Franklin Levinson's
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The horse who just says "nope, not doing it!"
Dear Franklin,
I have a beautiful 7 year old welsh gelding who I have owned for nearly two years now
and although we still have a few problems to iron out that he inherited from his
previous owner ( who had him from a foal) I believe we have a great relationship but
we now have a new problem that I can't seem to help him overcome.
When out hacking there is a spot he just will not go past-it is a small decline on a
country path very wide but it does have a small drop to the left of it. I know when
Taffy is frightened of something and in the past I've found that by just letting him
look at the obstacle and talk quietly to him he usually goes on past it but this spot
in the hack doesn't have him exhibiting his usual signs of fear and though I hate to
use the word, he just seems stubborn!
He has recently been out to grass for 6 months and has only been back in his stable
for a month. Before he went out I never had a problem with this spot and he will
happily go down now but only if I get off and lead him. I'm not a fan of carrying
crops but I have taken to carrying one and just using it against my boot. I don't
want to use it on him as he bucks when its used so I dread to think what his previous
owner did with one and I have never before needed one with him anyway.
When we get to this incline he just refuses to go down or he'll go so far then turn
and start backing towards the drop ( its about a 6 foot drop but as I said the path
is about 15 foot wide, when frightened he starts to blow through his nostrils, his
back tenses under me and his head couldn't get any higher but he doesn't exhibit any
of these traits at the incline - he just won't do it full stop !
Because this is becoming dangerous ( the backing up to the drop) we are at a
standstill - I know he picks up my fear of him going backwards so its just getting
worse yet I don't feel frightened going down it only when he suddenly turns and backs
up so I don't know what to do to ? I approach it calmly and feel fine until he
turns.
When I first got Taffy he had been allowed to roll and buck when lunging as his owner
believed he just needed to "get it out of his system" Great! until you came to ride
and asked him to canter - you had to jump 6 foot to get away as he went to roll!!!
With a lot of hard work and patience he no longer does either. We still have a few
problems lunging because he can suddenly turn when being lunged on his right side and
although he has had all the checks by vet and farrier to see if there is a physical
problem there are none. I now lunge using his bridle and double lunge reins which
helps.
He has a beautiful character, eager to learn, to please, usually well behaved but
definitely opinionated which I love about him but at the moment I feel like he is
deliberately ignoring me! I ride with a quiet seat and as I said I don't like using
the crop because usually he does what ever I ask without the use of one but this
situation is starting to feel like he is just putting his foot down and saying no and
I don't know how to correct it I have tried treats, I have gone down with other
horses in the lead (he went down hesitantly at first but was fine doing it again
straight after) and he has gone down it once or twice on his own but then the next
time he just refuses. Its a very quiet lane and, as I said, he doesn't seem to be
frightened of the spot.
I would be really grateful for any advice you may have.
Yours sincerely, Sarah-Jane
Hi Catherine,
Some of the feedback you got from other has validity. Stallion behavior does become
habitual over time. Gelding a horse of his age may not change any stallion like
behavior. But, then again, it might. You will have to wait and see about that. The
only suggestion I have around getting him socialized as a gelding is this; do a lot
of ground play with him and get really good and comfortable with it. Then have other
horses, mares and geldings alike, move around him and be in close proximity to him
while you are playing with him (you can do this in the saddle as well). Get so that
it is no big deal if any horses are around while you are with him. This may help him
do well when he is with other horses and you are not around. The suggestion to put
him in with other 'select' horses and let them work it out, is a very commmon way to
deal with this. If you can really keep an eye on them for a while, it is valid. If
you cannot watch them a lot, consider turning them out together only when you can
observe the interaction for problems. Lots of action and movement with other horses
around is a good thing to do. Also, simply handling him with other horses around is
good as well as just tieing him in the vacinity of other horses moving about with
handlers and riders and watching what happens will help. Good Luck and please keep me
posted.
Best regards, Franklin