time it so your little one goes out with them. Chances are they will lead out better with another horse to follow and at this stage, you're also teaching him it's positive when he walks nicely without too much of a battle with him. Good luck!

 

[Kezzabell2]

whatever you find that works, just make sure you keep it consistent! my 4yr old started planting whilst riding, literally couldn't get him to move at all! after swapping riding instructors, I found that I was changing my approach too much because he'd kick out or rear up if I tapped him with the whip too many times, so id trying something else! but turns out that I just needed to sit the rears out and carry on with the whip, with in one lesson, I went from struggling to get him to walk! to having a horse that moved away from one small squeeze!

 

[Echo Bravo]

Bumbag and carrots work wonders, ask him to walk on maybe a few steps and tell him stand, give a carrot slice and work it that he will walk as far as you want until you say stand and as he gets older he will no longer need it until the stable, it's no hassle and he learns that doing as he's asked brings something that he enjoys.