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In Need of Explosion Space!

3K views 29 replies 12 participants last post by  Annnie31 
#1 ·
I have a 3 year old OTT TB gelding who is a total sweetheart. Very gentle, forgiving, has his quirks (I've never met a horse that enjoys deworming, he was mad when I made him give the dispenser thingy back!), but none the less, a very laid back horse. Or so it seemed.

I have been gently trying to teach him to lunge nicely - just at a slow, calm walk. And we accomplish this ... for all of three seconds until he notices that OHMYGAWWWWWD, SHE'S ATTACHED TO MEEEEE. And then all hell breaks loose.

He bucks, rears, kicks, snorts, and farts his way all over the place, dragging my sorry **** all over the field. And half an hour later, we come back, and I'm covered head to boot - if I even still have boots on (have had an occasion where one was yanked off in a particularly deep sink hole of muck.)

I feel that I need to let him blow before I work him. Just let him have his little flip out, and that he'll chill right out. But the place where I currently board has nothing to ride in.

Correction, nothing actually usable. They have a pathetic "fenced in ring" that is about as long, and wide as I could spit. And there's no door. I let my older gelding out, and had to fence him in with a lunge line strategically zig zagged across the opening. And quite frankly, I'm afraid that if I let my youngster out there (being the hefty boy he is, standing 17.1h), he may end up hurting himself, or taking out one of the fences.

Suggestions on how and where to let him blow? Or how to correct the dragging mom across hell's half acre, without pulling my arms out of their sockects?

Thanks in advance! :)
 
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#3 ·
Being so young I don't know if he'd do well - especially being off the track.

And most of all because if he ever ran away, I wouldn't want to have to go chasing him all over :p
 
#4 ·
Well it helps to lean back to keep your ground and don't be afraid to pull that horse (and release when he doesn't pull as hard) to get his butt over to where he needs to be.

Do you use a whip? Or anything else? That might also be stirring your OTTB up.

Work on keeping those arms locked by your hips ;)
 
#5 ·
The half acre bit that you're lunging in, is that not fenced in enough that you could loose school him in there?

What happens after he has his explosion? What do you normally do? What's he fed on? How often are you exercising him? Is he stabled or turned out?
 
#6 ·
It's near impossible, he's sooo much stronger than me, I've broken three lines now, in tug of wars, lol. He's just so big. I don't use a whip, only a line.

There's positively no fencing where I'm trying to lunge him. It's just a open crop field that's not used anymore. There's no holes or anything - it's just farrr to big.

Generally I'll clip him up to a lunging halter (the ones with the three clips along the nose band), and try to get him to understand the whole circle concept - keeping him at an arm's length than gradually going farther and farther out. And then, the farthest we've gotten is transitioning from a walk to a stop, and from a stop to a walk. But normally then he'll have a flip out, drag me all over the place. And then just relax.

I'd work him after he freaks, but he's normally steaming hot, and I always feel like I've been hit by a truck. So I cool walk him, and try to end it on a good note, by going back to the basic circle concept - which he understands, and exicutes well.
 
#7 ·
It's hard to say what's happening without being there and seeing your body language and his. Whats standing out to me though is that he's taking the piss out of you (sorry, don't know how to translate this British phrase, hope you understand what I mean!).

I would get a bridle on him and stop using the halter for lunging for now. He needs to learn to respect the line. I would also go back to basics and do some groundwork with him. Get his respecting your commands, your voice, your space. Make sure that he's in a regular routine with his work and you're working with him consistently. As a young OTTTB make sure he has plenty of downtime in the field too and look at playing games with him as well so that sometimes, for him, work is fun.
 
#8 ·
I started off with a bridle (the previous owner had mentioned she was using one to lunge him), and he broke all 4 of the ones I dared to put on him. Each time I used a very light, rubber snaffle. So I figured that the halter would be better.

I have been trying to go back to the very basics (so far back as halter training, which we went over this morning lol), and he's being handled and "worked" if that's what you want to call it, 5 out of 7 days a week.

So I guess it's back to yearling training for us! :p
 
#17 ·
I started off with a bridle (the previous owner had mentioned she was using one to lunge him), and he broke all 4 of the ones I dared to put on him. Each time I used a very light, rubber snaffle. So I figured that the halter would be better.

I have been trying to go back to the very basics (so far back as halter training, which we went over this morning lol), and he's being handled and "worked" if that's what you want to call it, 5 out of 7 days a week.

