I have a new horse, a 6 year old Peruvian gelding with lots of solid ground training and is good under saddle. Very calm when he can see his buddies but gets very scared if alone. I do plan to ride alone often and wondered what I can do to train this fear out of him and have him relax on the trail. He has not had much experience but does trust to a certain point. I have not done join up yet as he won't be home until Aug. I have been down to see him a few times. He is very sensitive.
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Hi Kate. When he comes home in August will he be kept alone? Horses naturally herd together & get nervous on their own. However, they do synchronise with us so Join up would be very helpful. Often young horses are only ridden out in company to reduce the stress of new experiences - they take a calm lead from older, wiser horses. At 6, your boy should be past that stage of needing support but each horse is different, just like us. You may find his new environment changes him considerably. If he has always had company where he is now he may be indignant if company isn't offered. That may change when he moves. Either way, your best plan is to do Join up, study the lessons on the Uni ( I'm assuming no accreditations as you're a new member - or you've not taken Monty's challenges yet, at the end of each lesson ) improve your technique & build a bond with this boy. Once you have him home, give him time to adjust. If there are other horses he will need to make friends, find his place in the order of things - all stressful stuff! Once he is happy with your relationship he can rely on you for his support. My herd of 5 have shown the same behaviour several times - when something spooks them in the field, if I'm there they race over & line up just behind me. Good luck & have fun! Cheers, Jo.
Hi Jo, No, he has always been in a herd and will be in one when he comes home. I was hoping to receive such advice as I am planning on doing join up with him when he arrives. I have been studying the courses and doing the challenges online so they are imprinted into my memory for when the time comes.
I was worried he may never get over this issue. He is an amazingly even tempered horse who is willing to learn, is alert and smart. So I have a lot to work with. ;-)
I love the visuals of your horses coming to you for support.
Thank you. I love Monty's way and hope to have success with Chico once he's in my hands.
Cheers Kate
Hi Kate. I think it might take a short while but you & Chico will soon be confidently riding about, either just you two alone or with friends. It's not possible to train out fear but what you can do is build trust & when there is trust then the fear goes away - they beat their demons. Remember to start small ( incremental ) so perhaps the first ride is a few hundred yards & back to his pals. If no panic that's a huge leap of faith on Chico's part & deserves much praise. If you are generous with him he will want to be generous with you. Have great fun. Cheers, Jo.
Thank you for this. I will keep you informed of our progress once we get started. I am so looking forward to it!