Back Into Training?

Question

I have a horse farm, but my friend just gave me a two year old Clydesdale. She said hes ready for training. His name is Santa, and hes really cute but he is extremely nervous. Hes been mistreated. He only trusts me, but just barely. How do I train him to trust humans again? I'm being kind to him, and I'm an expert trainer, but he either runs away, rears or puts me or him in a dangerous position. I've never had such a frightening horse! Please help!

Answer 1

I know you say you are an expert trainer but clearly you are in over your head right now or you would not be posting for help. You are probably going to need to find a trainer experienced in working with these problems. I don't know that anyone is going to be able to give you advice via the Net that can effectively stop these behaviors. These kinds of things often require a pro to come in and see the horse and how you are handling and managing the behaviors first hand. Obviously, a horse who does the behaviors you describe such as rearing and running away can seriously injure himself or humans. Please get some professional help ASAP! Ask your vet or other horse owners for the names of trainers in your area that have helped horses with these issues.

Answer 2

I agree with the poster above. It does sound like you're in over your head, it's good that you can recognize that his behavior could be dangerous to you or himself. I actually think fear/trust issues can be more difficult to overcome than aggression. It's a shame what can happen to a horse in the wrong hands. Good luck and please be careful.

Answer 3

I know in England this trainer is not as popular but his name is Clinton Anderson (www.clintonanderson.com). His methods are wonderful and you can see the results within a few weeks. It teaches horses respect and basically emphasizes that they listen to you and should trust you as their leader.

My horse was in the same situation except a little older. He was broke but is so nervous that he freezes and then bolts. This behaviour was so unexpected and luckily at my barn there are some wonderful people who were willing to help. They introduced me to Clinton Andersens methods and it was seriously a life saver! My horse was overly sensitive at his sides and ears and everytime I would ride he would freak when I touched his sides with my legs. Now he is responsive but not overly so and he is a pleasure to ride. I still incorporate Clinton's methods into my weekly program.

Other natural horsemanship methods may also work, such as Parelli or Tellington-Jones methods. I can fully back up any natrual horsemanship methods and I love them!

Answer 4

Does the running away and rearing happen during just basic contact such as when leading or turning out, grooming, etc. ?If so I would highly recommend getting help from someone who can show you how to establish yourself as the "alpha" using natural horsemanship (Monty Roberts) . If your new horse is nervous but easily manageable except when you are trying to train him (I'm assuming for riding) I would give him time to settle in (you don't say how long you have him) and establish a bond with him during normal day to day care. You may need to access your breaking to saddle technique and your approach to him as you may be going to fast or not doing all the things that are important. It is hard to access  from afar. Does he long line yet,  has a bit even been placed in his mouth? If he is acting dangerously when you are just picking his feet or leading him in or out you really need another professional  who has dealt with this to help you out.  In general people don't realize how important it is to handle foals properly and have them in a routine from birth to breaking. You can't just toss them out in a field, forget them and bring them in at 2 or 3 and start breaking them and think it is going to be easy. I believe it is important to start horses under saddle when they are yearlings even just for a little while (non-racehorses, since all racehorses start as yearlings and continue to train) so they have an understanding of the process even if you want to give them more time to grow and mature before going on in their training. Then when you bring them back it is so much easier.