Youngsters - (long)

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sunny001

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Hi All
Im new on here but have been reading posts for quite some time, im looking for abit of advice, i have a rising 2yr old irish draft x tb, hes lovely in all ways apart from his biting which i think we have just about sorted out think is quite normal for youngsters teething, but he is so stroppy in his stable i.e pushing past you, putting his ears back, he gets plenty to eat and he is turned out almost everyday so why is he being like this. Does anyone else have any issues like this and if so how did you stop it. Any help would be greatly appreciated. x
 
He's challenging your authority by the sounds of it. Teenage lout!!!

If he insists on pusing past you - tie him up (in the stable). We use a bungie on string for the youngsters. Growling at them is also a good one. As is a good old yell!

Also insisting that he stands when the stable door is open - and then asked to go back a few paces, stand and then walk out is a good way of getting them to respect you.

I'm not in to beating youngsters - who is?? But the ocassional thump does no harm.
 
Do you tit bit him? It drives me mad how people tit bit horses, TBH, it ruins them, makes them in your face with no respect. Sounds like he needs a bit of ground work, with a pressure headcoller, and lunging and longreining to make him more respectful.
 
Thanks for your replies. No he dont get any titbits, hes to big for those haha, if he gets any treats they are put in his feed bucket and put on the floor. I dont like associating hands with food, it hurts. He does hate being told off, hes had a smack or 2 but the more you tell him off the more he puts up a fight. He is in a pressure halter at the moment and is lovely to lead, we do now tie him up and he does listen to you when you ask him to move over etc, although he will scrape the floor a little bit then give in when he is ignored. Im not sure if im doing the right thing with him or not. I think alot of it is attention seeking, i have another horse and we have american style outdoor stables and he can see when im in with the other one and he will just box walk his stable. I dont agree on keep getting on at him but like you say he does need putting in his place. Im unsure as to whether he is happy being able to see other horses through the bars all the time, maybe he wants abit of his own time. Im confused.
 
When he tries to push past you, send him away from you (wave your arms/growl), hopefully he should turn away from you. Then stand quietly in the stable, side on to him ie. not looking at him and wait. He should then come round and want to make friends with you. Reward with a pat and much fuss ... not food!!

If this works for you, do it every time he is having a strop, he'll soon get the idea.
 
Mines nearly 5 and can still be a yob. I tie him up in his stable on a bungee if he starts to misbehave (kicking door and pushing around. Or I shut his top door. He soon behaves then. A short sharp tap on the chest does the trick as you then only have to pick up whatever you use and they get the message (Pippa F uses a hose pipe??!!)

I just have to be quite tough with him as he is a big lad and could easliy hurt me or someone else.

He is better then when I first bought him but still is into everything. LIke a toddler on fizzy pop. At the weekend he jumped out of his field (big metal 5 bar gate) as there was grass the other side, Not sure about what to do about this though.!!
Stick with him and some books are really helpful
 
Thanks all. He isnt really a bad lad but some days i could kill him haha. I think we all have them days. I wish there were easier ways to deal with him, Hes 15.3 and he aint 2 yet. How big would you guys expect him to make ? His sire is a full up 16.3 and his dam is a 16.1 x
 
My boy was horrid from 0 - 3 when he was broken he became a nicer horse over night! he just needs to keep is brain working or he starts looking for trouble! He used to bite he's now 13 and still nips only occasionally. trouble is he never puts his ears back or shows you his teeth so totally fools unsuspecting people! His mother was a right old bag though all you ever saw of her were the whites of her eyes & teeth, so I guess I should be grate full.
 
Chancer was a sweet chap until 18 months then he started to use his weight and barge etc - immediately bought in someone very experienced with youngsters who said normal - starting to try boundaries.

We started light ground work with him and taught acceptable manners using a mixture of traditional and NH methods. He did get a few flicks with a rope and a couple of times with a whip when he took no notice of the rope to make it very clear he did not squash or slam you into the wall.

I have always kept him doing something educational since - leave him in the field and he gets bored and starts being destructive and ill mannered. He is very quick to learn and is the sort that needs mental stimulation.

He is now just over 3 1/2 and going through a boundaries stage again pushing to see what he can get away with. I treat him firmly if he starts and make it 100% clear that bad manners will end up with a growl and if not obeyed then a flick from the rope, good manners mean a stroke and cuddle - he is the most affectionate little horse I have ever known.

He did try kicking out with front legs - I kicked him back on the offending leg harder each time - after a week he never did it again. He nipped me once and got my elbow hard on the nose - stopped him dead and never done again. People may not agree with what I did, but I have a horse that never kicks or bites or even looks at me in a threatening manner. Not because he is scared of me, but he knows I am the leader in our relationship.

Suggest it is time to start his education and install what is acceptable behaviour as quickly as possible - he is going to be a big lad and the big horses should have the best manners as their size makes them potentially so much more dangerous.
 
I would be tempted to do some ground work with him-in hand. Give him something to think about and teach him some manners. You could even do it in the school, just getting him to back away from you when told to, walk and stand on command. Will also come in handy when you start to back him! With some of ours at work we use a rattle on the end of a stick, so rather than shouting or smacking them we shake it and they suddenly stop what they are doing and listen to you. Might be worth a try?
 
Thank you all so much for your help. I dont like getting on at him so i will try a few of these methods and see how we get on.
thanks again x
 
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