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 Nothing Comes Easy
Posts: 2353
  
Location: Texas | Anyone have any thoughts or tricks on how to stop a horse from pushing up against a wall when afraid? I don't want any criticizing or judgement on this issue, I'm simply asking for help. This problem has improved, but I'm stuck with random blow ups.
When my gelding was just a few weeks old I had a farrier come out to do his feet. Being just a few weeks old, my gelding gave him some trouble so the farrier pinned him against the wall. I asked him not to, but he pretty much did as he pleased. Needless to say after repeated said action and then beat my gelding the next time he trimmed his feet, the farrier never came back. Unfortunately his actions left a lasting impact on my gelding.
Every since this issue, if I get after my gelding he will pull his face away, bury it downward, turn away and push himself to the nearest object-- tree, round bale, round pen, stall wall, to get away. Often he does get away because he'll try to push and pin me into the wall in the process and I can't always get him turned around if he's not in a knotted rope halter. Huge safety issue, I'm aware, thus why I'm asking for help. This horse has been handled since birth. He's my in hand, halter, showmanship horse and will be started under saddle next year. He knows how to yield, pivot, side pass, back, trot, etc in hand. He however is a naughty two year old at times, and requires some discipline.
Any thoughts on how to get him to stop this madness? I've done yielding to pressure in the round pen, circled him with the rope and made him spin to face, etc. Like I've said, it's gotten better, but once he reacts, sometimes all of this goes out the window, especially if I forget to put a knotted rope halter on him. | |
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Veteran
Posts: 277
| Has he been turned out to "just be a horse". I don't handle my babies, they get to grow up in the pasture with their mom. Yearling year they get turned out with other colts, two year old year an older gelding. I don't make them do much as far as handling until they are three. But then again, I don't show them and I only rodeo so I really have all the time in the world to get them going lol | |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12841
 
| I suggest one of Clinton Anderson's videos. Maybe something like round penning for respect. Helps build confidence and trust. Sometimes just brushing everyday works wonders for trust. Mine get handle everyday and brushed regularly anyway. | |
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Sock Snob
Posts: 3021
| i sent a mare to have here broken, when i went to get her she would run forward when someone walked toward her and would run when trying to get on her or off her. i started some ground work, got a stick with a walmart just shook around her a little more each day until she was not scared any more and did a small anount of longing for respect. then i got a bigger white trash bag, then i did this with a shavings bag where i could shake it all around her. just started this with my two year old i use the bag to help me do the longing. the third time she was longing like a pro and backing up and is not really scared of the bag but respectful and i sued to go in her stall and lay a saddle pad on her and she always would walk away but yesturday after the third time she was like a pro. couple more weeks then saddle. | |
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Nothing Comes Easy
Posts: 2353
Location: Texas | Meep.Meep - 2017-10-23 7:34 AM
Has he been turned out to "just be a horse". I don't handle my babies, they get to grow up in the pasture with their mom. Yearling year they get turned out with other colts, two year old year an older gelding. I don't make them do much as far as handling until they are three. But then again, I don't show them and I only rodeo so I really have all the time in the world to get them going lol
Part of my issue is his dam didn't discipline him. She's very touchy feely with other horses, so he feels like he has to he touchy with me. So I'm constantly having to remind him to back off. He was turned out for a while with an older gelding but he has since passed, and my other mare hates him. I also moved so we're still building and fixing paddocks. Right now he's just getting back to work after a 3 month break from any work. He also had a break this spring. He doesn't get worked everyday but gets handled most days of the week during this time. | |
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Nothing Comes Easy
Posts: 2353
Location: Texas | streakysox - 2017-10-23 8:54 AM
I suggest one of Clinton Anderson's videos. Maybe something like round penning for respect. Helps build confidence and trust. Sometimes just brushing everyday works wonders for trust. Mine get handle everyday and brushed regularly anyway.
I've started using some of his methods, and will certainly continue to focus on them. Thank goodness for YouTube. Thanks! | |
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Veteran
Posts: 277
| Stride - 2017-10-23 10:49 AM
Meep.Meep - 2017-10-23 7:34 AM
Has he been turned out to "just be a horse". I don't handle my babies, they get to grow up in the pasture with their mom. Yearling year they get turned out with other colts, two year old year an older gelding. I don't make them do much as far as handling until they are three. But then again, I don't show them and I only rodeo so I really have all the time in the world to get them going lol
Part of my issue is his dam didn't discipline him. She's very touchy feely with other horses, so he feels like he has to he touchy with me. So I'm constantly having to remind him to back off. He was turned out for a while with an older gelding but he has since passed, and my other mare hates him. I also moved so we're still building and fixing paddocks. Right now he's just getting back to work after a 3 month break from any work. He also had a break this spring. He doesn't get worked everyday but gets handled most days of the week during this time.
That is a challenge! I am lucky I have two older geldings that aren't mean, but will for sure put a colt in their place. When I start my colts I do a ton of ground work for respect and flagging. But I have never had one with the issue you are describing, good luck and hoping someone on here will have some ideas for you  | |
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Location: South Dakota | Australian horseman Ross Jacobs on YouTube is fantastic...really all about getting into a horse's mind. He has a number of very informative videos on there, along with some good articles on his website. | |
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  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | I have had some that were worked with often at a young age and depending on the horse, some just lose respect for you. I think I would let him be a horse for some time. Maybe a month or 2. Just do what is required, catch him if he needs wormed/feet etc. Otherwise ignore him. Then when he is ready to start under saddle at 2/3 whenever you do it, round pen his butt off until he faces you anytime you say whoa. I wait until they are older because I just hate to round pen a baby/yearling. I bought back a yearling filly that is broodmare sound only and the lady spoiled her in the short 2 months she had her. I got her in this spring and worked her until she was pretty lathered. It took that long for her to let me walk up to her on the right side without whirling and running off. It took that one long session to teach her whoa means you don't move your dang feet one more step...and to NEVER turn your butt at me. I worked her off the fence several times changing direction and she learned to always turn toward me to change direction. She learned so much respect for trailer loading etc, just from that on session.
Good luck and the good news is, I personally think your issue is an easy fix.  | |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 899
Location: Idaho | So, in my mind.. if he was only a few weeks old when this incident happened with the farrier, and now he is throwing himself into any barrier he can and sometimes he pins you? This is a big no.
I know he's your baby, and we all get like that sometimes. But Your gelding is a lot bigger and stronger than you. He will continue to grow, and he keeps doing this, you could get seriously hurt. I would start carrying a stick and string with you, and the minute he starts to do that you get after him, move his feet and put him to work. Young or not, you need to establish leadership or else it will just get worse.
My colt would do that we he was 3 and being broke. If you started asking him to lope to the right, he would go.. no thanks! And he would literally go into the fence, come to stop and start leaning hard. Luckily I boarded at a reining barn where they worked with young horses all the time. They told me to put some spurs on and don’t be afraid to get after him.. because he could hurt me if he continues to do that. They gave me a crop whip so whenever he thought about it going to the wall, he would get a pop or two and spur to the outside. They also told me to turn him the other way and work, work, work going to the left until he realized stopping and leaning wasn’t going to give him an unscheduled break that he wanted. Suddenly stopping and leaning on the wall wasn’t such a good idea. After a couple sessions he didn’t do it anymore and did what I asked.
I know your horse had a bad experience but you can’t keep coddling him and treating him like an abused horse. You need to treat him like a horse, because right now he is completely disrespecting you and he is in charge.
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