Herd bound problems?

Question

I recently bought a 5 yr old horse that was working out fine until I starting having problems with him not paying attention to me and trying to get back to his buddies when I had him seperated to groom, tack, or work with him. He has been fine for the first 3-4 weeks, now he would just assume walk over me while tacking him to get into the arena where one of the other horses is or to the gate to get back outside to the pasture. I have attached a chin chain to the lead rope to make him back up and then bring him forward, stop, and then repeat again after praising him for compling with what I asked. He is a mild mannered horse until it comes to him wanting to be with his buddies. How can I over come this and will it continue to be a problem? I am a fairly new rider with 3 years training myself.

Answer 1

it sounds to me like he has made his way up in the pecking order of the herd. you need to get him out more. i dont know how many times a week you actually work with him and groom him but it seems to me that its not enough. he sees the other horses as better friends than you are to him. that really shouldnt be true. you should have the biggest bond with him over all. to accomplish this. try working in some horsemanship into his and your schedule.

http://www.montyroberts.com/

to learn more about monty roberts and see more of what he does, search him on youtube and youll be amazed. here is one of my favorites on youtube of him.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=uGsOV_eOYXk

i hope i helped! good luck!! and have fun!

Answer 2

This is a big problem for alot of folks, as horses are gregarious and love their buddies. Even the ones they love to hate!  I am thinking that this horse knows he can intimidate you with bad behavior to get back to his friends.  If you could find a more experienced rider to work with him a little.  A stronger handler, who will tack him up and not put up with his nonsense.  Then that person get on him and ride him around and by his friends, demanding attention and good behavior. It will work, but will take time and a very strong rider to make him become your horse, not your friend who wants to be with his friends.

Answer 3

If you know anything about round pen training or know soeone who does, use this method. It doesn't matter if the horse can see out of the pen or not in fact it is better if he can see, hear and smell the others. Round pen the animal the usuaul way. Again if you  dont know how you must find someone who does. It would take a full book to explain it here. In short, everytime you let the animal rest, stand by him and pet him etc. As soon as he shows interest in any way to the herd you must "send him off." Let him rest again and relax while he's near you. The horse will get the idea that standing next to you he can relax and when he shows interest in the herd he must move.

  In absence of a round pen and the knowledge how to use it you can do other things to make the horse want to be with you more than the herd. First you must seperate him from the herd and just allow him to be with one other horse. You must make frequent trips to the field just to visit. When you do, you should pet the horse and bring him treats. DO NOT EVER FEED A HORSE FROM YOUR HAND!!! It causes them to nip at people. Drop the treats on the ground and make sure he knows where it is. He gets the benefit from the treat and he will associate your visits with the treats. But you must also make him respect you, not just want to be with you.

  Some people go to the field or barn to get their horse for one reason. To ride it. This is a huge mistake. You must get the horse out of the field often and not ride him, and walk him out of the field for no reason at all other than to be with him. When a horse realizes every time he sees you he must get a saddle on and be worked he will associate you with work. Get the horse from the field and walk him away from the other horses and just spend time with him. Also go to the field, put your hand on your horse and then LEAVE. He will eventually get the idea that every time you go to the field it is not necessarily a bad thing. There is much more to it than this but there is not the room or the time.

Answer 4

I follow the Clinton Anderson's training methods, this is one that has worked GREAT for our herd bound horses.  It can also be used for barn or gate sour horses.

Get the horse as near as you can to the other horses, and either put him on a longe line and canter him in fast circles or ride him in fast circles.  Work him hard until he cannot move, then lead him away, let him rest briefly, bring him back near the others and work on backing.  Then lead him away, let him rest, pet him, and do some less strenuous riding (walk, slow trot).  If he tries to go back to the herd, work him hard again, leading him away to let him rest.  It might take more than one session, but he will get it.  Buddies=hard work.  No buddies=rest.  Good luck :).

Answer 5

ok well you got a good start. I have a horse with the same issue. Dont let that horse walk all over you! Saftey comes first and if that horse is in your space bubble do what ever you can to get him out!! Your 5 year old has to learn YOU are the dominate one . I did alot of ground work before i got in the saddle. It showed her i was in charge and then she didnt fight me as bad.

In the saddle this is an exercise:

get a friend on a horse and go to a place with enough riding distance.  Start out at a walk, and walk next to eachother, make both horses work. Then take them apart (not very far, just to where they can still see eachother but cant "get" to them) and allow them to rest.  Keep doing this and get further apart after they are satisfied with their distance. After you do this a while your horse wont want to really be around other horses, because he has to work. But dont worry it dosent mean you cant ride with anybody anymore it just stops him from thinking he needs to be with another horse!

After awhile you would do the same thing, except when you come apart make the other horse go a far distance away and see how far they can go beore your horse starts acting up again. If you are in the ring and he starts neighing or what ever, dont even think about him and keep him working. Dont get stressed out or afraid because that will affect on your horse!

hope this helped, wish you luck!

Answer 6

I actually keep my horses in different pastures, and it works wonders. But It helps to give horses a hard workout near the other horses, and then when you ride away , let him rest. It helps him associate being away with rest. Another thing is to go away a short distance, and come back, then go a little further, and come back, and just repeat that.

Answer 7

Saddle, bridle him where there are no horses around.  Take him in a round pen (one that has solid sides so he cannot see outside)  Many trainers use this type of pen because then they have the horse's full attention.

Answer 8

You need to gain this horses respect and for a bond with him.  He needs to understand that YOU are on top of the pecking order, and he is subservient to you.  When he learns to respect you, he will learn to trust you.  

Horses are herd animals, and being so prefer to be with members of their herd, so they are safe.  You have to teach your horse that YOU are the top member of his heard, and that me require separating him into a pasture by himself, that way he will look forward to your visits, but only if you prove to be the leader of that herd.  Once you establish that you are the leader, you can re-introduce him into a group pasture, and should not have any problems.  If you have access to a round pen, work him in it, and make him do what you want him to.  If you want him to go right, make him go right.  Making him move his feet when you say will establish your dominance over him and his respect for you as a leader, and it will strengthen the bond you two have.  After you've done this for a while you should have no problems with him being herd bound.  Just keep working with him.

Answer 9

The best way I have found yet is to tie them up for a 3 or 4 hour period away and out of site of the other horses.  Then take an hour grooming them after they have calmed down.  Typically these horses will then begin to pay attention and bond to the person grooming them.

I will probably get thumbs down for this but it does work.