Yearling leading problems

[Amymeemoo]

Hello
I have got an 18 month old gelding, he was the calmest sweetest horse follow me round everywhere then suddenly in the last couple of months started being a nightmare to lead, he tries to bite me, squash me, he throws his head around and tries to head butt me. He is good as gold in the stable it’s only when I’m leading. He is turned out all day with my other 2 yearling minis and then in of a night because my field has turned into a swamp. Any suggestions on how to stop this, iv tried ignoring it, pushing him away, pulling the whiskers but he seems to think it’s a game.
Thank you

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Make yourself big and loud, don't let it become a game!

 

[windand rain]

Get him on a properly fitted Halter and do some ground work. Get him in his own space and respecting you if you dont know how get an instructor if he does it now he will be a thug when he gets bigger

 

[daydreamer]

Get him on a properly fitted Halter and do some ground work. Get him in his own space and respecting you if you dont know how get an instructor if he does it now he will be a thug when he gets bigger

This. I'd also really recommend subscribing to Jason Webb's YourHorsemanship programme. He has broken his starting method for young horses into "lessons" and there are videos for each of them. If you subscribe there is a forum you can accesses and a members facebook group.

 

[Landcruiser]

Body language, intent, timing, boundaries. Long lead rope, rope halter, make him walk with you, slightly behind, but with a "smile" in the rope, use your sharp flappy elbow to reinforce your personal space. When you stop, he stops - make your stop definite, with a stamp of the foot and a braced body movement and that elbow - don't let him barge or come into your space. If he does, shake the leadrope to drive him back - as soon as he responds, relax.
(You can refine this shake - when I started with my very green boy 11 years ago he needed a huge flappy rope to drive him off me. This has been refined over the years. It very quickly only needed a smaller shake, but for a long time I have been able to turn him away from me (ie turn right when leading from the left, with him taking the turn at the same time with no pressure on the rope if you see what I mean - just by wobbling the lead rope almost imperceptibly. Very useful. ))
You have to make everything clear for him, make it easy for him to do the right thing and less pleasant to do the wrong thing.

 

[Amymeemoo]

Thank you for the replies, Iv picked him up a new rope halter and was really firm with him yesterday and made him back up out my space when he started playing up, he tried it twice then gave up. I walked him out this morning and he walked out like an angel, did put a foot wrong so gave him lots of praise and some scratches. I will definitely start doing some ground work with him and look at them online classes. Thank you again