Difficult behaviour when stressed

Question
Hello
I have owned an ex flat racehorse for about 17 months.  He is just 6 years old and raced as a 2 and 3 year old.  When he is being ridden and gets stressed about something (and the triggers for the stress are varied) and for what ever reason has been standing still for a short while, he will refuse to go forwards. He will remain rooted to the spot or go backwards and sometimes rear (not too high thankfully). Recently he backed in to a ditch, reared and fell over.  If someoone is available to lead him forward then this normally solves the problem but usually no-one is available or prepared to do it.  This behaviour can occur when out hacking or in a school.  He also gets extremely agitated (goes backwards/rears if ridden, heart pounds, walks in circles and leaps if led) when I try to take him to a competition to the extent that I haven't actually been able to compete him yet.  Plus, although he used to be stabled every night by himself without a problem, having been turned out (in comp
any) most of the time since I had him, he now tends to get very stressed when put in a stable, unless he has a horse next to him.
Do you know how to solve his problems?
It has been suggested that the going backwards/rearing behaviour is possibly due to him remembering being in a starting stall - any views on this?
He is fed mainly grass (turned out all year round), hay and mix or nuts plus chaff with herbs in it.
Any help would be much appreciated.
Thank you very much.

Answer
Hi Catherine!

Your horse needs you.  There are things happening in his life that he just does not understand, nor does he understand how to react and cope with them.  You have to help him.  You have to show him that he can and will survive.  It is your responsibility to show him a better way.  

Horse racing is an awful industry.  Maybe better in the UK than in the US, but very troublesome for the horse.  I have owned two TB horses off the track.  Both became wonderful Three Day horses and dear friends.  I support several TB rescue organizations and I wish I didn't have to.  Race horses are only treated well when they win.  They are not valued in and of themselves.  They are bred, raced and thrown away.  I see it all too often and it stinks.  

ALL of the things you describe are attributes of a green horse.  It doesn't matter that he raced, or was even entered in some sort of competition, he is green.  He doesn't know what to do with his feet and he is lacking LEADERSHIP.  Horses don't have problems.  They are never wrong and are perfect in their own right.  Horses have people problems.  The human just does not speak the horses language.  They do not know how the horse thinks, feels, or needs to react.  They expect that the horse will operate like a bicycle or motorcycle and that is just not the case.  Horses are very intelligent.  They think, feel and react.  If the human is not a knowledgeable leader to the horse, then the horse, in order to save it's own life, will come up with a plan on his own.  This often times is not what the rider is looking for.

This horse needs to be started over, just like a colt.  He doesn't have the confidence, education or knowledge to perform even the most basic partnership rituals!  ALL of these things point to a lack of leadership, knowledge, and experience of the handler and human in his life.  I'm pretty sure that if you were to put him out in his pasture he can:  walk, trot, canter, change leads, jump, back up, move laterally ALL softly with out rearing up and flipping over...right???!!!  It is when the HUMAN comes into the mix that things go wrong.  I am NOT saying this to make you feel bad or hurt your feelings, however, if you don't take a real honest look at where the trouble is, nothing will change.  It is you Catherine that we have to find the answers for not your horse.  When YOU know how to be a leader, how to influence your horses FEET and therefore his MIND, then all of the miscommunication between you and your horse will heal and you will be able to have the partnership you are looking for.

The big difficulty here is that you have just asked me "how to build a house" over the internet!  Educating an owner on how to help a troubled  horse is the same thing.  You will have to do the work and there is a lot of it!  Here is an example of what I would do:

Find a round pen and start by teaching your horse to "hook on" to you.  This is the process of becoming a leader to your horse, some one he trusts and that he knows has the right answers.  I have written about the process of hooking on in many past answers, please read those.  Then I would start working through the process of teaching your horse all of the elements of good and classical  ground work.  This is NOT lunging.  This is getting control of each and every foot, where it puts each foot, the speed and energy with which he moves his feet, yielding the hind quarters, changing direction, lateral movement, all from the ground, softly from the end of a lead rope.  A great example of classical ground work can be found in the "Ground Work" book by Buck Brannaman.  It is a wonderful resource and should live in your hip pocket!  Yes, I know that you will see lots of western saddles and gear in the resource material I am pointing you to, however, these are ALL classical movements and the basis of great horsemanship.  The style of the saddle after all means nothing to your horse!!!  

For now Catherine, I would NOT be riding this horse.  I would be concentrating on ground work, because how he is on the ground is how he will be under saddle and how he is now under saddle shows me all the things that have never been taught to him.  Take heart, when you take the time...YOU not a "trainer", YOU take the time to educate your self and your horse, you will find what you are looking for in an equine partner.  You just have to be willing to take the first steps and that is go back to the beginning for you and him, learn to start a colt, learn about classical ground work and put it into action.  

I have a resource list of readings and DVD'S on my website, please start working your way through those.  Also, check out the clinic schedules for Buck Brannaman, Bryan Neubert, Martian Black, Ricky Quinn, Joe Wolter, Tom Curtin or Peter Campbell and see if any of them will be in the UK.  I know Buck has been to the UK in the past, but this year is really hectic for him.  Maybe Peter will be there this year.  If so, take your horse and attend a clinic.  If you are interested and your really want the help, write me back and I'll find some names of great people in the UK that would be willing to help you and improve your horsemanship skills.  These people are NOT horse trainers, they are horsemen and women and there is a BIG difference!

So, the ball is in your court!  Lets see what happens from here.  Let me know if you are interested in beginning at the beginning! Deep breath AND...JUMP!!!  I'll be here to help.

Denise