The Horse Forum banner
Status
Not open for further replies.

Please help:(

5K views 50 replies 14 participants last post by  usandpets 
#1 ·
Two years ago, I bought my first and only horse, a palomino gelding who is now around 16 years old. I bought him from this ranch, where he was a barrel racer. I was so happy. He was perfect. I didn't use him for barrel racing, since he was older, I offered him a nice "retirement". He was a perfect first horse. We went on trail rides through forests and fields, bathed and brushed him regularly. I gave him mild exercise, like trotting and reigning. But...about a year ago he became "cinchy" (jumping when we tighten the cinch). It was a small problem that we were able to fix. But then more problems arose. He hated the saddle. Period. He wouldn't let us put the bridle in. The halter on. I could hardly brush him without him freaking out. The vet checked him out, and of coarse, didn't find anything. We use to get around and fix the mild problems he had, but now their are so many. I've ruled out many reasons like, "maybe he's lonely?" But I show lambs and always have a few around, and he really likes them, and my neighbors have horses that he sees a lot. I then thought, maybe I'm not spending time with him? I ride/brush or bathe him everyday in the summer, at least 3 times a week in the spring and fall, and the winters here are really cold, so I just visit him when the weather allows. Then, this spring I'm having back surgery, so I'll be in bed for at least three weeks, so if that's the case, he will get terrible. I'm the only one in my family that knows how to work with horses. I'm so sad, I just want us to be friends. He enjoys riding, dosent give me a problem once we get the saddle on. I'm depressed, I cry myself to sleep. I just want him to love me. Because I sure do love him.
 
See less See more
#38 ·
and guess what your horse needs you for that. I can tell your willing to work at this and thats what it takes. You study hard and follow all the advice your getting on here and you can go very far with your horse.
 
#39 ·
I have one more suggestion for you. Get a notebook, and start recording what happens each day with your horse. Before you go get him, write down your goal for the day.

Keep it simple, like,

Catch him without issues in the pasture.

Do your research on catching techniques and write down which one you intend to use.

Then work with your horse with your clear goal in mind.

After you are done working with him, write down how things went the way a scientist would, without emotion so you can see where your problems are happening.

It should look like,

I entered the pasture, El Dorado immediately turned and walked from me. I waited for him to face me. He continued walking. I walked toward him swinging the end of the lead rope until I had him moving at a trot. When he stopped I got him going again until I made the choice for him to stop. He turned to look at me. When I moved toward him, he turned and walked away again. We repeated the exercise. The third time through, El Dorado waited for me to walk to him and I praised and petted him. We stood together for a while, then I left him in the pasture.

Notice there's no emotion in what I just wrote. After you clinically record what happened for the day, you can allow yourself a "How I feel" section. Go ahead and save your emotions for that outlet and put them there so they get out of your head.

At the end, write an affirmation about yourself and your horse, then start your plan for tomorrow with your goal, and your plan.

It will help you see your progress, bad habits, and mistakes, and keep them in your mind in a way you can build upon. It will also help keep you cool while working because you'll be mentally "recording" what happens all day instead of feeling all the feels about it.
 
#40 ·
Well just wondering, does the saddle fit your horse?

But I will definitely look into getting respect out of your horse, do some showmanship, lunge him and make him constantly switch directions. When you ask him to move, kiss to him then push until he moves.

Look up some trainers like Clinton Anderson and Monty Roberts, etc.
 
#41 ·
I was in my room watching my horse for a few hours( I know, I have no life.) and just whatched him. He nibbles hay and grass a lot. He hangs out with the dog, and the investigate stuff the whole time. He'll go sniff the sheep, then go wait for me by the gate...he dosent seem too crazy right now...
 
#42 ·
That's because he is not crazy, he's just a horse. It's time to start treating him like one. Horses need to learn constantly. That's what keeps them alive in the wild, seeing a stick, freaking out, running around like a dummy, then observing the difference between a stick and a snake, applying that knowledge, and saving his energy by not running the next time.

