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Discussion on New horse
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Member:
Mindy
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Posted on Wednesday, Aug 20, 2003 - 10:52 pm:
I just got a 6 year old Paso Fino mare six days ago. This is my second horse and first experience at keeping two together and the bond they form. The new horse is in love with my older mare. The Paso of course was perfect when I tried her out. Now that she is adjusting to her new home she is quite pushy on the lead rope. Her main concern is to get back to her buddy. I have been able to control her so far making her back away from me and using a crop to poke in her neck to move over and not barge ahead. She is far from light. She also paws a hole if I leave her tied and walk away.
I just want to try to avoid a buddy or barn sour situation from the start. Am I on the right track to just keep working on the ground work to get her to pay attention to me?
I thought about waiting to ride her till we are doing pretty good on the ground. Is that going to make any difference in the way she rides or should I just go ahead and saddle up?
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Thursday, Aug 21, 2003 - 9:51 am:
Hello Mindy,
Good consistant commands that the horse understands used over and over is pretty much it. You might also consider a chain over the nose as it is easier than the crop for the horse to learn not to barge: the reward for good behavior is instantaneous. Yes I believe that if she is not paying attention of the ground she will probably not with you up either. I have seen some older show horses that were perfect up and horrible on the ground but not many. I presume the trainer rides and the barn help handles causing the horse to act different in the two situations.
DrO
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Member:
Mindy
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Posted on Thursday, Aug 21, 2003 - 3:35 pm:
Thanks for your advice on the leading. So you don't think it spoils a horse to give it a break from riding while you perfect the ground work? This horse is used to being ridden daily. I guess I am a little more confident problem solving on the ground than riding. It definatly gets my heart rate up more in the saddle.
Any ideas on the pawing. Tie her up and leave her till she quits? It is such an annoying habit. I have been verbally discouraging her, she will stop for a minute and then start right back up.
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Member:
Kthorse
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Posted on Thursday, Aug 21, 2003 - 6:49 pm:
Hi, I stopped my horse pawing by holding his foot up when he was actually pawing. It has to be while he is doing it. Hold it up for as long as you think will give him the message. After a few times he will realize that pawing gets him to hold his foot up. Not much fun. It worked for me. He has never done it since and he was a real confirmed pawer. Cant hurt to try.
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Member:
Mindy
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Posted on Thursday, Aug 21, 2003 - 8:01 pm:
Thats a neat idea. I will give it a try. She usually won't paw if I am standing right there though.
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Member:
Sefiroth
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Posted on Thursday, Aug 21, 2003 - 9:47 pm:
I saw this used once at a place I used to board, but have never done it myself. A new boarder came in with a habitual pawer. The owner of the barn took an old horse shoe and slipped it around her pastern. The shoe had notches taken out of the heels and a piece of twine was tied around the back of the shoe to close it off and keep it from coming off the horse's leg, the notches kept the twine in place.
Every time she tried to paw, the shoe would bonk her pastern. A couple days of wearing this contraption when she was in situations where she was known to paw cured her of it. I dont know how safe this would be on a horse that's a violent pawer however. I suppose it could leave some nasty bruises.
Good luck, I know how annoying this habit can be!
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Member:
Mindy
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Posted on Thursday, Aug 21, 2003 - 10:45 pm:
That sounds pretty scary. I just don't understand why shes doing this. She was an angel at her old home. Is this the kind of behavior that is typical when adjusting to a new place. Or typical testing behavior. I'm going to keep at it. Hopefully it will work out. I really like this horse. She seems to be very confident. We have all kinds of wooly buggers running around here (cows, guineas, dogs, mini donkeys, wild kids on big wheels).None of that seems to bother her at all.
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Member:
Swarnick
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Posted on Thursday, Aug 21, 2003 - 11:07 pm:
Mindy, check out this link it may give you some ideas. Cherry Hill is an excellent resource for a lot of issues, especially the new horse owner.
Shirley
https://www.horsekeeping.com/horse_behavior/pawing.htm
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Member:
Beasley
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Posted on Friday, Aug 22, 2003 - 8:44 am:
Hi Mindy, I have had several TWHs that liked to paw and a young QH as well. Originally, horses pawed when foraging for food, I believe. Now, they paw from impatience and/or to get what they want, i.e., untied and released. I have tied my horses out, keeping a pocket full of small rocks or pebbles, and watching for this behavior. As soon as the pawing begins, I toss the small rocks at their feet. It startles them and makes them think they have caused it themselves. Takes 15 or so minutes for a few different tie out times, but works well for me. If you don't stop the behavior at home, she may transfer it to the trailer or other areas. You could also hobble, but I have always been afraid to do that. Of course, you never untie (reward) her while she is pawing. Good luck.
