What do you do with a horse like this?

Question

My 5 year old mare won't move in the round pen, or undersaddle

in GREAT health! so thats not an issue

was bought as dead broke about 1 or 2 years ago.

just sat in a pasture and now i bought her, to train ( I have trained many green horses) but i've never had to deal with a horse that woulnd't "GO" lol

she's super fast too, in the pasture she's the fastest and outruns our big 17hand gelding!

she's perfect for taking the bit, saddleing, picking up all feet but thats it.

how should i get her to respond to me in the round pen? she doesn't know what the whip is for lol and just stands there (i never hit a horse with it! don't worry-its just an extention of my arm and i tap her with it)

any good training tips?

Answer 1

Maybe to make her move off is tie a plastic bag to the end of it. I don't know how flighty she is so this might scare her. Hope I helped =/

Answer 2

put a bullet in her and dig a big hole.

Answer 3

I've a  12 year old q horse that periodically roots himself to the ground and will not move forward no matter what you do.  And lord knows we've tried it all.  tried re training,  Tried haltering him and haveing someone else lead him ( lead comes off he stops again)  short spurs.  Dressage whip.. getting off and leading him ( remount and he stops dead.)  turning him in circles( head turns body dont move a step).. Frustrating as all get out.

And worse?  He will do it heading HOME to the barn after a 3 hour ride... 100 feet from home..

we've changed tack,  changed bridles.. saddles,, rode bare back.. finally went to a hackamore.  and he will move forward. But god knows if thats a permanent fix.  he has been like this all his life.

Answer 4

If there are no health issues and you have a round pen and she can be loose what you have to do is increase the intensity of your cue. If you start tapping her with the whip and she just flinches without moving, your intensity is too low, you need to start tapping , and increase the tapping in speed and force until you get your desired results and then immediately stop with the whip, she will soon figure out that when she moves all tapping stops, the more you repeat, the more easy it will be for her to move forward, i usually incorporate a kissing noise, once she is getting it all you will need to do is use the "kissing noise" and she will move off.

Answer 5

Is there such a thing as 'dead broke' at the age of 3?  I really don't think so.  Have you actually sat on her yourself?  I honestly believe she probably doesn't know what you are asking of her, under saddle or in the round pen.  Maybe you don't have enough contact with her...tough her lightly with the whip, if she doesn't respond do it a little harder, increase only as needed.  What is your body position?  Are you standing in a way that is asking her to move forward?  A little more information might be helpful.

Answer 6

Personally I'm a big fan of clicker training.  You avoid escalation and use positive reinforcement.  Instead of running away from something, the horse moves towards something.  But before you teach something like moving forward, you need to start with the absolute basics and manners, and teaching them that the click actually means something.  If you know any "natural horsemanship" type stuff, which is basically pressure and release (I started out with John Lyons many moons ago) it marries quite well with clicker training.

After you address the basics, you can move forward with targeting, leading, standing well, etc.  What you can teach your horse with the click is pretty much limited only by your imagination.

I have a 'non-mover' as well, and I've never seen him respond with the enthusiasm and energy that he has with clicker training.

Answer 7

If tapping alone isnt going to work, start making more noise. A kissing or hissing noise work best. Also try tapping her on the back leg, below the butt area. Maybe a lead rope will work for you better then a lunge whip.

Answer 8

Mine was the same way but young (3yo) when I started.

Great mover too and fast. What I did was make him do tight circles. make his neck curve. But before that I had people lead him around to get the feel of things.

Answer 9

Well if you are on her and she wont go, then pull her head towrds you and make her go in a circle and then kick her and let the rein go a little bit but dont make her go in a straight line, just turn her a little bit and DONT i repeat DONT let her turn back or let her stop becasue then she will figure out that you are weaker than her and she will become the boss of her but give her a good kick (they are big powerful animals) and make her go! just do not let her win.