New Horse With Attitude

[Jellybag]

I have recently taken on a very overweight (680kg!) 13 year-old 15hh cob gelding through a local horse welfare charity where I work as a volunteer. Although i've only been riding for 5 years and am careering towards 50, I am strong, fit and have quite a lot of experience of handling horses and ponies on the ground of all shapes, sizes, ages and behaviour types. I have also, for the last 4 years, shared a 15.2hh mare (again a cob) and have had classical riding lessons on her with an excellent trainer for the last 2 years or so. My problem is, the new boy is a gentleman on the ground, but under saddle he is very head strong and likes to have things his own way otherwise he has a hissy fit and threatens to run away with me. He is NOT fit and, I believe, has not done any work to speak of for about 18 months. At the moment we are just walking out for 10mins a day -with a day's rest each week -, but, regrettably, this has to be on the road, as once he hits soft ground he wants to go. I want to get him to a school to work with him in a "safer" environment and get him listening to me, but that means a short hack up the road by which time he is throwing a wobbler. I know its very early days and we are still getting to know eachother and, at the risk of sounding wet, I know there is a lovely horse in there. I also have to make allowances for his lack of fitness. Any suggestions as to how I can get him back into work and round to my way of thinking without it being a constant battle of wills and nerve?!

[Imp]

Hello Jellybag; I am not experienced enough to offer advice but wanted to welcome you to the mature riders forum, I'm a newbie too :)

There is a lot of experience and help available on this forum. I haven't checked whether you've already done so but this thread may be better placed on the 'training of the horse' board? If you haven't try here:http://newrider.co.uk/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=3 Otherwise you can access from the Main Forum page.

He sounds like he's landed on his feet (hooves?) with you, I'm sure with time and patience you'll be happy together for years to come :D

Good luck ;)

[mayS]

Out of curiosity, how long have you had him?

I'm not a professional trainer. I am just an average (adult beginner-level rider) who so far has taken on two rescue ("welfare") type horses. I don't think these horses are necessarily any more naughty than the average horse.... it's all just a matter of training.

It might just be a matter of putting him to work as well as earning his respect. Just do so in a safe environment.

I would start off by just riding him in fenced areas at the farm where he is kept. When you want to vist that farm down the road, hop OFF of him and walk him in-hand for the next few weeks each time you vist the neighboring farm. This keeps him from acting up (possibly in traffic). It gives you a chance to see what things might upset/scare him. Consider it as a training session. You can spend the time working on keeping him focused on you. Practice steering, halt, etc during your walk. Just getting him used to following your orders will help him be more obedient when you're riding.

It may not hurt to have your riding instructor see you ride him. He/she may also want to try him out to see if he's the same way with him/her riding.

If he's still disobedient when you ride, perhaps a professional horse trainer might be a good idea.

It sounds like he's a really neat horse but he's just a bit rusty when it comes to obediently listenting to his rider. Best of luck with him. :-)

[ANN H]

Hi and welcome Jellybag. Similar situation to mine by the sound of things. I am also not far off 50 (47 to be precise), and I have a 12 year old Section D mare (very fit!) who is an angel on the ground but can be quite a handful to ride as she had been a driving horse when I got her 3 years ago. It sounds as if you're doing the right things, but you have to be very patient. If you've got a good instructor that helps a lot. Good luck and keep us updated with your progress.

[Jellybag]

Thanks everyone for your encouragement. I'll make this short as I'm just off out ........ to yet more horses!! I've just been out on the big boy. Unfortunately, as he's shod, I can't ride in the field as the ground is soft and it will churn it up. However, I have been along the lane and back doing lots of halts and changes of direction and apart from the odd toss of the head and snatch of the reins, he was a good boy. I think he must have been schooled at some time in his life as he is beginning to respond better to the leg (despite the layers of fat!) although he is very one-sided. He also knows that he has to stand still for traffic, irrespective of his tantrums which had been continuing as he moved off again but today he decided that to say hello to the driver through his open window was much more acceptable to his mum!
Weather looks windy for the next few days which will make him quite fresh but I've got a friend whose bum is superglued to the saddle to ride on Friday. Will let you know how it goes.

[Dummer&Drummer]

good luck - ive had the opposite prob my cob was also very very overweight and not been ridden for a while and he was a bit of an arse on the ground (not kicking or anything like that) but chucks his weight around a bit, he has a real strong neck with a hereditary crest but an angel ride

9 months on and he is a sweetheart

sorry to steel abit of your thread
ANNH have you got any piccy's of your section D - that is what i have but a gelding, pure bred section D 14.3hh - remeber us chatting about hacking out alone :)

[ANN H]

There's a picture on my avatar. Only one I've got I'm afraid. All the others were taken with a good old polaroid or something similar, and sent off to Supasnaps. I'm a bit of a technophobe!

[Dummer&Drummer]

is that the little picture next to your name - if so she is lovely :)

[ANN H]

Yep! That's my Mistymoo. Don't know if there's any way you can enlarge it!
Thanks - she is lovely but I'm biased.

[Dummer&Drummer]

its not great at all but trying this for you ANNH

[ANN H]

Thanks for that - better than I could've done!