Young horses - teenage attitude?

[LuckyRed]

A question for all you young horse experts!

My 5yr old Neo (Irish sport horse) has just had a 5-6 month holiday and is coming back into work. I bought him when he was just over 4 and did a variety of activities last winter and spring with him. Nothing that put too much pressure on him and he seemed to enjoy what we did – hacking out, introducing him to jumping, flatwork lessons and a little light hunting. He was virtually bomb-proof out hacking. I turned him away in May (I tore the cartilage in my knee so have been unable to ride until recently) and he had a few groundwork session and some riding in mostly walk and trot to start introducing him back to work.

Now that I’ve had an operation to fix my knee and I’m getting back fit enough to ride, I’m starting him back in work again and it’s like someone has swapped my lovely keen, willing and bombproof horse for a monster! Slight exaggeration but he is now spooking at stuff that before he would have taken in his stride and throwing ‘temper tantrums’ trying to nap, spook and generally being a bit of a git!

I’ve had his back and saddle checked as part of coming back into work and his teeth were checked a month or so ago.

My question arises really from one of the other liveries at the yard who said ‘don’t worry, it’s an age thing and he’ll grow out of it’. It made me start wondering – last year he was like a 10yr old child, happy to go out with his mum, willing to try new things, not really scared by anything cos nothing had every hurt or scared him. This year he’s like a sulky 13yr old child – ‘Aw I hate you! I don’t want to do it! You can’t make me!’

So I was wondering if it is likely that some young horses can develop a teenage attitude – and if so, when do they grow up into nice people again?

[wills]

Yup, been through this with my 5 year old although it started when she turned 4 and she has thankfully nearly grown out of it, she will be 6 in April

After all things had been checked out, we just plodded on consistently with her, although I should add that she hasn't done as much as your lad, perhaps freedom has gone to his head?!

You need to put some photos of him on soon, I think i remember you posting a few when you first got him, he looked lovely ;D

[LuckyRed]

I'm at work at the moment so i'll see if I can get some photos uploaded when I go home!

[jennyb]

Yes, Gazdag was often referred to as "Kevin the Teenager" when he was younger. He's grown out of it now that he's 8yo, thank goodness, as his "grumpy" moments were rather explosive!!

[misty]

Kids, dogs & horses most of them do a 'Kevin' at some time. Stand by your guns and good luck!

[specialized]

Sometimes we have started youngsters around 4yo when they start to become a bit bolshy, it can refocus them then they get turned away for the winter and come back with a steadier frame of mind, yours appears to be doing it the other way round.
We have just brought our two 4yos in for the winter to start their education and the previously mild-mannered quarab mare has come in like a demon so she is definitely ready to start some work.

[LuckyRed]

does sending them to the 'naught step' or grounding them and not letting them have access to the computer work?

I'm pleased to note it's not just me and that Kevin moments are pretty normal!

[kizi]

Yup I have had that too.. After all the physical checks out I usually just go slow and steady and very consistent, not pushing the boundaries much and find the worst of it stops within 3 months of it starting and usually by 6 find them to be nice and well mannered etc again.. I also find a bit of it about 3 months after backing.. A good friend calls it the brick wall.. He breaks horses all year round professionally and says they almost all hit the wall between 3 and 6 months after backing where they say eh enough this isn't novel anymore.. And then again after about a year..
He's currently kindly breaking (hate that word) my Connemara mare for me because its too much risk and too difficult for me to do now without any help (or anyone to find me on the floor!!) but what will be interesting is how it will affect her, she will be 6 next April... So is older.. The initial 'we're going to do this now pony' she put up a bit more struggle than 'normal' but once he sat on her back there has been no issue at all yet (1 week on now only though!) but he works my way and I know she has been introduced to work the way I would.. I hope I won't get the teenage stuff as bad with her being a pony I'd like to be able to let kids ride her sooner than next year!!!!

[megnum]

Mine did this at seven, he was vile. Had everything checked and no problem, my other mare has also thrown a few tantrums at 6 but then my little French rescue has been a delight so far...fingers crossed I might have dodged a bullet there!

Good luck, it is worth it. I always found that if you keep asking nicely they eventually give in and always end on a good note

[Beth&Rosie]

Yep, just been through this with my mare. She's just turned 8, but it started when we started challenging her and asking erh to go "properly" about 4 months agao. It was like she'd had a personality transplant, went from, forward, willing, not really spooky to stubborn, refusing to go forward, bucking if you tried to make her, napping the lot. Things started getting better about a month ago, bucking started decreasing, literally just had our first lesson with no bucks ;D

So it's not just you! We found the best way was to build things up slowly but always making it completely clear what is not acceptable behaviour and making a lot of fuss when she did something right.

[jill]

It always pays to remember with young horses it is always 3 steps forward and 2 back. So long as you remember to expect the 2 back (as they get confused, tired, test boundaries etc) and that the 3 forward will follow, you will get through it. If he is really difficult, do the 2 back for him - take him back a stage and repeat stuff he was doing before without even thinking about it

[tikkatonks]

Ben has had some 'kevin the teenager' stages. I despair and only later realise that the 'stage' has ended, often there was no obvious cause or solution.
I guess it depends on the personality but I try to just not make too big an issue but try to make sure he doesn't get out of work. And try to be nice even when I want to throttle him ;D

I'm hoping he is coming out the other end of the teenagerness now

[antares]

Antares will be 4 next year so I have all this to come lol

My last horse had what appeared to be one long tantrum between the ages of 6 and 8

[LuckyRed]

Neo has been in over-night for 2 days now to see if it was the frost making his feet a bit sensitive (it seems to be the case as they were fine today, so I've turned him back out and will keep an eye on him).

His teenage-strop behaviour didn't show today and he stood beautifully calmly while I groomed him, led out nicely past the diggers and construction machines that are building our indoor school!) and loose schooled almost perfectly. Sometimes I wonder if he's a bit schizophrenic....!

[madmare1]

My 26 yr old mare was great when I bought her, fine till she turned 13 and turned into a stroppy bugger...thankfully she's a darling again now, my 7yo mare can be a brat sometimes, especially when trying to load her, or if her boyfrend is in the arena with her, she'll be very cantankerous....nothing bothering her, she could be working beautifully 2 mins before then have a strop. My gelding is just very very silly....he's14 next year, so hope he will learn to behave.

Emma xx