Where do I start?

bnwalker2 · 09-25-2007, 07:21 AM

Levi is my 7 year old Appaloosa gelding that I got just over a week ago. All I know about his history is that the guy I got him from kept him in a pasture and didn't do anything with him, and he got him from someone who bought Levi for their 15 year old son to train but he never worked with him.

Levi is quite the handful. Obviously, all he's used to is being turned out in a pasture with the other horses, and that's all he wants to do. We don't feel ready to turn him out with the other horses here yet, so I take Levi out to graze on a lead line in the yard while the other horses are turned out in the pasture.

He has gotten very bratty though, especially the past few days. The first few days he was great, walked nicely on a lead, stood still to be groomed, wanted petting, etc. But now he's becoming harder to control. I realize he's testing me but I need to know what I can do to get him back under control. Here are the problems we're having:

1. Very pushy when I enter his stall. He tries to run over me to get out of the stall, so he can try to get outside in the pasture. I make him back up away from me, and he will but then comes at the gate even faster the second try.

2. Will no longer stand still for grooming. He was doing great but now he moves away... won't let the brush touch him. If I put the lead rope on him to hold him in place, he flips out.

3. Whinneys in my face, very loudly.

4. When I take him out on the lead rope he pulls, and dances around trying to get away from me. Once we get outside he's worse. He'll stand up as tall as he can and whinney to the other horses and then he'll put his head down to where his nose is touching the ground and will twist his head around pulling on the lead rope. I've never seen a horse do this before, I've seen them throw their heads in the air and fight the rope that way but never with their nose on the ground.

5. Putting him back in his stall is nearly impossible... he refuses to go in for awhile and when he finally decides he's going to go in, he gets pushy again.

Whenever he acts up, I give a correction with the lead rope and make him back up. But more than once he's decided to rear and/or "hop" around when I correct with the lead rope. I bought a lunge line and I'm going to finally get a chance to start him on that tomorrow. I don't have a round pen though, just 15 acres. I have to take him out either before the other horses go out in the morning or after they come in at night.

There are two things that I'm wondering about, if they might have anything at all to do with his behavior. My boyfriend's dad has his horses, and he insists on all the horses being fed at the same time. Which means, he feeds Levi and I don't get to. I fed him the first few days but kept getting told "you can't feed one without feeding the rest of them". Secondly, b/f's dad insists on a very loose halter. Basically on the loosest setting possible. It seems way too loose for me, but he insists that it will stay there. I'm wondering if that's why I'm having trouble controlling him?

I've worked with horses for a long time, but have never had one that acts like Levi does so I'm not quite sure how to deal with it. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

fergiaj · 09-25-2007, 08:36 AM

Does he get out other than your HW? I help rehab horses, and I rode one that couldn't stand being inside all the time, but when they were able to be turned out they seemed to quiet down and not be quite as pushy... Since he's used to being out all the time it seems like he's just going crazy from being inside. If there are no places to turn him out you might want to try lunging him. Just a thought.

Idrivetrotter · 09-25-2007, 08:41 AM

I agree, he seems to be needing much more exercise than being stuck in a stall and walking. Do you have a small paddock to turn him out in? At age 7 he could be harder to train as he is set in his ways, but injury is less likely since his muscles, tendons, ligaments, etc are good. I would put his butt to work immediately and get him used to work. This is a new experience for him and appy's seem to be a bit more stubborn at times

but slow patient work with him and daily work for the first 30 days plus turn out time. Good luck

BluEyedCowgurl · 09-25-2007, 08:57 AM

Yes, as a seven year old without hardly any training, he will be very stubborn, and very set in his ways, and immediate attention to getting him to work is a must.
He just needs to learn that he doesn't always get to do what he wants, and that he's not just 'him' now...he's now become, 'you AND him.'
Just continue to correct as you have been...it would be extremely helpful if you did have a roundpen, but a lungeline will work too (been in that situation before!!). My mare used to like to scream her head off whenever I took her away from other horses, and she still does, but only rarely now. She basically ended up figuring that it wasn't so bad to be with me, and now she'll look to me before she starts screaming for some friends.
Continue to get him out as long as he is not turned out- keep in mind that when you do have him turned out with the other horses evntually, he will probably NOT like to be taken away from them- he'll probably still have a tendancy to call out to them, and act like a ****.
Just get him working, it should help if you can get his energy level down a notch. If you start working him, he should also start to come in tune with you, and should end up being more responsive to what you want, rather than what he wants.
As for the halter, I have had a horse slide right out of a halter before by pulling back- it just slid right over her ears and off. And it was NOT a loose halter, so from experience, it CAN happen, though I have not heard of it happening often. And if it is your horse, why does your BF's dad have such a say in what equipment you use? Will he kick you off the property?
Good luck....

