Hiya,I have two beautiful appaloosas, a 2,5 year old filly and a 4 year old stallion. They have so strong will! I just bought the stallion "Little Elephant" is his name, a few months ago, and he was unstarted. I started to work with him and he is wonderful under saddle without saddle, smart, easy learning, calm. His temper is not too high, but very good. But,, when we are passing by other horses, ridders he slows down and even stops, and take a look at them...not doing anything but looking like he is having a suntain or a picnic...outside and inside of the farm. I tried everything I have learnt within 22 years of ridding, and I watched Montys moving forward video (without any pain of course, no stick), but he does not move forward, close to a horse. Not always, but like 4 times in an hour. The only way I move him forward, when he is like that, if I change direction...but I would want to go forward. Or, if he does not stop, but will not want to change to trot or canter...just looking the other horse, do nothing. He is the calmest stallion I have ever known, never want to fight with other horses, he is happy to be next to them and do nothing. When I want to work with him, do you have any idea how to move him forward? From his back.
My other horse, filly "Spotty" is very smart also, and gentle. Have not had a saddle on her yet, I just started to work with her with the dually halter. That is the only way I can handle her, with the dually. And sometimes she refuses it, when she thinks so. When I want to lead her with normal halter on for a reason, and she want to go into a different direction (like eating grass or to her friend horses) she stoppes, and sticks her legs down to the ground...cannot make her move. She do not even care how thight the halter is, she wont move..only to the direction she wants of course. My other question is: Can anybody give me an advice how to make her move when she has normal halter on?
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Horse Behavior and Training
Do not want to move forward
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Hi Fuenta,can you circle the Appaloosa stallion when he stops and is interested in other horses? Will he give to light pressure on his head,has he got steering? Ride him in small tight circles round your inside leg,then ride away again,then back to circles if he starts to want to stop.Timing important here.His stopping is him leading.have you got a Giddy Up rope? Spotty the filly,pull her off balance when she won't walk on ,pull her sideways,then release as soon as she lifts head and takes a step towards you,repeat as soon as she drops her head to eat ...walk on smartly,with meaning, don't look back at her ..I think working with the Dually to gain both horses' 100% attention could be helpful.Normal halter use in same way, pull her off balance till you get a step ,release pressure instantly.I get the feeling you are pretty soft with them,you must be as firm as is needed to get a reaction,without using violence.Happy horsing!
Hi Rachel, thank you very much for your comment! You are totally right, i think I am too soft especcially with Spotty. I will work on finding the side she is off balance, otherwise she lifts up her head and stands like a statue. I sometimes take her out attached to my other mare and set her free out on the fields to have a free run while I am ridding the other one (she is always following us) until we get back to the farm again. Before I started to use dually halter she often stopped next to my mare (being attached), and stopped my big mare too, we could not pull her or make her move if she wanted to stop and look arund as long as she wants. Thank for the dually since than this problem is solved. I will find her off balance side and be firmer. Thank you for this advice. And the stallion yes, work in circles, I was just affraid that he will get used to it. But you are perfectly right, I will use it as an unwanted thing (a kind of punishment for that behavior), and not like a way to make him move. Thank you Rachel!
Happy horsing for you too!