Posted 2011-07-14 6:47 PM (#135645) Subject: Breaking Lead Rope
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1069
Location: MI.
My daughter and I went out on a 4 hour trail ride with about 25 people. I took two of our horses, gelding and a mare. The gelding wouldn't load and it took me 30 minutes to get him into the trailer, I was pissed/puzzled because he has loaded in this trailer multiple times. It struck me odd. When we all took a break on trail, I tied him to a tree. My daughter rode further down the trail to take a Mother Nature break. He has always whinnied and maybe danced a little when seperated but never pulled back and frantically pawed. Well, he eventually snapped the lead and tore down the trail to meet up with my mare. My daughter got him and casually ponied him back. Is this going to now be an issue with him? Any suggestions? He seemed off for some reason.
Posted 2011-07-14 8:16 PM (#135649 - in reply to #135645) Subject: RE: Breaking Lead Rope
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 420
Location: Iowa
This very well turn into a VERY big problem. If he was mine, I'd tie him with a very good halter and a short chain with a panic snap on one end. I don't mean tie him up short, but don't give him enough length to get into trouble with either.
Posted 2011-07-14 11:05 PM (#135653 - in reply to #135645) Subject: RE: Breaking Lead Rope
Expert
Posts: 1205
Location: Arkansas
Its already a big problem.....gonna get bigger, get going on "Weaning" him and re-educating him to not break loose, these things can get bystanders or you really hurt......good luck and get some help if you need it...
Posted 2011-07-15 7:00 AM (#135657 - in reply to #135645) Subject: RE: Breaking Lead Rope
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1069
Location: MI.
He's nine years old. He never had issues with being tied. A friend mentioned some type of halter/lead thing that will not break that goes over his poll, wish I remembered what he called it. I use rope halters on trail.....he still sat back. Him and I were getting to a really nice rider/horse "place", 2 steps forward, three steps back.
Posted 2011-07-15 10:20 AM (#135664 - in reply to #135645) Subject: RE: Breaking Lead Rope
Veteran
Posts: 214
Location: lyle,mn
Is he getting buddy sour? Were you trying to load him into the trailer first or after your daughter's horse was in? My hubby's mare has gotten very smart about trailer loading she know that if she get loaded in first, she is going by self and doesn't like to load then but will get in.
Posted 2011-07-15 12:24 PM (#135668 - in reply to #135645) Subject: RE: Breaking Lead Rope
Expert
Posts: 1205
Location: Arkansas
i do suspect that the underlying issue is more to do with being overly hooked on the riding partner, the breaking loose was a side effect....hate it when that happens, feel for ya....
Posted 2011-07-15 6:57 PM (#135685 - in reply to #135645) Subject: RE: Breaking Lead Rope
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 376
Location: Missouri
If it gets severe, put a head ache chain on him when you tie him up. He won't hit that more than twice and he will have learned it is more painful than it's worth. And best of all he will of administered the pain all by himself, without anyone else even being close.
Posted 2011-07-17 11:28 AM (#135754 - in reply to #135645) Subject: Sounds to me like he is herd bound.
Member
Posts: 20
Location: Woodland, Wa
How far away can your mare go on the trail before he gets ansy? 10', 20',50'? Or does it only happen when she is out of sight. You may need to start riding him, with your daughter on the mare, side by side, and just see how far apart you can get without him getting worried. Then increase the distance a bit. between the two of you. Work him around trees,brush,keep his mind on you, not the mare. Lengthen the distance (as long as he is calm) until the mare is out of sight. This is not a one time deal..everyday,everyday.
Sorry this is so long ;-} Good luck to you.
Posted 2011-07-17 4:28 PM (#135768 - in reply to #135645) Subject: RE: Breaking Lead Rope
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 322
Location: Fort Madison, Iowa
I've felt your pain before. I think you're starting to deal with two problems. One with trailer loading and the second with being buddy sour.
I have one horse I've dealt with trailer loading issues and another wanting to be with her buddy. On both issues they need to be worked with and they can get better. With either one if you don't, they can be dangerous.
I'm blessed enough to have a great horse trainer I've worked with and I've learned so much from her. When she first starts working with a horse, she leaves them tied a lot. In trailer, on high lines etc. She doesn't let horses out of the trailer until they're standing quiet so everytime you pull in, they don't just think they'll get out.
At the beginning of every riding season, I take all three of my horses and tie them where they can't see each other and they get use to not having to be with each other and they will settle down. It may take hours and sometimes tied most of the day and then the next. It really pays off, something about it gets their minds with you.
With the one I've had set back, he can be dangerous because some horses won't hurt themselves but he will & has. I've had him do it tied in the trailer, when tied to the trailer, on a hitchin post. Don't ever try to step in and try to stop them, let them go until they're done, better them to get hurt than you.
Teach them to give to pressure and release. Don't tie low, tie above their heads. I like to tie to a branch overhead so if he'd tries to set back, it doesn't work well. If they're tied that way, they can't get their back feet under them to use their weight.
I've trained the one horse to be driven into the trailer instead of me leading him in. That's taken hours and a lot of patience. I now ask him to go in and he'll walk in himself and then turns around and I tie him reversed, sounds weird but he's content that way. He's now 14 and ties and loads fine. I never completely trust him and maybe once every few years he just might try it again.
With the buddy sour one I've worked a lot with going away and coming back and going farther away and coming back. Coming back to camp, riding back out, sometimes just doing that. If you have enough people riding, you can do drills where they get use to riding in different places in line and riding past another horse on the trail. What we do is to have the lead horse turn around and go to the back of the line and just take turns with that. They get use to every position, in the front, middle, back and passing a horse on the trail. It was a proud moment for me the first time I rode past a group of riders when riding by myself and my horse didn't nicker or think she had to be with them and she's good now.
Keep them guessing so they don't get into habits and give them a job asking them to do things so their mind stays with you.