Youngster headbutting me when being led?!

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My sh*tbag youngster has really knocked my confidence today. I want to show her this summer, and obviously she'll need to be led, so I've been practicising in the field today trying to get her to walk next to me. Well that was the plan, but just getting her to walk without trampling me was the challenge!

She swings her head towards me, turns her body on to me, meaning I have to move. It also means I cant turn away from me at all, only towards me, which often results in alot of excited youngster leant over me!

I've done everything so far by Kelly Marks and Richard Maxwell. However, all this joining up malarky has meant shes my best friend, follows me like a shadow, but will run up behind me to follow me and obviously thats pretty dangerous.

Any ideas? If I push her head away she just gets over excited and starts to pretend to rear.

Thanks,

Hannah xxxx
 
Carry a short whip and give her a poke, either in her side or chest. She'll soon learn. Work on KMs ground work exercises, get her to back up, move over etc, she must know to respect your space and not take the mick. I personally don't like join up, because unless you're an expert at it - i'm not:D - it can cause mixed messages and a confused horse.
 
Hmm I did have a whip with me today but apart from poking her once and giving her a tap on the bum to get her to trot away from me, I didnt use it. Problem is I dont want her freaking out and me losing hold of the lead rope and her strangling herself or something!

xxxxx
 
Make sure you keep your position - on or just behind her shoulder - don't get in front. Carry a schooling whip instead and if you feel her hanging back, give a quick flick behind you. Also, don't stand too close to her side and use your elbow to jab if necessary. Can you practice running alongside a fence/wall to help keep her straight?

Forgot to add, practice just walking to begin with, once you have accomplished that move into trot. It may well take several sessions, so don't become disheartened - practice, practice, practice!
 
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I should add I was trying to do this in a field, not a school, I think she'll probably be much better in a school. Walking by her shoulders was what was causing the issues because thats when she kept trampling me.

I think I need to get her up to the school one day this week and she what shes like. I think practising in her field was probably the problem!!!!! Its just overexcitement. Which leads on to...can you give calmers to youngsters for shows?!

Hannah xxx
 
Hi Agree with all above, are you leading her in her turn out field?? i always like to 'school' somewhere neutral . Their turn out field is for play. Oviously for safty lead her somewhere enclosed. Good luck.
 
Typical baby behaviour!

With my boy if he does the same thing I turn to face him, big and square, stamp my feet and waggle the leadrope... I sometimes (if I'm very cross) roar at him... usually does the trick! Once you have achieved a step or two back out of your space, turn around and continue in the direction you were originally going...

I'd echo the others about practicing moving backwards, sideways etc. 'back' and 'move over' are two of the most valuable commands you can have on the ground!
 
Hi Hanna
Sorry my reply crossed with your reply, You are right, get the disaplin in the school first and then try different places. Youngsters should always lead 'correctly' even if they are just being led accross the yard.
 
Hmm will try the stamping and roaring, sounds like a good plan ;)

And will definitely try to get her up to the school this week so I can actually practice in a neutral environment.

She just really knocked my confidence today the little sod! Shes the first youngster I've ever really worked with and shes been so good so far - now will accept bit and bridle etc etc, but the leading is bothering me!

Will let you know how I get on! xxxx
 
You might have done this already, but sometimes teaching them to step back away from you is a good idea. Anytime she is getting bolshy you can turn get her out of your space by asking her to go back once she stands still away from you you can start walking again! She will soon get bored of being a prat.

Sounds horrible though, sometimes there is nothing for it but shocking them with a good bit of stamping and roaring. Possibly rope over nose to give a bit more pressure when you pull lead rope,
hope it works out, good luck
 
Hmm teaching her to step back would be a good plan, KM does alot about teaching them to move their feet individually when you ask them, but I'm not sure how to do that =[

Hannah xxxx
 
I know mine doesn't quite qualify as a youngster as he's 5 but as he hasn't done anything since a 2 year old I'm having to teach/remind him everything.

I've been using the KM principles but what I'm finding is he moves backwards beautifully and is good at coming forwards to me but when I want to lead him so he's walking alongside me he constantly hangs back and then tries to chew the lead rope! Any suggestions?

Sorry to OP for muscling in on her thread!
 
Puzzle chews the rope! But I think thats just her teething....

How did you get yours to move back? Just push or body language? And do you use a command for coming forward?

xxxx
 
I think I use a combination of both! I take a step towards him, say back and release the pressure on his rope as soon as he moves. If he's feeling co-operative he will go back on voice alone. He was taught this as a baby and I think he's remembered it as I've only been working with him for about a week and only in very short sessions in the field.
To come to me I walk back as far as I can and call his name and he just comes straight to me - I think he is so pleased to be having some attention he can't get to me quick enough!

He does a lot of yawning and licking which they say are submissive actions but I hate him chewing the lead rope as I worry he will get the clip caught in his mouth.
 
You may just be so concerned that you have to do things properly that you are being too tentative with her. It certainly sounds like you are overcomplicating things.
Just keep in mind that your role is that of the boss. If your youngster was rude with the alpha mare in the field she would react aggressively and immediately. Your youngster would be driven back with a harsh reprimand and some pain.

Whilst I am not saying you shoud dhurt her or be aggressive, you must be very assertive verging on aggressive if she ignores you. When you turn around and tell her to back off she must do it immediately, she will still love you - in fact if she sees you as a strong leader she will love you more.

My youngster is horrendously playful and follows me all the time, I have to have eyes in the back of my head when walking round the field. I have trained him to stop when I hold my hand up tho' very useful as I don't want to tell him off if he's just being friendly but I also don't want to be involved in any friendly fights.
 
I had exactly the same thing with my youngster, and he's a not so small trad cob lol.

Getting him to walk beside me was a right pain, he always wanted to walk right behind me and not a particular side. I found a quick flick on the bum with the lead rope would make him move forward, I would just be ready to calm him back down if he was a bit of a pleb, he got use to it quick enough.

Getting them use to giving you personal space is essential. Took a while with Harry, especially as he would throw himself around if he didn't like something, but we got there. A lot of poking him the side, just in front of his back hind, with alot of force to start off with, but he learnt that when I ask him to move over he had to move, and I can just gently press his behind to move him now.

As for backing up, I firstly taught by physically pushing his shoulder back. Doing it by a wall is good to try and reduce the spinning out. At the beginning, I had to put my hand on his chest to make him stop, then push him back for him to move, with a strong 'back' so he associated it. He will now stop when I ask without any physical touch and usually backup by voice, but not always. It takes a while, I must admit, but one day you'll just realise that it's all working :)

Teaching the personal space thing should help sort the rest, it definitely did with me. Harry is also my first youngster and I didn't have any experience but will perserverance and repetition, they do understand and love you just the same, if not more!! My boy would never come up to me in the field or have a play with me, but now he'll happily follow me, it's the best feeling! But he knows his place, and if he's naughty, a growl normally sorts him out.

Just take your time and work at your own pace, it's a great feeling once they're listening and I think makes your bond even stronger. Good luck :)
 
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