buddy sour Calvin

Okay so the horse i am working with is buddy sour bad!! i am almost thinking about not working with him he is so bad what can i do to help him get over with out my self or him getting hurt. when i worked with him last weekend i sent him out in a circle to keep his feet moving but that did not work. any would be great.

You have to establish respect, just start off with simple leading exercises, establish your space, and if he gets to close make him go back, and start walking again. You always have to start off with respect at the ground before you get respect in the saddle.

Okay, i will do that.

Are you working on the ground or in the saddle? Also, what exactly does he do?

For example, if you're working on the ground and he's pulling or bolting from you to get back to his buddies, then what I'd suggest is:
1. don't pull against him
2. look at his hip (the one closest to you) and twirl the end of the lead line at the hip with high energy (it's not punishment, it's just pressure) TWIRL and TAP it repeatedly, don't whack! Not one swift whack....instead twirl the lead and let it tap his hip with increasing speed
3. soon as the hip moves away, his head will turn toward you, when he's looking at you with two eyes, reward him by stopping all pressure
4. repeat every single time he starts to turn away from you

If you're leading him and he bolts forward, do the same thing.

If he is turning his head away from you and he's stepping in toward you, use pressure in the same way but first direct it at his shoulder closest to you, then at the hip to get the horse to turn his head toward you and face you.

Always reward the moment he turns and faces you and is stopped.

Point is, if you bother to pull and yank and yell or punish or whack him or .... in other words react to him....you're not directing him, you're a step behind him and this will make his reaction to being away from his buddies worse.

Instead, if you take the time to direct his nervous energy....you suddenly become more important than the distraction: his buddies.

Buddy sour simply means that a horse is distracted and the human isn't high priority. The horse is findind security in the herd instead of being with you. So, if you act more like a leader...that is, tell him what you DO want, stead of focusing on what you don't want....he'll start to listen...especially if you are consistent. That is, every single time he turns away from you or tries to bolt or whatever....you take charge by redirecting his nervous energy....you'll both get what you both want:

You want a horse that is mindful and he wants a leader that he can trust to make him feel safe.

The more you move the hips around (practice this even when he's calm), the more overall control you'll have. Because the hind quarters is the engine, it's the steering, it's the stopping, it's the forward...

Practice telling his hip to move over (back feet must cross) and this stops his front feet. Do both sides.

Get to where you "kiss" or cluck and start to twirl the lead at the hip before you actually let the lead line touch the hip. This way, you're building a pattern: sound, added pressure by twirling the lead, added pressure by making contact with the hip, added pressure by increasing that tapping on his hip, twirling the lead faster....at any moment that the horse moves the hip over (crosses hind feet) and stops front feet = you reward with a release = the horse gets the chance to understand the steps and he'll then decide to comply sooner = you've got his attention.

Okay thanks i wil do that. whatever kind of training he had before my friend got him but he will move to any thing. i can put my hand up and he moving either out or forward.