[Ambrose]

There's a horse at the trail riding barn where I work who is a pushy, obnoxious grouch.

He's a beautiful quarter horse, I don't know exactly how old but I'd say 9-12 years, maybe. He looks very well-bred, tall and muscular, very athletic. Lovely clean bay color. And he's a real jerk.

Apparently Sunny was a stud for several years and I don't think he was ever taught manners. He's used to having HIS way, when HE wants it. When you open the gate to bring him in for feeding, he'll push past you and run all-out to get into his stall, ears pinned at you the entire time. If you have the audacity to look at him while he eats, flat back go the ears. He has no respect for your space and he's been known to try and take a bite out of people - I'm confident with horses but I would not turn my back on this sourpuss.

I don't think he's people-aggressive per se, he just thinks that he is the dominant critter in the barn. He actually leads very well; you can tell that some training went into him. But again with the pushiness - he'll jerk your arm to get at a bit of hay on the ground, or bolt for a stall (nevermind if you're still holding the rope) if he thinks he can get away with it. It seems like he's not a hopeless case or a bad egg, he just has no manners. To him, people and horses are the same and HE is the herd leader.

So with that said, I want to put some work into teaching Sunny ground manners. He needs to learn to give respect to me and others. Are there any hints or tricks I should know when dealing with a dominant, pushy horse? How should I go about making this 16hh devil into an angel?

Any advice on how to re-educate studmuffin would be greatly appreciated.

[KristinJ]

Two words .. STUD CHAIN! haha nooo... If you have access to a roundpen I would definitely utilize that and gain some respect from the ground in that way. Work on some 'lunging for respect' stuff, not sure if you follow any trainers, I tend to just do my own thing with what works for each horse. I work with my yearling in the roundpen. Just brushing him without being tied, the instant he does something wrong, stepping away to go play or something, i 'send' him away. He has learned quickly and within half a round is wanting to come back and after that stands perfecting still and allows me to do what I want with him.

[Beeks]

A sixty foot round pen and a lunge whip. Walk him around in there but leave temptation about. A flake of hay...a pan of grain etc. When you walk past it, if he jerks you to get at it, send him off and keep him working until he is focused on you. Repeat Repeat Repeat until he ignores the temptations.

That would be where I would start anyway.

[Beeks]

Heehee KristnJ. On opposite sides of the country, but in the exact same frame of mind, at the exact same time.

[K Riding Girl]

i like the stud chain idea - and if he pins his ears at you give him a good smack (on the muzzle)

i know some people are against the idea of "hurting" a horse in training - however, pain is a common way horses get their point across

and if you get frusturated, DONT give in to him. this will teach him that he can get away with things.

[Ambrose]

The pen + lunging + adding distractions sounds like a great idea. I don't have access to a round pen, really, but there's a good fenced area to use.

Good 'ole Sunny boy is in for a wake-up call!

[pittmd]

Originally Posted by Ambrose

The pen + lunging + adding distractions sounds like a great idea. I don't have access to a round pen, really, but there's a good fenced area to use.

Good 'ole Sunny boy is in for a wake-up call!

Good to hear that your going to teach him some respect. Just be careful with these types. He WILL challange you at some point and it could get nasty real fast. If your not familiar with training gets some help.

[Kelsey5674]

Be CONSISTENT. That's the first way to train a stud or any horse. Some horses learn that repeating and repeating and repeating the behavior to the point where you say ok i'll let him get away with it and give up.
If he is trying to get to the barn as fast as he can than do not give him what he wants. Lead him up the barn and when he tries to run past you or pin his ears turn around and go the other way oppostie to the barn. When he is calm try again, if he tries to bolt, go the other way. It may take longer to get to the barn but he respects you. Use positive praise too.
If he tries to bite you, flap your arms and tell him to get away from you. If he does make contact a quick short slap on the neck works everytime. Don't let him get in your space. Demand that he walk mabye an arms length away from you. All the time.
Use positive praise when he does.
If he tries to grab that hay, jerk his head up. If he jerks you, you jerk him. If he is calm, your calm.
I wound recommend a stud chain if you know how to use one. They can be very useful if you have a horse who bolts or puts his head down to eat a lot.
Getting his attention is the main thing. Showing your dominent and not a doormat or a pasture mate he plays with.

City Slicker used to do the same thing and he's not a stud. I had to undo a lot of training or lack of. Now were back to a halter and lead rope.
Good luck. Keep us updated.

[Alliekk]

My old gelding pushed past me to get out of the round pen once. I smashed the gate back on his head. He never did it again, lol. I wouldn't recommend INTENTIONALLY hurting any horse, I just had a reflex that just happened to solve the problem

[Beeks]

Originally Posted by Alliekk

My old gelding pushed past me to get out of the round pen once. I smashed the gate back on his head. He never did it again, lol. I wouldn't recommend INTENTIONALLY hurting any horse, I just had a reflex that just happened to solve the problem

Sometimes those knee jerk reactions are the most affective. My gelding used to be very hmmmm, lets see how should I put this....fidgety?? Gawking about instead of paying attention, stepping on toes, knocking stuff over, etc. He would paw when tied and lip anything he could get his lips on. One day, after I had had a particularly stressful day, I brought him out to saddle him up and after he swung his head around and hit me in the head, one too many times, I came absolutely uncorked. I had the biggest hissy fit EVER, like a spoiled rotten two year old throwing a colossal tantrum. He was looking at me like I had sprouted fangs and teeth and when I had finally spent myself, approached me cautiously with ears forward, nose extended and nostril sniffing.

I never once struck him though, but he has been a better horse ever sense.

I felt much better afterwards as well and my friend and I both got a good laugh out of it. Especially his reaction to me, afterward.