#1A · 09-25-2007, 11:37 AM

I think he's going crazy from being cooped up all the time.
Before you even think of working with him, make sure you give him a few hours of "liberty" first or you are setting yourself up for an argument.
It is not natural for a horse to be what to him is essentially "caged" 24/7. Especially if he isn't used to it. I am convinced that herein lies your problem. The longer you keep him cooped up, the nuttier he is likely to get.
Can't you let him out for a while either before or after the other horses go out to let off some steam?
I'm quite sure that after a few days of normal freedom in a paddock, he will be back to himself, and then you can get on with the business of schooling him.
I would be extremely cautious in working with him at the moment because his brain is not in the right mode to learn. For that, he needs to be relaxed. Pushing his buttons now will almost certainly result in an explosion. You may end up creating a problem that doesn't really exist.

Judy&Riva · 09-26-2007, 07:30 AM

Levi sounds really upset. He came to a new home and now he is only allowed out when you come to take him out. He sounds desperate to get out with the others. I think if you started to turn him out with the other horses and give him some time to settle he will relax. At this point there is not really much point in trying to make him learn or work. He is not in the right frame of mind.

Once he has settled down you can start asking more of him and expecting him to behave himself. Then you can work on getting him started.

Lunging him in this frame of mind won't help. He will just run around to get rid of his excess energy and he might get hurt or worse you might.

09-25-2007, 08:57 AM	#4
BluEyedCowgurl Senior Member+ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: MT Posts: 742 Images: 46	Yes, as a seven year old without hardly any training, he will be very stubborn, and very set in his ways, and immediate attention to getting him to work is a must. He just needs to learn that he doesn't always get to do what he wants, and that he's not just 'him' now...he's now become, 'you AND him.' Just continue to correct as you have been...it would be extremely helpful if you did have a roundpen, but a lungeline will work too (been in that situation before!!). My mare used to like to scream her head off whenever I took her away from other horses, and she still does, but only rarely now. She basically ended up figuring that it wasn't so bad to be with me, and now she'll look to me before she starts screaming for some friends. Continue to get him out as long as he is not turned out- keep in mind that when you do have him turned out with the other horses evntually, he will probably NOT like to be taken away from them- he'll probably still have a tendancy to call out to them, and act like a ****. Just get him working, it should help if you can get his energy level down a notch. If you start working him, he should also start to come in tune with you, and should end up being more responsive to what you want, rather than what he wants. As for the halter, I have had a horse slide right out of a halter before by pulling back- it just slid right over her ears and off. And it was NOT a loose halter, so from experience, it CAN happen, though I have not heard of it happening often. And if it is your horse, why does your BF's dad have such a say in what equipment you use? Will he kick you off the property? Good luck.... __________________ Everytime you ride, you're either teaching or un-teaching your horse.

