Two year old training.

Question
QUESTION: I have a two year old gelding that I purchased about 6 months ago. He is extreamly afraid of people. The farm I purchased him from told me he was just shy and once caught he would settle down and would be fine. WRONG! We brought him home he exploded out of the trailer and into the pasture, where we could not get near him. He struck out at my husband and bit his hand when he offered him a treat. He has since lost the aggression, but he is still very fearful. If I put him in the stall, (he will run right in)I can do most anything with him. He will lead all around in there. If he is out of the stall, he is a completely different horse. I can hardly even touch him. If I reach for his halter, he is off like a bullet. My question is, how do I halter train this horse? As soon as I open the gate to his stall he pulls right away from me and is off. Please help, I am about to give up on him.

ANSWER: Hi Mary!

I'd like some more information before I make any training suggestions.

Did you personally handle him or see him handled prior to purchasing him?  What is his breed?  What would you say your level of competency with horses is? Is he with another horse or any other kind of pasture pal? Ultimately, what are your goals with him?

Just off the cuff, I would say this is not as huge a problem as you may feel it is.  I know you currently feel overwhelmed but, there is hope for you both.  Actually, his youth will work in your favor as he needs and wants to have a Boss Mare to follow.  That would be you.  Right now, your unsureness is making him feel unsafe so he avoids you or acts out.

Time, patience, correct and consistent training and a few good old fashioned tricks can solve this, I think.

Solange



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I did not see him handled before I purchases him. I was able to feed him treats from my hand at the farm though. I knew he was shy but not to this extent. He is a quarter horse cross, his dam is a Paso fino cross his father a registered QH. I have been around horses for quite a few years, but they have all been at least halter broke so I could work with them. I have done all the normal things with him in trying to gain his trust. I just want him to be a pleasure horse/trail horse, but I'm not sure if this is going to be possible as he is sooo spooky. Right now, he is in with two yearlings, one gelding and a filly and he is the boss of course, as he is the oldest. He is at the point now, where he will come up to me in the pasture just to see if I have a treat. He will not let me touch him though. I really don't push the issue because I don't want to lose the progress we have gained. He acts like he was mistreated, but the previous owner says no and the other gelding is his half brother from the same farm and he is a sweetheart. The previous owner could not lead him either. Like i said though, if he is in the stall, I can get right in there with him and do most anything from grooming and leading him around the stall. He will not let me near his butt though.
I thank you for your time and help.

Mary

ANSWER: Hi Mary!

That information really helped, Thank you :-)

But, (my fault) I forgot to ask something else...Is he at a boarding barn or your backyard?  Is there an indoor arena or longeing area?  If you only have the great outdoors to work him in, what is your winter climate like? And lastly, are you longeing him at all and how is he at it?

Solange

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Solange,

   He is at my home, he has an acre pasture and a stall. I do not have a round pen, we live in Florida so the weather is great in the winter. I have never longed him, as soon as I open the stall door he takes off and I am not strong enough to hold him back. So without a round pen I have a hard time longeing him. I might be able to make one it depends on how badly I need it for him.
Thanks,

Mary

Answer
Hi Mary!

Right....first things first.  There is a very fine line to walk when you must deal with such an untrained, distrustful and disrespectful baby.  Because you have never done this before and are boarding at home, my first and best suggestion is to take him to a barn that has a professional trainer who is experienced in breaking babies, particularly QH's.  Ask your vet, farrier or tack shop to recommend a local trainer and have them out to evaluate your situation and discuss your goals.  He is a nearly full-grown "baby" and because of his size is dangerous on many levels.  He could intentionally be bad and hurt you OR he could have no earthly intention of running you down and still hurt you.

If you choose to train him yourself,the very first thing you must do is to dominate him.  Not hitting him with a 2x4....but, speaking to him in the only language he understands. He obviously knows nothing of ours as no human has taught it to him yet.

He should have a good quality leather halter that fits well but, with room to grow.  A nylon halter is fine but, it must have a leather break-away side piece or crown.  He needs to wear it 24/7/365 from now on. You need a "handle".  If you do not have a nice, long longeline with a stud chain, buy one.  It is your new best friend.  Time, patience and consistency along with a favorite treat he only gets when he is in a training session, is your key to earning his trust and the ability to touch him anytime, anywhere for any reason.  Allowing a baby to make decisions about anything, especially about touching is never a good idea. 5 year olds don't run the Kindergarten class, do they?

If you have had success luring him to you and touching him anywhere, keep up what is working...it's different with every horse.  Keep the beginning contact on his broad body parts, that's less scary to him.  Leave the ears, muzzle, belly and tail for last when you have established a trust level.  When he is happily eating the treats from your hand slowly introduce the halter to his nose, allowing sniffing.  At one point, he will allow you to slip it on.  When?  Could be hours, days or weeks.  Working daily with him in a consistent fashion is the ideal situation.  Short, productive daily sessions are better than occasional long ones.

When you approach him always whistle or call out to him in the exact same way so he associates the treats with your arrival.   A welcome treat is allowed immediately, then he must work for every one after that.  Yes, some people hate food rewards.  But, if used correctly and eventually phased out with intermittent reinforcement, you will have no nipping issues.

Once you can touch him all over anywhere, anytime in any place on your property (not just in his stall) it's time to add leading.  That is where the chain over his nose and the longeline length are to your advantage.  This is where you walk that fine line of allowing him to make the correct decision and follow you willingly and having to reprimand him swiftly and thoroughly to prove you are Boss Mare.

This is where the professional trainer would know the best course of action.  Any hesitation or indescion on the part of the human will not train him to do anything except doubt your authority.  That is where things can get dangerous.  You decide to shank him hard and say "NO!" forcefully and he bolts dragging you along or knocking you down.  Because you did not have the timing to back up your domination of him.

See?  Very tricky....very sticky.

Now, let's say you have him leading well and calmly.  Then you must introduce all the other dozens of ground manners so he can learn them, understand them and not fear them.  Such as tying in the crossties, standing for the farrier or vet, grooming, clipping, bathing.....the list goes on and on.  Because horses must be taught each and every one of those procedures.  And they rarely do it calmly and safely the first few times.

Then....it's on to teaching him to longe correctly at all 3 gaits.  Followed eventually by getting him ready to be broken to ride.

If you brought this horse to me for training, I would say he needs at least 3 months in full-time training.  Followed by another 3 months of home visits to make sure you both are on the same page.

Yes.  This is why I say it isn't just TWO things no one wants to see being made (politics and sausage) it's THREE things and breaking a horse properly is #3.

Neither of us has the time to have me describe in detail how to accomplish all of the very necessary actions.  Horse training cannot be taught over the Internet.  We are here to guide and I always put the horse's needs before the human's.  They need an advocate because they cannot tell you themselves.

If you feel unprepared to tackle this difficult and lengthy process yourself, you have several options.  Take him to a professional trainer.  Do it at home with a trainer/knowledgeable person helping you.  Sell/give him away to a trainer type and buy an older campaigner who already does the job you want and is safe.

He sounds like a typical youngster with no communication skills.  Not previously abused or angry or vindictive.  Think more along the lines of Helen Keller before Teacher got a hold of her.

He deserves to have the very best start in life.  The slaughterhouses are full of ill trained horses either through abuse or ignorance is immaterial.  Humans must set aside their wants and desires to offer the best education possible for these amazing and sentient creatures.

Good luck and remember to always wear an ASTM/SEI approved helmet!

Solange