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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 725
  
| I have a 14yr old barrel horse that has been there done that. He is solid, but we had a lameness issue last summer that resulted in a gate issue. Now that he is sound, and very thoroughly vet checked, teeth, chiro, etc. The gate issues haven't went away. In general he really likes to push my buttons, after some rodeos he randomly refuses to load unless he gets grain (which was a last resort after some rodeos) His old owner/the girl who trained him still insists that all his gate issues is just him messing with me as well. He is completely quiet and fine until we are called and when I head towards the gate (at a trot) he will pop up and spin around so that his butt is facing the gate. I have always been able to get him in, but I want to fix this problem. I've done lots of gate work, walking him up to the gate and standing before and after runs. Also this isn't every run. Maybe 4/5 times. He'll randomly happily trot in with his ears perked. I need help!
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Regular
Posts: 53
| Try giving him a tube of Ulcer Guard the day before and then right before you load him to go. Ulcers will cause them to do what your describing, | |
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 BHW Resident Surgeon
Posts: 25352
Location: Bastrop, Texas | Probarrels - 2017-04-04 8:34 PM
Try giving him a tube of Ulcer Guard the day before and then right before you load him to go. Ulcers will cause them to do what your describing,
I thought you were banned, Erma. | |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| We had one that developed gate issues with my daughter, we were working with a trainer but they progressed to pretty bad. We vetted him, treated for ulcers, you name it. We finally sent him to a new trainer who worked with him, entered him a few times, calmly walked right in every time. My daughter gets back on him and he goes back to pitching a fit. Trainer tells her the next time you be ready, have a whip in your hand and if he balks loudly say his name , tell him no and hit him ONE time as hard as you can. He balked so she did exactly as told. It was pretty funny, he was in shock, he turned around and looked at her dropped his head and walked right in, that was probably eight years ago and he has never hesitated a step again-smart sucker. | |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12841
| rodeomom3 - 2017-04-05 6:21 AM
 We had one that developed gate issues with my daughter, we were working with a trainer but they progressed to pretty bad.  We vetted him, treated for ulcers,  you name it. We finally sent him to a new trainer who worked with him, entered him a few times, calmly walked right in every time.  My daughter gets back  on him and he goes back to pitching a fit.  Trainer tells her the next time you be ready, have a whip in your hand and if he balks loudly say his name , tell him no and hit him ONE time as hard as you can. He balked so she did exactly as told.  It was pretty funny,  he was in shock,  he turned around and looked at her dropped his head and  walked right in, that  was probably eight years ago and he has never hesitated a step again-smart sucker.Â
I was thinking butt whipping, too. It goes a long way AND you need to be the one to do it. Big difference between butt whipping and beating. | |
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Veteran
Posts: 233
| streakysox - 2017-04-05 7:27 AM
rodeomom3 - 2017-04-05 6:21 AM
 We had one that developed gate issues with my daughter, we were working with a trainer but they progressed to pretty bad.  We vetted him, treated for ulcers,  you name it. We finally sent him to a new trainer who worked with him, entered him a few times, calmly walked right in every time.  My daughter gets back  on him and he goes back to pitching a fit.  Trainer tells her the next time you be ready, have a whip in your hand and if he balks loudly say his name , tell him no and hit him ONE time as hard as you can. He balked so she did exactly as told.  It was pretty funny,  he was in shock,  he turned around and looked at her dropped his head and  walked right in, that  was probably eight years ago and he has never hesitated a step again-smart sucker.Â
I was thinking butt whipping, too. It goes a long way AND you need to be the one to do it. Big difference between butt whipping and beating.
Horses understand discipline just fine. They might tolerate, but they don't understand abuse. It's up the the human to know the difference. | |
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 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| rodeomom3 - 2017-04-05 6:21 AM We had one that developed gate issues with my daughter, we were working with a trainer but they progressed to pretty bad. We vetted him, treated for ulcers, you name it. We finally sent him to a new trainer who worked with him, entered him a few times, calmly walked right in every time. My daughter gets back on him and he goes back to pitching a fit. Trainer tells her the next time you be ready, have a whip in your hand and if he balks loudly say his name , tell him no and hit him ONE time as hard as you can. He balked so she did exactly as told. It was pretty funny, he was in shock, he turned around and looked at her dropped his head and walked right in, that was probably eight years ago and he has never hesitated a step again-smart sucker.
