trainer101
Posted : 9/14/2009 2:46:22 AM
Hi, welcome to the forum. I am sorry that you are having these problems but it is a pretty common one especially seems like with new horse owners. Since he is such a handfull undersaddle I would start on the ground and from the sound of it I would also recomend a round pen or small arena to begin in until you get a better handle on his emotions. If he is already to the rearing point undersaddle then I have no doubt that he would try to run you over or run off with you on the ground.
Buddy sour issues can be time consuming but it can be fixed. I would recomend talking with a trainer that you know and trust to give you advise and ideas along the road because sometimes a horse that is severly buddy sour will relapse from time to time when given the chance. Also get your hands on some Clinton Anderson DVD's on roundpenning and the Gaining respect and control on the ground ones. These will give you step by step instructions on how to get your horse to listen to you and will help you feel more confident.
Also teach your horse how to flex at a standstill and be very light off of the bridle. Then add forward motion so that you begin at a walk and bend the horse to a stop then flex him till he is light. Keep stepping it up till you can lope him off and shut him down with ease. When we bend them to a stop it disengages the hindquarters and with his head around he can't rear up. Get that really in his head both with the halter and bridle.
I would then spend some time in a bigger arena where there is plenty of room and have your Husband ride his horse to the center of the areana and just stand there. Next take your horse and start trotting circles around his horse. Stay far enough out that you won't get kicked but close enough so that your horse is in his comfort zone. Change directions often and don't stop. After about 10 minutes take him out a little ways into the arena and ask him to stop. Flex him for a while and then give him a big loose rein. When he comits to the mistake of taking you back to his buddy, let him but again trot circles around him and this time make him hustle a bit more or lope if you are comfortable with it. When you take him out this time do the same thing. Letting them make the mistake of going back helps them understand that you are not stoping him anymore from going there but once he gets there it isn't as much fun as he thought. Each time you take him out try to get a bit farther until he finds a spot that is just right stop and rest in. Let him rest and flex him a bit to calm his mind.
Oftne with buddy sour horses what I will then do is have the other horse trot off, usually after doing the first excersise for about a week. By now they usually don't want anything to do with the other horse but just to be sure....After the other horse trots off I will follow them and match the other horses pace. If they lope small circles, I lope small circles, stop and change directions quickly and trot off. I will do this for another week. The only time I let him rest is by himself and after a while he'll decide that its just too much work to be right up the other horses hinny and stopping doesn't sound so bad afterall.
I can't stress enough though if he is rearing that you MUST have him soft off of the bridle and really respecting your legs and hands. Go back to the ground work before the undersaddle work and you will be amazed at how quickly he gets it and respect you because you already got his attention from the ground.
Good luck and stay safe!