I have recently started working with a very green 6 year old Quarter Horse gelding. He is doing very well with his ground work and cues, but I am having a hard time teaching him to respect my personal space. Any tips??
Here is a article from Clinton Anderson on how to train your horse personal space. He is a great trainer!!! He will show you the right way of doing it.
I'm a big believer in round pen work- you need to get him in there and become the head horse! teach him that when you ask him to move his feet, or ask him to stop, he needs to do it then, not 20 minutes later! If he gets too close while circling, bump him with the lunge whip, and make him move over- once he is responding in the pen, put his halter on and start doing some showmanship work. walking foreward, setting up, turning on his hindquarters. If he starts getting pushy, use your lead rope and wiggle it quickly so it makes waves- make him back up and away from you. then tell him whoa. Start again. As soon as he is in your space, wiggle the rope again, back him up. Be consistent. Don't be his buddy. This is very dangerous to you or anyone handling him. He can be praised when he is where he is supposed to be all the time! Good Luck! paint1boxers
I would try consistently backing him up if he gets into your personal space. I would start doing it gently, then firmer, then even spanking him with the lead rope or a small crop (on the chest or front legs) if he does't seem to get it. I would take it slowly, perhaps over a couple of weeks before you get too harsh with him. The main point is to be CONSISTENT. Do not allow him to enter your space, push him back if he does. You are allowed to enter his space, but he is not to crowd you. My current horse was still a stallion at 8 years of age when I got him, and, while VERY well mannered, he was a "pocket pony" and wanted to stand right up against you. For probable several months, I backed him out of my space EVERY time he encroached, then began running him back, then spanking him. It made me somewhat sad, because he was coming to me gently and lovingly, but I just refuse to have a 1100 pound animal sitting in my lap. Now, 9 years later, he comfortably stands and lets me come to him, and walks several feet away from me, on a loose lead.
What you are doing sounds good. When my horse is not respecting my space I simply push her back out and she goes away. When the licking gets to biting, tap their nose (enough for them to move their head away), and say firmly, "No bite." It will take patience but they will eventually learn it. If they don't listen to you pushing/loud noises, than you might need to get a crop to tap them, or something they would be intimidated by. Look up horse behavior is the herd. Do what a horse would do if another horse was being to pushy.
Only give praise when the desired reaction is performed. Ignore childish beahiour ie pawing the ground or kicking the door if he learns that noone comes to satisfy his attention he'll learn that if he waits patient he'll get attention. For personal space make sure he never walkes infront of you by making him stand by tyour side then walking on, if he pulls make him stand and wait and repeat for how ever long it takes him to learn he has to wait for you and walk by your side. If nesseccary hit him on the neck with just your hand hard enough so he realises you are not playing and say the word "NO" in a firm voice repeat when he gets too close. A thumb in the chest is good when you want him to move back. Only use one word ques in familiar tones -too many words and different tones of voice will confuse your horse.
I have a sharp elbow and whenever one of my horses would enter my personal space I would jab them with it. Eventually they learned to stay out of my space.
I have had this same problem. What you can do to help is every time he gets in your space push him out pop his nose make him see that it's not okay. also something you can do is when you feed him don't let him have his food right away stand in front of it and don't let him eat it until you say it's okay. hope this helps
Lots of groundwork with him. If he runs into you jab him with your elbow or end of a crop. If he doesn't respect that then turn him in circles away from you while smacking him with a leadrope.
Comments
Here is a article from Clinton Anderson on how to train your horse personal space. He is a great trainer!!! He will show you the right way of doing it.
http://equisearch.com/horses_riding_training/train...
I'm a big believer in round pen work- you need to get him in there and become the head horse! teach him that when you ask him to move his feet, or ask him to stop, he needs to do it then, not 20 minutes later! If he gets too close while circling, bump him with the lunge whip, and make him move over- once he is responding in the pen, put his halter on and start doing some showmanship work. walking foreward, setting up, turning on his hindquarters. If he starts getting pushy, use your lead rope and wiggle it quickly so it makes waves- make him back up and away from you. then tell him whoa. Start again. As soon as he is in your space, wiggle the rope again, back him up. Be consistent. Don't be his buddy. This is very dangerous to you or anyone handling him. He can be praised when he is where he is supposed to be all the time! Good Luck! paint1boxers
I would try consistently backing him up if he gets into your personal space. I would start doing it gently, then firmer, then even spanking him with the lead rope or a small crop (on the chest or front legs) if he does't seem to get it. I would take it slowly, perhaps over a couple of weeks before you get too harsh with him. The main point is to be CONSISTENT. Do not allow him to enter your space, push him back if he does. You are allowed to enter his space, but he is not to crowd you. My current horse was still a stallion at 8 years of age when I got him, and, while VERY well mannered, he was a "pocket pony" and wanted to stand right up against you. For probable several months, I backed him out of my space EVERY time he encroached, then began running him back, then spanking him. It made me somewhat sad, because he was coming to me gently and lovingly, but I just refuse to have a 1100 pound animal sitting in my lap. Now, 9 years later, he comfortably stands and lets me come to him, and walks several feet away from me, on a loose lead.
What you are doing sounds good. When my horse is not respecting my space I simply push her back out and she goes away. When the licking gets to biting, tap their nose (enough for them to move their head away), and say firmly, "No bite." It will take patience but they will eventually learn it. If they don't listen to you pushing/loud noises, than you might need to get a crop to tap them, or something they would be intimidated by. Look up horse behavior is the herd. Do what a horse would do if another horse was being to pushy.
Only give praise when the desired reaction is performed. Ignore childish beahiour ie pawing the ground or kicking the door if he learns that noone comes to satisfy his attention he'll learn that if he waits patient he'll get attention. For personal space make sure he never walkes infront of you by making him stand by tyour side then walking on, if he pulls make him stand and wait and repeat for how ever long it takes him to learn he has to wait for you and walk by your side. If nesseccary hit him on the neck with just your hand hard enough so he realises you are not playing and say the word "NO" in a firm voice repeat when he gets too close. A thumb in the chest is good when you want him to move back. Only use one word ques in familiar tones -too many words and different tones of voice will confuse your horse.
good luck!
)
I have a sharp elbow and whenever one of my horses would enter my personal space I would jab them with it. Eventually they learned to stay out of my space.
I have had this same problem. What you can do to help is every time he gets in your space push him out pop his nose make him see that it's not okay. also something you can do is when you feed him don't let him have his food right away stand in front of it and don't let him eat it until you say it's okay. hope this helps
Lots of groundwork with him. If he runs into you jab him with your elbow or end of a crop. If he doesn't respect that then turn him in circles away from you while smacking him with a leadrope.
If he pulls, try a chain over the nose.
I had the same problem with my mare, and what I did was carry a small whip, when she started to crowd i would tap her head lightly!!
she was forces to get off me..and she learned quickly she could walk "with" me..not "on" me!
Read McCain/Palin's link, which is the method I use, and is very effective.