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Member:
Mindy
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Posted on Friday, Aug 22, 2003 - 10:05 am:
Thanks for the link, I have checked out that site before, it is great. I think I will try the rock thing that sounds like something I could do from a distance. Thanks so much.
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Member:
Mwebster
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Posted on Friday, Aug 22, 2003 - 10:47 pm:
Mindy,
I got a new horse about a year ago, a mare also, and my second horse too. She'd had lots of training, but was moving from a very structured environment to a much less structured one, and from her original owner to owner #2 at age 8. I'd say trust and respect were both issues for us, and it goes both ways.
Make the rules clear to her, and reward her for doing what's right in your book. Be really crisp about everything, and as DrO says, consistent, both on the ground and under saddle. It will take time for her (and you!) to adjust to the new relationship. Give it time, be patient, but enforce your rules.
Do things you feel confident doing. I think ground work is where you start, DrO's right -- if you can't command her respect on the ground, you're going to have problems up. When you mount up and go for a ride, don't push beyond your comfort zone. Go for a walk, ask for a halt, take a time out just standing still if she gets wound up, to give both of you the chance to take a deep breath. Build a positive history. Stay relaxed in your seat, stay back (don't lean forward!). Get some help from a good teacher if you are nervous about getting on her.
Good luck!
Melissa
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Member:
Mindy
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Posted on Saturday, Aug 23, 2003 - 9:31 am:
Thanks Melissa, that helps alot. I feel like I am making progress every day with her.
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Member:
Swainl
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Posted on Saturday, Aug 23, 2003 - 6:29 pm:
Hi Mindy-
I mounted a heavy duty ring in my horse's stall, and left him tied to it for several hours at a time (always when I was around). It took several days, but he finally figured out that he was just burning calories, and it wasn't getting him anywhere. I think it's always better to try and set up situations where the horse can teach himself something rather than me trying to teach it. It then seems to stick better.
Laura
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Member:
Mindy
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Posted on Thursday, Aug 28, 2003 - 10:59 am:
Just an update. My mare is now doing very well on the ground and the pawing seems to have stopped as well. Maybe most of it was just being nervous about the new place. We have also started riding. That is going to take some work. She is much more spirited in the saddle than on the ground. She walks very quickly and just does not seem too relaxed. She also of course thought about heading back to the barn and is really good at turning her neck in the direction I want to turn and moving quickly in the opposite direction, leading with her shoulder. I was able to control her but it wasn't pretty. I am tying to keep her in a walk but she will speed up and is slow on stopping. suggestions please?
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Member:
Kthorse
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Posted on Thursday, Aug 28, 2003 - 8:13 pm:
Hi,
YOu probably know this, but just before you give your woah comand sit as still as you can in the saddle, freeze all movement. Your horse can feel this and help him get ready for stopping. Most horses are happy to stop it means they dont have to work. just be consistant so he is sure he knows what you want. I am lucky my horse just hears woah and he skids to a stop. We practiced word comands on the lunge for a long time. I say walk, trot , canter and he does it without any other cues. Great for emergencies. this helped when I was training other cues. Eventually I did not have to use voice commands, but I am glad he knows them. It all takes time. great lessons dont happen over night. Little steps is what they say. Never be in a rush when teaching your horse its worth it to take your time. There are lots of different methods to teach woah. I like the one rein to teach youngsters, Read alot and find one that makes sence to you and your horse.
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Member:
Mindy
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Posted on Thursday, Aug 28, 2003 - 10:24 pm:
This is probably a stupid question, but when you squeeze the reins to stop should you hold the squeeze until you get a complete stop. I have heard they will just brace against you and keep on going if you hold it, but if you squeeze release before you get a stop aren't you rewarding them for not stopping.? I don't get it. I haven't really had to worry about this before because my other mare loves to go slow.lol
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Member:
Imogen
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Posted on Friday, Aug 29, 2003 - 3:24 am:
Release as soon as you feel ANY slowing response by the horse. Holding too hard and too long leads to setting the neck and pulling.
