New place, new habits?

[FatSpottedAppy]

So I occasionally e-mail with Lyric's previous owner.. Just recently I told her that Lyric has broken a few of our lead ropes from pulling back and she replied relatively surprised. She told me that when she had him, she used to be able to tie him anywhere with no problem.

Well, Lyric is okay with bathing but not the greatest.. He dances a lot. According to her, when she had him he was great with bathing and would quietly stand.

Lyric gets mega-spooky when we go out alone. But when she had him, she said that he was fabulous going out alone and was actually the only horse they had that would go through a tunnel on one of the trails.


Now, I believe her because she seems like a very reputable person. Very friendly and personable. But what I don't get is that Lyric did so good back there, but when he gets here he suddenly has all of these bad habits. I have no problem working through these problems since they're minor, but I'm wondering why the change of atmosphere would trigger such. She only had him for 2-3 years I think.

[WashingtonBay]

She's also going to remember best the last 6 months, and perhaps riding trails that had become long familiar.

It's also possible she was feeding him a lesser fuel than you are... have you compared that?

[FatSpottedAppy]

He is currently not on any grain, just pasture(with a salt block). I am going to start him on something very soon though since I will start working him more to ready up for fair, but that thread will come later. I am doubting he was fed any grain but don't quote me on that.

I have only taken him out alone a handful of times.. I'm waiting to do that until I get a saddle since the last time I got dumped pretty hard because of a door opening. :rolleyes: I figure now that he has been on these trails quite a few times that he might do better..
He seems to do best in enclosed areas.

[Vacker Hast]

New place, new habits? YES!!! It's not only new territory but other horses (alpha/rank) but smells, sights and people. It is all new to him and his fear of many things can and will come out. Remember things that move and things that don't move ... it's very true.

Lyric is showing fear probably because he is not bonded yet and trust goes a long ways with a horse but you will get it with him it just takes time and handling him for that bond and trust to get there.

Good luck and keep trying it's very common so be patient and understanding with him and I do believe the previous owners that they were able to do so much with him but that has all changed now. You will have it too in time with him.

Stacy

[oursarge]

Rompy is 100% different here than he was in Vermont, Sarge is way different than when he was at the stable. Rompy never played when in VT, he plays here all time. He was very shy in VT, he's not shy here. Sarge was so pushy at the stable, he's not that bad here, he can be but just show him a lunge w. Thing is they both rode lots better at their other homes but then of course they had better trainers at their other homes. They seem to becoming pasture pets here because of Sarge's eyes and Rompy always has an issue with something, now it's a hoof absess.

Hope Lyric does better for you soon.

[Annie&Dixie]

Dixie has changed in so many ways since we moved barns. I should have done groundwork with her more consistently but I never really got around to it and when we moved, it nipped me in the butt. She was horrible on the lunge line, horrible with riding and now she is just wonderful. I did a lot of groundwork with her, gained respect back, just kept on doing things to make her think. She also now has so much more energy which I love but sometimes I don't know what to do with it, I think it's better for both of us this way.

Have you tried groundwork with him? It might make a huge difference. Dixie was dancey for the bath for a while, once I did groundwork and had her standing still, she was fine. She just did it because she could.

[GrungeEquestrian]

Yes a new place can bring on new habits in my experience. When I bought Trouble and brought her to my aunt's small farm, yes she had problems undersaddle but it was more of being a brat (bucking, rearing etc) but not a lot of spookng. Her ground manners and such though were flawless. Then when I had to move her to a boarding barn she was an absolute wreck. My aunt who is friends with the BO told her what a great mare Trouble was and that she was no trouble at all. The moment we took her off the trailer she was a completely different horse. Running around her paddlock getting herself all sweaty, throwing me, spooking at everything, being insanely tense, not standing still to be bathed to brushed. The BO was like "is this the horse you were talking about?" It took her a good 3 months for her to calm down completely, it was a big change. But now she is back to her old self, even better actually. With all the training I've put into her and desentizing her to new places she hardly spooks and is very level headed in new areas. I'm sure the more Lyric bonds with you the better he will be. That's what I found helped Trouble, she trusts me a lot more now, and as long as I'm OK with the situation or surrounding she seems to pick up on that.

[cheval]

More like, new place, let's test the new people. A lot of horses will do that. A move from what is familiar and safe can be a big change for a horse so there's bound to be some time for adjustment and learning that the new place can be safe as well.

[carla]

I wondered about her (previous owner's) bond with him, too. Were they close? I think the more time you two spend, the better things will get. On top of getting used to everything..