separation anxiety

[terre <tobytrot@bigfoot.com>]

Suzanne said:

"Hi Bette,

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

Suzanne"

A friend of mine had a horse who did this--so bad he would literally fall
over backwards if pushed.  She solved it, after months of trying everything
else, by the following method.  When he stopped and refused to go forward,
she asked him politely ONCE.  When he didn't respond, she dismounted, tied
him short to the nearest tree or phone pole, sat down with a book and read
for an hour or so.  Got on, asked him politely again, if he didn't move on,
repeat....  Couple of times I picked her up in a car and we went for a beer
and a game of pool...  It may sound bizarre, but once he learned it was
'her way or no way' he quit.   


terre