Very grumpy horse :(

[magicmisty]

Hi ya all
i haven't been around for a while but I'm having some trouble with my 4 year old gelding, wonder if anyone out there has any ideas.

He seems to be very grumpy in general, but around food in particular he can be aggressive and kick out barge and even chase me and my family which is getting dangerous.
Hes fairly quiet in general nothing really seems to get him anxious for a 4 year old hes very laid back,but this "laid backness" also turns in to laziness when being worked on the lunge or in hand etc and when i try to get him to work he often throws temper tantrums and can nip. I'm worried that if i start to back him more i will do more harm than good to both me and him.
i know hes walking all over me and i have tried to be assertive with him but nothing really happens.
i have a dully halter and a controller halter but he hates having both of them on because he knows he has to do as hes told
If anyone has any ideas of how i can sort this out before its to late it would be greatly appreciated thanks

[greyhorses]

Sounds like you need a visit from an RA. Good luck :-)

[milo]

sounds as if hes treating you as one of his herd and chasing you away isnt good, so i suggest contacting your nearest ra for some helpfull advice.its alright having the dually halter but you have to know how to use it, do you have the dvd that went with it?not sure where you are but having a grumpy horse around food isn't nice asi found out and had a broken hand to prove it,and she was trying to kick another horse not me!!!!!! i just got in the way.i found sarah weston very good for advice and very reasonable to come out and sort out problems if shes in your area, she isnt in my area but was visiting when i needed help, good luck.

[julz]

Are you giving him clear indications when he's done something right? perhaps he's confused because your praises havent been clear to him... He doesnt like having the dually on, because he knows he has to work in it.. but perhaps he doesnt understand what it is you are asking him to do.

Second the RA advice.

Like everything else.. the dually is a good tool, but only if you use it correctly.

[outoftheblue]

I think you summed it up when you said 'he is walking all over me'. You definately need help. Find an RA who you can work with and things will change for the better I am sure. Good luck.

[gordo]

Yep, help is needed before he hurts your or someone else badly.

[magicmisty]

Thanks for the advice everyone keep it comeing , ive watched and rewatched the dvd that comes with the dully, and still dont seem to get anywhere.
ouch milo that sounds painfull, luckerly red hasnt got me yet but its been close at times.
I will look into getting an ra to come out, but im kinda on a very strict budget so might nt be possible
any ideas as to what might be causeing the behavure?

[hazelhorse]

Your youngster sounds as if he is finding his place in his herd and testing out all members, which includes all his humans, to try and find his place. At the moment, regardless of where he is with his horse mates he is seeing himself above you and he is showing you clearly in his own way. Think about how he behaves in the field, he will send away lower ranking horses from feed or the water if he wants to show his dominance. If he is with a friend thoug,h or not needing to show and prove his dominance, he could well share happily.

An RA would show how to work in a way that your youngster understands to become a team rather than warring factions. Even if it seems difficult to come up with funding for a session with an RA it would be the best money you have spent, and for the benefits far better than a new rug for example. If it really is completely out of the question invest in a copy of Kelly's book Perfect Manners and work carefully through the exercises and follow the advice carefully.

One really important piece of advice though, remember that your horse learns 100% of the time, whether you are teaching him or not. Make sure that you are consistent 100% of the time and with the right advice progress will be possible.

[magicmisty]

mmmmmm thanks hazelhorse lots to think about there, i can see what you mean about the dominance in the field thing and he is definatly seeing himself above me.
Im rapidly begining to think an RA is my only real option ( and a new rug cus hes now ruind his lol ) looks like a trip to the bank of mom and dad for me lol
I think my mom has a copy of that book , i will read that asap
Thanks for the advice i realy apreciate it

[Deleted]

I think you really need an RA, tbh the cost might seem a lot now but if your horse seriously injures you the cost of an RA visit will pale in comparison. Who's going to look after this horse and your family if he puts you out of action?

In the mean time I'd have a think about your feeding routine. Is it better if you leave his feed in the stable/ yard so you lead him to it rather than bringing the bucket to him? Or feed him in the field before bringing in so you don't have to be in an enclosed space with him and his feed.

Also, if you feed him something really tasty like nuts, try mixing it with a bucket full of chopped hay so it's less interesting and he can't scoff it quickly, then it might not seem so exciting. Or - does he really need the hard feed if he's not really working? maybe replace it with a bucket of hay so he doesn't feel left out when others are being fed.

[magicmisty]

very true michellep. Im going to look into getting an RA in to see him.
Hes fed in the field with a head coller on, we dont have a yard where we are now
at the moment all he has is chaff and sometimes abit of mix for vitamins and stuff, will be trying the hay idea aswell, just dnt want him to loose weight because hes just right at the moment, do you think it would have the same effect if i altinated like feed one day hay the next?
thanks again for the advice

[Deleted]

It might do, try it and see Or if you don't want to reduce his feed how about throwing 2 or 3 handfuls of hay into his feed just to slow him down. I'm just thinking that if he finds it really tasty and wants to wolf it down the the hay might just slow him down and take away a bit of the excitement.

[ladynowak]

Can you just clarify what the yard set up and what his weekly routine is?

Does he come out of the field to be fed? Are there other horses in the field when he is fed? Is he kept alone? How often is he worked/what work does he have? Who is around him and how do they act when he is having a feed etc.