getting pushy

[tricia]

my 14 month old percheron is getting pushy with me, he is sweet, just started throwing his body into me just today.I am not being timid with him at all. He is already 15.4 hands and growing. I did recently did have to remove his pasture buddy from him because his buddy was destorying the electric fencing. His buddy lost respect for the fencing and was going threw it and taking it down. The Percheron will be getting a new buddy by the middle of July. any advice and all advice owuld be greatly accepted

[casey]

Is he on his own then?

[tricia]

yes, Rebel is currently on his own..Since his pasture buddy was removed Rebel is not being stalled, nor does he care to be stalled, he has free access for grazing, plus he is being feed twice a day. He gets free choice hay which we place around the 5 acre area, so he remains "busy", searching for food. Last night he really got so pushy, he actually pushed at my body..again he is 14 months and already huge. Pushy, not mean. No Biting, no kicking. Thansk fro any and all advice.

[Lovecat]

It's difficult to say without knowing your horse, but at his age it sounds like he's trying to play with you in the absence of anyone else to play with - only horses can play rough! My horse, being loose schooled in the paddock, has lifted his back feet to me in 'play' and high spirits (he hasn't got a mean bone in his body) and while I didn't punish him for it, it made me rethink our boundaries!

You don't have too long before his new buddy arrives, until that time possibly you could try and get him to respect your space - take a schooling or lunge whip into the pasture with you and prod him with the end of it, accompanied by a firm 'No' if you feel he's getting in your face. Pushing him back with your bare hands/body would be a bad idea, as then he might think you're playing his game... sorry, no more advice but hope you find an answer - something the size of a percheron definitely needs to learn his ground manners!

[tricia]

You are most definitly right...he needs to understand his boundaires..I am working on it.