Behvaior Problem

[Ferrah]

My year and a half old colt Spider has just developed a rearing problem. He is getting gelded soon, but I definately do not want this to develop into a habit he will keep after he is gelded.

I don't think I did anything to provoke this kind of behavior. He respects my space very much. If I step into him he moves out of my space right away when I ask him to. In fact I can get him to do a perfect 360 degree turn on the haunch (without moving his pivot foot!) nearly everytime I decide to ask him.

Spider is almost always plucky and cheerful and a willing horse to work with. Lately he has started rearing. He seems to do it when he is feeling good, he will buck and crow hop on the lead and rear. He usually does this before I round pen or lunge him, but yesterday he did it while I was taking him on a walk.

I think it is because he feels good, but that does not stop it from being dangerous, and I would be mortified if he did it at a show.

I told him NO and I can always get him settled down but he always tries again. What can I do to stop him?

 

[Sunny]

We purchased a yearling colt once that hadn't had nearly as much handling as your little guy, and he would always rear up in our faces. First we tried just pulling him down with a sharp voice command of NO, but that didn't work. What DID work brilliantly well for me with that colt was to hold him UP in a big ol' bear hug when he reared and not let him down even when he started to squirm. I held him up for about 10 - 15 seconds or so. I only had to do that two or three times and he never offered to rear again, ever.

Hope this helps.

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Sounds like you are doing everything correctly. I would have said first, when he rears step INTO him quickly and push. A loud quit also. Sounds as if he is just feeling very happy. Carrying a short riding crop is also helpful with those exhuberant guys. I had one who is at boot camp right now. Don't hit him with it just push him in the muscle hard and also yell quit.

He sounds like aloveable boy and gelding will help but he needs his mom to remind him manners first!

 

[tallgateminis]

I do the same thing as Sunny does and It works very well. My filly was a bad rearer and liked to jump on top of you. We held her up in the air a couple of times and she never tried trompling us again.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

First question has to be- Is this bothering you?? If it is not, and is not endangering anyone, just ignore it and he will, eventually, stop, as it is only coltish high spirits. Watch co;ts playing in the field- one goes up to the other and bounces around in front of him- "Oh come on PLAY" The other one then either declines by swinging his backside and saying "GO AWAY" or he bounces back and they play. So, either completely ignore or just swing into him and tell him to cut it out. It is SO much easier if you talk a little horse- far easier than punishing or trying to make them learn People Speak. He is NOT attacking you nor trying to be dominant (Gosh how I LOATHE that sort of thinking- I've had to the back teeth with people thinking dogs are being "dominant" because they do such and such , poor puppies!!) He is just being a playful colt who needs to be told, gently and firmly, that such behaviour is not appropriate.

 

[Ferrah]

The behviour does bother me because last time he did it my little cousin came on the walk with us and he nearly got her with a hoof. I don't think he was really trying to hurt anyone and he has never reared at me to hurt me or chellenge me, I think he is doing it for fun.

I am just worried he will get over excited and hurt innocent bystanders.

 

[stormo41]

We purchased a yearling colt once that hadn't had nearly as much handling as your little guy, and he would always rear up in our faces.  First we tried just pulling him down with a sharp voice command of NO, but that didn't work.  What DID work brilliantly well for me with that colt was to hold him UP in a big ol' bear hug when he reared and not let him down even when he started to squirm. I held him up for about 10 - 15 seconds or so.  I only had to do that two or three times and he never offered to rear again, ever.
Hope this helps.

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i agree with sunny, although i never did this with a horse, i have done it with dogs that like to jump up, and it worked like a chram. ultough this may not work if you are not strong enough to hold the horse up when he start to fight back.

 

[MiLo Minis]

Putting yourself up close and personal to those flailing hooves is a foolish and possibly dangerous idea and many people are not strong enough to hold a horse up - think of a 1000 pound full size horse! Take a long lead shank with a stud chain on the end of it. Tie the rope end of the lead around his barrel. Take the chain end of it through his front legs, up through the link on the noseband of his halter, under his chin, through the other link and then snap it back onto the link that attaches the chain to the rope. It will be loose and not have any effect at all as long as he behaves himself. If he rears he will rap himself under the chin and punish HIMSELF for rearing. You can leave this on under supervision wherever he tends to rear - stall, round pen, wherever. You can snap another lead shank on him to lead him and if he misbehaves he will punish himself - usually only takes one or two rears for them to figure out it isn't worth it and won't injure them in any way. You can stand at the end of your lead shank, well out of harms way until he lands on his feet then praise him profusely and carry on with what you were doing. Even if it wasn't "bothering you" it could easily "bother" or KILL a child!!!

