Rushing Through Doors and Gates

[crazyginge]

Hi
All my new mare previously to me buying her had an awful experience whereby she was being led through a gate by a 16 year old and somehow because trapped IN the gate from the healed injuries can only assume this was a metal field gate as the leg has healed for want of a better way of putting it bumpy down the front of her hind leg

Since she has come to me she has rushed through her stable door and also the field gate if its not opened really widely
How can i retrain this behaviour as she really does panic esp if its windy her whole body tenses and she goes really wide eyed and needs to be through the door NOW.

Ive tried standing at the door with her with a longline and giving her head but she just pulls it through my hands ive also tried keeping tension however as youd expect this makes her worse

Not really sure how to go about retraining other than to start with the field gate - but if this is the source of the original anxiety would this not make the situation worse ?

Thanks in advance x

[kizi]

Poor girl. If she's as bad with a stable door as she is with a gate and a gate is a safer starting point I don't know that it matter anymore what happened.. If it was me I'd start with the gate, because it's wider and safer for the human too. But it would have to be a big wide gate and in a safe area incase she did get away etc.
However if she's worse or more dangerous with the gate I wouldn't even start there!
What about in an arena or field by starting walking through two poles on the floor, wider to start with, then jump uprights etc.
I'd approach it the same way as loading kind of... Break it down to tiny bits and build her trust in easier safer situations first maybe..

[Deleted]

Have a look here:

ihdg.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=lizp&action=display&thread=101113

You need to have your leading spot on first, and be able to ask your horse to stand still and not blast forwards when the very first pressure is on, so that she can realise that it's not killed her. It's then vital that you release the pressure as soon as she accepts so that she gets a reward for standing still, and so that she understands that it was ok. It's also vital that you pay very close attention to her body language so that you ask her to stand still and accept when she's just at the "I'm not sure" stage, as if you miss that she'll hit flight mode and her learning will be negative rather than positive.

If you can't work through it, then call your nearest Recommended Associate. It's a common problem and something they could help you with.

[crazyginge]

Thanks for the replies guys the trotting poles work sounds like a plan think i may start there xx

[crazyginge]

Thanks for the link liz ive had a read and will be trying that xx

[kizi]

Ya sorry I should have said about all the leading stuff being right first etc!
Good luck