What's the best way to solve this issue?

Question

I took my horse out riding east of my house. He never cared too much for going that way & he wasn't too sure of it, but went without issue. The trip east was cut short as he came within 2 feet of stepping on a skunk in the ditch. So we went south from there. There's a prarie trail thru the fields south of my place. Last summer he turned around in the road at that drive, took me home & the ride was done. Well, guess what. We get to that same spot & for some reason he turned to head home! I'd turn him back south, he'd throw his head & go north again. Eventually he wouldnt obey commands AT ALL & just went back to our yard where he seemed to think I'd jump off. I stuck with him instead & stayed on his back & continued trying to work with him but he just kept throwing his head! I know it's not his teeth or tack. I find it odd that it's the same spot as a yr back. He'll walk past there if I lead him, but not while riding him. What can I do to correct this?

Please & thank you!

Answer 1

The first task in correcting any unwanted behavior in a horse is to BE THE BOSS and NEVER lose the battle.

Riding in tiny circles where he can't toss his head and you have total control is the best way to get him to listen to you. Do several circles in each direction.

I would also use a running martingale along with a long-shanked bit so I'd have some leverage. Spurs will help, too.

You are dealing with 1,100 pounds of animal, here, so YOU MUST have the upper hand with him.

As for turning for home when he gets to that driveway goes, he knows you're likely to "cave in" at that point in the ride. Horses have a very long memory and will take advantage of a previously successful behavior. If he does it again, turn into the tiny circles, then go ahead PAST the trail home. DO NOT let him get away with it again.

He's discovered  the behaviors that work to get him just exactly what he wants, and will milk them for all they're worth. It's up to you to outsmart him and let him know you won't put up with any more of his shenanigans.

Answer 2

Can you get someone to accompany you on another horse ?

I know what my reaction to this would be ( and it ain't pretty)

But anyway it's always better to be in company, at least then you will have backup if you have to battle with him.

Answer 3

There have been occasions when one or another of my horses have become anxious or tense and I have had to fight them to get them to go where I wanted but I have never failed to win the fight. You need to correct that situation or you will have a head strong horse on your hands. I suggest you continue to take that ride and do not let that horse win out if a battle of wills begins again. And if a battle of wills does begin again, you must work the horse through it right there and fight it out until the horse is accepting your alpha position.

*Note: Response to your "Additional Details"

It seems to me that the curb bit you are using is sufficient to the task of gaining control and the fact that he tosses his head and fights that bit reinforces my suspicion that there is a dominance issue brewing here and that there is potential for serious danger if not corrected. I would not tend toward attempting to correct this problem with a harsher bit but rather some one-on-one lunging work to do some relationship adjustment and also doing just what you have been doing when he refuses to advance at that spot. If tight circles don't work then dismount as you have done and, walking beside him, walk him past it and then doing the same each time he stops and refuses to advance. And as silly as it might sound another very effective way to work him past it and get him to advance forward is to back him up. Even a head strong horse that has been taught to back up will back up with little resistance if he refuses to advance forward and one way to get him to advance is like getting a car unstuck by repeatedly going from reverse to forward, reverse to forward, again and again until it lunges forward out of the rut. And then after returning home each time there has been a refusal go straight to the round yard for a lunging work session and more relationship adjustment. But if he has behaved and there has been no refusal then praise him and reward him after returning home. Just remember that a head strong horse having dominance issues can be dangerous and if all your efforts to harness his will fails then I suggest you find a professional trainer to help you.

Answer 4

You need to work past this point!  You will need to MAKE him go further!  Hopefully you can have another person riding with you -- it should help a great deal ~ this way you can stay on your horse, getting off of him is a bad idea; even if you can walk him past here, he could spook, rear, pull away, etc.- and if you are on him, you will have more control of him than you will on the ground!   Since he now knows he can get away with taking you back home, it may be a little harder to deal with the first few times you do this again, but you did the right thing by staying on him and continuing to ride!  As mentioned, spurs probably would help - as long as you know how to use them and that they have been used on him previously!  Or you may even need a whip/crop to encourage him to go past this point !   Good luck and ride safe!

Answer 5

Sometimes, if you reach an absolute impasse, the best thing to do is get off, lead the horse across the obstacle and a ways beyond, then get back on and continue.

I hate to advise this generally, but I've had horses where nothing else worked and that did.  One horse in particular - my sister's, who hadn't been ridden in years because he wouldn't leave the property - I tried all my usual tricks on and none of them worked.  Rather than give up entirely, I led him across the street and down a little ways, and got back on.

Worked a charm.  He kind of gave up at that point; made the occasional weak attempt to turn around but we had a lovely ride.  At least, I did! :)

Don't do this if you can't get back on.  Good luck.

PS - On the circling thing:  Take one rein in both hands and crank his nose to your knee (if he's like my sister's horse, he'll try to bite your foot, at which point a kick is in order), then kick him hard in the sides.  He may go a few steps forward before turning, but keep trying.  Only if that absolutely fails for you try the get off trick.

Answer 6

There's probably something bad ahead that he senses. He may feel safer when your leading in front of him.

Answer 7

Horses have a excellent sense of bad things ahead of them even though they cant see them buy using smell and vibrations. Horses for some reason always feel more protected when there being lead rather than being ridden so next time your riding him try leading him at that spot if he doesnt go on. Turn him around and take him back home then come see for yourself what it is thats causing him to turn back around and keep going that way. My horse did the same so i did this and found out there was a car behind a bush that weas making him freat.

Just like Debi said if you have anyone else who rides around, ride with them to try and help the horse to get over this. Also happened crossing a creek i got my friends horse to cross first then me and my horse went fine.

Goodluck