 

[kaykay]

I agree that a rearing horse can be dangerous and should not be tolerated. But i also think that when a horse does something wrong its usually my fault for not doing something right. I also dont think you need to go to extreme lengths to let him to know not that rearing is not acceptable.

Number one this is a young intact colt. Hes getting older and finding out hes a stallion. (it is really desirable if your going to geld a horse to geld it as young as possible if you can!!)

Also its always good to know someones level of training experience before giving advice. I would really hesitate to give milos advice but especially to someone who does not have a lot of training experience. For sure if her horse is not used to having his belly touched etc putting a rope there could cause a huge commotion and maybe more then she can handle. Especially if you dont know its coming.

Are you leading him properly?? But that i mean are you leading him with a loose rope and not a death grip under his chin?? I have seen so many people lead with the death grip and this in turn makes a horse HARDER to control and more likely to rear.

 

[MiLo Minis]

I would rather try what I suggested then to try to hold a flailing 2 year old in the air - their little hooves are sharp and deadly. I would suggest that some professional training would be a good thing but so few people seem to realize that it is necessary. Talking a little "horse" would tell you that he is trying to establish dominance just as colts do playing in the field with each other where they learn behaviors which will carry them through life such as establishing dominance over another herd member by rearing. It is important that you establish YOUR dominance early on before they get so large that they are dangerous.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

This is NOT a "dominance" issue.

Very few things are.

This horse merely does not understand that he is not supposed to act this way.

For example, if you are in France and attempt to enter the Hotel by the wrong door, which would teach you quicker where the right door was:-

a) Someone shouting at you in French whilst hitting you under the chin with a chain

b) Someone telling you in broken, but understandable English "WRONG door, Wrong. Go to other door"

????

 

[Sunraye Miniatures]

If I had a horse rear up I would pull BACK on the lead and yell "NO" while he is up in the air. Picking up a horse like that IMO is very dangerous for both of you

. And pulling the horse down your just asking for a fight.

 

[Ferrah]

Spider is pretty laid back, more laid back than I am used to when working with young horses. When he gets excited about doing something that he like like going on a walk, round penning or lunging he does his rearing, crow hopping thing. And his rearing has never so far been directed at me.

I don't keep a death grip on his head because I don't need to. The round penning taught him to stay with me and to move with me, I don't even need to use the lead to get him to move away or toward me. If I do need to pull on the lead I release the pressure and let him relax as soon as he does what I wanted him to do.

I want to teach him to keep his exuberance under control without making him more upset at the end of the lesson when he was at the beginning.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

I'm sorry MiLo, I'm with Rabbit. Ferrah said:

Spider is almost always plucky and cheerful and a willing horse to work with. Lately he has started rearing. He seems to do it when he is feeling good, he will buck and crow hop on the lead and rear.

Yes, this behavior needs to be discouraged. Yes, it can be dangerous. And yes, sometimes it can be dominant. But when it's clearly NOT, it's like smacking a child for running around and bouncing up and down. Yeah it makes them stop, but it also leaves them hurt and confused and all bottled up with the message it is not okay to feel joy and express it. I feel it would be much better in this case to simply redirect the colt. When he goes to rear and crow hop, take him for a run or make him circle you at a trot. He can't rear if he's moving forward. Laugh at him, give him some other way to safely let off steam, then reward him afterwards. Eventually he figures out it's just more fun to do it the other way and a gentle tug on the lead and a mild "Hey!" will remind him to try something more productive.

Now if it ever DOES get aggressive (which may well be the next step as his testosterone ramps up) definitive action is certainly required to bring that to an immediate halt. But you can tell the difference and it's important to respond appropriately.

