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Discussion on Wanting to be lead horse
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Member:
Quatro
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Posted on Sunday, Aug 27, 2006 - 5:33 pm:
Hi All, I am soooo excited that I actually have been able to take Levi out on a few trail rides! He is doing really great. If something spooks him, he does the adrenelin rushing snap to attention, but does not bolt.
Here is my question, are some horses just born to be in the lead? He is just not a happy camper, behind other horses. Even though he is not a seasoned trail horse, for some reason, he thinks he has to be out front. Of course, this is where the pheasant etc. will be first encountered. Since we are new at this trail thing together, I would like to avoid problems. Plus, I can hardly hang out and talk with others.
He gets antsy, jigging, trotting, rushing up on the others. As soon as we are in the front position, he just moseys along, checking out the sights, but well behaved.
I know that our animals sometimes resemble their owners, in fact my old business cards said, "A dog is a reflection of yourself". changed that when people with obnoxious pets were offended!  I tend to be a "want to run the show" type A personality!
What exercises can I do to get him to be a follower? Or should I just accept that some horses are happier in the lead?
suz
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Member:
Kthorse
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Posted on Sunday, Aug 27, 2006 - 6:37 pm:
Hi Susan that's wonderful. I am so happy you have made the big step. Trail riding is so much fun.
In regards to your question I think it all depends on what you want out of Levi. My girlfriend has a horse that pulls and jigs if she is not in front. She does not have the oomph to deal with it so I let her lead and all is happy. Me I am different. I want mine to be behaved where ever I put him. It takes consistent work. If you are lucky to have a friend who will help you out. I think I would keep him behind and every time he jigged or whatever I would ask my friend to stop while I worked my horse behind her. Really work. Circles, side step anything. As soon as he is calm and behaving move off with your friends horse still leading. Keep repeating it until he gets it. That is what I would do with mine. But its ultimately up to you how much work you want to do. It could work fast or it could take a while
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Member:
Hwood
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Posted on Sunday, Aug 27, 2006 - 6:49 pm:
Ditto{arial,helvetica,}
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Member:
Cpacer
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Posted on Monday, Aug 28, 2006 - 8:42 am:
This isn't good for riding while catching up on gossip, but I've found that keeping a consistent distance from the horse in front of me helps with anxiety about being in front, and correcting him with a hind-quarter, half halt, or above mentioned whenever that distance line is crossed (maybe start w/10 feet?).
You might be happier in the long-run if he learns to behave now so you can lead, follow, or ride side-by-side whenever YOU want.
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Member:
Paardex
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Posted on Monday, Aug 28, 2006 - 10:06 am:
Susan,I noticed my little arab wants to be 'lead horse' whenever we go out with new horses I think she doesn't feel completely safe in the middle of strange horses. After one or two rides with the newcomers no problems any more. But she is inexperienced and rather young.
Could this be a problem?
Jos
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Member:
Quatro
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Posted on Monday, Aug 28, 2006 - 2:18 pm:
Thanks all, Great advice. If I ever can get out to ride, we will start to work on all of the advice. I keep telling him, we are going to Brushy Creek next year and he is going to be healthy and well behaved!
Right now I am so happy to be out when I do get out, I think I will let him be lead horse so I can enjoy the ride! Between him being lame with foot problems, and the weather so hot here, we have not ridden much at all. He is 6 years old and this is probably only his 6th or 7th trail ride. I was almost convinced he would have to be a pasture ornament for a while.
He is probably #2 out of 4 horses in the herd hierarchy, so if we ride with one of my other horses he still want to be out front. He did a little popping kick back at his pasture buddy when he got to close also. What should I do to correct that nasty behavior? Needless to say, he is my spoiled animal. I created him, and need to undue some of my mistakes.
suz
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Member:
Boomer
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Posted on Monday, Aug 28, 2006 - 5:46 pm:
Great thread Susan. I also would like to know how to handle that little popping kick.
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Member:
Karent
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Posted on Monday, Aug 28, 2006 - 6:48 pm:
Regarding the popping kick, first and foremost about trail riding is that you have to keep a safe distance from the horse in front of you. Some horses, whether they are buddies or not don't like another horse on their butt and will kick out. Sometimes kicking the rider instead of the horse.