The leader of the herd saves the collective group energy by showing them all she's the boss. That way when she walks by a stick, and they see she doesn't freak out, they shouldn't either, giving them time to learn on their own that a stick is nothing to fear.

All horses need a leader for survival.

If you are not the leader, they will become the leader because "no leader" is not an option.

We socialize girls and tell them the way to get what they want is to be meek and kind, and ask nicely, preferably while laying on the sugar and never causing offense.

You can't be that girl. You can't afford to be.

You have to be a leader.

That means telling your horse, first and foremost, you will respect my space. You will not move into my space until I ask you to. I will set the tone for how we get along, not you, and if someone is going to move their feet, it's going to be you, not me, buddy.

Once you master that, you need to work on, you will move where and when I tell you to, and if I tell you to stand, that's what you'll do until I tell you to move.

You have to do this with firmness, you have to enforce it with making the horse uncomfortable, not in pain, but uncomfortable until the moment he decides to do what you want, then you give him comfort.

You're giving him all the comfort in the world for free. Comfort is your currency. He's cleaning out your wallet.

Don't confuse love and comfort. If you love your horse, you'll be firm and fair and lavish praise and affection when he deserves it. That will show him love, because it will keep him safe, and keep him yours.

Love and cuddles for the warm and fuzzy feelings are not showing him love. You are doing that for you, because that makes you feel good. It's time to do what's good for him by being strong.

If you can master this, you will grow into a strong woman and a good leader who can face adversity and doesn't succumb to frustration or get disheartened.

Lord knows we need more of those. :D
 
#46 ·
I was reading a book and it said if you have problems with your horse, whatch what they do without being their. And I just meant he seemed normal, so the problem is Not physical like some people were telling me.
 
#49 ·
I know you already did put him in retirement but a horse at only 16 years of age is still running barrels perfectly my horse is 15 and is still running barrels with me. Retirment is probally for 30 year old horses, hey dont feel upset all horses will be like that sometimes my horse is doing that yesterday but he is fine now becuase i became his leader. Every horse needs a leader and they will love that leader. But if you just retire the horse at 16 years of age they are going to be like oh yay i dont have a leader anymore i dont have a saddle anymore or a bridle or a halter or any other stupid tack i have to wear but if you dont retire them they will still be happy with what they have.




another thing is with the saddle do you check the girth becuase it might have a burr or a sticker in it that you didnt know about same thing with the saddle pad.




so dont be upset and tell your horse im the leader so do what I say.


hope its help!!!
 
#51 · (Edited)
I've read thru most of the posts and here's my take on your horse and you.

I'm guessing you are at an emotional stage in your life. You want him to "love" you. Horses don't love like we do. Their "relationships" are based solely on respect and needs, not love.

It sounds like your horse has been testing you all along. He finally figured out your number and how to get away from working.

Correcting bad behavior is a simple concept. Make the right thing easy and the wrong thing hard. Lets take his haltering issue. You walk out to him and he runs away. Chase after him at a safe distance until he stops and looks at you. Why would he stop to look at you? This is a concept many don't have knowledge of as a novice owner. A horse will keep trying different things to get the right answer. If you don't go after him, you are releasing the pressure he feels which tells him what he did, run away, was right. If you do keep after him, he will figure that running away doesn't release the pressure, so he will try something else until the pressure goes away. When he does stop and look at you, turn and walk away. You just released all pressure. Let him think about that for a minute and repeat. When doing this, you are not chasing him to catch him. You are chasing him to keep him moving. You need to match his speed so to speak. If he runs, run after him. If he just walks away, just follow and not really chase him. This is called walking him down.

When he allows you to walk up to him without moving away several times in a row, then you can try to halter him.

If he moves away when saddling, make him move more than he wants. Get him to stop and try again. Easy/right = stand. Hard/wrong = move more.

Don't approach him with the attitude that he's going to misbehave. He'll sense that and it will cause him to. Approach him like everything is normal but be prepared in case he does misbehave.
Posted via Mobile Device
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ray MacDonald
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top