2 year old colt is confounding me!

jegray21 · Apr 10, 2011

JMS Miniatures said:
Ok here is my suggestion. He's not respecting your personal space. Plain and simple. You say at times he's fine when you lead in front of him but when your facing him, and thats good, but when you turn around he's all over your heels. First of all yes leading from behind isn't necessary but I think its a good thing still to learn. If he walks all over you from leading behind make him back up, really hustle those feet and don't be nice about it. When you walk from the side since he is pushing more with his shoulder I would make his shoulder move by making him piviot away from you again really make him hustle, and I would teach that on both sides.

Remeber horses learn from the release of pressure so I would defintelly increase your pressure with whatever you choose. I would just continue using the riding crop and make him move away from me. I'm just not sure if steady pressure would work in this situation, but driving pressure is what you may need.

Good luck!

I like this method!

jegray21 · Apr 10, 2011

hobbyhorse23 said:
I read somewhere that it's an instinctive self-preservation thing- an animal who tries to leap away from pressure is only going to help a predator rip open their flanks. If they move into the pressure, they may force the predator to release their grip without successfully ripping out intestines.

Leia

I have heard this too...makes sense

weebiscuit · Apr 10, 2011

So many good suggestions from everyone. Thanks! Each suggestion is something I will use if this continues, but tonight I did something different and it seemed to work! I sort of looped the lead rope in my hand, with big loops hanging down, and each time he pushed into me I jiggled those loops by the side of his head. He moved away! I'm going to try this for another few days and see if I can continue to get him off my leg by jiggling those loops by his head.

If that doesn't work, I think I'll strap a wire brush to my leg. Don't know if he'd even feel it, though, as he's still got a winter coat.

What I would love to find is one of those gag-type hand buzzers. You know those things... you put it in your palm and shake someone's hand and it buzzes. If I could strap one of those to the side of my leg, maybe every time he pushed into it and heard that loud buzzing he'd back off.

chandab · Apr 10, 2011

weebiscuit said:
If that doesn't work, I think I'll strap a wire brush to my leg. Don't know if he'd even feel it, though, as he's still got a winter coat.

If he's really woolie, would he lean harder into the brush to try to rub some of the hair off? Just a thought. [i doubt normally they would, but if extra woolie and itchy it might be a consideration.]

Blackwater Farm · Apr 10, 2011

weebiscuit said:
What I would love to find is one of those gag-type hand buzzers. You know those things... you put it in your palm and shake someone's hand and it buzzes. If I could strap one of those to the side of my leg, maybe every time he pushed into it and heard that loud buzzing he'd back off.

I LOVE this idea!!!!!!!

I can just picture one of my horses reactions to this!!!!