16 HH Warmblood nervousness

Question
QUESTION: I have been given a 16 HH warmblood to ride. He is in a paddock with 5 Geldings and 1 mare. We do pleasure riding and when we go out  without the mare (we have some or all the other horses with us)the warmblood panics and is really naughty bucking and stuff I use the whip and tell him No and growl at him . I am reluctant to flog him in case I am abusing him. Do you have any Ideas?

ANSWER: Hi Rachel,
Lets look at it from your horses point of view. He goes out without his friends and either he is feeling full of energy, missing his herd, or just sassy and the next thing you know you and him are fighting. It does not do any good to whip a horse for behavior you don't like, you have to think several steps before that behavior happened. How well does he trot out for you and if you ask him to stop can you give him a loose rein and have a chat with someone? Does he hold completely still or is he nervous and moving around? How well does he bend his neck if you ask him to visit your boot with his muzzle? How does he back up? These are a few things I would try to get going for me before I took a nervous guy out on his own. For safety I would practice a one rein stop with your guy so that you can safely stop when these situations come up. Let me know a little more about his behavior before this situation and I will come up with some things for you to work on.
Best Wishes,
Caitlin

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QUESTION: Thank you for you info we never take out on his own for the simple reason that he likes the herd with him he is naughty only like this when we leave the mare at home ! I am not brave enough to try taking him out without some or all of the other horses from his paddock but it is the mare that calms him down. He cannot be very far away from her at all. I am really still learning to ride him as I have never ridden a horse this big and bossy nervous.

Answer
Hi Rachel,
He sounds like a big, bossy and bothered horse- not a horse I would pair with someone still learning to ride. If you are uncomfortable working him away from the mare I understand, but he needs to think that when he is with the herd you make him work and when he leaves the herd he gets a break. Perhaps you could really give him a work out when he was with his herd and then walk him as far off from them as you can to let him catch his breath. Soon he will see his friends as work and going out alone with you as leisure time. If you are uncomfortable with this I would find a good trainer in your area to help you work with him.
Best Wishes,
Caitlin Day Huntress