Best thing to try with this horse?

RoobyDooby · 26-03-2013 01:37PM #1

I've recently bought the most gorgous 7 year old TB gelding. I bought him from a friend of a friend who wanted to get rid of him for cheap and I didn't want him to fall into the wrong hands.
His previous owner started to break him when he was four. He got as far as backing him and after that he said he gave up on him because no matter what he would not move when someone was sitting on his back. He said if you persisted with him he would literally explode under you!
I know he is old to start at 7 but I'm planning on starting over with him. Any advice if he starts doing the same thing with me? I would be a shame to let him go to waste as he really is a lovely horse.

Any advice welcome!

Ave Sodalis · 26-03-2013 02:13PM

I think it's possible but you're gonna have to move very slowly and very carefully with this. You're gonna have to go right back to the very basics. The first and foremost is to make sure he was mouthed properly. How does the horse lead? What about rugging etc? Does he freeze when tacked up?
I think the best approach would be (assuming he's okay with the above questions) trying to put something with weight on his back (a quarter full maize bag of sand for example) and strapping it onto the saddle. Then lead him a secure area, such as a large stable. Be very calm with him, don't get angry or impatient, just be confident and reassuring as you ask him to move forward.
When, and only then, he's happy with the sandbag, you can start lying across him in a wide stable or secure area and getting someone to lead him in circles. Work very calmly. If he has a hissy fit to the extent of dangerous, calmly slide off, wait for him to relax, and lie across again and try again. Don't try to sit up on him until he can walk with someone lying across him without tensing or panicking.
It'll probably take a while, so don't expect results the first day but it is possible with persistence, patience and understanding.

RoobyDooby · 26-03-2013 02:29PM

sup_dude wrote: »

I think it's possible but you're gonna have to move very slowly and very carefully with this. You're gonna have to go right back to the very basics. The first and foremost is to make sure he was mouthed properly. How does the horse lead? What about rugging etc? Does he freeze when tacked up?
I think the best approach would be (assuming he's okay with the above questions) trying to put something with weight on his back (a quarter full maize bag of sand for example) and strapping it onto the saddle. Then lead him a secure area, such as a large stable. Be very calm with him, don't get angry or impatient, just be confident and reassuring as you ask him to move forward.
When, and only then, he's happy with the sandbag, you can start lying across him in a wide stable or secure area and getting someone to lead him in circles. Work very calmly. If he has a hissy fit to the extent of dangerous, calmly slide off, wait for him to relax, and lie across again and try again. Don't try to sit up on him until he can walk with someone lying across him without tensing or panicking.
It'll probably take a while, so don't expect results the first day but it is possible with persistence, patience and understanding.

Thanks for your reply.

He is not great to lead at all, he tends to dig his heels in then too! I can get him to move, he just stops a few times before we get to our destination!

He is grand to put a headcollar on, rug up etc. I pulled his shoulder length, matted mane yesterday and even that wasn't too much hassle. I haven't put any tack on him yet as I was leaving him a few days to settle in and that.

He is a really friendly horse, not sour in the slightest but he does seem ignorant in a way as though he hasn't had enough handeling. He seems very excitable and certainly seems to be able to throw a buck, if his turnout antics are anything to go by. :pac:

I know the man I bought him off is needlessly rough with his animals so maybe that might has been an issue also. He didn't seem to think that a small woman like myself was up to the job in any case. :rolleyes:

Valentina · 26-03-2013 02:43PM

Have you had him checked to make sure there's nothing physically wrong with him?

RoobyDooby · 26-03-2013 02:46PM

Valentina wrote: »

Have you had him checked to make sure there's nothing physically wrong with him?

Ya that's what I thought at first but he's been looked over and he's fine physically.

monflat · 26-03-2013 04:27PM

RoobyDooby wrote: »

Ya that's what I thought at first but he's been looked over and he's fine physically.

He sounds like he is stuck in all 4 feet so unless the problem sorted before you get on him again after working him he will be a rearer and bucker through no fault of his own as he has no forward s and no backwards from what you describe

You don't say what your experience is are you used to animals like this have you experience backing etc have you lots of time on your hands have you help every time you work him ?? Have you facilities

Can you afford to get busted if things go wrong have you a job committment or family

Would you send him off to be professionally 're schooled or broken properly
Then at least you have another opinion and a person who used to all sorts horses

I had an Irish draught x TB LIKE this yrs ago a real tuff one turns out her problem s went back to how she was weaned very incorrectly !

