Hi,
I have lots of experience with raising young horses, and have worked at a rescue centre so also find I am good at working with scared and nervous horses.
After recently moving to a new yard, a lady has asked me if I would help her improve her horses manners as she was so impressed with my own 2.
Both of mine are 3 years of age, she has a 3 year old Nabstrupper, from 1 year old, she has done no ground work what so ever, and has allowed this horse to become extremely dominant. She is very scared of doing most handling, and will only pick up his feet when he is eating his feed and is distracted. He also bites, a lot.
I have tried to work with him schooling in a duAlly twice now, but I am finding even.in a duAlly he is just unbelievable strong, built very wide and standing at 16.3hh he know exactly how to use his weight.
The first thing I have been trying to do is, back up, to teach him some respect, but no matter how hard I use the disappointed line he just holds his head up as high as he can and pushes over the top of you by using his shoulders and walking forward.
He will no back up!
I have also tried to use a small amount of pressure against his chest, but he just bites.
He will constantly nip and drag his head sides ways and pull down on the head collar to push his way into a different direction.
Both my horse are larger than him, neither are as strong. And iv never dealt with such a numb, over handled horse before.
Has anyone got any suggestions to stop this horse running over the top of me?
Thank you
Lindsay
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Horse Behavior and Training
Horse Won't back up!
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I feel for you as have similar issues with my boy. Just a note, from what I saw yesterday with the lady who came to help me. She backed him up by squaring up in front of him, being very assertive and flicking the end of the stiff lunge line in front of her chest left and right. He very quickly backed out of her space. Then she rewarded with a rub on the forehead. He is a horse who is not afraid and also learnt he he can dominate. This method helped as you don't have to move your feet or get into his space like when you are backing up off the dually. Good luck.
Lindsay,
Are you leaning into the horse when trying to back him up? When I've had this problem with a horse that won't back, I use small quick bursts back, standing to the side of the horse so that you have a better position. He only needs to take one step back before release and reward. Then ask again, you want to start out hard bursts for a step back, then go soft...if he doesn't respond go immediately hard again until he responds. If you lean into him he will lean back, you will not win this contest he can lean on you all day and will. So be careful not to lean into him but again small quick bursts as hard as you need too, to make him move. Reward, soft...if he doesn't respond...hard again until he does. Be sure to reward even the smallest effort so that he understands what you are asking. But make sure you are controlling his feet and he's not controlling yours. He who controls the feet, controls the relationship.
Hi Girls! Do keep up the good work and have fun with your horses! My friend and colleague Kelly Marks have a very good film sequence on "how to" wit your issue of backing up. Sometimes it is VERY FAR between the brain and the hind legs :) so, Be safe, watch Kelly and the horse owner really careful, and fine tune your bodylanguage and mind and you will do splendid and your horse will be impressed!
Go to: http://www.horseandcountry.tv/episode/monty-and-kelly-horsemanship-essentials-loading
and at 7.32 Kelly is demonstrating the Backing up!
Good Luck and Keep on Equus All! Super thoughts from Kleinne!
Warmest CI Ann Lindberg
Completely agree with Ann and Kleinne, you will never win the push me pull you game :-) Kelly teaches this very well in the video Ann mentions.
Thank you very much for the information on the video.
I have watched it and I think I may be leaning slightly to much. The main trouble is keeping his head still, he constantly pins his head low, tries to sniff you feet to avoid any contact and will swing his head around, which makes it very hard to have the correct pressure and position using the duAlly.
The owner has ha him in a duAlly since she bought him as a yearling, and has managed to almost completely desensitise him to it.
......I say almost, because of the 20 times I might try to back him up, 1 or 2 times he will without much force, the rest is a real battls and he seems to have learnt to pull and push into the duAlly pressure, making it very hard.
Thank you also for the advice on standing Infront and making myself square with body language. I have tried this as this worked well with my Cleveland bay, when he didn't understand the backing up process. But for this horse, it purely translates as a challenge, he immediately walks straight through you. Even if he shys, (which he did when I swung the rope either side of my chest) he walks forward into people and the thing he is scared of.
This horse literally has learnt one gear, there is no reverse so even when scared he shoots forward.
Anyway,
I'm going to try a different way of handling him
On the duAlly now iv seen the Kelly marks video and let you know how we get on.
Hi Linzi, i had the same problem with a little shetland who was a nightmare for his owner to handle. I said i would try and help her, so took my dually and used it, in the way i had been shown, but he wasn't having any of it, he just bent his head round and wouldnt move! i did manage to back him up by standing next to him and twirled the rope in front of his face, this imediatly worked and after a lot of ground work he really changed his attitude, it was so rewarding!
Good luck, i'm sure you'll find a way.
The leaning is just as you say not that easy not to do ;) think of it this way - you do not want him to step into your personal space - so - give him the same respect and don´t step into his, when you are too close he will be able to move your feet - so the key here is: film yourself and see what space you need to set up so you make it easy for him. Keep up the Good Work and have fun! Warmest CI Ann Lindberg (I´ll see if I have a film sequence on a more "bullyhorse")