When I turn out my horse in the morning (exracehorse so high energy etc) we get through the gate and I go to take off the headcollar and he will spin and gallop off sometimes bucking/kicking out as he turns. He comes in from the field very easily - he has never tried to evade being caught and walks calmly along with me to his stall when being brought in. I have tried waiting in the field for a while still on the lead so he knows he can't just run straight off but this led to him rearing up and trying to get away even faster when released! Have also tried walking to different parts of the field to release him but the same thing happened. Obviously this behaviour could be dangerous and I was hoping you might have some advice for me? I have been using your online university for a week now and so far have successfully completed JoinUp and FollowUp with him.
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Hello jopye and welcome to the uni !
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If you don't mind, I have a few questions. When you say you turn him out in the morning, do you mean he spends the night in a stall ? How old is your horse and how long has he been with you ?
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I would suggest spending time doing leading work (if you own a dually it will help you greatly)to teach him to respect your personnal space and review the standing still lessons as well. That way he could learn to wait until you've properly released him to take off and celebrate being free.
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As for the actual release I would first unclip the line wait a few secs, step away, then take of the halter (hence the standing still lessons) to give you time to be in a safe place when you realease. (if I understood you correctly you take off the halter and he takes off right away right ?)
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:)
Hi
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This is a really dangerous habit and you are right to want to stop it. The key to resolving this issue is not to allow your horse to know what is happening next. Animals work a lot on prediction and association. "Gate to field opens, this means halter comes off, this means I run free" - prediction and association. Humans are creatures of habit so we do the same thing each time, the horse learns the pattern, behaves accordingly, and so the behaviour gets reinforced. ok...solutions:
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1. Vary the pattern. Go to the gate "change your mind", turn round, walk the other way. OR, go past the gate, approach it from a different way. Go through the gate into the field, turn round "change your mind", come out again. Mix it up so it is less predictable.
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2. Put two head collars on - 1 Dually, 1 ordinary. Teach your horse to respond to the Dually and understand its use well before you do this technique! Attach your lead rope to the Dually. Put the second head collar over the top. When you come to release the horse take off the head collar that is NOT attached - if your horse tries to "run away" he will find himself still attached to the Dually. Put the second headcollar back on and do it again. After a while he will stop trying to pull away, realising he is still attached. At this stage, start undoing the Dually head collar SLOWLY. At the SLIGHTEST sign of him pulling away stop undoing the buckle and stand still. Avoid the anticipation i.e. he knows your hands going up to the headcollar mean it's coming off.
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Now, a few words of caution - be really careful not to get the headcollars/rope tangled, the loose headcollar must come off cleanly so as not to cause panic. As I said, you musxt be really safe and confident with the Dually so that he understand to come off the pressure when he tries to pull away.
This technique is much easier to show than explain I'm sorry.
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Now, another way (I pinched this idea from Kelly Marks - she is very creative in her problem solving!) Turn the headcollar inside out so that it fastens on the other side i.e. his right side rather than the usual left. As we know what can upset on one side caused no bother on the other! He may be ok on this side, but again be very careful because it will be alien to you both and a bit disconcerting!
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Let us know how you get on :-)
Good advice Vicci.
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Jo, do you have a dually head collar? With you saying he reared when you didn't let him go straight away, leads me to believe you do not have one and wasn't able to correct the rear?
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The dually is an invaluable tool, even though our horses are calm we always use the dually for training and any possible changes that might cause them to be reactive. The difference in weight to a normal head collar seems to let the horses know it's work time or they can't do silly things when this heavier head piece is on. Our horses are all taught to be ridden in the dually and we don't own any bridals.
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Please let us know more how you're getting on.
Mel
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Hi guys,
Thanks for your replies! Have since bought a dually halter and we are working on groundwork lessons. Will let you know if he improves with these.
Hey, these are great ideas!
Another idea to try right before releasing for the final time, would be to have a bucket with a mouthful of oats or something he loves (make sure your horse knows its there by shaking it, let him have a tiny taste), but keep it just out of reach behind the gate while you let him off the halter. Then push the bucket out; maybe he'll go to it to eat instead of running off right away. If he thinks he'll get treats there before leaving, he might stay around the gate a while to see if you'll give him something else.
Worth a try :)
Hi guys, Wow, these are really great suggestions from all. My only thought is that i wish you all were around when I first started with horses and learning the ropes.
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.All the best Bud