Horse with a mind of his own!?

Question

Yesterday I rode my horse for 45 minutes in the ring, next to my barn. He was perfect! He has the best ground manners in the world! Anyways, as a treat for working hard in the ring, I rode him out in the pasture as the sun was setting.

We rode about 50 ft into the pasture when he spun around towards the gate, bucked me off, and charged home towards the barn. He almost trampled my 7 year old cousin and 8 year old little brother! He has never done anything like this before. Plus, I'm almost certain he did not spook because the whole time I was going into the pasture he was all tense and pissy.

After catching him at the barn, I got on him and rode him back into the pasture, but he still wouldn't behave. It got dark and I had to abandon my disciplinary efforts.

What should I have done?

How can I correct this?

Is there any exercises that would help?

How do you punish your horse?

ps. 1 rein stop didn't work! He was going to the barn/ his horsey friend no matter what!

Answer 1

It sounds like you primarily ride your horse in the ring and then put him away.  So he is accustomed to that and thinks when you leave the ring, he doesn't have to work anymore.  He did not view your taking him to the pasture as a reward, he saw it as more work and he basically refused you.  You need to expose your horse to different riding areas so that he learns how to accept them.  He only knows what you teach him so his behavior is because of you.  You SHOULD NEVER PUNISH your horse or RIDE YOUR HORSE WHEN YOU ARE ANGRY.  It will not accomplish anything and certainly doesn't build your relationship with your horse.  You will have to work with him to get him to improve.  Be patient and ask him for completion of small steps and reward him for each step he accomplishes.  You have to let him know he is doing the right thing and he may not be able to give you what you want right away.  It is not in his nature and does not coincide with how he learns.  I have NEVER seen a horse that did not respond to a 1-rein stop IF THEY HAVE BEEN TRAINED to lateral flexion (step 1) followed by a 1-rein stop (step 2).   As humans, we will never be stronger than a horse.  That is why good communication and respect is so important.  You should change your thought pattern from "disciplining" your horse to "communicating" with your horse.  If your horse understands what you want and is happy in his work, you can accomplish anything.  Otherwise, he will never be happy around you and it will always be a struggle.  Be patient.  Good luck.

Answer 2

he went to the barn because he was tierd of being ridden and probably wanted to be fed. horses do not view being ridden in bigger spaces as a reward they view it as work, to reward a horse usualy you give them a break, cookie, or a good pat and soft spoken tone to let them know they were good. to correct the problem be firm with him and take him back to the arena and work him untill he's stoped miss behaving once he's stoped then give him a break and take him back to the barn. theres a first time for everything when it comes to horses.

Answer 3

you mentioned that the one rein stop didnt work,

so you might want to try vertical ((side to side)) flexing.

-what you do is take one side of the rein, pull it to your side and hold  it there. (you are trying to make him bend his neck)

he will probally just spin and not flex his neck to you...but hold the rein there until he STANDS STILL and bends his neck to the side you are holding. when he does flex,(making slack in the reins)  imedatily release preassure!! that rewards him, then you can pat him, tell him good... then try it again.. be sure to do both sides.

this exercise works wonders! it is good for every horse to know, like an emergence brake!!!

i hope i helped!

Answer 4

Barn sour, barn sweet, it all starts some where.  It sounds as if for your horse, it might have started just then. Try a light warm up and then a ride.  It could have been that he was off his game and felt the 45 minutes of work was enough, or he wants to be the boss.  The round pen might be a good place to start with the 'boss' issue.  If you don't have any experience with that type of training, seek out some one who does.  If he wins a few times, as he did before, through no fault of yours, the problem will grow.  It will be an easier fix now as apposed to later.  Hope you get it worked out.

Answer 5

Yes they do!!!!

Answer 6

first off...never ever punish your horse for something like this.  if he acts up, your just going to have to let him dot it and ride him through it.  just hang on! lol.  you should expect him to do this again, becuase he got rewarded for bucking you off, even though this wasnt your fault.  ride him in this area alot, he has probably not gotten used to being ridden outside of an arena.  he may also have been tired and pissy and wanted to go to the barn.  try riding him in the pasture before you ride in the arena.  and try bringing along a rock-steady duo with you that he may be likey to follow. or at least, a little.

or try lounging him in the pasture, but be sure he thinks its a nice expirence, so he will look foward to going out there instead of dreading being pushing in circles for hours.  maybe just take him out there and play with him, and just bond and get to know him better.  i have had my gelding for years, and sometimes i think i have him figured out and i realize i dont hardly know him.  but we have like alota trust and it takes a long time to get there.

h**l get better with time if your patient, i promise!

