This is my 2nd posting on my horse. Today at the barn, I put him in the roundpen and with no problem at all, he let me take a good size branch with leaves, show it to him, and let me put it over his head(while he tried to eat the leaves!), around his back, rump and side-no problem at all! Then I gave him a bath outside with the garden hose/sprayer. He stood well, and liked it. Then I thought we would go walking, with his lead rope down the walkways of the pastures. Then it happened. 1 horse was running, then a few more, then my horse decided he wanted to also. He partially reared, tried to bolt, had his tail straight up, whinnied, spun around. I tried yanking the rope chain, hitting him with the rope on his neck, while telling him firmly to knock it off, quit. He didn't even act like I was there. At one point, I let go of him, as I was pinned to the fence(narrow area), and didn't want him in me. Luckily, he moved only about 3 feet, acted up some more, and I was able,(thru prayer) sway him into the round pen. As soon as I let him in, with the rope still on he cantered, bucking wildly, then rested his head down and stood looking innocent. I then went in there with the lunge whip and made him canter and canter, even when he wanted to be done. Then he rested. In his private small pasture he really gets no exercise-just eats. He started out in a private one, as the old stable, he got beaten up badly all the time, etc, by very agressive horses. We are looking for a pasture buddy for him to play with. When I get him out in the open he finds himself with alot more energy, and is testy, both to the trainer, myself, and the people bringing him in/out. When he is in the pasture, he always comes to meet me, knows his space, wants alot of attention-following you around, watching things. In his stall he is great, you can pet him while he is eating his hay. He loves the attention. He goes over tarps, has large umbrellas he lets over his head no problem, etc. He gets nutrena safe choice. Will the pasture buddy make him use energy, he will be quieter out there, or is it his personality that he can be challenging(testy) he will always act like that? He is very social otherwise. I have a great trainer who is firm, but kind, working on him, and she notes that he can be testy.  I am mixed up on what to do. Sell him, or hope that a pasture buddy will get that energy out. He is healthy, and does not appear sick in any way.(per vet check) I would appreciate any help. thankyou.

 I have a 3 year old who has always been the Alpha horse in turn out. She has great grounnd manners and she respects my space. She knows that she has too. I stay on top of it 100%. She will try and test me every now and again, such as not moving over right away when asked, trying to walk ahead of me when being led, and just being dead on the longe line. Not wanting to go forward etc. We prob go through this once in a while if I havent been out to see her and it's always very subtle. No one would notice unless they spent everyday with her. She has recently been put with a new mare that came in. Both of these horses are pretty alpha. After a couple days of figuring out who is who, my mare surrendered and now rosie is the boss. It has made a pretty big difference in her attitude. She is less pushy and over all a lot more aware of where I am and what I am doing. She spooks less. She never was a big spooker  to begin with, but being 3 she has her moments where she hasn't seen something before and gets a little spooky. Now she kinda looks at things and that's that. She also is a lot quieter on her first day of work. It has made a pretty big difference to her. Horses are herd animals and sometimes they need that interaction with another horse. Malibu would be fine with or without a friend. She prefers people over horses, but this older mare has really put her in her place which is kind of nice. Good luck with your guy.

I was having this same problem with pushy horses, and I went and did a lesson with a cowboy and he taught me how to get them listening on the lead. Basically, when they get weird, you lunge them out on the lead, and make them step away from you with their hind end. I cant possibly explain it, but there is an easy remedy, you just have to find someone who will teach you! What kind of horse is he anyway? Sounds like an Arab, lol...

