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Discussion on Horse freezes and won't move
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Member:
Sparky
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 12, 2003 - 5:03 pm:
A friend asked me last night to give him ideas on what to do with his horse that freezes. Literally plants all four feet and will not move an inch! He bought the horse at the auction about 2 years ago and was told that the horse had a history of freezing. He rode it for about a year and a half with no problem. Now he has an episode almost every time he rides and sometimes two! This horse was trail riding with a group - heading back to camp - and stopped - all the other horses continued and left him behind. They went completely out of sight. He would not move for 20 minutes. He will however lead if you get off him. He is nice and flexable - you can pull his head right around and he won't disengage his hips. One man who used to ride him had no problem at all - the horse never froze. What questions should I ask for more information so you problem solvers out there can help me help him? Thanks so much - Janet Schmidt
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Member:
Hwood
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 12, 2003 - 5:15 pm:
Hi, Janet,
The horse may have some discomfort from his rider or from his saddle or from ? . . . and may be refusing to allow the discomfort to continue, so he is stopping movement in an effort to change the discomfort . . . (If it hurts when I move, then maybe it won't hurt if I stop ) . . .
Or, the horse may be just trying to get out of work.
You say the horse is flexible and his head can be pulled around with no problem . . . If this is so, then it is the rider who needs to learn patience and wait out the horse . . . . if the horse's head is held to the side . . . eventually, he will want to straighten his body, and AS SOON as he moves his feet, the pressure on the rein should be released and the forward cue given . . .
It is my hunch that the horse will then freeze again . . . and that this exercise will have to be repeated with consistency and patience over and over and over and over until the horse finally realizes that stopping isn't a solution to not moving . . . . The rider must determine in his own mind, that the whole rest of the group can go to the moon, but his trail ride is on the back of that horse, whether the horse is moving or stopped . . . and that is where the focus has to be. If the rider has confidence that he can get the horse's feet to move, then he has no need to get frustrated . . . and the horse will always move . . . we just have to wait him out.
Holly
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Member:
Willie
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Posted on Thursday, Jun 12, 2003 - 5:35 pm:
Janet,
I'd look at two things immediately -- 1) a possible case of mild rhabdomyolisis (spelling?) -- or 'tying-up disease.' which affects the muscles of the hindquarters, and 2) back pain.
It's highly unlikely that this is a behavioral problem, since the horse is doing this on the way home and in company. I've never met a horse that didn't want to go a little more quickly back to the barn, and to have him willingly let the herd pass by and leave him -- that's very unusual.
Since the horse will go when the rider gets off, check for back pain and a badly fitting saddle. Sounds like this fellow might have a good reason to stop moving.
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Member:
Shomaker
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Posted on Friday, Jun 13, 2003 - 4:36 pm:
Hi Janet...I agree that this might be a physical problem or tack problem. My girlfriend raised from birth a gorgeous palomino gelding who was trained professionally and shown western pleasure. At about the age of 4 or 5, he became impossible to ride in that he would not move forward. He had already had some episodes of hypp and was from the Impressive line of quarter horses who carry
the gene. My friend had to put him out to pasture. I'm not saying that the horse you are referring to has hypp....but must be looked at very carefully for tack or other physical problems. These things have to be ruled out before concluding it is a behavior problem... good luck with the detective work. }
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Member:
Sparky
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Posted on Monday, Jun 30, 2003 - 6:30 pm:
Sorry I have not responded sooner - Thanks for all the info and am passing it on to the owner.
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Member:
Janene
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Posted on Monday, Jun 30, 2003 - 11:50 pm:
I just had another experience that was similar. A woman who breaks horses decided to put a sirsingle on my 14 month colt and I didn't know what one was, but she said she was going to do some ground work with him to get him used to doing some things on the ground. She thinks I have babied him too much. I round pen him, pick up his feet, lunge him and love on him. He is very laid back. Anyway, she put a little tiny bit in his mouth (I don't know what kind) hooked bunge cords to the sirsingle and he fell over like he was dead and frozen stiff. She told me he was having a temper fit, but he did not move for 10 minutes and she even stood on his rear. I had to run out of the barn as I thought she had killed my horse and caused him to have a heart attack. (I purchased my horse from her mother and took him over to be with some of the other colts and use their round pen) When I came back in she undid the bunge cords and pulled him up and he walked around as if he was fine. He looked at me like "what have you let happen to me?" I got him, loved on him and put him back with the other colts. I just about died and I'm moving him back to my house and barn. I'm even embarrassed about writing this and using my name, but I have decided that is where the words "scared stiff" came from. I had horses when young, rode bareback and played with them. Now I watch RFDTV and I really believe in natural horsemanship. In my opinion horses can get scared stiff.
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Member:
Pbauer
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Posted on Wednesday, Jul 2, 2003 - 4:45 pm:
Hi, Janene,
I completely agree with you! My husband and I recently attended a horse seminar with John Lyons
(www.johnlyons.com) and Frank Bell(www.horsewhisperer.com). They were wonderfully gentle with the horse.
In fact, Frank Bell's motto: Gentle Solutions.
John's motto: You can gain a much better response from your horse with love and kindness,
than you would with sticks and clubs. Love and kindness always make a better partnership.....
Frank Bell's, very first training step, BONDING.
Bonding defined: Search for the spot, observing closely. Don't wear it out. Quit while it's working. Indulge the horse. What feels good? Imagine you're a horse...what would you like?
Give, Give, Give..
The horse really responded to these gentle trainers. It was wonderful to see.
Sincerely, Tonya
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