PS...no matter how much training you put on a horse, its still gonna be the same horse, you cant change its personality. its still gonna have a mind of its own, its a horse not a robot!

Answer 7

your horse learned that barn is home and that he doesnt want to go far from home. anytime he rears, put your weight as far forward to throw his balance off and make him stay on all fours, carry a whip with you and correct him to keep going in the path you want him too and if he tries to run home collect his neck into his shoulder and making im go around in circles till you get him slowing down then keep going into the direction away from the barn, doing this a couple of times will help him understand your not going to take it anymore. GoodLuck!

Answer 8

First thing people do is brush, baby and treat their horses for a job well done and they learn the barn is a safe haven for them. Try walking you horse to the area you want to go first gradually move up to riding him /her there and try unsaddling him/her in different places away from the barn so the horse never knows exactly when training is done. If he tries to spin then keep him spinning until you have his attention and do it over again. You will never be able to strong arm a 1000lbs beast but you can outsmart him.

Answer 9

How old is your horse?  For a very young horse, a 45 minute workout is pushing it.  For an older horse, 45 minutes can be boring and annoy the horse.  Is there anyone proficient at riding through a bucking episode that can safely take the horse out into the pasture next time he is ridden?  Bucking and bolting are very dangerous behaviors and you may need help to deal with this.  One who can stay on until the buck is out of him would do wonders to teach him that it is futile. He should be ridden directly to the pasture the next time he is ridden, and only ridden there.  If he bolts or bucks, it should be ridden out until the bucking ends, then circling until he tires of his "fit" and starts to listen  (some horses will even try to go down and roll to get you off, and some can run sideways despite your one-rein turn efforts)  The rider must be willing to risk allowing the horse to fall during his antics, and be expert enough to climb back on if he needs to vault off.  Once all the nonsense is past, he should be ridden only in the pasture for that day.  As soon as he is listening to the rider, and not displaying a lot of nervous energy, it is time to head back home. He should be required to walk quietly back toward the barn or arena.  If he starts to act up, he should not be allowed to continue toward the barn.  He should be turned away from the barn every time he starts to act up, and not headed back again until he is listening to the rider.  When he is turned away from the barn, he can be left to stand facing away, or walked a ways in that direction.  The goal is to allow him what he wants the moment he is willing to cooperate and do it your way. I'd repeat this every day until he calms down, and then try to find other riders to accompany you for longer rides outside of the arena that have nothing to do with working him...just relaxing rides.  Eventually, you will achieve what you originally intended, which is for him to see pasture riding as pleasant and rewarding.  I would not use a whip at all in this, unless your rider routinely uses it to whack the nose of a bucking horse...that would be the rider's call.

Answer 10

Barefoot's answer was good. I agree that he didn't see the pasture romp as a treat, but rather, an extension of his work period which, it appears, he thought was, or ought to be, over.

Couldn't tell if you ride him in that field on a regular basis.

You do need to change your mindset from discipline to correction.  He's just being a horse who is accustomed to a certain routine, which conflicted with your plans.  Remember that when you lose your temper, you lose your communication.

I've learned that the hard way over many years of frustration!  My first pony whom I got when I was eight, threw me three times the first week I had him home!  I've ridden hundreds and hundreds since then, and learn from each one.  I know how frustrated and furious you must have been when he ditched you and headed home.  At least you didn't have far to go to catch him. . . .

If I were you, first chance I had I'd tack up and head straight for the pasture.  It sounds like you're pretty tough,  but if you're apprehensive at all, you can work him in hand in the pasture to see how he behaves.  Had you ridden him in that field before?  If so, and he was fine, then it was probably just the timing that pissed him off.  As for stopping a bolting horse, the one rein stop should work if (as one poster said) you've worked on lateral flexion.  A full cheek snaffle is best for this.  II don't know how old/strong you are, but if you keep your feet out in front of you and use your weight as leverage, as well as arm strength, you should be able to keep him from getting his head down to buck, and to be able to pull him in a tight circle.  I have ridden some colts whom I could not prevent from getting their heads down or bolting, but I am 5'2" 115 lbs and they were only trained to do one thing - go straight, fast.