Hi- I would like to thank both people who responded to me right away! Maybe if he did have a horse above him, it would straighten his act out. At the old stable, he was the underdog, getting kicked, biten, chased all the time, by the owners agressive horses, they refused to seperate. I got knocked down to the ground once by their horse as well in the pasture. When I moved to the new stable in June, he had, and still has some scars, that may never go away. That is why he was alone this far, but with horses in paddocks alongside him. Hopefully, being with another horse, will do the same, putting him back in place. I only hope, that being a very social horse, he does not get buddy sour, and I have a new problem. He really looked like an arab, with that tail almost straight up, arched head, and that prance. A few times while lunging him he did the same. He really is happy at this new place-almost too much! He is a quarter horse gelding. I honestly can't figure him out. 1 personality is that he always comes to me in the pasture, always wants attention, mild mannered, great in the stall, even while eating hay(I never bother him while he has his safe choice grain. He gets 1/2# morning and night)I put tree branches over and around him-no problem at all. He tries to eat the leaves! I've had a 42" rainbow color umbrella over him-sitting on top of his head, butt, etc. no problem, tarps, big balls, no problem, and he loved his bath! Lets me clip his mussle no problem. His 2nd personality is horrible. Out in the open, or in the indoor arena, he gets all anxious, alittle flighty sometimes-more energetic, and testy. The same horse that is almost "dead" in his pasture. Everyone has commented on this two sided personality-they can't figure it. Our trainer thinks maybe a buddy horse will wear him out some. I really hope something helps, cuz I am at the point of thinking of selling him. I can't enjoy him, and am now hesitant to ride him, or even walk around the grounds with a lead rope. I am firm with him, making him whoa and stand at times, while walking, and I am calm, then bang, here we go, Mr. attitute.

prairierose1:

In his private small pasture he really gets no exercise-just eats.

I do agree with that thought. We are dropping his safe choice down from 1/2# morning and night, down to 1/4# morning and night. His paddock is big enough that he can do alot of cantering if he wanted to-he just dosen't! The horses on both sides of him are in the same size paddock, and there are 2 horses in each of those pastures, and I see them run now and then. Mine might now and then-but hardly at all. I ordered him smartpak smart calm ultra, cuz it was so many great reviews. It is worth trying. He is 5. Problem is that he is lazy at times, then out comes the energy on the outside. We are looking also for a compatible pasture buddy.

Where is he going to get the other 1/2 lb of feed?  Unless he needs to lose weight I would never cut a horses' ration in an effort to keep him from simply acting like a horse; my thought was that he needed more exercise and more turn out, not to feed him less. 

I think what you're calling lazy is boredom, and his energy "comes out on the outside" because he gets excited about being taken out and given something to do. . .

Not trying to be critical, just trying to help him!  :0)

I agree with a lot of whats been posted, good turn out is essential and a buddy could help with boredom. Do you do any rope halter work with him? That is an amazing tool if used probably, getting him to move out of your personal space and respect your dominance, sound like he needs a strong hand and a level head. How do you react when you take him out of the roundpen or pasture? You may be letting out sublte ques that are putting him on edge as well, when you tense it causes him to tense and look for where the danger is. I've had this problem with my horse before and I had to just stop and rebuild MY confidence before I tried to push her further in her training program. Sometimes its good to find a happy medium with the excitement, without letting it get dangerous. Also be careful 'running him out' in the roundpen, he may get resentful and this could lead a lot more problems.

Good luck!

Our trainer and I talked about it, and decided to leave his grain the same, and not reduce it. You are right on both thoughts. I ordered him some smartpak smart calm ultra after seeing all the great many reviews. I hope that will level out his moods. He may be low in some minerals he needs, and he mainly has to be fed hay in the pasture, as there is not alot of grasses out there. He has a mineral block in his stall. I do roundpen him before riding him, and he will always be willing to trot. Sometimes with coaxing, he will canter, and will sometimes buck. He is quite good in the roundpen knowing the commands. It is just that I think he is so happy at the new place, that he gets this energetic burst. And yet at times he can be testy, when he dosen't feel like working, but is made to do what he is supposed to do. His health his good-his weight is also good, his equipment is good too. I just can't figure why that laid back horse in the pasture, who will let me put open large umbrellas all over his body, and he lowers his head to rest, along with tree branches with leaves, all over him, and just nibbles on the leaves, will even have this other personality! He always comes to meet me, and enjoys my company in his stall. Like I said, he will even be testy to our trainer, and she is very professional, as she does know what she is doing. She and I are working on some more training plans. You should have seen him the other day looking like an arab, prancing, tail way up in the air, head tucked in, while I trotted him in the roundpen. He never did any of that at the old stable, as he was beaten up so badly by the owners horses, that we got on a waiting list and moved. Thankyou for your reply.