MDFM · 26-03-2013 10:15PM

If it were me and my horse, I would completely start from stratch all over again with this horse. To me, sounds like nothing more than the horse was badly handled & badly broken by an inexperienced person initially - all that, but not accounting for any ailments the horse might have (already suggested - get him checked over, soreness, teeth etc).
With any horse, patience is the key with any training programme you start them on. Some horses will learn faster than others, but there's no point in rushing any horse into the different stages of training unless he fully comfortable and understanding of everything that's being asked of him.
How much experience do you have personally with breaking horses? If this is a new area to you, then cut your losses and get a professional to train him. If you have some experience, then be sure to get as much help as possible with him. The horse needs to not only learn to trust you but has to learn the commands from what you are trying to teach him. The previous owner told you that the horse wouldn't move forward - how much ground work had he done with this horse? Backing a horse is only one element of breaking - the following stages do involve the horse learning to move forward on your command. Perhaps the previous owner failed to train this to the horse? How much lunging and long-reining had the horse done? Both are absolute vital elements of the horse's basic training and if the horse hasnt grasped those concepts, then its not ready to be backed?
You say the horse doesn't lead well? This is something the horse should have being taught from a very early age, which it seems the previous owner didnt do. I have 3 young horses - 2 2 year olds, both of which have being leading since a few months old and a 4 year old (leading from a few months old). The 4 year old is almost ready for backing. She's fully comfortable & responsive on the lunge. On the long reining, we still have some work to do, but nothing major that she doesnt understand and as regards backing, I can lean across her back fully while my partner leads her around the arena.
Anyhow getting back to your own horse - seems the basics he just doesnt understand because they haven't properly being taught to him. You can start with the basics yourself - ie work on his leading. That way he will learn to trust you & learn that you are in charge & he must follow your command. Persistence and patience are the key I'm afraid, prob more so with your horse as it seems his early education was lacking. Give him time, reward him for good work and as much as possible, get help from a more experienced person.

RoobyDooby · 27-03-2013 08:30AM

I should have mentioned I do have experience of breaking horses. It used to be part of my job before I had my baby. I have four other horses so I still do a lot of riding, I'm just a bit out of practise with regards to breaking.
Thanks for all the advice, I don't have time to be nursing any broken limbs at the moment!

Anastazia · 27-03-2013 06:30PM

Have you thought about doing join up with him:)?

paddi22 · 27-03-2013 07:19PM

I'd have him thoroughly vetted if i was you. I had a vet 'look over' my new exracer and he was passed as fine. He was fine for a while and then started rearing and napping a lot, turned out he had kissing spine and a sacroliliac injury (as do so many exracers). All in all over the years I had three vets, osteos, physios and a thermal scan person look at him and only one of the vets picked up the real problem.

Did you get him a full vetting before you bought?

Valentina · 27-03-2013 07:35PM

I second what paddi22 said. My mare passed a 5 stage vetting. It was only later when I had her x-rayed and an ultrasound that an old SI injury became apparent which was causing us problems under saddle.

hollysf · 29-03-2013 12:32AM

Yep, 5 stage vetting with x rays and if thats all good try the Parelli 7 games, all from the ground, it just teaches the horse a new relaxed way of doing everday things. I just did it with my young horse with great results.

calfmuscle · 29-03-2013 12:42AM

As other have said you need to get the ground work sorted. This horse must learn to lead. And it should lead activly! No slouching around! Once you have that sorted everything else will fall into place :-)
have you ever done yearling prep?

Kevhog1988 · 01-04-2013 03:40AM

had the same thing with a horse when i was younger... he nearly killed me two or three times when he would explode... Eventually we brought him to a very boggy are where it wouldnt hurt if he went ballistic again. Because the ground was so boggy he spent more time trying not to sink rather than trying to throw me off.....rode the guts out of him in the boggy ground for 4 or 5 days on the trot and he never looked back. dont think he ever bucked again

Best thing to try with this horse?

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