Idea please

[fimacg]

Brave not been ridden for a week due to the weather and H's college commitments, and when I did take him out it was last saturday and we literally went for a walk...

he is a horse that needs to work to keep his head straight and he is fast becomming a domineering wee so and so, today when I borught them in he tried to herd 'his' herd away from me and bucked, bit and kicked out at the others to move them away from me, tried to charge me but has seconf thoughts when he saw that wasn't going to work but did barge past me a couple of times with a face like thunder on him!

My reaction shove a pressure halter on him, take him to the arena and put him on a circle until he worked it out that pushing the boundaries with me is not a good idea, dont know haw many canter circles he did until he decided to slow down and then I pushed him for another five minutes before allowing him to stop and go in the other direction.

We then did a few natural horsemanship techniques in getting him to yield away from me and stay out of my space (by the way its a howling gale here and peeing with rain too) so one soaked pony came in totally submissive and much calmer...

I just need some more ideas for exercises that I can do from the ground to stop the attitude in the first place...

[racaille]

My word you're brave to do anything in the rain - I just flee indoors. Sounds like you did everything right though.

[haffyfan]

yep your certainly brave, weather stopped paly for me today didn't fancy braving the gale one bit!

Does he long rein? Could you do some long reining and then he can still have some exercise and make him think a bit...rein back/work on a circle so your not knackered tagging behind/see if he will leg yield etc without the leg presure for example or even try teaching him a few tricks like spanish walk/bowing etc

[solomon]

Naughty boy! Be careful Fi. Not worth getting a stray hoof now! How about lots of lungeing in a Pessoa, that makes them work hard.

[brigadier]

Its a balance in not working him so hard that he gets really fit and really bolshy, but you did the right thing in working him on the circle. Only stop and let him come to you when he is submissive. He sounds a lot like Basil and this works so well for him.

[scattymare]

Naughty Brave - I think at this stage in your pregnancy, just do what is comfortable for you. What about loose schooling in the arena. Will let him let off steam.

[fimacg]

Jan 15, 2011 17:23:42 GMT racaille said:

My word you're brave to do anything in the rain - I just flee indoors. Sounds like you did everything right though.

I had no intention of doing anything aside from fleeing inside once they were in but his behaviour was such that it warrents immediate and prompt action to put him back in his place... lesson seems to have paid off as he was much more submissive all last night i.e. no face pulling at feed time and this morning much better behaved when I changed his rug etc.