My horse has been acting up? 10 pnts.?

Question

he axually has a few problems. well i'll explain, i been around horses my whole life, but he is my first horse. So at the beggining we had some problems, i mean i was new and wasnt taking the role as the "herd leader" but then we started making progress, i could ride him confidently, and felt very relaxed and comfortable around him. but the last week its like its went back to the beggining. After about 45 min. of riding around my feild he just runs to the gate and i pull on his rains the whole time but it doesnt stop him. also he bit my step dad today when he was leading around his daughters on him. hes never done that before, when i get on him he takes off walkin before i can get my other foot in the sturup. even when i say whoa and pull back on the reins, its like he has a problem stoping. adventually i am having a girl coming out to give me lessons, just gotta wait for a few more checks. but i dont know what the problem is. sorry this is long. but think you. 10 pnts. best answer!!

Answer 1

I know what you mean about not stopping and walking as soon as you put your foot in the stirrup my pony used to do that. I couldn't get on her for 2 days!! but then i got my act together and started thinking... My answer to the problem was:

Walking when mounting:

mount quickly even if he starts walking use a box or something so u can just slip into the saddle if he starts walking when you get on stop and back him up about 5 steps then sit in the saddle while he is standing still if you feel him starting to move forwards when you want him to stand still back him up anpther 5 steps wait until the horse stands still for a while. Dismount and repeat until your horse gets the point! when he does it right start riding. It may take a while but trust me its worth it!

Not stopping:

This is easy, When you want him to stop start by asking him nicely just by a little pressure on the reins. If he doesn't stop put more and more pressure on the reins. When he stops back him up and go straight back into a walk trot or canter. Repeat this process until he gets the point. My horse now, with just a little pressure on the reins, stops immediately and gets ready to back up!

Biting:

This is tricky but what you have to do is to get it onto the horses head that biting is strictly against the rules. You can either punish or make him think that if he bits he will hurt himself. What i did is i tried to talk to my pony sternly but she didn't listen. but then one day i was doing the girth up and she turned around to bite and my elbow was out and she hit her muzzle on my elbow really hard, of course it was completely by accident, but she has never tried to bite me again even when im doing the girth up!

Gate:

He obviously wants to go back to his paddock and relax but don't let him! If he starts running towards the gate Try to stop him if he doesn't then wait until you get to the gate when he stops turn him around and canter or even gallop the opposite   direction that way he will learn that there is no point in going to the gate. When he is obeying you and doing what you want him to do then reward him by dismounting, untack, good groom and let out in the paddock. REMEMBER! do not ride him through the gate, dismount and lead him to the gate and out to the untacking and grooming place.

Hope it helps!

Answer 2

get his teeth and back and tack checked there may be a problem that he might be trying to tell you.

Answer 3

if you always stop riding in the same place, (behind the gate) he will go directly to it. my horse used to do the same, but now i get off in a different place everyday. after a couple times doing this he will start listening to where you want him. when you get off just loosen the cinch, do not take the saddle off if it is a far walk. when he starts walking when you get on, make him stand for about a minute before you go. he is just walking off because you never just sat on him a while before taking off, so now he thinks that is what you want.

Answer 4

Don't ride him until you see the trainer, just work with him on the ground

GOOD LUCK!!

Answer 5

He sounds like he's getting more dangerous to handle. I'm glad you're going to work with a trainer. You probably shouldn't ride him until you get some help, because he's getting increasingly more out of control. If he hasn't been seen by the vet, make sure you get him checked out. Sometimes behavior problems are based on health problems, so you should have that ruled out before the trainer works with him.

In the meantime, stay safe, don't put any kids on him, and work on his ground manners if you can do that and stay safe.

Answer 6

People do not want to know to the truth, you are messing up your horse, maybe by being to nice. And the herd leader c**p. have you not seen horse turn out, some just like to fight. You are the rider and BOSS. Recheck the bit in his mouth, you may have to get a harsher bit. When you can stop your horse, teach him the leg aids, you squees a Little to go, and a lot to stop.You do not squeeze your legs to make a horse run, as that is the first thing a person does falling on, squeezes there legs to try to stay on and the horse think they want him to fun. Start over with your horse and let him know who is BOSS. I think that I have answers some of your e-mails about horses before. A lot of people here think that I might be to ruff, but I did not have problem with my horse, any any one could ride them. Get somebody that can ride, and have then work the h**l out of the horse a couple of time, and see how they ride,and then try doing to same. If the horse stars to act up again, have the rider come back and ride him sone more.

Answer 7

A lack of breaks is a lack of respect. My horse was leaning on the bit ( he still stopped and stuff but his turning sucked) so my trainer suggested lunging him with the bit in his mouth and tying his reins so that while he was trotting in the round pen he had to give to the bit. You want the reins to be pulling slightly on the mouth so that when he gives with his head he gets slack. To do this you need long reins and someplace to tie them off on the saddle. The lunging ring is a great way to teach brakes because you can make them stop a lot easier when you have a whip in your hand blocking any forward movement. Teach him WHOA! while in the round pen my trainer always tells me to say it short quick and deep like ya mean it. WHile he is running at a trot  pick a spot that you want him to stop at and when he is about to get there move sideways forming a triangle with him being a safe distance away and put the whip out from your side (you should be facing him) and say Whoa! Eventually he will learn to stop on a voice command enough that he knows when you say that it is time to start slowing down and with his new found bit sensitivity when you start pulling on the reins he needs to stop. A great way to stop him biting other people is to keep a crop or lead rope nearby and each time you see him getting ready to bite pop him one on the side or under the chest. It is all about respect with horses, because putting fear into them only lasts so long. At the moment he has none for you (don't feel bad mine didn't used to either lol) and that is a problem. I think that until you have the trainer just work him in the arena, you should see some improvement but only move on once he is fully responding in the ring. Then you can reward with a trail. A good way to teach him to not run away with you is to do just walking trails the first few times and then practice running and stopping in areas where you feel you have control. If he ever takes away with you grab either rein in both of your hands and pull his nose to your knee, this both calms him down and makes it impossible for him to go anywhere but in circles because they have to follow their nose. Hope this helps!!

Answer 8

How long has it been since his teeth were floated? Have you had your saddle fit checked? Have you had a vet look at him? Is he only nasty when he has a saddle on? Do you stop riding when he runs back to the gate? He sounds back sore and barn sour to me. Maybe try an equine chiropractor. When my horses are sore, they tend to act up more. The chiropracter has really been a huge help for them. I would get him checked out and see what the problem is. If he is not having any problems, don't stop riding him! Varry your ride times. Go out one day and ride for 50 minutes. Even if he runs back to the gate - DON'T GIVE UP AND GO BACK IN. Turn him away and walk him off. If he turns back, just turn around again. Don't leave until he is listening to you! You could be out there an hour, but in the long run, it will be worh it. The next time you ride, ride for 15 minutes. After that, go out for an hour. Keep mixing it up so he learns that just because you have ridden for 45 minutes, that doesn't mean he's done.