Why does my horse misbehave more than ever.

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Why does my horse misbehave more than ever.

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  • Horse misbehaving when with a lot of horses
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    12-30-2011, 07:38 PM
Why does my horse misbehave more than ever.

A trainer comes out once/ twice a week to our property, to train myself and my horse Santana. We are working on him respecting me. I follow the trainers advice. The problem is my horse is misbehaving even more than ever.It is a struggle to pick his feet. He will not pick them up and if he does he jerks his feet away that soonest I start picking them.He will run at me in full speed when I enter his pasture. Ther is nothing physically wrong with him. I just got his teeth floated, his back checked by a chiropractor,his feet trimmed, he gets wormed every two month. I stopped giving him treats because he was nibbling allot. Why is he getting worse? I don't understand. I do not let him get away with being disrespectful. He is the only horse right now maybe that makes him uneasy.
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    12-30-2011, 07:41 PM
What is the trainer doing and what does the trainer say about these problems?
    12-30-2011, 07:46 PM
She is showing me how to correct the problem and to work with him. She says he needs a refresher course and that he has no respect for me.
    12-30-2011, 07:53 PM

What are some things that you and your trainer are doing to earn respect? How old is the horse and how long have you had him?
    12-30-2011, 08:07 PM
Santana is 11years old. I got him 4 month ago, two month of this time he was at a stable where he and I received training.
My trainer showed me how to work with him to pick up his feet, to make him shift his weight. She told me to tell him no when he jerks his foot away.If that don't work to tap him and tell him no.Santanas history is that he was a pet on pasture for seven years. Only ridden a couple times because he bucks. He learned when I kick out with my back legs and buck they get off.
    12-30-2011, 08:14 PM

Has your trainer taught you how to do any ground work or round penning for respect? When he is charging for you what do you do? Do you have a bucket of feed when he is charging for you? Has he ever kicked out at you?

What about when you ride him, how does he act?
    12-30-2011, 08:21 PM
Super Moderator
Does the horse behave when your trainer is handling him? If he does, it is simply that you have not learned to communicate well with him yet. Communicating effectively with a horse is a matter of exact feel and timing. It does not happen over night. Some people catch on quite quickly. Others -- not so much.

Some horses are much more forgiving than others. Some 'cut you a lot of slack' and actually compensate for a handler's shortcomings. Other 'jump' on every little mistake and extract a huge price for these mistakes. Some are just too smart for their own good (or their handler's good).

As you develop timing and feel, you will also start understanding a horse's body language and you will be better at 'reading' a horse's intent. A lot of people think horses are unpredictable and impulsive. I think they are the most predictable animal in the World. They literally advertise over and over what their thoughts and intent are. You just have to learn to tune into their language.
Hunter65 and Pat1960 like this.
    12-30-2011, 08:27 PM
Oops, I send the last reply before I read your new post. So, he bucks and then you get off. Does your trainer get off when he starts bucking?

I have a friend who is a trainer and he does a lot of ground work w/ the horse to gain their respect and let the horse know he is boss. Once this happens the horses behavior always changes. Instead of charging, kicking out or bucking they seem to gain manners.

I have seen him to this over and over again with the same results everytime . A horse that repects him and follows his lead.

I think this horse is showing you that he is the boss and your going to have to change it before you will get any where with him.
Pat1960 likes this.
    12-30-2011, 08:33 PM
We are working on ground work next week, like lunging him. First time he charged at me was when I was cleaning his pature I held the handle of the pitchfork in front of me and yelled no, he passed me by very close. Second time I went to get him to transfer him to his larger pasture, he came at me in full speed I hit him with his halter and he stopped. I felt very bad hitting him but he scared me. When I ride him and it does not go his way he bucks. I don't get off. I do make him mind. I paid a trainer to take him on several trail rides he bucked with him. He has never kicked at me. He is a good horse. I'm just not experienced enough.
    12-30-2011, 08:33 PM
My main question is: Does he act this way with your trainer?
But this sounds like he has zero respect for you. I doubt he learned the basics though, as a pasture ornament, so with this horse, I would start from the bottom up- beginning of training. Teach him to respect your space, first. If he wants to run up to you in the field, he needs to stop a certain distance away, and stand for YOU to come to HIM. Try walking into the pen, and when he charges to you, swing the lead rope and make him lounge around, away from you. If he wants to run, he'll get to run. After he brings himself to a stop, walk up to him. If he moves, stop. If he stops, walk again, until you get to him. Rub on him, scratch his head, show him that that's what you want. Then turn around and walk away. No halter, no taking him out to work, just do this for however long it takes. This is just what I would do, ask your trainer if this method is something they want to try first- If your trainer has an agenda, you probably don't want to mess that up. I know how difficult that can be, lol.
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