Re: Preventing Herd Bound Behavior?

["Robyn Levash" <questarabians@inreach.com>]

What has always worked really well with me is that I am a runner, so when I go out on my runs I take one of the horses out with me. Kills two birds with one stone. I make sure they first have thorough ground training, and understand that running me over over getting into my space is not an option at any time. I realize not everyone is a runner, or have the desire to run, but for me it is fun.

I get a good work out, and they seem to at least get a decent workout. It seems to mentally train them to be with you, and away from their buddies. My filly ever since she was weaned from her mother, I would take her jogging with me on short loops by herself. She is now 3 1/2 and probably the best horse mentally (being away from the herd) out of my 4 horses. When riding my other 3 horses alone it's no big deal to them since they are used to me being the horse.

 

When I was in high school running on the cross country team, I boarded my first Arab gelding across the street from the trails that I trained on. It was funny, every day I would take my gelding with me since I did not always have time to ride him and do a run. The rest of the girls on the team enjoyed Strike as well. He eventually became our runnin' buddy mascot. He got used to everything on the trail including a rowdy bunch of girls. It was a lot of fun!

 

Robyn

----- Original Message -----

From: Vallonelee@aol.com

To: 4horn@home.com ; Ridecamp@endurance.net

Sent: Thursday, July 26, 2001 10:48 AM

Subject: RC: Preventing Herd Bound Behavior?

I have dealt with my share of horses that acted herd bound.  After a period
of training where they are taught to focus on the rider, this "herd
boundness" disappears.  I really feel that this tendency shows up when the
horse is not bonded to the rider and therefore does not trust the rider.  
When the relationship develops, and the horse and rider face situations in
which the rider acts like an appropriate leader, the horse relaxes because he
is with "the boss".  I have four horses and when I ride one, the others left
behind make a racket.  However, the horse I am riding never utters a peep and
never looks back to the other horses.  I believe they are confident because I
am the "Boss Mare" and what better, or safer, place to be than with the
leader.

JMHO.

Lee