Doesn't like to be alone

[susango21]

I have a new horse. He rides along fine when there are other horses along.
When I try riding him off by himself he becomes difficult. He won't rein or go in the direction I want. He will raise his head up and start shaking it from side to side. He will back up instead of going forward. The closer I get back to the other horses in the pasture the better he behaves. How do you go about breaking him of that? I thought about putting a tie down on him to stop him from raising his head up, but he is a little sensitive around the head. If you make quick movements around his head he will raise it up high. He will lower it back down if you slowly and gently start stroking his nose.

Susan

[mypassion]

horses are herd animals and he likes to be with his buddies.

Do you ride him at all before you ride him away from the barn? My experience would be to try suppling him up a bit before you leave the barn. In other words make sure he is safe to ride and knows you are to be trusted to leave with him alone. Lots of bends and gives on the ground and thean in the saddle helped my mare and myself out with this issue.
Good luck.. be patient..

[susango21]

Thank you for your imput. That does make sense. After all we are still strangers to him, being we just bought him. We are going to ride him in the pasture with the other horse and see how it goes. On the ground he is great.

[Laurie]

Hi, I'm jumping in because I've had/seen some bad experiences with riding a horse in a pasture with other horses loose. You can be hurt and your horse maybe confused as the other horses are not under control. I agree with previous post on groundwork/ring work before you leave - other thing is to keep him busy when he's refusing to cooperate - ask him to do something simple and stay relaxed if you can, don't hunch up and grip. Leaving for a short time and going right back might reassure him but make it your idea, not his.

[horses rule-kat]

I can't ride without puting the other horses up first.My horses fight and my horse is kind of at the bottom of the food chain.It is always better if you are riding without lose horses to distract you and or your horse.

[susango21]

Hi, I'm jumping in because I've had/seen some bad experiences with riding a horse in a pasture with other horses loose. You can be hurt and your horse maybe confused as the other horses are not under control. I agree with previous post on groundwork/ring work before you leave - other thing is to keep him busy when he's refusing to cooperate - ask him to do something simple and stay relaxed if you can, don't hunch up and grip. Leaving for a short time and going right back might reassure him but make it your idea, not his.

I realized this wasn't going to be a good idea. I brought the other horse down with him to saddle up. After I had him saddled and walked him around a bit the other horse got aggressive. My husband had a hold of her but she became just a snot. I had to go put her up. I think if I just work with him as much as possible one on one I will gain some trust from him. He works just great on the ground I just need to be a little more affirmative with him when I ride and not let him pull stuff on me.
Thanks for your input.

Susan

[SMEDLEY]

I agree with the previous statements about riding him around at the barn before you ride on the trails. Not to gain trust though, although that is a good reason. My old geldings thoughts were, "No way I am leaving my barn..going on the trails means I have to haul her around for a couple hours..and thats work, no way!" I changed his mindset very quickly. I worked his little butt to the bone when he was at the barn, I lounged him..and rode him pretty hard, about a week later he was happy to go on a trail ride because it was considered a "treat" now..he didn't have to work as hard on the trails as he did back home in the arena. A lot of people forget that horses think that the barn is a type of safe haven..b/c all too often right when riders get back from the trails they untack their horses and feed them, so of course the mind set of a horse is going to be, "I want to stay home and get thing dang saddle off and eat some food." but just let him know that if he wants to stay home he's going to have to work even harder at home..and it wouldn't be a bad idea to give him a little treat once in a while if and when you get him to leave your house. Make sense?

[susango21]

That makes sense. He was pretty good the other day, for a while. Short while he did what ever I asked. Then he did not want to go anymore. He started to rear up and back up. I agree with the ground work. I need to do more of that. It is just going to take some time. I thank you for your input. I love getting so many ideas. It gives me another viewpoint.

[glory]

hi. i'm 15 and got a thoroughbred mare off-the-track last november. she was extremely herd bound when i first got her. horses are herd bound because they like the security of the herd. i did alot of roundpen work with my horse. i did some pretty basic roundpen and lunging excersises. it was all natural horsemanship. once she considered me her leader or part of her herd she rode fine in groups or off by herself. now she just either has to be with another horse or with me. I can't leave her in her pen alone. but she is perfect on trails alone. and she hasn't kicked at me since i worked with her either. she has alot more respect for me. she used to run from me in the pasture when i went to catch her. but eversince i did the excersises she comes to me. i don't even have to go all the way out in the pasture to get her. the natural horsemanship works like magic.