View Full Version : My horse yanks away when you let him go
Sweetie Petey
05-19-2011, 07:09 AM
The other day I was getting Buddy out to brush and lunge him. I only had him by the halter. ( which was dumb) I was opening the gate when he took off. It hurt SO bad! He always does this. With a rope or not. How can I get him to stop running away like that?
WashingtonBay
05-19-2011, 07:21 AM
This is when you're turning him back out again? He says "YEEHAW! FREEDOM!"
Couple of tricks I can think of would be to change the way you release him - the whole process. Like bring him through and hold him and give him a rub and a pat before slowly taking the halter off (or the rope, if he's turned out with the halter on)
Or bring him all the way in and otherwise walk around and take some of the excitement out of the release. So he's not sure when you're going to release him. Be firm about his manners during this time, but try to make it pleasant so the reward is with being cool with you, not in the escape.
Or... alternately... you could try bringing him through and giving him a treat before turnout... so he's looking forward to that instead of the big run. If he's pushy about treats, then a couple of treats just thrown on the ground as you release the rope would get him looking for those instead of running off. You really just need to break that moment of impulse when he bolts.
Pick something and change your routine and be consistent about it, and not turning him loose until he's quiet. And no holding him by just the halter for a good long while... set yourself up for success by bringing all your tools with you :)
Just my thoughts so far. :)
3equines
05-19-2011, 07:45 AM
I highly recommend Clinton Anderson's lunging for respect series and any other of his videos/DVD's on ground work training, it is straight-forward enough for any level of horsemanship to practice.
Groundwork that focuses the horse's mind and body on YOUR body language is a good place to return to regardless of your horse's level of training - be it an unbroke 4-YO from the open range or a national level hunter/jumper, you will benefit from going back to these basics.
The lunging for respect type of training allows you to give clear cues to your horse at any time on the ground or in the saddle. So when your horse is getting 'up' you have a method to get their mind focused on you to come back 'down'.
Remember that the lunging for respect is not about putting pressure ON but taking it OFF - so when you are about to turn your horse loose, you engage their mind with your body language (in this case a directed shrug of my shoulder and a light flick of the lead rope would say 'back off' and when the horse backs off and stands still the reward is softening of my body language and a slight move away from the horse's space)
In your case, you may need to go through the basic steps of lunging for respect enough for your horse to know what it is you are asking when you put on - and then release- pressure. Also practice those vices in a roundpen - this is what I really like - if you have trouble with your horse bucking and running when you turn him loose, turn him loose in a roundpen and then keep his feet moving - lunge him at a canter with several direction reversals - then ask for whoa, put the halter on again, and do some silly stuff he already knows how to do (move quarters laterally, etc.) Then try it over again, several times, over several days. When you go to turn him loose in the pasture, put him in a few circles at the end of your lead rope - again, ask for several direction reversals. Then whoa him up and turn him loose. I will bet he just stands there for a minute or two waiting to see what else you want him to do.
I have 'fixed' bridling and bitting issues in the roundpen using lunging for respect training. Every time the horse tried to throw its head or back away when being bridled, I sent them on for another few laps. When they were ready to 'come in' and join up with me I worked on putting pressure behind the ear to drop the head, etc and then started the bridling process over. Eventually the horse was ready to put the bridle on itself as opposed to having to work running circles. The idea is to make it rewarding and easier to stop moving its feet ;) At future points, if the said horse got cranky about bridling I could make it do like 2 little circles at the end of the lead rope and the behavior was put to a stop.
vicklynn
05-19-2011, 08:36 AM
Ground work ground work ground work, weather its clinton andersons or chris cox, both are good! Then, when you put your horse back out and he tries that stuff again, he will know that some butt tapping with lead will follow. FACE ME NOW, wait, then you can be released, and still only if you are being good.
KittySawrus
05-19-2011, 09:34 AM
I agree with WB, assess how you handle the horse, and the other guys, do some groundwork to back up your respect issues. How do you turn him out? A good bit of advcie is WEAR GLOVES! That way you can have a better grip and you won't get rope burn, or will get less of it (depending on the style of gloves).
When I turn out (well, when I turn horses out with a seperate field/shelter, since before I just took Hillie's bridle and saddle off and let her run off) I walk the horse into the field, turn them to face the gate, close the gate, then remove their headcollar and push them away from me. All very sedate. When turning out don't over-anticipate their running away from you, cause that'll just wind them up and get them more excited.
And that's about all the help I can offer :) just please wear gloves so you don't get rope burn!
Remali
05-19-2011, 09:42 AM
I haven't read all of your threads.... but, do you have a trainer you can work with, or someone you take lessons from? I think that may be a good idea and a good place to start.
Sweetie Petey
05-19-2011, 10:05 AM
Yes. I have a trainer. I got him from her. I will talk to her
Does he bolt the instant you get through the gate?
