In Rhythm with Hilltop - Training - Sporthorse

A: [Tammy] I do very little ring work the first year – two days in the arena, the rest outside hacking in the country. It helps the young horses to stay fresh, forward, happy, and exposes them to different things.

Q: I have a 2 yr. old Holsteiner gelding. His nature appears to be calm. I haven't been able to take him "off the farm" yet. I keep waiting for the "terrible two's" to begin. Do you find the different ages less or more difficult to work with? He calmly walks into a trailer, but I haven't actually taken him anywhere yet? Would a 5 hour drive be too much for a first trip (and is it okay to have him be alone)?

A:[Tammy] I would say from my experience of starting them as 3 year olds, that they are still growing. This sometimes makes them feel uncomfortable in the body. Keep in mind that all develop differently. It sounds as if you have done a good job of working around and handling your horse. It's great that he is so calm and he will probably stay this way if you stay consistent with your handling.

As for trailering, it would be great if you could take him for a trip around the block, so to speak, so he knows he will be able to come off again and not worry that this will be his new home. If he seems relaxed, then he should be fine for a five hour trip. Having a quiet trailering partner is always a plus.

Q: My 2 1/2 yr. old Holsteiner gelding is now 16.1 H. In preparation for putting a saddle on him, can putting a surcingle on him be of any use as a "stepping stone" to the saddling? Also,

A: [Tammy] A surcingle is a great stepping stone to saddling. Anything you can think of to lay over his back is good practice for the saddle. The surcingle will be a great help to get him used to the girth pressure.

Q: I don't have access to trails for the "off days" of ring work. Any ideas?

A: [Tammy] Since you do not have access to trails, you can try to break his work routine by trotting caraletties and cross rails and keep it small. It's just a little something that will be fun and different while still good for body and mind. Our horses enjoy free jumping if you have that option. Also, try trailering to other places to go on trails and take a friend along to help build his confidence on the trail.

Q: My coming 3 year old Holsteiner gelding still likes to take a "quick nip" whenever possible. Whether it be leading or while grooming, he still likes to try and take a bite. It seems it's in play, but I need him to stop. How, please?

A: [Tammy] Biting, even a quick nip is serious. You need to stay consistent and firm with your commands. Get really angry at him when he bites you. You need to make him think that you are going to hurt him for what he did. You can hit him as hard as you can for three seconds (not in the face). After you make your big correction, forgive him and act as if nothing happened. Don't feel bad for being hard on him, he needs to know this is really wrong. Just look at it this way - if he would bite one of his (horsey) friends in the field, his friend would probably bite him back, give him a nasty kick, or both. Don't let him think you will give him any less.

Q: My 13 year old gelding (recently acquired) will stand facing me with halter and lead rope (doing ground work) and squeal and stomp his front foot at me. What can I do to correct this behavior effectively?

A: [Scott] You can try to ask him to pay attention to you when he acts this way. For example, do not cross tie him at first. Begin your normal grooming or stall cleaning, etc. Any time he does something you do not like, i.e., stomping or squealing, move him with the lead rope. When he pays attention to you and looks at you, calmly stop moving him and reward him. Keep on repeating this for a few days and I think you will find he listens to you.

Q: My horse, who is usually calm, will, occasionally, run the fence line for hours at a time. He gets lathered, totally psyched out, loose stool, frenzied, and cannot get his mind to come back to me. What can I do to calm him down and bring his mind back to me?

A: [Tammy] I assume you mean when he is turned out he does this. Maybe he does not enjoy such a long turn out time. Try and only turn him out in short sets. It could be he gets irritated by the flies and can only be out in early morning hours or later in the evening hours. You could try giving him a friend for some company. Give him a routine to his turn out (same field, same friend, same time). Horses are very routine animals. Changes can make some horses nervous.

Q: My quarter pony gets really intimidated in the show ring when other animals go by her. I have read that ponying will rid her of that intimidation since you're working so close to another horse. But I think I might have a problem. My other horse is a large quarter horse and a very slow mover. Will he be "pulled" behind or will he keep up?

A: [Tammy] I have never heard of this, but I can't see that it would hurt. It sounds like a good idea. Since you are concerned about your other horse being too slow, why not ride him and pony the other, then you can regulate the gates to adjust to the quicker mover.

Q: I have a one year old paint stallion who is quite the expert biter and would like to know how I can stop him from doing this.

A: [Tammy] To stop him from biting, try going after him, letting him know how very angry you are with him, but do this for only three seconds. He will think you are going to kill him, but for only 3 seconds!!! You can hit him as long as you are very careful not to hit him in the eye. You need to be consistent in attempting to correct this behavior. Biting is a very dangerous problem and needs to be fixed quickly.

