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HELP! asap!

3K views 20 replies 5 participants last post by  HorsesAreForever 
#1 ·
Well you probably all saw the video of chance cantering around the rim of the round pen not invading my space what so ever! She gave me all the respect I ever wanted/needed! But today I decided to free lunge her over some jump and she turns into me and skins me with her fur! If i crack the whip [not hitting her] she strikes out with her back feet or gallops at the fence and is about to jump it!!

On our last ride she turned and tried to bite my leg i gave her a kick in the mouth and smacked her she acted up some after wards but we corrected that quickly!

Im quiting riding her for a while and working on free lunging again and just work on ground work! I've lost my respect ever since i started riding everyday.. even leading now she keeps walking into me when i stop!!

What should I do to get my respect back..

If i decide to not ride we will work on lungeing on line and free lungeing .. on both she cuts in. how should i fix this and quick cause i want to ride :P

I think the only riding ill be doing is walking till i get the respect i need

PLEASE help!
 
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#2 ·
Here's what I'd do to gain the horse's respect. Be all business for a month or two. Control the horse's head with either a leadrope or a pair of reins at all times. No lunging for awhile, and especially no free lunging at all.

Catch the horse. Tie the horse. Groom, tack up. Ride the horse. Tie the horse, untack, groom. Put the horse away. If you want some bonding time with the horse, do more grooming, or handgraze the horse on a leadrope. The key is this--always control the horse's head for awhile with a leadrope or reins whenever you are with the horse.

Do that for a month or two--all business, this is your job horse--and I think you'll have an easier time of it.

A great dvd to try is called Leadline Leadership by Julie Goodnight--you can order it at www.juliegoodnight.com.
 
#4 ·
She can have days off, I didn't mean ride her every day. But she's a horse, she outweighs you by about 10 to 1. She's got a job to do--carrying you, doing your bidding. Let her know you expect her to do that job and nothing else for awhile, and she'll learn to respect you.

As for respecting your space--check out that Julie Goodnight dvd. I would never, ever free lunge a horse that didn't respect me ALREADY--that's a great way to get hurt. Free lunging is for working with a horse with whom you already have a rapport.
 
#6 ·
Staying out of your space in a round pen because you've got a lunge whip isn't really respect. Leading her around, having her keep her head in front of her chest, never walking ahead of you, stopping when you stop, slowing and speeding up when you do--that's respect!

The reason I recommend the Julie Goodnight dvd is because even though she has dvds about lunging, roundpenning, and the rest--unlike any other trainer, she has just this ONE dvd about working on a leadline with no other material--$40 for one dvd that's really clear and useful, instead of hundreds of dollars for 3 or 4 dvd set like the rest have. (And she has her expesive SETS, too). If you can, get ahold of Leadline Leadership--I absolutely guarentee you won't regret it.
 
#8 ·
Correct--don't let her go behind or ahead of you. Make her walk beside you with her head at your shoulder.

If you want her to graze on the lead, walk up to some grass, stop, pat her on the shoulder, and say "O.K.--eat." Make that your signal--otherwise she's to keep her head up and her eyes and ears focused on you.
 
#9 ·
If she goes behind you, shake the lead, cluck, get her to catch up. If she goes ahead of you, say "whoa," stop her, then make her back up--"back, back, back" for a few steps. Do that EVERY time she passes you--let her know it's unacceptable.

Ask her to back calmly and quietly and firmly at first--"back" and push back on the rope. Don't make her back to China--two or three steps will do. If she ignores you and just stares, ask more loudly. If she still stand there--jump up in the air, wave you hands over your head, and shout "hey! back!" Don't hit her--just startle her. If you startle her, and she backs up just one step, praise her--rub her forehead and say good girl. Within a training session or two, you'll have her backing up out of your space.

If she comes sideways into your space and knocks into you--smack her shoulder and say "hey"! Never, ever let her rub her head on you. After a workout, you rub the sweatmarks off her face with your hand or a brush--but don't let her rub on you.
 
#11 ·
That's great! If she already backs up, you're well on your way.

As for leading and slowing down and speeding up--telegraph your moves to the horse, you'd be surprised at how much he watches you. Think of him out in the pasture--the lead horse makes him move with a look, the twitch of an ear, a lifted head, or the position of his feet. Your horse will watch you that closely, too.

Stand straight next to him. Click, say "walk on"--and lean forward just a hair before you start walking. If you want to speed up, lean forward a bit again, click, lift your feet higher, go faster in place for a step or two-then speed up--he'll follow. When you want to slow down, straighten up a bit before slowing down your feet. When you want to stop, stand straight up--as straight as you can (even lean back a hair), slow down in a step or two, then stop.

This really works--horses respond to the body language of other horses, and they will respond to your body language, too, if you pay attention to it and do it consistently. It's not just showmanship tricks or whatever for a horse show--it really, really works. You train a dog to heel the same way. Animals watch us--they watch our hands, our shoulders, our feet, our faces--they really do. That's how they communicate with each other, and that's how you can communicate with them.

Signal what you want a step or two before asking for it, and you two will be in sync in no time.
 
#13 ·
i apologise if i repeat anything:

i would look more at pain rather than respect issues. i went through all this respect stuff with jarred who was doing exactly the same things as chance only worse and it all came down to back problems. some horses show pain differently. with possum i had absolutely no idea she had a back problem as she never showed and always did what i asked her. where as jarred was a different story. he showed his discomfort not only under saddle but on the ground as well. he was grumpy allll the time and would frequently kick and bite and carry on. since i got the chiro out hes been great.
 
#14 ·
After I ruled out pain , I would follow what arrow said. Also if you feel unsafe, carry a small crop with you. Anytime she invades your space, pop her with that ( try not to hit her head, may cause head shyness) and back her up to get out of your space. I would not stop riding her, but maybe set aside 2 or 3 days for groundwork, then ride 2 days or so.
 
#15 ·
thanks everyone, I know its not pain because usually before i ride or do anything hard I check for pain or heat. So far nothing ill check her over tomorrow aswell.

Ill deff work on what arrow said :D ill let you guys know how it goes..

so basicly just business catch, groom, tack, ride for an hour or so cool down, tie, untack, groom one moretime, or hose her off. then ill let her graze in hand, then put her away.

on no riding days work on leading around, staying out of my space, standing while being groomed. hand grazing or maybe walking in hand on trails again that would go with work on leading. Make sure she gets my permission before even trying to put her head down to eat.

So absolutly no lunging?? untill i get some respect? do this for a month or so?
 
#16 ·
That's what I'd personally do. If you don't have anything specific to work on with the lunging--voice commands, or something--I wouldn't do it. I'd make her do her job--take you for rides, or work on staying out of your space, period. Why not just do it for a week, and if it doesn't seem to be having any effect, you could go back to trying to solve your lunging problems? Try what I've suggested for 7 days (see the horse every day, if you, but at least 5 of those days), then evaluate the situation again. I think you'll see a difference, but your horse may prove me wrong!
 
#18 ·
respect

I know it sounds mean, but you need to crack her with the lunge whip, especially if she is turning in to you and not giving you your space. This bad habit can get more dangerous the more you allow it. As soon as she gets off the wall, snap her in the chest, or even hit the ground in front of her to re-focus. Good luck
 
#19 ·
um sorry but no i cant she use to be abused by whips and im not gonna be another one of those owners she use to have, I do crack the whip on the ground or in the air and thay just makes her gallop around still cutting in im gonna try what arrow said for a while and if that doesnt work i may use some force.

either way lately she hasnt invaded my space while leading.
 
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