So I guess it's back to yearling training for us! :p
Absolutely!! He needs to be retrained from the ground up, or else you'll never really trust him, he'll never really trust YOU or defer to you, and You'll be the one who is hurt, while he is the one who somebody in your family sells at auction. I know this sounds harsh, but you have a hot-blooded horse whose training has been to run away from a whip. He could be a very good horse, but right now he is a rogue.
I'm sure that you CAN retrain him. It will take a LOT of your time. If you don't mind spending the next 6 month-year before he really listens to you, then keep him and undertake this. Otherwise, I'd market him to stables where they frequently buy OTTB's and train them to show.
I was very impressed with Clinton Anderson's recent series training the OTTB, "Tricky Warrier." In this case, CA bought the gelding, then put him out to pasture for 6 months to probably put some weight on him, but more probably to let him relax. If you can watch his series--it's replaying now on RFD-tv--it will certainly help you. Good luck--I'm not trying to criticize you, just don't want you to get banged up. =D
 
#9 ·
Explosion of this kind is a lack in his training.

I wouldn't know what to do, whether to take him back, or to leave him to mature.

You need to forget he's so 'big' too. A 12hh pony could drag you all over the place if they really wanted to.

Firstly, I like the idea of putting him in a school, booted up, and leave him to it. Stand in the middle, with a lunge whip, and see what happens. Don't chase him. Just try and free school him- not making him run his bum off, just keep him moving.

Secondly, ground work. If he has no respect for you on the ground, you won't stand a chance in the saddle.
Buy a rope headcollar, and a long leadrope, or lunge. Teach him to back off, left, right, halt.
This is also a good thing to have to begin the lunge process. Someone else on the forum mentioned it, I will try and dig it out. Once you have him comfortably on the headcollar, step back and make him circle around you. When he relaxes, do it again till you're at the end of the line. Being in an enclosed space is best.

Also, I think gloves and hat are required.
 
#10 ·
I've only had him for about a month, so I'm still trying to figure out how much he's done with his previous owner.

The whole idea of the post was, I have no place to let him loose, or I would. The small fenced area that the barn calls "a ring" is 1. Outside (thus snowy, muddy, and not safe terrain - it's just grass) 2. It's probably just three trot strides for him down the longest side - so he wouldn't have any room.
 
#11 ·
If its that muddy, and a young horse, I would be worries about his legs and probably leave it till the weather cheers up or find a pen/school close by to hire out and even walk him to it.

Unless a horse has a been there done that tshirt, and is a youngster I treat it like its done nothing, that way when we achieve something, I'm impressed, rather than disappointed it didn't happen sooner, or he didn't know it etc.

Treat him unhandled, get to know him, and go from there.
 
#12 ·
So maybe you should think about moving him to a better facility more equipt for training space. You aren't getting anywhere with him.. horses need space to learn.. and when they get more fit, you shorten the amount of space you get them because they are more balanced and their body can handle it.

I would at least look for a large enough arena, maybe even an indoor. Round pens are nice because you can let them loose to exercise themselves and step in and teach them something as well.

Do this for your horse, AND your safety missy!
 
#13 ·
I've been looking, but I'm having difficulty finding a barn that will be able to accomodate both my horses. Most boarding places will only accept one - and most are not open to youngsters.

The search continues :(
 
#16 ·
We got our OTTB at 5 yrs. old, fresh off the track....

Here we are 2 years later, and he is the most respectful and perfect horse, whether doing groundwork, lunge line or just hanging out.

But he was a handful for the first year. All fire and brimstone when he didn't get his way....we nicknamed him "Diablos", spanish for devil.

Now here we are with the same horse, who is almost 7 yrs. old ,, an OTTB with perfect manners, but even so, he needs to just blow of his energy often. We turn him out to the field and he just goes and goes....you are probably right in thinking some running space would benefit your OTTB!

Because even well trained and respectful OTTBs need time to just let loose sometimes:

Here is our video of a well trained and calm tempered OTTB!!!!




Notice how at the end he is like "OK, i am done now" and goes about his business like all those shenanigans and mad galloping never happened? LOL
 
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#23 ·
We got our OTTB at 5 yrs. old, fresh off the track....

Here we are 2 years later, and he is the most respectful and perfect horse, whether doing groundwork, lunge line or just hanging out.

But he was a handful for the first year. All fire and brimstone when he didn't get his way....we nicknamed him "Diablos", spanish for devil.

Now here we are with the same horse, who is almost 7 yrs. old ,, an OTTB with perfect manners, but even so, he needs to just blow of his energy often. We turn him out to the field and he just goes and goes....you are probably right in thinking some running space would benefit your OTTB!

Because even well trained and respectful OTTBs need time to just let loose sometimes:

Here is our video of a well trained and calm tempered OTTB!!!!

Once a race horse... always a race horse ~ crazy gray thoroughbred - YouTube


Notice how at the end he is like "OK, i am done now" and goes about his business like all those shenanigans and mad galloping never happened? LOL

I love this video, he looks like he is having a blast. I wish my pony would run around more, the lazy brat lol
 
#18 ·
I'll have no problems taking him back to yearling training. I was simply asking for advice for my specific space related issue since I don't have the space I'd like. This barn is relatively new to me - but I've been around horses for years.

