What should I do when my green horse tries to pull me around while I have him on a halter and lead rope?

Question

Ok, so yesterday I started my first day of "training" with my new horse. I board him and he was already antsy about all of the new things (barn cats, new horses etc.) and when I took him into the large indoor arena he decided that it would be a good idea to start yanking and pulling. (I just had him in a halter and was holding onto his attached lead rope) I didnt think it was really that big of a deal, until he started pulling me around in circles. So I put him back into his stall.

**He's ok in the aisle leading to his stall, but when we got to the arena he started misbehaving. I think someone more experienced wouldnt have even noticed but Im 13 and still getting over my fear of him. I am always afraid he'll spook and take off dragging me, or kick me. He's a very afraid horse so he overreacts to EVERYTHING, I really dont know what to do!**

What should I do to correct this issue? Or perhaps just make it so it doesnt frighten ME anymore and I could just pass it off as nothing?

Also, he is a gelding. Believe me, I wish I could sell him (that sounds mean) but I love horses and he is the only one I can afford because my Grandma gave him to me free. The problem is, in the deal we made with her I am not allowed to sell him, if I decide to sell him he has to go back to her. I cant afford a different horse though.

Answer 1

Since you already as you mentioned have a fear of him I would suggest getting someone who knows what they are doing to help you out. This will help build your confidence and help you overcome your fear.

Also, I don't know but I am guessing that you might be using the regular halter. The wide cotten halter. This type of halter actually will help increase his pushing and pulling on the halter and I would suggest getting a rope halter. These tend to put pressure on certain points of his head and is more affective rather than the cotten halter which puts pressure everywhere and makes it easier for the horse to press into it.
Also I would suggest getting a 12 foot lead rope vs. the regular 6 ft. lead rope.

This is for safety reasons for you. From what I have found from experience is that if you hold on to the lead rope right under the horses chin as in "normal" to do and is generally taught with horses then you are going to be drug around and eventually hurt if you have a horse who has respect and freaking out issues. What you actually want is to have the horse as far away from your persons when he is flipping out as possible so that you don't get stepped on, kicked, or run over.

It is impossible for even a 220 pound built man to hold a 1200 pound horse still when the are flipping out so the chance of you or I being able to do it is impossible.
I would suggest also carrying like a lunge whip or something that you can protect your space with and if your horse starts flipping out be willing to hold 6 ft. downt the 12 ft. line and protect your space bubble. Keep him away from you and don't worry about if his feet are standing still. (It is impossible for a horse that is scared to stand still... goes against every instinct that they were born with) And allow his feet to move either around you or just out from you... whatever it takes. The blessing of a 12 ft. line is that if your horse needs more line you have it available and you are able to keep your feet still even while he is flipping out.
Good luck!

Answer 2

How old is the horse?

Why are you afraid of him?

Are there people at the barn where you board him that can help?

Two nervous creatures trying to work through a problem might not be such a good idea. If you do make it though and can find somebody (besides people on the internet) that can help you learn a few things it will be amazing. I have seen young girls time and again learn to cope with fear or courage issues. Safety is really the first concern though.

I also when reading your question I was wondering if this was a stallion gelding or mare? That makes a huge difference as well as quantity of free time that the horse has. If he is kept in a stall I would seriously recomend at least 30 minutes a day where he can romp and run to expell some of the built up energy while not being an idiot around you.

Also unless you have experience you don't need to try some of the harsher methods listed above like the chain over the nose and more agressive halters (which can be perfectly fine for more experienced equestrians).

Putting him back in his stall just taught him that what his bad behavior scared you and caused you to leave him alone. Be very careful to think about the impression that you leave upon your horse.

Answer 3

I think you're overhorsed and you should find an older, already trained horse to build your confidence with. If you refuse to sell your current horse and find a horse more suitable to your level of experience and confidence, then you need to find a trainer to help you.

A green horse with a fearful rider/owner will only make you more fearful and it will rob you of any confidence you have with horses. At the worse, either you or the horse or both can be seriously hurt.

Overcoming your fear is not something you can read about to become more confident. Overcoming your fear will take someone else to help you, in person, and walk you through the tough issues of training that your horse may have. A trainer will help you build your confidence back up as you train your horse into a better mount. With a trainer you will always be confident knowing you've made progress, while without a trainer your horse can humble your confidence to almost irrepairable pieces.

I know that's not what you want to hear, but it's the truth and something you should strongly consider.

