Re: RC: separation anxiety--training problem

[Suzanne Mounts <mountss@usfca.edu>]

At 07:13 PM 7/8/2000 -0700, you wrote:
>Hi Suzanne
>Out last his little spoiled behavior. Be firm; no need to over-react. If
>he wants to back, let him back then make him continue backing until he
>realizes it's your idea and so it's no fun anymore.  I just did that
>with Summy today; he also threatened to rear--- so we backed and backed.
>The second backing session took and he was great. Might work for your
>guy. Who knows, you may learn to enjoy viewing the trail from where you
>have been rather than where you are going!<BG>
>Bette

Hi Bette,

Thanks for the suggestion.  I actually tried this.  Unfortunately, his
favorite direction for backing was over the edge of the trail.  

Suzanne



>Suzanne Mounts wrote:
>> 
>> OK, I have a problem.  I have two backyard horses.  Over the 4th of July
>> weekend, I took the gelding camping and left the mare at home.  I was away
>> from Friday until mid-day Tuesday.
>> 
>> I took the mare out Wednesday and Friday without incident.  Yesterday a
>> friend took the gelding out and today I took him out.  Both of us had the
>> same problem.  A short distance from home he simply refused to go forward,
>> spun around back toward home, started to rear if a crop was used,
>> threatened to back off the trail, etc.  I got off and hand walked him for
>> at least a quarter of a mile and remounted on several occasions, thinking
>> if I got him a certain distance away from home his attitude might change.
>> Nope.  Finally, I decided I was getting too frustrated and that I had
>> better just come back.  I tried to use the return trip to school him a bit
>> (stop, backup--anything but go in the away direction--I knew I was not
>> going to win on that one), and stopped to do about ten minutes work in an
>> arena that is five minutes from home.
>> 
>> I have had the gelding for over a year, and he has often gone out by
>> himself, both with me riding and with others.  Never a hint of this kind of
>> problem.  Was the four day separation somehow the triggering event for this
>> new behavior?  What do I do now?
>> 
>> Suzanne
>> 
>> 
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>
>-- 
>Bette Lamore
>Whispering Oaks Arabians, Home of 16.2hh TLA Halynov
>(yes, REALLY!)
>http://www.arabiansporthorse.com
>