Herd-bound/barn sour

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Herd-bound/barn sour Moderators: luluwhit, gotothewhip, cindyt, crossspur, ForumAdmin Jump to page :	Last activity 2014-08-26 10:54 AM 5 replies, 2578 views View previous thread :: View next thread
General Discussion -> Barrel Talk


kschan24 Reg. Aug 2014	Posted 2014-08-24 3:46 PM Subject: Herd-bound/barn sour
boon Posts: 2	Hi everyone, I just bought a new barrel mare last week (this is the first barrel horse I've gotten, I've always rode someone else's). We have a gelding that we've had for about 2 years and at first we kept them separated, then we put them together. I'm just now noticing that she seemed way more calm when they were separated rather then with them being together. I can't ride her without her wanted to go right back to the barn and wanting to be with him. What can I do to make her not barn/buddy sour?? We don't ride him cause he's my brothers horse and he hasn't been rode for along time and really isn't calm anymore. I feel bad for separating them cause I feel like they wanna be in the same pen together I just don't want to have to fight her every time we ride. Today I was feeding them and they got into a fight and they were pretty on edge after that. I just don't know what to do. I've never had 2 horses at one time and I don't know if the best thing to do is keep them separated or together. I really wanna keep them separated cause she seems to be better off. But she'll still want to go back to the barn to be by him. I need some advice and opinions. Please help! Thanks!!
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lhighquality Reg. Apr 2013	Posted 2014-08-25 2:52 PM Subject: RE: Herd-bound/barn sour
Elite Veteran Posts: 915 Location: SE KS	If possible I would keep them separate, at least for awhile. You must firmly reinforce taking her away from the barn/buddy to ride. It will take some time, however keep riding her & don't give in & let her get her way.
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kschan24 Reg. Aug 2014	Posted 2014-08-25 6:44 PM Subject: RE: Herd-bound/barn sour
boon Posts: 2	Okay! Thanks so much for your advice!
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melaself Reg. Jun 2006	Posted 2014-08-25 8:02 PM Subject: RE: Herd-bound/barn sour
I'm Over It!! Posts: 2830	Put him in a pen and then ride her away from him. Let her stand and try to be quiet. If she tries to go back to him, let her. But when she gets there, work her butt off right there. Then walk her away again and let her stand and quiet down. Do this until she learns that her happy place might not be there by him and that it might be nice to be away from him for a while.
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Ridenrun4745 Reg. Sep 2010	Posted 2014-08-25 8:21 PM Subject: RE: Herd-bound/barn sour
Expert Posts: 1543 Location: MI	A big part of her being able to ride quietly away from him is if/when she acknowledges that you are leader. Right now it sounds like she is getting a lot of her confidence and leadership from the gelding, whereas hopefully soon she can get that from you. Daily work, probably some ground work ala Clinton Anderson or Warwick Schiller (has some great youtube videos) can help with this. It will likely take a couple of weeks, but hopefully in the end she can see you as leader and you two can be confident riding together. I would probably keep them separate while you are working on this, and possibly even more in the future, depending how things go. Good luck!!
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teehaha Reg. Dec 2003	Posted 2014-08-26 10:54 AM Subject: RE: Herd-bound/barn sour
Living on the edge of common sense Posts: 24138 Location: Carpenter, WY	melaself - 2014-08-25 7:02 PM Put him in a pen and then ride her away from him. Let her stand and try to be quiet. If she tries to go back to him, let her. But when she gets there, work her butt off right there. Then walk her away again and let her stand and quiet down. Do this until she learns that her happy place might not be there by him and that it might be nice to be away from him for a while. I like this advice. We have also just rode them by the barn and keep going, turn around and if they get ancy just ride by the barn again until they figuere out they aren't going to stop and keep walking back and forth by the barn and buddies.
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