THIS ^^^
My old gelding did this to me when he was 6 or 7. One good over and under whomping and I haven't had a problem and he's now 23. All I have to do is reach for the over and under and he straightens right up. | |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 575
| rodeomom3 - 2017-04-05 5:21 AM
 We had one that developed gate issues with my daughter, we were working with a trainer but they progressed to pretty bad.  We vetted him, treated for ulcers,  you name it. We finally sent him to a new trainer who worked with him, entered him a few times, calmly walked right in every time.  My daughter gets back  on him and he goes back to pitching a fit.  Trainer tells her the next time you be ready, have a whip in your hand and if he balks loudly say his name , tell him no and hit him ONE time as hard as you can. He balked so she did exactly as told.  It was pretty funny,  he was in shock,  he turned around and looked at her dropped his head and  walked right in, that  was probably eight years ago and he has never hesitated a step again-smart sucker.Â
 Yesssssssss. Take the steps to make sure they're healthy, but there comes a time when it's just plain 'tude. I dealt with this same situation (ulcers & all) last summer, and after she figured out she felt better AND figured out that being a $hit at the gate wasn't an option, she's back to being her well behaved self. | |
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 Balance Beam and more...
Posts: 11511
Location: 31 lengths farms | My gelding is bred to be hot...I've spent a lot of money going to gymkhana's and paying entry fees to go in the gate, and sometimes simply trot a pattern, or lope it, or lope a circle and walk out and sometimes actually make a run. He is now 16, walks in to the arena like he walks into a herd at a reined cow horse event. The mare who is his half sister is hotter by nature and she gets a tad on her toes but not anything crazy or refusing and will lope a soft slow circle before we go if asked to. | |
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Veteran
Posts: 227
Location: Heart of Texas | It's just gunna take time and I would advise some exhibitions. I have a similar case and I had to take her back down to basics. (we're loping to first then taking off) Also, when you're practicing walking in and out, make sure you have your body and hands in the same place as when you make a run. I can't whip my horse or it makes it worse. You pick on her and she gives it right back. So if you truly know it's an anxiety issue. You could also try some relaxant supplements. Just to take the edge off until he realizes it's not gunna be painful or scary. Good luck. Gate issues suck. | |
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 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | I've had a couple, and I bought one super cheap last summer that had a really nasty gate issue. We fixed some things in his diet, changed his shoeing, and decided that I would NOT whip him near the gate. My boyfriend walks up beside us on foot and about half the time Fred doesn't balk, but the other times, Matt is ready, says Fred!, and doesn't let go of the bridle. Fred then stops backing up and walks in perfectly. he had the previous owner's number but we think he just didn't feel good so he started refusing and figured out she couldn't make him.
The big thing is that you have to rule out pain. Have to. If they hurt,you probably can't fix the gate issue.
After they feel good, it's a matter of finding what works for that horse. I had one other one - now loaned out as a youth horse - who could only be led in by a man on foot. The other gate issues I've had have been fairly simple to resolve as they were pain based. | |
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  Ms. Marine
Posts: 4641
Location: Texas | Horses are typically lazy by nature and if they figure out they can bully a rider into not doing something, they will. Sometimes all a horse needs is a good spank on the butt with a hand, crop, whatever, as long as the rider doesn't over do it. | |
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Impressive!!
Posts: 1954
Location: Idaho | Ive only ever had one horse who had gate issues arise, started when I was younger and it got to the point I could barely get him in and it messed my head up and I hated it. We did vet checks, etc... the whole deal to make sure he was 100% sound. I started working with a trainer, and she told me he is being a **** and to get after him. As soon as he went to balk and spin, I had a dressage whip and I whacked him once. Tell you what, to this day, he doesn't have an issue. He is hot and I know to keep him away, but when its our turn, he is ready to fire and I don't have to carry a whip anymore... there is a difference between getting after one and whipping the **** out of one... sometimes a horse needs a spanking... and there is NOTHING wrong with that.  | |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 602
| Take him to another event to change up the situation. Like sorting or something that requires entering and exiting a gate. | |
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