Ask The Trainer

Hi,  I have a gelding I have had for 4 months- he is 4 yrs old, 16.3hh and 1/4 Irish X 3/4 TB.  When I got him he was barely broke and had basically been turned out for 4 years.  I had my work cut out for me but he was so cute! He is quite immature mentally when coping with stress.  He had no ground manners- especially if he was scared or wanted something.  He seems to really want to please and has been progressing on the ground and in the ring very well.  I have started trail riding him in the last month or two and he does some weird stuff.  Mainly he will stop and not go forward then when I urge him he backs up and will sometimes do a little rear and try to turn around.  Typically it is when we approach something scary- i.e. ditch, garbage but he has also done it on a hill-tired(the hill was too long for his fitness level -it was a surprise) and today when we were almost home.  It's like he reaches a limit mentally and/or physically and he just stops.  I think it is fear or just mental stress-I almost think of it as a little breakdown but usually he will continue on afterward.   I thought maybe he smelled a bear or something?  He won't follow other horses at this time either.  The way I have found to deal with this is to dismount and lead him through it.  He follows me quite easily and even down banks and ditches (we haven't attempted water yet as it took me 2 three hours sessions to get so I can hose him)he will follow and step slowly and deliberately through the obstacle or mental block, then I can get on and continue. He still goes the direction  we started and I want just with me leading.  I don't see another way to deal with it safely- It's not that I get off because he's trying to get me off he just won't go forward.  I think that he is really stressed/scared because he does usually have runny poops during or soon after.  I have tried to get him to follow another horse instead on me but no luck.  I guess my questions are Is he scared/unsure of himself or just being disobedient?Am I letting him get away with being bad by dismounting and leading him?  Am I dealing with it correctly in helping him through by letting him follow me?  

Am I on the right track?

I think that he is just lacking confidence. I would spend some time in a more controlled environment to really get him comfortable with the basics of being ridden. Things like forward motion, stopping, control of his hips and his shoulders. Helping him get really comfortable with basic maneuvers will help build the trust and confidence he needs to not feel overwhelmed when you do take him out. He may be acting the way he is because you are teaching faster than he can learn. If you feel safer dismounting that is fine but if you get off every time he gets stressed then he will soon figure out that acting scared will get him a release. It is not wrong to let him follow you, initially that is possibly the safest way to help him. If you always need to get off and lead him either you have not got the basics established well enough or he is starting to manipulate the situation.

Will Clinging 2004 (c)

Back to Will's Article Home Page
Back to Articles Home Page