Q: My mare backs out of the trailer so fast that I can hardly see her go out. Once she started out before I could untie her. It was very dangerous because she got to the end of the rope outside the trailer and pulled it so tight that I couldn't undo her. Finally she jumped back into the trailer. What can you recommend to get her to go out slowly?

A: [Scott] The first suggestion would be to do some handling exercises with your mare. Outside of the trailer, have someone handle her by her head and someone behind her. Practice walking forward, back, foward, back, etc. When she has a positive attitude and understands, try to do the same in the trailer. Go step by step backing out of the trailer.

Do not tie her. Walk in the trailer, have your helper behind her. After entering the trailer, reward her. Then, take one step backwards. Stop her after one step. Your helper can help from behind if she tries to take more than one step. Then, gradually take more steps and stop. Walk forward, stop, take a few steps back, stop. Keep training this way quietly and with lots of patience.

Also, make sure that the trailer is safe when training on it. No sharp objects, partition open, no pins, etc.

Q: I have used John Lyons' method to successfully teach my horse to load. He was a challenge! But after calmly loading, getting tied up, then closing the door, he begins kicking the side of the trailer and not just little taps. He does this whether the trailer is still or moving. Of course, he is wearing leg protection, but I can't believe with the force and duration of the kicking, that he won't injure himself. Any suggestions?

A: [Scott] Perhaps now that he loads, you could teach him that the trailer is not a bad or scary place to be, but instead a nice place to relax and even enjoy. To do this, I would suggest serving him some meals in the trailer once in awhile. Literally load him, feed him in a bucket, and unload him. Do this for awhile and see if there is any progress.

Q: I'm having trouble grooming my morgan gelding on a lead line. The previous owner always had him on cross-ties, but I cannot do that because I have to get him saddled on a trailer quite often. He constantly moves around. Any suggestions?

A: [Tammy] Stay consistent in asking him to stand. If you can, try and make cross-ties in your trailer or just tie with one rope. Just stay consistent and don't get angry, he will figure it out.

Q: How do you train a horse not to pull back when standing tied? My horse learned that he can break loose when tied up. His behavior was reinforced when my wife tied him with a knot that came loose (several times). He has pulled out a post, broke his lead line and even the hook on my stud chain. I now have a real problem. He is great under saddle and even has good ground manners when not tied to a post. This problem is out of control and dangerous.

A: [Scott] Try going to your local tack shop and renting or purchasing a John Lyons tape on Tying. I feel you will be able to correct this problem before someone or the horse gets hurt.

Q: I think I have read too many books. There as many different ways as there are books to teach a horse to stand tied. How and at what age does the Hilltop staff teach a youngster to tie?

A: [Tammy] If you have done good ground work with your horse, you should be able to start to tie him at six weeks of age. You need to do a lot of handling with your foal with a halter and lead. Try just dropping the rope through a ring while your horse is eating. When he seems confident, you can go from there, always use slip knots or some kind of break-away rope.

Q: My 12 week old colt is very friendly and basically sweet-natured but he is so mouthy. I have handled him from birth. He is teething and wants to bite everything: me, the fences, the gates, the buckets, his mother's tail, etc. I flick him (hard) on the nose when he clamps down on my arm or back. But he keeps coming back, squints his eyes and tries it again. He has a "jolly ball" and a "rope bone" to chew on. What else can be done? Can I give him anything to ease the discomfort of teething?

A: [Tammy] It sounds as if you are doing the correct things. Just stay consistent and he will start to grow out of it.

Q: We have an Arabian 4 year old stud who is sweet and easy to handle, but he is a kicker if someone gets near his rear. He has never been abused and we have tried everything.

A: [Scott] I would suggest that you go to a local tack shop and rent or purchase John Lyons' video tape, "Round Pen Reasoning". This is a very safe and effective way of training for such a problem. Certainly this tape will give you some ideas to try. I hope you find this helpful and are able to cure the kicking.

Q: I have a new three year old TWH. The only two times I have tried to unload her from a trailer it has been a real struggle. She just does not want to make that step to come out. How can I get her to be more willing? Getting her loaded is pretty easy.

A: [Scott] Try taking a few hours to train just loading and unloading. Repeat several times until she is more comfortable to leave the trailer and step down. By repeating many times in a row she has a good chance to understand and improve.

