Youngster turned away, now come back hooligan!

[Marley&Me]

Hi all.

My youngster (ish) as he is now pushing 6, though broken as a 4.5 year old, has been turned out at grass for a few months doing no work apart from walking in hand. He has become such a hooligan it is unreal.

He is a traditionl cob and a sensitive soul but he uses his body weight to walk all over people....almost literally. He has gone from polite and easy going to a coiled spring!

He is back a square one with things like picking up his feet, leading and putting rugs and tack on....anyone would think the turnout rug was going to eat him. When tied up in the yard he is breaking anything in his reach...he managed to get his lead rope caught under the top of the stable door and pull it off the wall!..amongst other things.

I decided to bring him back in as though the plan was to turn him away until feb, he was bored and dropping off, and becoming a bit of a thug.

I know he is 6, so not a proper baby but as he is really green he is more like a 4.5 year old in his experience.

Can I have some tips/reassurance is this typical of what ponies can be like after turning away? and is it simply a case of starting again with manners, ground work etc etc.

 

[Cortez]

Not typical after turning away necessarily, but typical of 6 year olds! Sometimesthis is when they seem to have a bit of a teenage moment: discipline may be required, work certainly is. Good luck!

 

[Merrymoles]

Agree with above - they can be a bit bolshie at 6 as they have developed their own confidence and think it's OK to be a yob! The only consolation is that it might take you less time to "break" this time as it all re-establishes itself in his tiny brain - not being rude here, that's tiny brain as in teenage brain rather than none - am a former cob owner myself. The other thing is that some cobs do take longer to mature than other horses so don't despair!

 

[Marley&Me]

Not despairing! Just planning what action to take. Naughty boy!

Any one else got/had an unruly 6 year old? What did you do to sort them out?

 

[be positive]

He sounds like he needs working, it needs to be interesting so he uses his brain to concentrate on what you want him to do, stimulate him use poles, lots of transitions, leg yielding. The sessions do not have to be long but he should feel as if he is using himself either mentally or physically, push him at times it can do wonders for both you and your horses confidence to achieve something new.

 

[Bikerchickone]

I could be wrong but sounds to me like he's getting bored! My 4 yr old is the same. Turned away or not doing much she can be a demon, but in work and learning new things her brain is engaged and doesn't have time to think about being naughty! I'd try more/different work and just be firm but fair with the discipline. My cob turned out to be a total star about everything but he was never turned away completely because he too would get bored and it's proven to be the same with my filly too.

Good luck with getting him sorted.

 

[TigerTail]

http://www.intelligenthorsemanship.co.uk/books/202-kelly-marks-perfect-manners.html

Id get the above book to give you some ideas on stopping the bolshy behaviour. My mare is 6 this year and quite a dominant mare so used to be under the impression I was the one who needed pushing about! Now we have the roles reversed, and i am consistant in everything I do with her she is 100% better

Id also be looking at his feed and cutting out any sugar as he doesnt need it and it could be fuelling the naughtiness.

 

[Foxy girl]

I'm having the exact same problem, but my 'turning away' was only for a month!! I had to move my 6 yr old cob to other grazing due to building works at home. He's more or less turned feral!! Hard to catch, impossible to lunge, bolshy and spooky. My lovely bombproof loveable hairy friend has gone! Hoping to get him back home this weekend and start some serious work - I tink he's bored, trying it on (like another poster said - having a teenage moment). Really hoping work will bring him back to his lovely self.

Good luck!