My horse barges me over and rears should i use these to help?

Question

i want to use a stud chain with his halter for when i take him from his paddock because he sometimes rears and chucks a fit at me for leaving his paddock mates.

should i bring a dressage whip aswell to accompany it

and what should i do about him purposefully breaking the bailing twine when he is tied up, he just yanks on his lead rope and snaps it, soemtimes he runs off

Answer 1

Yes and yes for the first two questions.  Use the stud chain (get a long one) by feeding it through the halter (on the side), over the nose, through the other side of the halter and back to the buckle on the stud chain that attaches to the lead.  This is less severe than other methods.

As for as the whip.  Get a lunge whip.  Rap him smartly on the shins each time he rears.

For the tying.  quit with the baling twine.  Tying a horse so that it can break away with ease is not a good thing.  You tie a horse so that it can be RELEASED with ease.

Answer 2

Yes you should carry both.  

When he barges over you, pop the chain a few times and make him back up about 10-15 feet.  If he will not back, keep popping the chain until he does or tap him on his lower legs until he does.  Anything to get him to move backwards and let him know that you mean business. Do this every single time. Both of these behaviors are VERY dangerous, and need to be stopped ASAP.  Be prepared for him to act up every time you lead him, so always keep the chain attached to his halter.

As for tieing him, tie him with something that will not break.  I would NOT put him in cross ties to begin with, because if he pulls back and panics he could easily flip over.  If I have one that wants to fight being tied, I tie them ALL the time.  It will also help a lot with your other problems.  It teaches respect when YOU tie him and leave him then YOU go and get him.  Feed him in the morning, then tie him with a sturdy rope and leave him all day.  Come back and get him in the evening and feed him. (obviously check on him during the day).

When he rears, do the same thing as with him running over you just pop the chain more, and use the whip on his legs.  If he is rearing high enough and you are comfortable doing it, pull him over to the side!  It really is the best cure for them.

Good luck, and if you can't get these problems solved soon I would definitely find a trainer.  He has a serious lack of respect for you and you are going to get hurt.  If he is a stallion, GELD HIM!  Good luck!

Answer 3

Take him to a trainer or vet IMMEDIATELY. Rearing is very dangerous not only not the horse, but to you and other people around. His out of control behavior implies that he believes that he is the leader and not you. Have someone train him to stay calm and obedient, because he is dangerous the way he acts. If he is a stallion, consider getting him gelded to destroy some of the aggressive behavior

Answer 4

I wouldn't use a stud chain.  All in all they are ok, but are ineffective at times.  You can try it but I have a stud and also a few mares....it has prooved to not phase any of them when they are in such moods.  I would get back to your basics.  Lots of ground work.  You need to show him whos boss.  When he rears like that ....IMMEDIATLY take a whip and use it on his chest.  YELL very loud to get his attention and pull him over.  If he rears, pull him over to one side knocking him down.  He will be like, what the heck.  You have to be forefull and YOU be the DOMINANT one.......

Answer 5

It bothers me to read the approving advice from so many.  I had hoped we were evolved beyond such torture tactics.  I don't blame the horse if he completely flips out when you resort to this.  Your horse needs training with a professional who hopefully uses methods more along the natural horsemanship lines...rope halter and lead for control and patience to systematically teach respect.  The cure for behavior problems doesn't come via harsher and more torturous treatment...all that does is create an animal that can't wait for the chance to fight back.  Submission to escape pain doesn't teach the horse to respect your space.  In fact, it doesn't teach anything.

Answer 6

It sounds to me like you really need to work on groundwork. I had sorta of the same probelm when i first bought my horse Lady. I would Diffently say bring a dressage whip when you get him out. But you need to do some groundwork and let him know YOU are in charge.

Answer 7

I would use the stud chain. I'd probably keep a shorter whip tucked in my boot or back pocket, but thats just because I'm not coordinated enough to carry a dressage whip and a lead rope at the same time!

Be careful about tying him up on something unbreakable, since  he's used to being able to break away. He might get into a panic when it doesn't break. Perhaps try crossties with an emergency release - and make sure you can get at it quickly? I'd keep a leadrope on him while grooming too, so you have something to grab if he tries to get away.

Remember to reward good behavior, not just punish the bad. Sounds like hes a smart one!

Answer 8

Beejr and Jeff have it right.  Just want to add that when you shank him with the stud chain  for barging and ignoring you, he may rear in response, so be sure your leather (or rope) is long enough that you will be out of range if he decides to strike or paw while in the air, and DON'T pull on the shank while he's in the air, as he may flip over backwards, but, if you can, whap his legs while he's up.  You can have boots on his legs if you want, as the noise alone can be enough, if you're worried about breaking the skin.  This can be tricky, you have to be quick.  Stay calm, and be persistant.  Rearing takes a lot of energy, and if he gets no satisfaction by doing it, he should stop.

