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Regular
Posts: 82
| I have a 3 year old that we had about 70 days put on last summer and I have been riding ever since. Super SUPER sweet personality and hasn’t given us any trouble aside from your typical colt stuff…. The last three or four times I’ve taken him anywhere, he’s been a completely different horse. When I’m on him and we get away from other horses and he realizes he’s alone, it’s very apparent that he gets scared. His personality changes and he starts shaking his head, dropping his head and jumping around and even crow hopping some until he see one of our other horses or I ride him down enough that he gets tired. Knock on wood… he hasn’t RELLY bucked – yet. But I don’t want it to get to that point. He is fine at the house when we take him out alone. It’s just when we take him places, which makes me think it’s more of a nervous/scared issue. I’ve noticed that it’s been worse after I’ve tracked steers that he’s had to hustle after – he just wants to run at that point and is more jumpy/gassed up. But a few times he’s started doing it when we’ve just been standing in the arena off by ourselves. How do you gain confidence in one and get them comfortable being alone? I know some of it is just him being a colt and everything is new and scary. And it’s been wet and chilly here lately, so I haven’t been able to camp out on him like he needs.... But since we brought him home, this colt has never offered to buck. It’s not a cold back issue – he doesn’t feel humpy. You can see him get scared and goosey… What kind of luck have you had getting one over something like this? I don’t care how nice he is, buckers aren’t fun and I won’t put up with it too long…… |
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
   
Location: Kansas | Can you haul him to the arena alone and ride him? That's what I did with a colt who was pretty dangerous, and his personality would flip at the drop of a dime. After so much hauling, he finally settled.
Have you checked to see if maybe ulcers, or a pain issue as well? Especially if his attitude has changed the last couple of times you have hauled him.
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 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| Based on the symptoms, it sounds like either pain or ulcers. I'd lean more towards ulcers or if not ulcers, the nerves causing him to get more belly acid, which hurts, which could lead to ulcers.
Try giving him some omeprazole before you take him some where and see if his attidude is different. |
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Regular
Posts: 82
| I can haul him by himself and he's fine. It's when I take him somewhere with another horse and then he's removed from them that I've been having issues. |
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Expert
Posts: 1543
Location: MI | He's only 3, I would bet it's just going to take time and repetition. This goes for your other post about hauling mares and geldings together as well. Different horses have different dynamics...my gelding went through different phases reacting to different stimuli for 3 years - just at 5 he's starting to settle and be more solid.
I've learned to 'ignore' a lot of the horse talk, it frustrates me if I let it but if I don't, it's not an issue. It gets better over time. We had a mare recently come home from a trainer, and my gelding is more 'talky' now. But this too, shall pass. I do tie him out/be sure to work him more regularly now that she's home to re-emphasize patience and manners. :) |
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 Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | Lots of wet saddle blankets. If he's concerning you with his behavior - send him to a trainer for a refresher for a month or so. |
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 Hawty & Nawty
Posts: 20424
| Maybe the ole alley trick would work. Take him with a buddy and when the buddy gets close, make him work his tail off. When the buddy leaves, let him relax. I don't know, just a thought. |
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 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | Redirection. When you start to "lose" him, get his mind back on you. Make him move his feet in a tiny circle, or disengage his rear end...work on one side or the other, not both at once and do not pull straight back because that will make him feel trapped and panicky. Keep at it until he relaxes and refocuses and then release and let him walk off in a straight line on a loose rein. Whenever he's feeling insecure or his attention starts wandering, get him back to you and he will start looking to you more and more for direction and leadership. It's your job to pay attention to his body language and head him off before he goes too far into orbit. |
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | I would start him off with some ground work like lunging and yielding his hindquarters to get him listening to you right off the bat. Maybe slow him down and just track slower steers for now? When he's fussing you need to make him work and makin resting by himself a reward....with or without his buddies. |
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