Re: Re: balking horse

["Tracey" <tracey@tbt.co.za>]

Hi, there.  Don't worry Terri, you're not the only one whose had this
problem : this is the reason I got Toc in the first place.  When his
previous owner (a professional showjumper) had sat on him in the arena for
three hours (depending on the story - some people say and hour, others two,
others three - it's become one of these "prosperity" type storis) and he
hadn't moved, he decided either to shoot him or get rid of him.


So, I got him.  He'll still have days like this, and when I first got him,
there were times I couldn't get him out of the gate.  Because he has a
killer buck, and rears, I decided to follow the path of least resistance,
and teach him that going out with me could be fun (Picture me standing with
him, cheesy grin on my face saying "come on Toc, this is FUN!").


So, I would set off, on foot, leading him (headcollar only - I was a novice,
no clue at all) with a bag of carrots tucked under my arm and a crop under
my other arm.  He would put the brakes on, I would give him a KLAP behind my
back, where my leg would be if I were mounted, with the crop and when he
shot forward, tell him how good he was and give him a carrot.  And so we
went, further and further each time.  We would stop and have picnics, smell
roses, and discuss the fate of the world in general.  (He has some
interesting views on capital punishment)  Got some very queer looks from a
lot of people, but it was worth it.  I now have a horse I can literally take
anywhere, and he is as close to bombproof as you can get.  I'm glad I
persisted.


He will still "try it on" every now and again, usually in the school
(dressage AGAIN, mom, blech!) and then a quick tap with the stick will get
him moving, or if not a circuit or two in the lunge ring and he's more than
happy for some dressage!


I guess what I'm saying is that this is one of those problems that you could
approach in two ways:

1.  With discipline : you WILL move forward, no matter what, and you will
then know for now and for ever that I am the boss, and you will never balk
again.  This works for most horses, but you've gotta be the kind of owner
who can do it - I couldn't.

2.  With patience : this is FUN, so let's have some FUN, and if I have to
bribe you in order to do it, so be it.  This takes a long time, and any hope
you might have nurtured of being the boss in this relationship will be
trampled underfoot.  However, what you will develop is a quirky kind of
relationship which will bring its own rewards, and a "warm and fuzzy"
feeling every time your horse picks his head up and trots out the gate, to
go and tilt at windmills with you.


Me, I like the windmill-tilting.


Tracey
-----Original Message-----
From: Karen Sullivan <greymare@jps.net>
To: Terri O. <trinity_oaks@yahoo.com>; ridecamp ridecamp
<ridecamp@endurance.net>
Date: Monday, July 24, 2000 8:30 AM
Subject: RC: Re: balking horse


>It
>> just seems as if she will be going good and then she
>> will suddenly stop and just not want to go.  My hubby
>> who rode with me today says that she is being stubborn
>> and that I need to get her respect.  He may be right.
>> So, today I went with spurs and a crop (no this is not
>> an Arab) and would make her move forward, but actually
>> even with those aids it would take a bit and I would
>> get frustrated.  I don't really want to use aids like
>> that one her....Any suggestion for a horse that
>> hesitates like that and lacks impulsion
>
>Just dealt with one of those, and have owned them in the past,
>what works is to crank their head around and make them go in circles until
>they get good and sick of it and decide it is easier to go the direction
you
>asked.
>
>When the horse balks, it is refusing to move for you.  So, by turning the
>head, eventually the rest of
>the horse will move too,now you are directing the feet.  Make the thing you
>want easy-horse
>moves forward, nothing bad happens, -if it doesn't it has to circle, and
>make the circling unpleasant.
>They DO GET it,and eventually won't balk.
>
>Karen
>
>Also by doing this, you take away the ability of the horse to rear or
>buck-something it may do if
>you just hit it with a crop.
>
>
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