Imogen
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Member:
Fpony
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Posted on Friday, Aug 29, 2003 - 7:44 am:
Mindy,
You may find that your horse will calm down after a month or so. Mine took 3 months before calming to his new enviroment. Until then i never made him stay still for long and would allow him to circle if I wanted to stop to chat woith someone. Yes, annoying, but it went away and he is a very calm guy. No one believes me when i tell them how hyper he was when I first got him. Kim
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Member:
Mindy
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Posted on Sunday, Aug 31, 2003 - 10:49 pm:
Help! ok, everything is fine on the ground now, fine riding in a small corral where we can't see the buddy horse. If I take her in the pasture to ride I have no control! All she wants to do is run over to the barn where her buddy is. Basically the only thing I can do successfully is turn her in a small circle tight next to the barn and move out a few steps. She nearly slams me into the side of the barn to get back over there. I feel like I can't think fast enough to control any of the stuff she is pulling on me. My friend suggested work her in tiny circles right next to the barn then get her to take a couple steps away and just sit for like 2 minutes. Then go back to the barn and work some more and then go out a few more steps and sit. Is that going to work?
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Member:
Penner
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Posted on Monday, Sep 1, 2003 - 1:14 am:
Hi Mindy, don't know if this will work for you, but a couple ideas (in order) to try:
1. Ground Work idea: take her somewhere the same distance as the pasture you are riding in (& having trouble), & tie her there to what is called a "Patience Post". Start at 1/2 hr the 1st day, & increase it 1/2 hr every day until you are up to 3 hours, until she acts like she will deal with being away from her buddy. If she is the type that pulls back & breaks leaDrOpes, thats another issue & I encourage you to search this website to learn how to deal with that too.
2. While riding, if she pulls the "I Want To Go To My Buddy" routine, take her head away from her by turning real tight little circles. Ie: if you are walking, you pull on the rein of the direction she is wanting to travel, & do a tight circle, like 10 ft diameter, at a walk. Do it over & over until she stops, then continue on what you were doing before. If she does it again, do the tight circles again. I was told once that horses can really only think of 1 thing at a time. So if you do the circle, you will force her to think about doing a circle & she forgets for the moment about going back to her buddy.
I don't know if this (horses process 1 thought at at time is true), but they sure act like it. In addition, horses follow the direction of their noses. So if you take her head away from her by circling, you stop her from doing what she wants.
OK, 1 last thing (as #2 was getting long), you must control her hindquarters while doing those circles by also adding your INSIDE leg BEHIND the girth to swing her hindquarters around in a "tap-tap-tap" motion with your calf.
I hope this helps & makes sense.
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Member:
Jerre
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Posted on Monday, Sep 1, 2003 - 1:37 am:
Mindy, Your friend sounds like she's suggesting the strategy of making the wrong thing hard and the right thing easy. In other words, make being by the barn hard i.e. some kind of focused work. Then make being away from the barn more rewarding.
And, building on what Penner said, do ground work with her by the barn -- something hard like backing or sidepassing. Lateral work, where she has to cross her feet or move sideways, is harder than going around in circles. Sometimes going in circles just helps a horse get more wound up. It's like they're still running away from you, only in a circle. Anyway, make it harder for her to be at the barn, and then easy farther away, with scratches, grazing, or something she likes.
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Member:
Philaz
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Posted on Monday, Sep 1, 2003 - 2:57 am:
Mindy,
The bottom line is the pecking order at your place is 1) your older mare, 2) your 6 yr old, and 3) YOU. You need to become #1.
I definitely agree that when riding in your pasture, always make the comfort zone as far away from the barn as possible. Always halt far away from the barn and facing away. When you are done, walk or lead your horse away from the barn and even remove the saddle and let her relax.
If you can, gets some friends and go on a trail ride, leaving the older mare at home. The change will be interesting to her and YOU will be the only one that she really knows while you are away from home.
Look for every small instance that your horse is trying to please you and reward her instantaneously by petting her and always end your ride on a good note. After you have done this about 128 times your horse will start to look to you as #1 
The key is patience. Horses learn by repitition of consistently applied aids and cues. So when you go out to your pasture to ride, think of one goal you can realistically achieve, no matter how small. When your horse does it, quit and go for a trail ride or let her relax in some way. Soon you will be accomplishing bigger and better things.
Good luck and make sure you are both having fun!
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Member:
Mindy
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Posted on Monday, Sep 1, 2003 - 6:41 pm:
Thank you so much for your encouragement. I am going to try all the things you have suggested. I did ground work today, working at the barn, going away and just sitting and scatching her. She actually hung out near me when we got done instead of running back to the barn when I let her go like she usually does.
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