Rearing...not fun :(

[Sexy Sietske]

I have been doing parelli for a bit now and I am still working through the 7 games (horse only a baby anyway) and was doing ok.

Yesterday we move yards and horse realy settled, spent more time sleeping on the floor since he got there than anything else!! Well today i thought i would do some of the games and let him stretch and have a nice relax play......but no!

When I ask him to move him front around and go on to the circling game or sideways game, he just wouldn't budge or went straight up into the air, kicking his legs out and snatching the rope from my hands with his legs. So, thinking savvy, let him off the rope for him to get further away from me so if he was going to rear he would do it out of my way but he is still running into me and rearing at me.

I realy don't know what to do about it or why he is doing it, its not save and i feel realy disappointed in him because he has never done anything of the sort before :( what shall I do??

[mayoguinness]

First thing. See anything your horse does to you as an oppertunity to learn. secondly think what would the reasons for your horse doing this be?? Now if Mayo was to do this.......I would have my carrot stick in my hand and as he is showing dangerous behaviour for no apperant reason, send him out.......... hit the carrot stick on the floor untill he starts to circle you and let him stay out on the circle untill he's calmed down and only then do you ask him in. if he trys to run in at you, hit the carrot stick (with your savvy string on the end) on the floor hard and if he really comes dangerously close, tap him on the shoulder for your own safety!!

[Sexy Sietske]

hit the carrot stick on the floor untill he starts to circle you and let him stay out on the circle untill he's calmed down and only then do you ask him in. if he trys to run in at you, hit the carrot stick (with your savvy string on the end) on the floor hard and if he really comes dangerously close, tap him on the shoulder for your own safety!!

I was doing this very violently to try and get him out of my way and it seems like someone has taught him this means rear over night!!! He is either up or nothing, realy out of the blue behaviour :(

[KateWooten]

Just a quick suggestion - my dominant and sensitive mare hates, absolutley hates circling and shows very high energy rection to it. Have you tried doing a version of Kate Farmer's 'Waltz' instead for the time being ... and come back to circling later ? Now I can really get my mare working beautifully on a circle ... but it has been a 2 year learning curve for both of us, with very violent interludes !

[Sexy Sietske]

Not quite sure what this 'waltz' thing is, like I said he has NEVER done this behaviour before and he was just doing it when i asked him to move his front end around, he was a happy little bunny once on the circle.

[mayoguinness]

umm..........think maybe your horse needs to be taught how to come off presure from the carrot stick so if does happen again you can use the carrot stick to get him out of your space ;)

[Sexy Sietske]

I was thinking the same...a week off and starting from scratch again, I was thinking maybe he is a bit stiff/sore from travelling yesterday to the new yard, but im not sure how I would go about handling it if it happened again, feel like I have ruined him in 10minutes!!

[mayoguinness]

No don't worry it won't of done a lot, just a minor set back. Go back to the simple stuff. Work up again and do some friendly game with the carrot stick, ask him to step sideways from it when you ask by putting the pressure on, ask him to back up using it and send him on the circle using the carrot stick to get him to get into his head that when you put pressure on with the carrot stick you are being seriose and you want him to move away. After you've done all this, ask him to step away at liberty and ask him to go onto the circle by pushing his nose away and tapping the carrot stick on the ground behind him :) Just get him to respect it and what you are saying. Remember also to only use it as an extension of your hand ;)