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How to retrain a young colt

2K views 17 replies 8 participants last post by  Jalter 
#1 ·
I am interested in buying a young colt who has a few behavioral problems. Most of them come from being separated from his mother too early, and also never even seeing another horse. The other issue is his ignorant know-it-all of an owner (for more info, see my other post: http://www.horseforum.com/horse-conformation-critique/adopting-foal-153478/).

What is the best way to stop a 9 month old horse from kicking? He does this to everyone but me. That is part of the reason I like him, he is quite a bit nicer to me haha. I've seen him do it, and I'm pretty sure he is just playing. He isn't exposed to any horses, so he hasn't learned through play that kicking hurts.

In this video, he shows something similar. Here, his way of playing with me is showing off, with his kicks and charging. He has never tried to actually hurt me. On the other hand, everyone else that comes near him gets charged.

http://www.horseforum.com/horse-conformation-critique/adopting-foal-153478/

How could I stop this? If I buy him myself, I'm definitely going to expose him to more horses, but until then, he is by himself. Is there anything I can do that will help, without relying on other horses to put him in his place?

He respects me as his leader (not his owner and the ignoramus trying to adopt him though), and telling his other two owners the best way to be dominant is useless. Believe me, I've tried.
 
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#3 ·
Ohhhh, this is a BIG question. An unsocialized stud colt is just about the most difficult type of horse to train, especially one who's been allowed to be terrible.
Gelding the horse would be my first step.
I think this type of horse requires a very experienced handler. I wouldn't enter into this lightly. If you aren't solid in training difficult horses this isn't the horse for you.

Also realize not just the energy and money you'll need to put into this horse (the gelding surgery) but also recognize the time. He's 9 months old now - it will be at least 2 years before he can be backed. Think back 2 years ago - that was a long time ago - do you really want to wait that long to ride him? Foals are a LOT of work, time, energy and money, especially an aggressive, unsocialized stud colt.

If you do get him PLEASE get a solid experienced trainer to help you.
 
#4 ·
Its not my horse (yet), so I cannot geld it. The guy wants his four year old daughter to break it, and he plans on using it as a breeding stallion (go to my mentioned thread for more info).

If I get the horse, gelding him will be the first thing I do, I can promise that. He is a great horse, but not breeding quality.

I planned on getting professional help, I'm not like his current owner, haha. I have worked with foals before, and have plenty of horse experience in general. That plus a good trainer will make him a great horse.
 
#6 ·
Is there a way you could turn him out somewhere with some other horses for a few months if you do adopt him? Just not work with him, not even halter him at all for like a month and then start over, sounds like he needs his little butt stomped by some bigger horses. If not, take a soft cotton rope, tie a loop hard and fastin one end, loop it over his back foot, run it up through the halter and leave just a little but of slack. Then let him kick away. He will soon learn that with every kick, he yanks his own head down. I haven't seen this fail with any of the kickers I have encountered..
 
#7 ·
If I do adopt him, yes, I definitely will. As of now, his owner thinks domestic horses have evolved to not need other horses. He won't let me do it.

My plan with him if I get him is to geld him immediately, turn him out with a few other horses (hopefully I can find one around his age to mix in there), leave him for a few weeks, then train him like a "normal" foal. If I run into any problems after that, thats when I'll call a trainer.
 
#8 ·
The video says it's private.
Anyway, I feel you should get the horse & do what you want or leave him alone. Why put training into the guy's horse when the guy is clearly not on the same page as you? I wouldn't risk getting hurt for nothing nor would I do free training on someone else's horse.

He wants his 4 year old kid to break it??!!!! I wouldn't go anywhere near that guy.
 
#9 ·
I've seen him do it, and I'm pretty sure he is just playing. He isn't exposed to any horses, so he hasn't learned through play that kicking hurts.

In this video, he shows something similar. Here, his way of playing with me is showing off, with his kicks and charging. He has never tried to actually hurt me. On the other hand, everyone else that comes near him gets charged.


He respects me as his leader (not his owner and the ignoramus trying to adopt him though), and telling his other two owners the best way to be dominant is useless. Believe me, I've tried.
Sorry, but if he is kicking and charging, he is not "playing" with you and does not respect you as his leader. He's challenging you. He's a 9 month old colt who's a snot, full of himself, and thinks he can do whatever he wants. He needs a serious "Come to Jesus" meeting before someone gets seriously hurt. I'm sure you think it's great that he wants to play with you. It may be "cute" now, but it will not be cute when he almost weighs half a ton. NEVER encourage/allow him to play with you. You are the alpha and he is to show respect.

At this point you would need to do a lot of groundwork. Leading, tying, backing, yielding hindquarters, picking up feet, all that good stuff. What can he do now? What are you currently working on him with? I second that a trainer is a great idea. I've taken my 10 month old to 3 groundwork clinics and he behaves better than every single one of the grown horses there. It is a lot of work and time. You can only do so much in one session before their baby brain gets overloaded and fizzles out. I've gone through some hissy fits with my colt and with experience from my trainer I've gotten through them. It really is rewarding and amazing to watch them as the learn and connect things. You're there to help him grow into a respectful horse. And for that you need to be a leader, not a friend. Good luck, it really is a lot of fun :)
 
#10 ·
I guess I didn't word that right. With his owner and the other guy, it is clearly a dominance issue. He charges at them, and is obviously trying to hurt them. With me, He snuggles with me, then runs around to get my attention, and occasionally throws out a kick while he is playing. If you look at the video, that's what he does, I'm just not always on the opposite side of the fence. With all of his other body language, he respects me as leader, when he kicks, he is only trying to show off, and usually does it away from me.
 
#11 ·
There is nothing wrong with the colt or the owner. The colt is 'Healthy as a horse', and the owner is caring concerned. The colt is up to date on all vaccines, and has been gelded. His hooves look a little 'off', but the vet says there is nothing wrong with them. The farrier is on her way out soon. Just needs one more client before she will come as it is costly to travel. We are 120 miles from anywhere. There are 3 horses not belonging to the owner of the colt that are being cared for on his dime, and he will also be paying for the farrier to work on the hooves of the 3 extra horses plus his one. And there is a slightly older colt in the corral with his colt. He is well socialized.
 
#12 ·
You know the situation as of now, you do not know what has happened before, only what they have told you. It is not the owner, it is the friend (at the time it was a complicated set up, but it was his friend who apparently doesn't own him any more that the issues were with).

Yes, as far as of know the majority of the issues have been fixed. Thank you for pointing that out.
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#16 ·
I believe in letting a horse be a horse in at least the first 18 months of its life...by that I mean let them run w other horses. If you can do that, the other horses will "train" him. If I really wanted him I would have him gelded asap, and turn him out w other youngsters.
 
#17 ·
He is not up for adoption! He has a good owner. Read all the posts. He has been gelded, he is healthy, and he is happy. He has another young colt in the corral with him also. He has had a full veterinary check up and is vaccinated. He is 10 months of age. He is still young. He is a very happy horse.
 
#18 ·
Like I said, he seems fine now. The owner never abused him, it was the owners friend, who claimed to own him that did the things I said (which is why I called him the owner). He was up for sale at one point, whether they regret that or not, that's how it was.
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