Once in the pasture, if mounted, I'd keep him moving, doing figure eights and small circles.  Keep him moving, at your chosen your speed, your direction.  When he's ready to stand still, facing away from the barn, let him stand. If he tries to move off before you ask, start the figure 8's and circles again.  You should me moving fast enough that he's concentrating on keeping his balance.  Think of this as a fun game while you're doing it, not punishment.  When he settles, let him walk around the perimeter.  Any jigging or pissiness, start the figures again, calmly and patiently.  Good luck.

Answer 11

Does he do this every time you try to ride in the pasture? My horse is wonderful in the ring which is by the barn, but nervous in the pasture (when the horses are all in the barn.) He used to behave very poorly, bucking etc. So, I worked on improving my relationship with my horse. I started riding him in more places than just the ring. He had to learn that I was boss, I am his friend, and he can go on a ride with me and be safe and happy. I would try just doing a pasture ride some days and see how he does. If he acts up, use your voice and your leg. Don't EVER let him get his way. If he tries to go back to the gate, don't let him. Use leg and rein and tell him "NO!" If he puts his head down to buck, push him forward and get that head up. Have somone close the gate behind you so he can't run out. If it ever gets to the point that you feel you are in danger, I suggest grabbing a lunge line and lunging him in the pasture so he will see that even if he acts up, he will still have to work in the pasture. Work on building trust and respect from your horse. Sometimes I just put the halter on my horse and we go for a walk around the neighborhood. This is huge because when I bought him he had never left his barn. If something was scary, we sniffed it and he saw i was ok. Point is, he is not used to riding outside of the ring wihtout other horses so you just have to expose pasture riding by yourselves to him more and he will eventually calm down.

Answer 12

Since he's never done this before, barn sour or not feeling like

working are unlikely.  

Does he happen to have a mare friend who's in heat?

Was he long past dinner time and resistant to even leave the riding area/ barn?

Do you live in an area where there are any wild animals or there could even be a dead animal in the field? AN animal rustling in the brush at sunset can un-nerve the best horse! Dear or fox unseen... just about anything.

Was the weather pattern changing or a wind bringing in a scent?

There's just so many things to set a horse off. I think sunset makes all known objects look like lions, bears, and tigers. It's good you got right back on and kept trying.

I'd have found where the problem started, the nerves and tenseness... then made my horse stand and face hi fear while I lightly touched or spoke. Even if he's being ornery, he'll get bored and want to take a step somewhere. Forward is allowed, no where else. If he, backs, keep tat nose where you want to go and he'll still have to stop in the same direction. Usually a horse will accept whatever the thing is and go past carefully, or forward. Progress is any time the horse will stand and chew a bit. no, the one reins stop does not always work.

After that, I'd have continued another time after ant sign my horse responded.

I have to wonder.... Where were his ears? Were they back on you or forward into the field? Where was he looking? Was he calling out?

I'd try this again.... a workout then a relaxing pasture ride... in the day light. If this happens again, then we know to look beyond a horsey bogeyman! :-)

GL!

Answer 13

Sounds like a classic case of a barn sour horse, like my Quarter. This happens frequently when an owner chooses to spend their riding time in the arena instead of on the trail, like I was doing. Trail riding is just as beneficial as arena work. There are a few things you can do to stop this.

First you can trailer the horse away from home and its barn. Spend many frequent hours riding trails and create a desire for him to want to roam and be a horse.

Second, go out with another rider. Horses are herd animals and will normally follow another horse even if they are barn sour. Once you are far enough away from your barn frequently put 50 yards distance between you and the second horse. Increase that distance as often as you can until the horse doesn't mind being alone on the trail away from the barn.

In regards to disciplining, there are all sorts of opinions and tools in which you can use. But lets face it a barn sour horse is the fault of an owner why discipline the horse for the condition that was caused by the owner. The horse needs to be re-educated and together find a love for trail riding. I am in the process of doing that to my barn sour Quarter, which we saved from slaughter.

Answer 14

Well, this horse is barn sweet, which means he runs for home. This is a bad habit that must be corrected. What I did was have my trainer stand where the horse TRIED to go, and she did not let her pass, but only at the trot. (I would NOT recomend this method for galloping.) I wouldn't punish your horse, just correct it.