A Spinning Horse

Question
At my barn, one of my favorite horses' name is Champ, at the barn they are unsure of his breed but some think he is a TB and some a QH but he almost looks like both, so i may say an Appendix Quarter horse. Anyway, when you tighten the girth he used to just flip out and start walking but at the beggining of the year he has started spinning, I probably won't try to work iwth him, but how difficult would it be to break his habit? He also doesn't like being tied so we just ground tie him, which he isn't all that great at, but when accidently tied, he goes bizerk and will either break the board he is tied to or injure himself, how long do you think it would take to train him out of his bad habits, because overall, he is a WONDERFUL(a little stubborn, and grumpy but awesome) horse!

Answer
Hi Mackenzie!

This is a difficult situation and I cannot answer it over the computer.  It sounds like Champ has real trust issues with humans coupled with having gotten away with disrespecting them for so long, he knows he can get away with it!

Noramlly, acting grumpy during the tightening of the girth is OK but, he has taken it to a new level.  The freaking out at being tied is very bad for all concerned too.

You say he is otherwise a wonderful horse.  When you do not ask him to do things outside of his comfort zone he is fine.  But, when you do...BAM!

A professional trainer needs to see him, diagnose the problem and take the correct actions to fix them.  Champ needs to understand he is required to do these things and that he can expand his comfort zone safely and positivley.

You said you will probably not work with him and that is for the best.  If you cannot see what triggers the problems and why he does it, you cannot fix it.  By attempting to fix him you could make it worse or even hurt yourself or him.

These problems are not too terrible yet, but will escalate if not addressed and fixed.  


My advice is to call a professional trainer in and help make Champ an even more wonderful horse!

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

Solange