Horses

» Titan97 - His name is Rebel...

I bought an underweight, 3 year old gelding, and over the last couple of months, he's gained almost 200 lbs. He's feeling his oats, and with the cooler weather settling in, I'm not sure what to do with him.

I work with a trainer, learning to train myself, and it seems that no matter how much trust we gain with Rebel, and how well he will work in the roundpen, and no matter how much progress we make, it seems as though he forgets it and gets progressively more and more aggressive toward us each day!

For instance: The roundpen is in a small paddock, say, 2 acres in size. He has been turned out this week, as it is his turn to graze and exercise. Once last week, I walked another horse into the paddock, into the roundpen, worked her, and as soon as we finished, walked her back through the paddock, and put her in her stall. He showed interest, and came to the roundpen to check her out, but it was no more than sticking his nose over the pen for a few seconds, and losing interest. He did not bother her as we walked across the paddock to the roundpen, and showed no aggression, whatsoever. He had never met the mare before, nor been penned next to her.

Three hours later, with a different mare, I did the same routine with her as I had done with the first mare. Rebel was across the lot, munching, and as the mare and I crossed to the roundpen, it seemed as though Rebel had come unglued. He darted over, running hard, snorting and squalling, ears pinned, tossing his head, and the whole bit. He chased the mare, and for the first time since I'd had him, I was afraid of him. I ran to scale the fence, as he chased the mare into the roundpen, and they had a bout. The mare, the head of the brood, taught him a lesson, and he got out of the roundpen. I worked the mare, and he kept sticking his head in between the rungs on the corral panels, and displayed a lot of aggression. We tied him up to take the mare back through his paddock, and he sucked back and broke the halter to get to her.

I worked Rebel in the round pen, and could NOT get his attention. We worked for half an hour together, before I was baffled. Kevin, the trainer, got in, and worked him too. Rebel would face the fence, look away, and utterly not focus. It took well over 3 hours of this exhausting tag-teaming to get him to settle down and walk in from the fence, but he would still pin his ears down and glare once in a while.

I don't know what the display was about, but over the next couple of days, he was the same as he had been before his bout. Only, he's lost respect for people. He will push me, step on me, squall at me, anything he can to get attention. He's incooperative, and inappreciative.

Any ideas as to how we can work this out? Or was it the fact that he's by himself, away from the herd, and the mare being lead-mare, came into his territory?

What would make him lose his respect for me?

How can I get that back?

-- posted by Titan97

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» Zenhorseman - His name is Rebel...

In response to His name is Rebel... posted by Titan97:

Well my friend, you have quite a bit to deal with there. From your description it seems that Rebel does not get time in a herd, is that correct? Quite a few problems can arise when we keep horses isolated from each other.
As for what you are doing in the roundpen, I'd have to watch in order to see what you are doing. Often the horses get round penned to death without really accomplishing much.
Since he "sucked back" hard enough to break his halter, I would not consider him properly halter broke.
Basically, from the information you have given me, I'd have to say that Rebel feels as if he has to take care of himself. No human has convinced him yet that they are worthy of leading him. I'm NOT talking about being aggressive and bossy! I'm talking about being calm and assertive. If he perceived you as a calm and assertive leader, then he would automatically become a calm and submissive partner. Chasing him around the round pen will not get this done!
He's doing what he feels he needs to do to survive - that's all. He believes he is surrounded by people who don't speak his language and don't have his best interests at heart, and well-meaning though you may be, he is still right.
You need to start watching for the little things, ok? Don't worry about "training" him. Work on developing and correcting the relationship.
Here's how you can start. Put him in a nice rope halter with a good twelve foot lead rope on it. Take him for a walk. Do not let him push you, step on you, or squall at you. Correct each behavior - not by scolding, put tape over your mouth if you have to - no yelling allowed! If he steps towards you and you haven't asked him to then correct him calmly and assertively by asking him to step back. You can shake the rope or bump him back with it or take hold close to the halter and put pressure on it or even dig your fingers into his chest or shoulder to back him out of your space. The instant he moves - RELEASE THE PRESSURE! Horses learn from the release of pressure, not the poking and prodding. BE VIGILANT. Horses learn every single moment - not just when we think we are training them. You can do three hours of excellent work in the round pen and ruin it all in five minutes of walking him back to the barn.

So start there. You must become the leader. A leader he wants to follow - not one that demands he do what you ask or else....a leader, not a boss, OK?

Finally, let me say one thing about the incident with the second mare. You will know you are a good horse leader when situations like that don't happen. YOU should have been the one to stop Rebel in his tracks when he came at the mare you were walking. In that situation the mare was under your leadership and therefore you were responsible for her safety. She had accepted that you were the leader and knew you were responsible. When you ran and abandoned her she had to take care of herself, and though she managed to get the job done your status as a leader in both her eyes and Rebel's eyes dropped considerably.

Take heart, though. This can all be fixed without a lot of trouble.

So, put Rebel on the end of a lead rope and start directing the movement of his feet. He must yield to your space. You do not yield to his(except, of course, if you are in danger of being hurt).

If you want to see someone do this properly, check out "From The Gound Up", a video by Buck Brannaman. Buck also has another video with two other horsemen where he works with problem horses. I can't remember the name of it right off hand, but if you want I'll find it for you.

Get some videos. Stop "training" your horse. Develop the relationship. Be the leader your horse deserves 24/7, not just for three hours in the round pen.

Good Luck and Have Fun! It will all work out!

-- posted by Zenhorseman

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