Good luck and I hope you find the right trainer for you. :)

Answer 4

I agree that you sound like you need help. If you are scared he will take control and BOTH of you could end up hurt. If you can't have a more experienced person work with you both, at least make sure there is always someone around nearby so if things start to go wrong you won't be by yourself.
First, make sure your horse gets plenty of time outside. All horses need time to be a horse and blow off steam, especially green horses who aren't used to long periods of time in the stall followed by intense focused training. Also, consider when you work with him. Has he already been out? Is it close to feeding time? Are all the other boarders out with their horses, or is the barn quiet? Try to work him after he has had some time to out, and when the barn is quiet with few distractions. That way, his mind is on you and not anything else. (If you need to, turn him out in a paddock to get some energy out when you first get to the barn.)
What I would recommend is doing some Natural Horsemanship to get him to listen to you and respect your space and body language. The payoff from this is also it helps you form a strong bond. I found that my horses paid much more attention to my attitude. When I first started showing my OTTB she never cared about me, spooking and running over me. Know, when she sees something that scares her she looks to me, and if I stay calm she relaxs also.
It really doesn't matter what kind you do, I learned from people who did Parelli training and found that to be easy to learn and apply as a newcomer. This kind of training will really boost your confidence (and your horses), there's nothing like a horse that follows you with no lead rope or halter on him, stopping, turning and backing up just because I do. He'll even trot over jumps behind me!
You can find clinics and instructors in your area online, or go here to get started:
www.parelli.com
Just remember that whatever happens, you need to put your own safety first. Even if it means letting go of your horse and getting someone else to catch. I know it sucks, put you won't be able to do any training if you get kicked or stepped on.

Answer 5

First, you should get a more experienced person to help you. Horses are dangerous and you need to know what you are doing around them. Also, if you are scared the situation isn't going to imporve. But I have a couple suggestions. If you are sure your horse's misbehavior is not due to nervousness, you need to get a little more forceful with him. I would always lead your horse with a chain over his nose. Make sure you put the chain on properly so you don't injure him. Starting on the left, thread the chain through the opening, latch thing (What is that thing called anyway?) on the side of the halter. Twist the chain once around the nose band of the hatler, then thread it through the buckle thing on the other side. Then Pull the chain up and attach it on the top right hook. (It is important that you do this last step and dont just hook it on the bottom hook, so that the chain works correctly and doesn't hurt his face). This way, you have more control over your horse. When he starts acting up quietly make him stop, then force him to back up 3 or 4 steps by pushing on his chest. Each time he tries to get ahead of you, push him back. Then proceed like nothing happened.

If he is just nervous you will have to be more patient. People disagree whether or not to lead a horse like this with a chain. The chain will make him easier to control, but if he spooks and gets loose from you, he could easily step on the lead shank and severely injure himself. I would stick to a regular lead rope, but it's up to you.

Your problem sounds like a mixture of both nervousness and plain old misbehavior. I think the best thing you can do is get a trainer to work with him. If your horse is intimidating, you may also want to look for a calmer one, as your fear will only make him worse.

Answer 6

I think you should have a serious talk with your grandma. I do not think she wants you to have a bad experience with the horse, or to get hurt by the horse.

I agree with everyone else that you should seek a trainers help.

He might be a afraid, but he could just be misbehaving. I had trouble with my first horse when we took her out, she would head to the nearest patch of grass and eat. Trying to get her head up was pretty much impossible at that age, I had to get help, but once I had confidence and knew what to do, we got over the problem!

I hope that you are able to enjoy your horse and have fun!

Answer 7

Your horse need major ground lessons. I do all of Clinton Anderson's training techniques no matter what horse I am training and they work on every horse. You need to gain you horses respect by disengaging his hip. When a horses back feet cross it makes them unbalance therefore they cannot push on you. Make him give you two eyes. You can outrun any horse that is looking at you. Two eyes is always better than two heels. Put him in rope halter. The skinnier the halter the less a horse can lean on it. Teach him vertical flection where you bend his head around to his belly and dont release the presure until he gives to it. When a horses head and neck is soft his body will be too. I really recommend applying clinton's techniques. Once you gain respect and control you'll never want to go back.

Answer 8

Fennec has the right idea with that!! But really my green mare has starting doing something similar - Sometimes when I take off the bridle she will shoot back in the ally of the stable, becoming hard to control (with just the reins around her neck) When I do get a hold of her, she is impossible to halter! Take the bridle softly and do a lot of work taking it on and off with the halter

Answer 9

Sorry, I am all for humane methods of training horses or any other animal, but a horse is an extremely large, strong creature capable of killing you quite easily without meaning to. Shank him - hook a chain lead through one side of the halter, over his nose, and on to the other side. Lead him around as usual and when he does something he shouldn't, a quick tug (and I mean just a quick tug) on the shank will get his attention. You may have to do this for the next few times you train him; you may have to do it only once. But he'll learn and he'll learn fast. Remember - he is not the boss - you are.

Answer 10

Definitely you need help. Get a professional trainer to at least give you the basics. Giving to presssure, respect, and keeping his butt away from you (staying focused on you) it's a combination of disengaging and softening to pressure. It is something that can be practiced also in the stall.