So... I think today was a breaking point. For me, not the horse.
When we were at the big, boarding facility (70+ horses, 200 acres), and he had his buddies, we didn't really have herdbound issues. Usually, since I rode at night alone in the indoor, I'd snag a mare or something to mosey around while we rode just because I didn't want to be "that person who makes me work alone" to him. Sometimes we rode alone. It wasn't an issue. I wasn't into riding trails alone, so never really tried. We also usually didn't ride on the road. So we were if not within sight of another horse, were not terribly far.
When we first moved, and he lived alone before he made friends, we would ride a good half mile down the road, but I didn't want to do trails alone in case something happened (nobody would be around). Then he made friends. Now we can't go down the road, into the woods, or according to today, down the driveway.
He was moved to my in-laws with the other two, and we worked on it. We would make expanding circles, and he would go around the barn not seeing them just fine. We had our little arena and a good section to play so I dealt with it. With a friend going, he'd go anywhere.
While I was away, Kate moved them back to her property. Fine. He's fat anyways. I did notice riding with Sarah, that saddling was worse than normal. However once we were following George, all was well.
Today, he was nutters. OMG kind of nutters. I have scissor-clip reins that I use on his rope halter and it's how we usually ride. If I'm lazy, I unclip a side and use it as a lead rope too.
Dante steps on lead ropes with as many feet as he can all the time. I have taught him that when this happens to back up. He knows this. He has to stop and back up while grazing with a rope at least 20 times a week. Today, he stepped on it, stepped on it worse backing up, and then yanked his head up and broke the metal scissor clip. This was before riding, so I went and got his padded halter until we could ride with a bridle. I was worried about him having hurt his face. I was barely going to ride, so it wasn't anything I worried about. Usually, he's calmer without a bridle. He seemed unfazed, so we saddled (he was obnoxious, so I used a tablespoon of grain to distract him- yeah it must hurt really bad, if that's all it takes for him to stand for it, right?). I got on and he was so dancey.
Whenever we tried to leave the area, he would back up, swing around so that I was in the branches, yank his head down and eat his feelings in the maniacal crazed-grazing, where he just keeps taking bites and not chewing, pausing, or swallowing. Any prevention of grazing made him yank his head all around and threaten to blow up. I hopped off and longed him. He had one flip out on the line, then was pretty good, although still crazy-grazey.
I've tried walking him back into the woods alone, but he just gets on supreme alert, tries to step on me, bowl me over, etc. Also the bugs were really,really bad, and bothering the both of us.
So what does one do to undo herd-boundness? He's going back to the big barn for winter in mid to late October. Then in the spring he'll be moving back again.
Update on the Morgan story
14 years ago
5 comments:
IMO you need to completely ditch the hand grazing thing. I used to let my horses snatch grass and stuff, but then i got to where you were - they were always waiting for me to let them eat, wouldn't listen to me, etc. So i just quit, they are never allowed to eat when being led or when they have the bridle on. When i stop, they stop, and DO NOT put their head down. If i unclip their lead, they are allowed to eat, but that's it.
About the herd bound thing; is there any way you can semi-permanently separate him from other horses? Because he has learned to rely on them for support, while he should be relying on you. Right now, he doesn't view you as a boss that is going to take care of him when he goes into scary places, ie. the woods.
If you can't permanently separate him, you could try building up his confidence in little steps. Walk him 15 steps out, 15 back, 20 out, 20 back, 25 out, 25 back, until he realizes that he's not going to die.
When he was at the big boarding barn, they were on dry lots for most of the time, then let out for grazing on the other fields during midday and then brought in again for night. I'd groom him while letting him graze, but I mostly rode him in arenas (cuz I'm a noob) so there weren't these eating while riding issues.
When I first got him and we'd go out on a trail ride he'd be nutty for food while riding. I'd be smacking him and kicking to no avail. And I hate putting feet on a horse. So crude.
I now have him where he'll still dive into it now and again, but mostly just puts his head down asking and a squeeze and light tug prevent it.
I am guilty of letting him eat his feelings sometimes. It does calm him, and then I can ask again. Also, it's not rearing and flipping over on me, like he did with the Face Yanker of his past.
Also, someone told me it was good for his sway back to push it up against my weight while grazing.
I would separate him, but: it would either be into the smaller pasture and then my gracious host would have to hay him, and she and her husband are somewhat... not handicapped, but just older and arthritic. Winters kill her and this pasture would be something she would have to haul hay to, and water separately. The OTHER other pasture is big and would feed him, but the fence isn't electrified (Brother in law needs to finish his project) and since he ran through an electric fence and then a wooden fence when George chased him before they were friends, I could see him running through one to get to him given his current state.
I will try using a combo of sorts. I've been reading (always reading) and thinking this may work: I will longe him near his friends (he gets very bored of longing, and I realize I got a little repetitive when one day he just did walk trot canter in one direction, then switch and WTC other one then came in and put his head waiting to be pet before I had even asked for the first "trot." More than once around of anything bores him.
Anyways so I will longe him near his friends, and be very strict about it. I may buy a dressage whip, which he'll hate. Then we will go away from his friends and calm down, and then graze for a couple minutes, then go back to them, work, then go away, calm, then graze.
I think my main problem was trying to fix this under saddle, or going into the woods where the bugs even bother ME!
I've always just pushed a horse through their spazz moments and forced them to walk down the trail. I know he's had a tough background, but that's all I've ever had work, especially when my own oldie decided she was sick of leaving her buddies behind on trailrides. I love my dressage whip, especially compared to using a regular crop, because you can tap their hips without having to move your hands or drop a rein. They're extremely useful once you have a handle on how to use one. Although, it did take me a while before I was capable of using my whip in a productive manner while still controlling my reins correctly.
You have the right idea! Work him near his friends (a bit harder than normal, using the upper levels of his knowledge - trotting/cantering, sidepassing, backing, whatever it may be), and when you take him away, let him rest. Stand there and love on him for a while. Then take him back to his friends and work him again... then take him away and rest. He'll soon figure it out that being with his friends is not all it's cracked up to be.
This works for a good number of things... Whether it's barn sourness or buddies.
I think getting a whip to use in instances like these would be a good idea. This way, when you take him away from his buddies, not only does he get to rest, but the active energy of the scary stick is also taken away.
As for hand grazing, I don't think it needs to be completely done-for.. It just needs to have its own time and place. It's a good bonding tool, but when he's working, he's working. I don't let my horses graze when I'm grooming or saddling, etc, and they understand that working time is not eating time (because standing there being groomed for 10-20 minutes is such hard work =D lol!).
Eep, that was long... - cookies to those that read all of that! Hope it helped. =)
- Abby
I just had a barn sour incident with my mare.
What I did to correct it was IMMEDIATELY when she sped up towards home, we cantered circles for awhile, then back to walk and head for home. She would speed up, back to cantering.
I repeated this about 15 times before it sunk into her head that if she sped up towards home, that meant WORK and NOT going home.
Sounds like you are on the right track making "home" more work than going away from his buddies where he gets to relax.
As Clinton says........make the wrong thing difficult and the right thing easy. The horse figures out PDQ (pretty darn quick)!
Post a Comment