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09-25-2007, 07:21 AM	#1
bnwalker2 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Indiana Posts: 1,306 Images: 84	Where do I start? Levi is my 7 year old Appaloosa gelding that I got just over a week ago. All I know about his history is that the guy I got him from kept him in a pasture and didn't do anything with him, and he got him from someone who bought Levi for their 15 year old son to train but he never worked with him. Levi is quite the handful. Obviously, all he's used to is being turned out in a pasture with the other horses, and that's all he wants to do. We don't feel ready to turn him out with the other horses here yet, so I take Levi out to graze on a lead line in the yard while the other horses are turned out in the pasture. He has gotten very bratty though, especially the past few days. The first few days he was great, walked nicely on a lead, stood still to be groomed, wanted petting, etc. But now he's becoming harder to control. I realize he's testing me but I need to know what I can do to get him back under control. Here are the problems we're having: 1. Very pushy when I enter his stall. He tries to run over me to get out of the stall, so he can try to get outside in the pasture. I make him back up away from me, and he will but then comes at the gate even faster the second try. 2. Will no longer stand still for grooming. He was doing great but now he moves away... won't let the brush touch him. If I put the lead rope on him to hold him in place, he flips out. 3. Whinneys in my face, very loudly. 4. When I take him out on the lead rope he pulls, and dances around trying to get away from me. Once we get outside he's worse. He'll stand up as tall as he can and whinney to the other horses and then he'll put his head down to where his nose is touching the ground and will twist his head around pulling on the lead rope. I've never seen a horse do this before, I've seen them throw their heads in the air and fight the rope that way but never with their nose on the ground. 5. Putting him back in his stall is nearly impossible... he refuses to go in for awhile and when he finally decides he's going to go in, he gets pushy again. Whenever he acts up, I give a correction with the lead rope and make him back up. But more than once he's decided to rear and/or "hop" around when I correct with the lead rope. I bought a lunge line and I'm going to finally get a chance to start him on that tomorrow. I don't have a round pen though, just 15 acres. I have to take him out either before the other horses go out in the morning or after they come in at night. There are two things that I'm wondering about, if they might have anything at all to do with his behavior. My boyfriend's dad has his horses, and he insists on all the horses being fed at the same time. Which means, he feeds Levi and I don't get to. I fed him the first few days but kept getting told "you can't feed one without feeding the rest of them". Secondly, b/f's dad insists on a very loose halter. Basically on the loosest setting possible. It seems way too loose for me, but he insists that it will stay there. I'm wondering if that's why I'm having trouble controlling him? I've worked with horses for a long time, but have never had one that acts like Levi does so I'm not quite sure how to deal with it. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

09-25-2007, 08:36 AM	#2
fergiaj Full Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Superior CA Posts: 141 Images: 17 Blog Entries: 7	Does he get out other than your HW? I help rehab horses, and I rode one that couldn't stand being inside all the time, but when they were able to be turned out they seemed to quiet down and not be quite as pushy... Since he's used to being out all the time it seems like he's just going crazy from being inside. If there are no places to turn him out you might want to try lunging him. Just a thought.

09-25-2007, 08:41 AM	#3
Idrivetrotter Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: South Florida Posts: 457	I agree, he seems to be needing much more exercise than being stuck in a stall and walking. Do you have a small paddock to turn him out in? At age 7 he could be harder to train as he is set in his ways, but injury is less likely since his muscles, tendons, ligaments, etc are good. I would put his butt to work immediately and get him used to work. This is a new experience for him and appy's seem to be a bit more stubborn at times but slow patient work with him and daily work for the first 30 days plus turn out time. Good luck

09-25-2007, 11:37 AM	#5
#1A Senior Member+ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: South Africa Posts: 307	I think he's going crazy from being cooped up all the time. Before you even think of working with him, make sure you give him a few hours of "liberty" first or you are setting yourself up for an argument. It is not natural for a horse to be what to him is essentially "caged" 24/7. Especially if he isn't used to it. I am convinced that herein lies your problem. The longer you keep him cooped up, the nuttier he is likely to get. Can't you let him out for a while either before or after the other horses go out to let off some steam? I'm quite sure that after a few days of normal freedom in a paddock, he will be back to himself, and then you can get on with the business of schooling him. I would be extremely cautious in working with him at the moment because his brain is not in the right mode to learn. For that, he needs to be relaxed. Pushing his buttons now will almost certainly result in an explosion. You may end up creating a problem that doesn't really exist.

09-26-2007, 07:30 AM	#6
Judy&Riva Junior Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 21	Levi sounds really upset. He came to a new home and now he is only allowed out when you come to take him out. He sounds desperate to get out with the others. I think if you started to turn him out with the other horses and give him some time to settle he will relax. At this point there is not really much point in trying to make him learn or work. He is not in the right frame of mind. Once he has settled down you can start asking more of him and expecting him to behave himself. Then you can work on getting him started. Lunging him in this frame of mind won't help. He will just run around to get rid of his excess energy and he might get hurt or worse you might.