We do alot of variety in the roundpen, like the tree branch, umbrella, tarps, big ball etc. He likes that. He has even grabbed the lunge whip from a mounting block, and tried to carry it away! He loves to trot around the pen, and knows his signals pretty good. He whoas good on command, and will stand there and face me. I enjoy working with him in there, cuz I feel proud all he can do. I do try to canter him, sometimes he will, other times, I will let it slide, if he appears to be hot and tired from the weather being so hot-upper 80-s. I only forced that canter the day he misbehaved, and thought fine, get it all out. I never hit him, just made him go, then he rested. He was great the day we went thru the thick woods single file, over tree branches and small logs. I had been so proud of him. While we were just walking in the back 40, he would carry his head high and alert. I had to keep a tight rein, and a few times, circle him, when he got prancy. Running at this time would not be a good idea. I could almost guarantee he would run there and do some pretty heavy bucking, as he does feel pretty good out there.

prairierose1:

His paddock is big enough that he can do alot of cantering if he wanted to-he just dosen't! The horses on both sides of him are in the same size paddock, and there are 2 horses in each of those pastures, and I see them run now and then. Mine might now and then-but hardly at all. I ordered him smartpak smart calm ultra, cuz it was so many great reviews. It is worth trying. He is 5. Problem is that he is lazy at times, then out comes the energy on the outside. We are looking also for a compatible pasture buddy.

My horses are on 40 acres.  There are currently three of them out there... at one time we had five.  Guess what?  They hardly do any running whatsoever.  Heck, they barely leave the barn area.  The only time they wander around is to find better pasture to graze on.

The exercise most horses get has nothing to do with pasture size and pasturemates... it's really up to the owners/handlers/riders to make sure the horse is getting enough exercise and mental stimulation.

Hi,

Try Clinton Anderson's "Lungeing for Respect" it's awesome!  He teaches how to lunge your horse to gain it's respect so that it listens to you at all times.  I saw it on RFD TV.  I practice it on my horse and it works!!  He is so much better now with me.  From what you have described here I think you and your horse would benefit from it too. 

Good luck.  Don't sell, keep trying!! You'll be so happy when you've succeeded! :)

I really do want to see about getting that dvd if I am able to. I cannot get rfd tv, because it got too expensive for us to have the dish, and we cannot get cable here. I used to love rfd tv when we had it. Do you believe his"club" is worthwhile joining? I have to check the price and see if I could get his dvds that way. I bought a used vcr tape by him of softening and bending your horse for $5 at a tack sale. I really like it. Our trainer told me today she will also do a review with me on my techniques too. I did get a little rusty. Thankyou!

prairierose1:

Then it happened. 1 horse was running, then a few more, then my horse decided he wanted to also. He partially reared, tried to bolt, had his tail straight up, whinnied, spun around. I tried yanking the rope chain, hitting him with the rope on his neck, while telling him firmly to knock it off, quit. He didn't even act like I was there. At one point, I let go of him, as I was pinned to the fence(narrow area), and didn't want him in me. Luckily, he moved only about 3 feet, acted up some more, and I was able,(thru prayer) sway him into the round pen. As soon as I let him in, with the rope still on he cantered, bucking wildly, then rested his head down and stood looking innocent. I then went in there with the lunge whip and made him canter and canter, even when he wanted to be done. Then he rested.

He was being a horse :)  My arena is smack between two pastures, and if the herd comes running out see what's going on, the horse I'm riding automatically gets tense and "ready to go".  It's just a natural instinct.  However, you can definitely do a few things to help you get set up for success. 

First, I would automatically work him before doing anything with him.  He's being fed well and spending quite a bit of time standing in his stall--go lunge him first to stretch his legs and get that energy out so his brain can work (it's like little kids needing recess).  Keep him working past when he first tells you he's ready to quit. 

Second, go back to basics on leading.  Definitely start with a chain over his nose.  He needs to lead beside you with some slack in the rope.  If there's always pressure on the chain, he's not really feeling it and therefore has no respect for it.  It's a tool to be used quickly and effectively.  The minute he starts to pull or drag on the rope, I would give a hard, quick yank and make him back up out of your space.  Let him process that thought, and go forward again.  It usually doesn't take more than 2-3 times before they get it :) 

And finally, if you ever find yourself caught in a situation like that again, pull his head toward you HARD and back him up HARD.  By pulling his head toward you, you're swinging his hip away from you.  This keeps those quick hind feet out of kicking range and stops his forward motion.  Backing him hard not only gets that forward motion stopped, but it gets his brain back (a horse can't back hard and fast if he's not focused on it-he'll trip over himself).  Do NOT be afraid to be forceful and quick.  There is no way you giving him a firm yank on the chain is going to hurt him any worse than another horse in the pasture would.  You being safe is your #1 priority.

Robison02!