I agree with WB, assess how you handle the horse, and the other guys, do some groundwork to back up your respect issues. How do you turn him out? A good bit of advcie is WEAR GLOVES! That way you can have a better grip and you won't get rope burn, or will get less of it (depending on the style of gloves).
When I turn out (well, when I turn horses out with a seperate field/shelter, since before I just took Hillie's bridle and saddle off and let her run off) I walk the horse into the field, turn them to face the gate, close the gate, then remove their headcollar and push them away from me. All very sedate. When turning out don't over-anticipate their running away from you, cause that'll just wind them up and get them more excited.
And that's about all the help I can offer :) just please wear gloves so you don't get rope burn!
My husband led a mare through a gate, turned her around and took the halter off. He didn't step back away from her when he did so, which left him in the position that you describe when you say you "push" the horse away from you. The mare wheeled and kicked him in the head and chest. He got over 30 stitches in his forehead. Very lucky man that the strike didn't hit him lower in the face. He would have been killed.
KittySawrus
05-19-2011, 12:11 PM
My husband led a mare through a gate, turned her around and took the halter off. He didn't step back away from her when he did so, which left him in the position that you describe when you say you "push" the horse away from you. The mare wheeled and kicked him in the head and chest. He got over 30 stitches in his forehead. Very lucky man that the strike didn't hit him lower in the face. He would have been killed.
:doh:
Well I wouldn't be suggesting it if that had never happened to me or any of my friends and colleagues. Your husband is a lucky guy, glad he managed to get through that one in one piece.
ETA: That's the way I was taught when I did some studying for the BHS exams I never took ;)
Sweetie Petey
05-19-2011, 04:14 PM
he bolts every time!
Does he bolt the instant you get through the gate, or when you start to take the halter off?
Making the horse turn back to the gate and stand until they relax is a great habit to develop. It takes time and if the horse is, um, "determined," it takes quick reflexes at first. Main thing is not to get hurt.
It takes committment and patience on the horseman's part, too.
Once accomplished, you may not need to do this at every turn out, but it should become a regular part of the turn out routine. I also do this when putting horses in stalls for feeding. I've seen handlers/owners/riders get run over or smashed into the door jam by ill-mannered horses and there is just no need or excuse for that.
Quick reflexes and a lip chain, or a skinny knotted noseband halter..
WashingtonBay
05-20-2011, 07:38 AM
I think you're about 13 years old right SP?
I think it would be good to ask for help from your trainer, since you have one. She knows this horse and what you both are capable of for fixes. Changing up something about your routine to cut him off before he starts will help.
natisha
05-20-2011, 09:20 AM
Is this the same horse that your trainer was going to put to sleep if someone didn't take him?
What was the reason for that?
If you're a kid, and you don't have the strength, timing or experience to deal with this problem in an ordinary way, maybe you could build an enclosure inside the first gate to take his halter off in. That way, you would have a prayer of giving him a treat, or brushing him, while he's waiting to get the halter off. After you turn him loose in the small enclosure, leave for a while, then just come back and open the gate to the pasture and let him out..
natisha
05-20-2011, 09:50 AM
What was the reason for that?I'm not sure of all the details but he didn't like doing lessons with different people. He would like to have one owner. A HE type owner.
Sweetie Petey
05-20-2011, 10:22 AM
She did not want him. I had to take him! I did not want a horse like him to die! Yes, i am 13. Thanks for all your help! :)
natisha
05-20-2011, 01:53 PM
She did not want him. I had to take him! I did not want a horse like him to die! Yes, i am 13. Thanks for all your help! :)Do you think she would have really killed him? He is such a big sweety that I can't see anyone putting him down for no reason. He's a great horse for you or anyone. Lots of horses don't like doing lesson & being ridden by different people. Petey is one of those. I think he is very happy having you as his owner.
Maybe Petey didn't like her too much?
HeavensEast
05-20-2011, 02:11 PM
Do you think she would have really killed him? He is such a big sweety that I can't see anyone putting him down for no reason. He's a great horse for you or anyone. Lots of horses don't like doing lesson & being ridden by different people. Petey is one of those. I think he is very happy having you as his owner.
Maybe Petey didn't like her too much?
The horse she is talking about in this thread is Buddy, not Petey. She bought Petey from a barn in IL, I think.
Buddy is the one that came from her trainer.
natisha
05-20-2011, 02:26 PM
The horse she is talking about in this thread is Buddy, not Petey. She bought Petey from a barn in IL, I think.
Buddy is the one that came from her trainer.Opps, I got them mixed up.Sorry SP.
Sweetie Petey
05-20-2011, 05:02 PM
Opps, I got them mixed up.Sorry SP.
haha! its ok!:)
lacyloo
05-20-2011, 09:56 PM
Changing your routine and methods are the way to fix it. I send my horses far enough into the gate to pivot around and face me while I latch the gate. They walk away as soon as they realize I have no carrots :hysterical:
Heck you could use a lead rope to teach them the "send cue". Just like lounging except a short rope and its at a walk. Your horse just has to know that- extended arm means- follow that direction. :cowboy:
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