Playboy update on aggression...

BeachRiding

BeachRiding

New Member
Aug 26, 2004
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Things had been going quite well with Playboy. I have been riding him almost every day, even started riding him bareback, which is brilliantly fun.:D He is really a dream to ride.

Yesterday I attempted to free-lunge PB for the first time, let's just say I was shocked with what I got. He came charging at me from all the way across the arena, I stood firm, and used my whip aggresively to try and get him to turn away. No avail, he started striking at me with his front legs and attempted to run me over.:eek: He also kept lunging forward with his teeth trying to bite me. I used my whip and body language to try and get him to go, he just wouldn't. He kept cantering VERY tight circles around me and everytime I tried to move out of the way to safety he would strike out at me. I was getting very desperate so smacked him as hard as I could with my whip to get him to leave, which suprisingly didn't help. Luckily he then became distracted and I took that time to slide under the fence and out of the arena.

I was dumbfounded,he kept trying to knock me down :(. I am generally very good with groundwork and body language, but PB really just took it to a whole new level.VERY scary to say the least. Talk about a 17.2hh horse who knows his strength!:eek:

I was told today to just ride him and never lunge him again since he is such a good boy under saddle. I think exactly the opposite, although he is a darling ridden wise I believe 100% that respect begins from the ground.

Anyway,tonight I was determined. I borrowed a rope halter, put it on him, got out my lunge line and started lunging him. Immediately he tried to start what he did yesterday but I nipped it in the bud right away. Lots of scary body language to make myself appear bigger, tons of disengaging his hindquarters, backing, moving his forehand, etc. and I have a completely different horse.:D The difference is amazing! I even took off his halter and free-lunged him. No problem. He was as good as gold. What a huge turnaround! By the end of the session I had him practically begging me to play with him some more, I swear his whole personality changed, he was attentive, he paid complete attention to me, and for the first time since I have owned him he nuzzled me. Talk about a big scary 17.2hh monster turning into a little 15hh lamb. I mean, seriously, what a difference a little discipline can do! (His previous owner admitted she let him walk all over her and he needed lots of groundwork)

Now that were on this note, his lashing out while being cinched up has improved greatly, picking his hooves is no longer a kick session, and he doesn't bolt anymore when you unhalter him. I think I am doing a pretty good job!:) Even tried carrot stretches ffor the first time today, he loved it

Anyway I didn't want to post about what had happened yesterday until I had resolved the matter, I just didn't really expect it to be resolved so quickly. Onwards and upwards!:D

I know I know... You want pictures... sorry, I don't have any...
 
Who told you never to lunge him again? What a silly thing to say!
Congradulations on getting him to listen to you :D

Tsk! We need pictures!
 
Well done for working through the problem:D You are right respect begins on the ground:)

It is wonderful when the penny drops and they pay attention and are little lambs. Lets hope the next session was the same as the last.

It sounds like you are having a wonderful time with your horse, lovely to see cheerful posts from you:) Also great to see that you are not letting him dominate you:)
 
This all sounds great! You're definitely sounding so much happier and more confident and I get the feeling you really click with this horse! It's not an easy decision to decide to confront a 17.2 hellfire, so well done on tackling the problem before it got any worse. Definitely continue the ground work and lunging with him!
 
Well done WL. Sounds like you put him in his place and he now respects you and really sounds like he has accepted you :)
 
Well done for trying again and succeeding, if you didnt do it again he would have won the game which leaves a whole in your groundwork which in turn starts to become a problem in the ridden work.

Nelson when through a stage of running towards me on his back legs, fronts waving to his friends in the next field :rolleyes: glad he stopped it when he was only 14.2ish, can't imagine a 15.2(16hh+ on his back end :rolleyes:) standing upto me, and that doesnt even come close to 17.2!!
 
well done WL it must have taken some guts to give it a second go especially with the size of him! :D sounds like you have won some of his respect on the ground. Whoever told you not to lunge him again was incorrect respect and manners does begin from the ground. If you had left it at that the first time you would be creating a potentially dangerous situation if he ever got loose from you.
 
Wow, well done. It is amazing how many people think that groundwork is not very important, I bet that you will find you're ridden will get better.

You wouldn't believe it Blue has gotten really good on the ground, I'll be writing a thread later about all that has happened in the last month.
 
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