Getting my 13 yr old arab to move forward?

Question

I have a 13 yr old arab, I have rode him out before when I first got him and he listened well before he got to know the other horses, and now he is being stubborn. It's like if he don't want to go forward he will just stand there whether I am kicking him or not. I tried to smack him on his but with reins, and my hand and he pins his ears back, and bucks his hind quarters up when I hit him with my hand and he still won't go. Not sure if he will blow up or not, but he is pretty laid back as far as an arab and hasn't so far, any suggestions or helpful tips I could try to get him to move?

This is happening even with another horse in the same riding arena (outdoor) with him and the other horses are close by as well.

Answer 1

Sounds like he's pretty spoiled.  They figure people out pretty quickly, especially Arabs - they're so smart.  You need to get him moving by pulling him off balance, and the timing of your use of the dressage whip has to be right, and you need to be prepared for a buck, which is his way of thumbing his nose at you, and respond with another spank with the whip (not brutal).  It sounds like you would really benefit by having someone more experienced reschool him, and then give you a few lessons.

Answer 2

Check his feet for rocks, sores, etc. The saddle to make sure it's fitting properly, not too tight or loose, sticker/thorns, etc. Make sure the bridle is fitting properly, no twists or pinches, etc.  Have a horse person help you check everything if your not exactly sure.

Have a farrier check his shoes & feet.

A vet check his muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments, etc. Arthritis might be kicking in...

If all is well, be CALM, FIRM and SQUEEZE!

Squeeze your legs, horses move away from pressure.

Make sure you're sitting properly. Sit tall and straight, with your butt pushed out then roll your hips forward till your sitting on your butt bones.

When you squeeze make sure you are looking straight forward and move your body a little forward like your expecting him to move.

Also be sure you are doing a proper warm up and cool down.

You could always do a warm up on the ground to get him pumped up a little.

Get all his gear on, then walk him a lap or two, trot him a lap or two, (all on the ground) then hop on and go!

Answer 3

I would suggest getting short spurs, like an inch long and a dressage whip or riding crop. Try just squeezing him with your legs and getting up in a 2-point position. If he doesn't go, "love tap" him with your whip. If you don't want to use a crop, use a dressage whip (there is almost no way to make it hurt with one of these). It will just surprise him and teach him to listen to your leg. Don't give up if he bucks. Whack him again and squeeze harder with your legs. You have to be calm about it, even if you're not lol. Last resort- kick him and smack him!

Answer 4

Have you tried asking him to move foward on the ground such as lunging? That can help you to teach cues such as move forward and whoa. If you dont know how to lunge and want to fix the problem from the saddle try doing hind end yeilds. That should put his mind from refusing to working. For more in dept info. I suggest visiting trainer home pages. Marvewalker.com and Wayofthehorse.com are good ones.

Answer 5

I would use a crop or whip or spurs. When he buck turn him a circle and keep kicking

Answer 6

Arabians are smart and whether you are teaching them something good or bad everything we do with them teaches them something. Horses by nature and mind don't have the capacity to just think I want to be stubborn. They can be lazy or learn not to respond to a cue because they don't understand and eventually give up trying to figure it out. Your horse just ignores your requests, I imagine he ignores others or soon will. Its time to get off his back and start some lunging for respect in the round pen. The first thing you need to teach him is to go forward when you request. Think about hores on horse behavior for a minute. If the boss horse of the heard moved in to the space of a less dominate horse would the less dominate horse just stand there? No of course not because the dominate horse would immediatly follow his request with a bite, kick or shove. If the dominant horse didn't follow up his request what would happen? Well the least dominant horse would know he doesn't have to listen to him anymore. You are like the latter part of this description, your horse has learned he doesn't HAVE to listen to you. Your not the dominant horse and he is telling you that by ignoring your request to go forward. If you get him in the round pen and do specific moves to have him move out of our space, go forward, turn away from you etc. If you lunge him and he decides to stop or ignore you despite your clucking take the lunge whip and tap him in the fetlocks until he moves his feet. When he starts moving tell him good boy. Ask him to stop, and then cluck again to go forward. If doesn't respond tap him again with the whip at his fetlocks. I know this sounds mean but the point of all of this is to get him going forward when he hears you cluck, not when you have to get to the point you tap him with the whip. Some horses if you cluck they ignore you but if they see you come towards them with the whip and clucking they move off without your ever having to touch them with the whip. The important part of this lesson is YOU tell him when to stop. In the beginning you may only ask him for a few walk strides and ask him to stop. The point is you want to ask him to stop before he thinks about stopping on his own. This will take several weeks and you will have to practice and move in to cueing him to a trot and canter. Teach him the words for the gaits as well. I would recommend any of the Parelli Methods and also Ryan Gingrich's go forward command. Both have DVD's on their website that could help you. Good luck.