Dominance

Question
In February I purchased a 4 year-old Quarter horse/TB that had been owned for 2 years by a 16 year old boy that was afraid of him.  My neighbor had bred this horse and had him started when the boy bought him from her.  When I got him he had not been handled for a year and a half, so I started from scratch.  The horse tended to be a goof-off but was easy to train and within a couple of months he was riding trails with a homemade rope type hackamore with pole pressure. My neighbor (the breeder) encourage me to work him into a curb bit to give him something to do with his mouth so he wouldn't goof off so much. He responded poorly to the bit and started rearing up which he had never done before. I went back to my homemade gadget. He went lame in his right front leg and 6 weeks went by without working him. Now everytime I put a halter and lead on him he gets out of control. When I ask him to move off pressure he rears up. He tries to stampede me when leading.  He has no trust issues I am aware of.  I have tarped him, I can shake bags of cans all around him, shiny objects whatever, he has no fear.  Oddly I can go out into the pasture and work him at liberty to pressures and such without him rearing, he only does this on the lead and when mounted.  My neighbor suggested a nerve line, which was helpful only the first time I used it.  He tends to try to put his head on top of mine always and is constantly nibbling at me, my clothes, the rope. He reminds me of an over grown puppy.  How do I curb this problem without creating more, I'm hesitant to use extreme measures, ie severe bits, nerve lines.  My neighbor insists he is dominating me and I need to be more severe, but I believe the bit is what taught him to rear up in the first place.  His right knee also tends to bother him on and off when he gets to playing to hard with the other horses. A solution would be greatly appreciated, as I have no intention of giving up on him. He has amazing potential.

Answer
Hi Diana;

I don't think this is a dominance issue.  I think he's simply trying to tell you that he's in pain.

First, I suggest you have him thoroughly examined by a chiropractor.  I suspect his poll is jammed and I believe he'll have some other physical issues created by the leg injury etc...

Second, have an equine dentist look at his mouth and make sure there's no problems there, that he doesn't have a low palate etc...

Third, have a vet that specializes in leg injuries exam that right leg.  Perhaps an x-ray or ultrasound is in order.  Get that injury fixed as it affects how he uses the rest of his body.  You don't want him bracing muscles and causing other aches and pains.

Fourth, you don't need to ride him any bit if you don't want to, but if you do, start with a plain snaffle, not a curbed and/or shanked bit.  That's way too much pressure to be putting on an uneducated mouth such as his.  Also, if you want to continue to have him go in your homemade device, see if you can change it so there is no poll pressure.  Pressure on the pole often causes the atlas (the point at which the skull attaches to the first cervical vertebrae) to jam, which can create headaches, along with head shaking, high headedness, rearing etc...

Fifth, stop listening to your neighbor.  :-)  

Eliminate any and all possible physical issues before you consider this a behavior problem.

Best of luck!

Sincerely,

Lana Reinhardt