Bratty youngsters

[gjc]

I'm new at this so forgive me for any mistakes. I have a four year old arab X home bred. Brilliant to handle follows you everywhere. Problem is started ground work in the summer but as soon as I step away and try to make him walk away he stops and if I persist on sending him away he rears. I tried prodding him with a long whip and he took it out of my hand threw it away and just looked at me. He lives in a heard of 4 his mum being the only mare she wont allow any of the others to tell him off. He was on box rest and he wanted his mother in sight or next to him at all times and if she isn't where he wanted her, put it this way my stables are now peppered with holes caused by kicks. They were originally seperated at 9months when mum was sent away for schooling but you would never guess it. Not possible to keep them separated due to space. He appears to demand me or her. Any Suggestions as DEMANDING BRAT appears to be the opperative word

[lassiesuca]

If you had someone prod, prod, prod at your side- would you smile and be like ''Okay '', or would you be like ''For ****'s sake''?

I think you have to remember that just because we know what a horse wants, doesn't necessarily mean THEY know what we want. Do they speak English? If a horse who hasn't really been taught much ground work, hasn't done much etc is asked to suddenly stand- is 'stand' really gonna do that? Or do you have to spend time teaching them HOW to do it.

I don't think he's a brat, that's quite a harsh word. He probably has been bought up being very nurtured and therefore is going to be harder to adapt to change. If he's been living with his Mum for his whole life, constantly- then separating is going to be a lot harder. Which is why with youngsters you should do little bits with them- not separate them, but with them out of the field, without Mum, and interacting with others- other horses, people, animals etc.

I think what you need to do, is teach him these things- spend time with him and be empathetic- don't just prod and pull. Encourage, teach and make it a positive experience.

Have a look on the clicker thread.

[Lulu]

I too have a 4yr old like you, who's in a herd of 4, and with her mum. However she has been shown the ground rules from day one and has been an angel. Consistancy is the key with homebreds, they don't understand why they can cling to you one second and feel safe, and then you send them away. They are insecure as all horses feel safe in a herd, not "sent out" which is what he sees you asking him to do, to leave the safety of you.

My 4yr old has been out on her own, she goes anywhere I ask her to, even on her own with me, as long as I am there, she never has called back home. She comes in on yard alone fine, ties up well, and has started the odd hack walk round the block or two, but will get back into swing of things in the new year once daylight gets a bit longer...

[bertie666]

im thinking spoiled brat might be more appropriate.......

Sounds like he's basically got what he demands all his life so now is throwing a strop when you have decided to take a dominant role in his training.

Sending away to lunge may just not work. Long lining might be a better start in a dually with someone at his head to begin with. I think moving away from the home yard/mum would do him the world of good too.

[laurac]

I think your youngster is confused, you say in your post "He is Brilliant to handle follows you everywhere" - so has he been encouraged to follow you everywhere for 4 years and got rewarded / praised for it ? and now you are sending him away? poor boy obviously feels confused and upset I should think!
I agree with the others that clicker training may help him or you could get kelly marks perfect manners book and start working through that
I would also put yourself in his situation and try to imagine how he is feeling, he is only reacting to the situation you are creating, horses dont try to be 'bratty' IMO

[taklishim]

I agree totally with Laurac.
I don't think he is bratty or spoilt just very confused and upset. That sort of problem can be magnified when you add ARAB into the equation.
He obviously accepts you are the herd leader. You say he is brilliant to handle. Why on earth do you want to prod him to make him walk away?
What problem has he got that he needs to be sent away? Neither lunging nor long reining are compulsory. Being sent away for him is probably punishment when all he has done is respectfully accept you as his leader. Most people try to bond with their horse and it sounds like you have already achieved this.

It you want to get away from him then teach him to stand and walk one stride away, count to 5 and go back and praise him. Work upwards from this until you can ground tie him and walk away for a few minutes.

if I persist on sending him away he rears. I tried prodding him with a long whip and he took it out of my hand threw it away and just looked at me.

having broken several arabs this behaviour does not suprise me in the slightest. Arabs, (and I suspect this applies to some part breds as well) can often need different and more sympathetic handling than some other breeds. Some don't take kindly to lunging or long reining. Some simply don't see the point of it. ;D

He appears to demand me or her. Any Suggestions as DEMANDING BRAT appears to be the opperative word

or you could read it that he simply cannot cope and feel more sympathetic. ;D If he lives in a herd of 4 then being alone is not a good or nice place for him to be. He has to learn to be separated. It is not something horses learn automatically.

[medicinepony]

instead of setting yourself up to have an argument with him try changing the lesson to sending him too something, rther than sending him away from something (you)

you will achieve the same thing but it won't turn into a fight

as an example you could put a couple of slices of carrot on a wall or next to a fence and send him towards it which effectively will also be sending him away from you but because you are sending him towards something he will like he won't fight you

this way he will learn "your" command for away but he won't feel wrong. you can combine this with a clicker if you like or just keep being more creative about where and what you send him towards

so same exercise just change "away" to "toward" and it will work