As for the tying, definitely no cross tying.  You can tie him somewhere to start where he'll back into a wall when he starts to pull back, but the best and safest way is to  run a long rope through a high tie ring, and stand apart from him holding the other end.  Put pressure on the halter via the rope, when  he starts to pull back, keep the same pressure (feeding rope) but at the same time, tap his hind quarters till he moves forward,  and immediately realease the pressure.  eventually tie him off, and stand with a long whip, waiting for him to think about backing up.  Might take 500 repetitions. . .This takes time and is labor intensive, but it's one way to retrain a horse who has learned to pull back.  There are other methods using inner tubes and sacks around the horses poll or girth, etc, but I've been pretty successful with the first method.  There's not really a quick fix for horses that pull back, and it will be a while before you can trust him left alone.  The Blocker tie system thingamajig works really well.   Good luck and be careful.

Edit:  2 weeks off and working with him will definitely help if you do it right.  If you have a round pen, and know how to use it to establish your dominance, it will make a big difference.  If you  know how to roundpen a horse correctly (not running him around and around, but using your body language to control him completely, in a calm way), you will finish the end of two weeks with a horse who respects and trusts you, and is much happier and safer to be around.  

If you don't have a roundpen you can still achieve a lot, using the shank and dressage whip, and teaching him, by lots of repetition, to pay attention to YOU only, to walk when you walk, stop when you stop, back when you ask, etc. etc., all parts of his body to move when you ask, and to do all this with the slightest body language.  And especially to drop his head when you ask, since he's prone to elevate his front end. Just takes good timing and patience and time.

Answer 9

You have some obvious holes in your horses training, but being aggressive "whip & nose chain" won't get the respect you need to have with this horse it will get you more resentment and possibly more violent behavior. Try natural horsemanship methods in your training if you are intrested in creatin a horse that doesn't need a nosechain or whip to be safe around, if you don't have the experience to work with him then find a natural trainer to work with both of you and don't worry about what other people think or say. Sounds like he needs to want to be with you more then his buddies. If you came at me with a whip and a stud chain I wouldn't want to go either.

Answer 10

you could do something called the Join Up.  You need a round pen though.  but anyway,  what you do is turn your horse loose in the round pen  and make him run.when he turns his ears toward you as if he was listening keep him going.  then once he lowers his head, keep him going then the final sign is he starts chewing.  or it just lookes like he is chewing.  turn around and wait.  if he comes up to you calmly put the lead back on him.  if he does not, then start all over. this may take time but it is worth it. oh, and do not make eye contact with him. keep doing it the following days.  it will become quicker each time. the Join Up will gain his trust, and practice every day taking him in and ouut of the pasture. when he comes out, even with a fit, give him some kind of food he likes.

Answer 11

well obviously rearing is dangerous, so i think that perhaps you should consider using the stud chain for at least a little while, to try and break the habit. he just needs to be reminded that you are the boss. the dressage whip might also help if he's refusing to move. a little flick across the rump should do the trick, but be careful and watch he doesn't just rear again. i wish you all the best with him :)

Answer 12

i dont know wether this is true or not so be careful if you try it, but apparently rearing horses can be cured by smacking them hard on the head when they rear and pouring a bit of water on it afterwards.

this makes the horse believe it has hit its head on something and that it is bleeding.

this should stop the horse from rearing in the future.

if not i dont know what to do. :)

Answer 13

Never tie any horse with a piece of baling twine!  Also don't use a breakaway halter - same effect.  He'll just learn to break it and run off.  You're just teaching them to fight being tied.  The whole purpose of tying is to get them to stay where you put them.  Use a quick release knot so you can release it when YOU want to release it. but don't panic and release it just because he's pulling.  Only pull the quick release knot if he's in serious difficulty - foot over the line or something.

For the quick release knot, a round style lead rope is better than a flat one.  The flat ones tend to get so tight from pulling you can't release them.  The smoother rope ones are also easier to release, or you can quick release snaps.  I use the quick release snap and the quick release knot, just so I can always reach something, but then I'm paranoid! ;)

There are two kinds of aggressive horses:  those that are just plain aggressive and those that are aggressive when they're afraid.

If he's the first kind, yes, get a stud chain and a dressage whip and use them.  Use your voice and yell at him when he misbehaves.  Don't hit him in the legs or head, but anywhere else is fair game.  If you're not willing to use them, get someone in who is.  Rearing horses are dangerous.

If he's the 2nd kind (which sounds doubtful, but you never know), speak gently and encourage him to go forward softly.  Hold the lead  rope in your right hand, the dressage or lunge whip in your left.  Standing at his shoulder, give him the signal to to forward.  Be patient, give him a little time.  Then, if he doesn't move, face forward, concealing the whip, and reach behind you with your left hand and give him a little sting on the haunches.  When he jumps forward, praise him and try to keep moving.

For the next two weeks, I would seriously practice with him on being tied up and on leading well and respecting your space.  No cross ties yet, he's not ready for them, but tie him up to groom him, tie him up to feed him, tie him up for tacking up (if you can; some horses are so cinchy you can't).  Lead him everywhere.  Up and down the stall row, in the driveway, to the field, around the field, out of the field - just anywhere you can.  Discipline every time he resists or invades your space - not harsh discipline, just enough to get the point across.  Where a hard hat since he's a rearer, and be very, very careful.

Think seriously about whether you're up to the task or not.  If not, get a trainer come help you learn to handle him, or even to break the horse of the habit.