I suppose my only option (one I'm going to struggle with) would be to go about finding another barn. As I feel that he has the ground training everywhere else (leading, tacking, ground commands - i.e. back up, woah, stand, etc.) but requires that little bit of explosive behaviour in a safe environment to allow the training to really stick.

Thanks everyone :)
 
#21 ·
The OP knows her horse, and if she feels that all he needs is some room to run and burn off some energy, I believe her. OTTBs are like that sometimes, as my video shows......they need room to expend that explosive energy.

Our boy is an absolute angel on the ground, obedient and respectful....same under saddle, but is very energetic and wants to GO...definately not a beginner horse...but still, he is a great ride and a lovely well behaved boy on the ground.

He just needs some room to let loose once in a while. So, I think the OP hit the nail on the head with her read on the situation. She has a young OTTB that just needs to be able to do what his genetic wiring tells him to do....run. Needing to do so does not mean they are badly trained, just energetic ex athletes.
 
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#24 ·
Ok, here's my take on it. Start back at the beginning, and small, and short. Is there another facility that you can board him at? Maybe one with a proper roundpen? You need to get his respect. Being sweet doesn't mean they are respectful. ;) Don't pay attention to his size, YOU be "bigger than him". If you start him in a small circle, watch his body language, if it looks like he's gonna "explode" get after him before he does it. Or change direction. Make him do something YOU want him to do. Get him where he is paying attention to what you are going to tell him to do next, not "I'm bored with this let's do something stupid". LOL Now, I'm NOT into all the "gimmicks" from all of the different trainers. BUT, my neighbors got out of horses, gave me their left over tack. In it was a Monty Roberts training halter. Here's the link. Dually Halter Medium | Monty Roberts OMG I have used this on all of my foals, (once they are yearlings). The results are amazing. They STOP any yanking, etc. They learn to lunge beautifully. Do lots of little circles, don't expand your circle until he masters the little one several different sessions. Always end on a good note. Even if you work him for 5 minutes.

I have an appendix QH (1/2 TB/ 1/2 QTR) mare that I show HUS. She very much takes after the TB side, in every way. I've found that "hot" feed, such as Alfalfa really affects her temperament. Maybe look into what he's being fed?

Good luck with your boy. You can do it! (just be careful) :)
 
#25 ·
Ok, here's my take on it. Start back at the beginning, and small, and short. Is there another facility that you can board him at? Maybe one with a proper roundpen? You need to get his respect. Being sweet doesn't mean they are respectful. ;) Don't pay attention to his size, YOU be "bigger than him". If you start him in a small circle, watch his body language, if it looks like he's gonna "explode" get after him before he does it. Or change direction. Make him do something YOU want him to do. Get him where he is paying attention to what you are going to tell him to do next, not "I'm bored with this let's do something stupid". LOL Now, I'm NOT into all the "gimmicks" from all of the different trainers. BUT, my neighbors got out of horses, gave me their left over tack. In it was a Monty Roberts training halter. Here's the link. Dually Halter Medium | Monty Roberts OMG I have used this on all of my foals, (once they are yearlings). The results are amazing. They STOP any yanking, etc. They learn to lunge beautifully. Do lots of little circles, don't expand your circle until he masters the little one several different sessions. Always end on a good note. Even if you work him for 5 minutes.

I have an appendix QH (1/2 TB/ 1/2 QTR) mare that I show HUS. She very much takes after the TB side, in every way. I've found that "hot" feed, such as Alfalfa really affects her temperament. Maybe look into what he's being fed?

Good luck with your boy. You can do it! (just be careful) :)

I have the dually and it worked wonders with Hunter when I first got him. Just be sure to know how to use it properly.
 
#26 ·
Wow, did i misread this thread or what!!?? I thought the OP was saying her horse was needing to vent some energy, not having behavior/training issues.


I thought the OP was saying that her horse needed more room, not more training....:?
 
#27 ·
Although I do like this post as I feel some aspects are a bit off track, the OP original post labels some behavioural/training issues such as breaking bridles when lunged that I myself would want to address, it wasn't until later in the thread it was made clear of the OP's experience.. so shoot me, I made an assumption ;D

He does need space to let loose, all horses do, but then there is no harm giving trainer tips for a naughty ponio :D
 
#28 ·
I appreciate all the feedback from everyone! :)

I was just curious if anyone else has had experience with something like this - and if there were any neat little tricks (maybe a certain type of feed, something ... anything lol), that might help.

I knew moving to another barn would ultimately be the best option, but I figured that I'd ask before I get into making such a serious decision for my animals, as moving can be stressful .. not to mention costly for me!
 
#30 ·
Randella, if you pm me your area in Ontario I may be able to point you in the right direction for indoor facility. There are several good ones. Country Lane Stables is no longer in business. Some of the stables listed on here were quite some distance apart geographically. I may know someone within your area if you pm me.
Best of luck with your horse.
 
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