Just my .02

Leia

 

[kaykay]

for the record i do not agree either with trying to hold a horse up in the air. Not a good idea in my opinion and i meant to say that in my post. the main thing here is to stop the behavior BEFORE he does it. I know when a horse is going to rear because they have to first bring their weight down and then they jerk up. This is when i do the correction before they ever get up in the air

 

[capall beag]

My young stallion started rearing up just a few days ago! My mare came in season in frigid New England winter

Anyway, he, my stallion, is NOT being aggressive to me at all, he is just high on hormones and so worked up he doesn't know what to do with himself! I just let him rear, he is small only 31" and has NEVER acted at all aggressive or difficult. I just let him dance around a bit on his hindlegs and then he relaxed and walked out to his pen.

HOWEVER, now I would NEVER let my kids be anywhere nearby when I am leading him because he could accidently hurt them.

I do not think an 'excited' young stallion is suitable to have around small kids, because they are unpredictable.

I think as soon as his jewels are removed you will have a really sweet, kind boy who can be lead and enjoyed by you and your niece( I think you said niece? sorry don't remember)

I think it is a bit unfair to expect too much of a foolish young boy!

I say this because it is NOT aggression towards you. If it was it would be a different story.

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

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Are you leading him properly?? But that i mean are you leading him with a loose rope and not a death grip under his chin?? I have seen so many people lead with the death grip and this in turn makes a horse HARDER to control and more likely to rear.

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This is just such a common mistake people make and a pet peeve of mine. And if they think the horse might spook then it is even more of a death grip all while going easy easy easy over and over.. well doesnt sound very soothing to me in fact if i were a horse i would hear uh oh something scary is coming up.

I wouldnt do either, grab my horse as he was rearing which can be very dangerous and not so sure I would try Milos method myself either.. I would keep the horse moving foward as it is very hard to rear with forward momentum going - HOwever depending on the ohrse and the reason I often use Rabbits method now if this is a stallion going to breed a mare and he rears well then the war is on.. I will back him up and make him stand close enough to the mare to think he is going to get some but not until he stands for a few minutes calm as can be

 

[Ferrah]

Let's say, hypothetically that Spider's rearing becomes something aggressive and not just a way to express his extra energy. Then how do you deal with it? How do you deal with a horse that rears to chellenge you?

 

[MiLo Minis]

Horses can play and act as foolish as they want at my place, I love to watch them run and play but NOT ON THE LEAD WITH ME!!! I do not play with my horses as I have no wish to get my head kicked in. I love my horses very much and give them all the praise, pats and attention they deserve. This is a coming 2 year old horse she is talking about not a weanling that knows nothing. He is getting to the age where he IS trying to establish his dominance in the herd. Yes he is doing it out of exuberance in play but where do you draw the line? The method of teaching him that rearing in the company of people is wrong that I suggested hurts NO ONE. Pulling on the lead rope in any way is more than likely to throw him over backwards and he could get killed if he hits his poll. She already said she has spoken sternly to him and it is not preventing his rearing. Obviously further steps are needed. Anyone that allows this kind of behavior on the end of the lead is just asking for someone to get hurt at some point. Gelding will not necessarily curb this behavior. I stand by what I suggested. What works on a mini should work on any horse and just try the other suggestions with a 1000 pound full size horse and see where it gets you.

 

[tagalong]

Rabbitfizz - your PM box is full!!

I will tell you how I addressed this with a rearing stallion and mare who had that reaction getting wormed or having shots - anything to do with the vet....

When I arrived here, the palomino mare and pinto stallion had what I thought was a not very charming habit. So, I worked on it. I filled a syringe with water as if it was wormer or whatever so they could see it - and set them up to pull their usual stunt...

And when they reared up - I used the HANDLE of a long driving whip to poke their bellies... which astonished them. Every time they went up - I left the line slack - and poked. Not hard. Just a quiet poke. Rear. Poke. Rear. Poke. Small rear. Small poke.

And it was over. They were smart. Hmmmm.... when I rear up Something Annoying Pokes My Belly. That must stop! Hmmmm... it only pokes when I show my belly. Hmmmm.... no exposed belly - no poking. Gotcha.

When the vet came for the next appointment - he was surprized at the change in them.

*poke*

Now - for the rambunctious, studly young fellow... I would simply re-direct him if he was too full of himself... turn away from me in a tight circle, for instance. Use that upward energy in another way. Simple displacement conditioning. Give him another thing to do instead of "feeling his oats"...