aggressive 8 year old gelding - Western Training & Behavior - Western Training & Behavior - Horse Community, Horse Pictures, Horse Forum and Information

Posted : 8/9/2011 11:19:17 PM

I'm still having trouble with my 8 year old gelding which charged at me last week while longing.I have already posted on this issue. I know it is a respect issue. I'm trying not to be a predator to him. Great ground manners leads well lifts feet well very laid back until there's pressure of some sort.

Today I was working him with baby steps trowing the rope all over him done great. Hind quarter yields little pull on the rope touch his hind quarters moves great.he was acting very relaxed yawning licking lips all the good sighs. When I started working on front leg yields hand on front shoulder hand in face he starts to move then out of nowhere ears back and tried to take a chunk out of my hand I got out of the way just in time.So I took the rope snatch the rope walked around the round pen with the horse behind me look back and he has his head up and ears down.

Having no ground manners for the first time would not stay still.Now my Question is if I pop him good for doing such stuff is he going to get more aggressive and charge? How do I need to go about correcting this kind of behavior and get some respect out of this horse? Thanks

trainer101

Posted : 8/20/2011 2:54:16 PM

Its been a while since I've been on but to put it bluntly, knock him a good one and mean it. You said you were trying to not be a threat, be the threat and put the pressure on him. When he turns his hip or pins his ears like he's going to be dominate either a good bob on the hip or on the bridge of the nose. He does well when you don't have pressure on him because he is on the top of the pecking order right now. When you ASK him to do something more active, that's when he thinks he needs to put you back in your place. Make sense? Had a mare just in that did this when I asked for her to yeild her shoulders tried to plow over the top of me and/or bite. Using the wall of the arena and the handle of the training stick, everytime she came at me I gave her a good whack and in just under five minutes she changed her mind and relaxed letting me move her where I needed without the fuss. Owner came to see her and was amazed at the change and how willing she was for me. Watch your horse in the pasture with other horses. There is no way you can hit as hard as they can but we have the ability to make them think we do. My advice is find a good trainer in your area and have them help you, show you some of the ways to correct the behavior without getting hurt or frustrated. Good luck.

Durangogramma

Posted : 8/21/2011 10:08:08 PM

Trainer just gave you an excellent reply. You need to get aggressive back at him within seconds so that he knows why he's being reprimanded - but he should have thought you were going to kill him for just a bit there...then stop and go on like you're OK with each other (until/unless there's another incident). That's the way horses do it. They don't carry a grudge - get in, get out.

Luv2clogg2

Posted : 11/7/2011 7:04:29 PM

Just curoius, have you always had this gelding or recently buy him. Maybe he is having issues of seperation from previous buddy horses.

Spheatherm

Posted : 11/10/2011 3:39:52 AM

I'm with the others. Pop him. You can cup your hand when doing so to increase the noise factor. I have dealt with a lot of camp horses with awful manners and after I popped them on the neck or butt, they were like gold for me, then crappy to the next person who came along. I would sometimes go a few weeks between seeing the horses at camp and when I did, the trouble makers were always well behaved for me.

Horses will test you. ':)'