When you start a horse out on trail, always keep a distance of at least 5 feet behind the other horse. Your horse has to learn it's ok and not scary to be a safe distance from the horse in front.
When training mine for trail, I always put them in front, middle and behind. If they don't like it, I work them a little harder, ie: circles, back up, half halts and turning around riding in the opposite direction, it's alot for work, but with consistancy and patience they will learn.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Tuesday, Sep 12, 2006 - 11:03 am:
Until he does settle down Susan a red ribbon bow tied into the tail head serves as a polite reminder to the other riders to beware.
DrO
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Member:
Quatro
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Posted on Tuesday, Sep 12, 2006 - 10:02 pm:
Thanks Dr. O, Obviously, Levi does not mind dressing up, so A bow on the tail will be a great idea. He is doing so well, I wish I could invent more time to get out and ride him. Also, wish I had people to ride with around here, and a place to ride. The corn fields of Iowa just don't cut it!
suz
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Member:
Quatro
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Posted on Tuesday, Sep 12, 2006 - 10:08 pm:
One other question. . . Do you correct him in some way when he kicks back at another horse. He has only done this to Clyde when riding, who is beneath him in the herd here at home. So I have not had an issue since then.
thanks
suz
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Member:
Sswiley
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Posted on Tuesday, Sep 12, 2006 - 11:34 pm:
I always correct my horse if he tries to kick another horse when I am in control of him in any way. It falls into the category of not doing any horse-horse sparing when there is a human in control. When you are in control of them; they answer to you and are not allowed to interact with other horses. The same kind of ideas applies when you are in the pasture with several horses, they are not allowed to invade your space even if another horse is antagonizing them.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Wednesday, Sep 13, 2006 - 8:18 am:
Because of the complexity of human horse interactions it is difficult to know what is best for you Susan.
In general the earlier you recognize the "bad behavior attitude" and correct it, the quicker your horse will learn and the smaller the correction you will have to make. I don't let my horses pin their ears while being ridden without a correction that I am sure the horse knows I mean business. If our horses actually kicked I would dismount, and with a crop or stick, make the horse think I was going to kill him. I admit this technique does not work well for some horse owners and always the punishment has to fit the horses personality. For some horses it might mean raising a welt or two on the offending leg, while others take little more than a raised voice and a threatening gesture but the horse has to know you mean it and associate it with the bad behavior.
One well established cure for this antsy gigging is many miles of work. Some horses just have not learned it is possible to be worn out on the trail and once they have been a few times there attitude changes a bit. Some have found though their horses capacity for exercise is greater than their own capacity.
DrO
DrO
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Member:
Quatro
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Posted on Wednesday, Sep 13, 2006 - 9:05 am:
Thanks again. When he kicked at Clyde, I did smack him on the neck, circled him several million times, while reading him the "riot act". Dismounting is not an option, unless there is a step ladder in the immediate vicinity, I can not get back on the monster. Short people and tall horses, silly combination when you're older.
I had a German Shepherd, who as a puppy tried communicating with his teeth. I, the person who supplied his dog food + a warm roof over his head, put the fear of god into him, (me, being god in his world!!!) I was so taken back that he thought he could challenge me that my reaction was immediate. He never ever even entertained the idea that I was not the boss of his pack after that. I just need to transfer what I know about my dog attitude to my horse attitude. It really is not that much different
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Member:
Quatro
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Posted on Sunday, Oct 1, 2006 - 11:47 pm:
I am soooo excited! Levi did his first river crossing. He went with the rest of the horses like he'd been crossing rivers all his life  . First he ran across it, which was not good, but too late to fix that. On the way back he walked down the center, splashing away. Then discovered that blowing bubbles is just as much fun. It was soo coool. I am so proud of him, and me too.
We went on a 4H ride, so lots of young kids. We led like always, and I think it is a good thing. There was so much energy going on behind us, horses kicking horses, kids whining, falling off, macho adults. I think I know why Levi likes the peace of being in the front of the pack.
WE Had Fun
suz
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