ppl who know horses only plz?

Question

i have a 16 month old colt and i was wondering if it is normal for him to dislike going one direction when being lounged? when i lounge him he does just fine when goin clock wise but when i try to turn him around to go counterclock wise he wants to stop and continue going clock wise. i have also noticed that when i try to lead from my left hand he does not want to listen. do these 2 have anything to do with each other? and is there anything i can do to help break him of this habbit other than just working with him on it? thank you 4 ur help!

Answer 1

Horses are naturally drawn to favore one direction over another. Horses are better counter clockwise than clockwise in all the horses I owned and worked with.

Your horse on the other hand seems opposite, which is normal to have favortism on one direction/side than another.

What you need to do is work with him in that direction. If he starts to try to go in the other direction. Correct it. Keep correcting it and only allow him to go in the direction he least desires.

I was working with a 8 year old green broke gelding who favored his left lead but going right, he would get into my space (in the middle) of the round pen, stop, trot and do all sorts of things I didn't ask for. However going to the left, he did everything I asked for. I worked him more going the other direction and eventually, he settled down.

I would drive him forward by keeping yourself angeled to his hind quarters. If you want him to switch directions. Angel yourself to his neck, take a long lunge wip and place it infront of him on the ground. Sometimes you have to step out about 5 feet from the center to get his attention and he will turn the other direction. Repeat every other completed circle he made.

If he tries to stop and then he tries to turn other direction. Correct it by placing the wip in front of him on the ground (never touching the horse) to turn him back over to the other direction you want him to be. Keep correcting.

Praise him.

Have him on lunge line and go that direction on a small circle. Not extended. Keep moving him and not giving him time to think of changing direction.

That is what I have done and worked for me.

Your colt can be a little different. Especially if he isn't gelded, he might have the testrone and the stronger built, which requires more patience and strength. My 6 year old was gelded at 10 months old and he already had the body of a 2 year old stud due to strong bloodlines of the Sir.

Make sure he isn't favoring any legs or have previous injury to cause him to have pain when placing unbalanced weight going that direction.

Do you have a hot walker? Where you can hook up the lead rope and the machine walks him around? If so, difiantly try that on slow so he can get the hang of it.

Answer 2

I have a 16 mnth old colt too (17 now). I have noticed they are VERY stobborn. My horse does not lead as well with my left either.

I think that he is so used to going in one direction on the lounge, that is the only way to go. If he were hurt, you would notice in other ways beside the lung. As for eye sight, try tests like waving your hand in front of his eye. see if he is spookier in one more so than the other.

Like I said, I think your colt just believes there is only one direction to go on the lunge and it is a habit to go that way. Horses are atracted to habits! When you lunge, turn him in the way you don't like him to go and as he trys to turn around TAP LIGHTLY, just enough to keep him going and keep on doing that. It will help if you do that going in his fav way too. A way to let him know to keep going.

Keep on trying to lead him with your left. He needs to get used to it. Try having 2 leads with 2 ropes if that will not spook him. You stand on the bad side and another on the good. you lead and slowly have the other back off. There is not much of a change in the way it feels to lead right/ left but once again he may think you are soposed to lead from the right.

Well I hope I helped and good luck! I know I have had my fair share of problems too (not really. i have a ways to go and 2 more on the way! OHH the bruises and sore feet! lol)

Answer 3

The best way to deal with this is to use a 50-60 foot pen and free lounge so that when he doesn't want to go in the other direction you can run quickly in front of him and crack the whip at the same time and tell him turn.You will need to go at him fast at a corner so he sees you coming and he will learn when you say turn he will avoid hearing the crack of the whip. I always snap the whip at the Back hooves towards the ground and watch out for his kicks. He will get the hang of it. If they know you want to keep them going and they want to stop I also taught me horse as a reward to stop by saying Whoa, stop. They don't want to naturally run so this works and then a few minutes later crack the whip and give your command and he will pick it up. Good Luck. They just like to test you and do it their way.

Answer 4

first off, he might be sore on that side and when he is going in that direction, he will be reaching further on that lead. You might check and see if he has a hip problem, or if there is some other thing going on there. As far as you leading him, some horses don't like you on one side ot the other. If he don't like the left side, only lead him on the left side until he gets used to it. I had a mare that was like that, and I just kept working with her, and she improved. Just keep working with him on the leading, and make sure that he stays off you and gives you your space, and you might want to get the vet out to have a look at him on the other. Good luck

Answer 5

A friend of mine had the same problem with one of her horses. She is a really experienced breaker trainer. This horse didn't want to turn in one direction when you were riding him. He was fine while following another horse, but when you rode him alone all hell broke loose. She used to leave him in the yards with his rein tied to his saddle in the direction he didn't like going. It was short enough so he had no choice but to go that way. I thought it was a bit cruel at first but it really worked and he goes just fine now. Have ya thought about having his eyes tested he might not be able to see well maybe that's why he doesn't like turning one way and why he doesn't listen when you are on one side of him.

Answer 6

its normal for a horse to have a favorite way go. they can be right and left handed like us. the problem of him not wanting to go a sertain way is normal. just start in a round pen and then they cant resist going there bad way. hopefully after time your colt will get used to going his bad way. most people say start in small circles before larger circles and this a good thing to do but they will end up resisting it if u make them go faster then a slow trot in a small circle. cantering should be worked up to on there bad way. start leading him on the left side most of the time. that should help both problems.

Answer 7

It is normal for a horse to be fine with doing something in one direction but not in the other direction, I know plenty of horses that are like that.

When you lead the horse from you left hand you are standing on his right side, correct? Horses are supposed to be lead with you standing on their left, so I can understand that.

Answer 8

when you lounge him, try walking him side-by-side in the direction he doesn't like to go in and eventually make the distance where he will obey your commands. as for your leading problem, correct him if he acts up, but force him with your elbow to walk at a safe distance from you. i don't know if your problems are related or not, but if all else fails you may have to take him to a trainer (just to get him back on track).

P.S. my key is always having treats handy for when they're doing good!

Answer 9

Maybe he has a problem with 1 eye...almost like a blinder...can't see, so doesn't want to walk that way....