Q: I stand an Arabian stallion for one of my customers. Lately he has begun kicking out viciously at his handlers with both hind legs just before mounting a mare. Any ideas how to stop this dangerous behavior?

A: [Scott] This sounds like a difficult problem to comment on without seeing his actions and resistances. However, my first comment would be to keep him moving forward in a small circle after washing him until he has actually mounted. Try to keep moving toward the mare by making a few circles. Keep all other people away. Again, it's difficult to know how to correct this problem without seeing it. Be careful and best of luck.

Q: My mare constantly moves around while tied to hot walker making it both difficult and dangerous to saddle and unsaddle her. I need advice about breaking this behavior.

A: [Tammy] We are not familiar with using hot walkers. All of our horses are either saddled in wash stalls on cross ties, or in a stall tied with safety release knots. They are taught to stand before being saddled. The use of the wall is helpful.

Q: I have recently purchased a 14 year old gelding who wears the flying W brand. He's great at everything asked of him except loading in a trailer. I'm told that he once jumped into any trailer, but since being taken on a trip from Houston to Oklahoma, he will not load. He has been fought into the trailers, he fights until he is soaked with sweat, his whole body trembles from fright. He rears and stands on his hind legs and has flipped himself backwards. His last experience, he gashed his leg open and required stitches. How do I help this huge muscle bound animal over his fear? I have tried everything I can think of and a few more except for starving or beating.

A: [Tammy] You have a behavior problem and need some advice from trainers that are experts in the field of behavior, like John Lyons. Try looking at some of his material (videos and books).

Q: I have a 6 month old Holsteiner filly who frequently turns her rear toward approaching people and kicks out. Once haltered, she is fine. She is turned out 24 hours a day with one other filly. Any suggestions?

A: [Tammy] Smack her hard with a rope in the rump or side, being a careful distance so as not to get kicked. This is more than likely just a stage she is going through. It is good for you to address it quickly.

Q: My recently acquired 2 1/2 year old Holsteiner (a Landgraf grandson) has started to rear while being led if other horses are running around. He is otherwise very sweet. It seems that he rears out of fun and high spirits. As a correction, I have taught him to lower his head on command with pressure on the leadline, which he learned very well. Unfortunately, he is extremely quick and gives no warning apart from curling up his neck and by then it's too late to stop him. He is being handled mostly by staff at the barn where he is stabled and I'm extremely worried about this dangerous behavior.

I cut his oats completely for now, have put a chain on his halter, and have managed to discipline him once for rearing. As this is my first 2 year old, I would like to know the following:

1. Is his behavior normal and likely to stop with maturity and further training?

2. Am I feeding him too much, considering that he is only free lunged 3 times a week? He is 16.2 H and get 4 lb. whole oats and 1 lb. of extruded pellets with a vitamin/mineral supplement and 7 flakes of timothy or grass hay per day split into two feedings.

3. What else can I do to eliminate the rearing altogether?

A: [Tammy] 1 & 3 - It happens often that young colts will start to rear to show off and play when feeling good. However, it does need to be corrected so that it does not become a habit. Putting a chain on his halter is good because you do not want him to learn to get away from you also. Start carrying a dressage whip. Do a lot of transitions, halt, walk, back, keeping his attention. If he goes up, crack him good and hard between the knee an fetlock. This will make him buckle up and give respect.

2 - Is your horse getting consistent turn out or is he only getting free lunged three times a week? I do not think you feed him too much. He is still growing and needs his nutrition. I would get your veterinarian's opinion. Make sure he has consistent exercise (turn out or free run).

Q: I have a near 4 year old Morgan gelding. He has become extremely frightened of vet care. He has been acclimated to my handling him all over and anyone besides a vet can also handle him freely. But, he senses a vet with a purpose in mind and will jump and move and even rear a bit. Getting blood drawn turns from a mild prick to an all out painful battle. How can I help him get accustomed to normal vet care?

A: [Tammy] You can start by giving him treats that he really likes while getting shots or whatever else. If you can start to do this when you give him shots, he may learn to ignore shots and just think of them as getting some goodies.

Q: My four year old Holsteiner gelding has started bolting during lunging. There is no stopping him, as he is 17H, big and bully. He's done it with me and now is doing it with the trainer. She is using a lunge line with chain over his nose. He is not normally spooky, but this bolting needs to be addressed. Any ideas?

A: [Tammy] If you have a round pen, changing directions often may help. When he goes to bolt, change his direction to try and discourage him. Turn out may also help if this is an energy problem. Try to stop him quickly when he bolts and start again, do transitions often. Shorten and lengthen him on the lunge, bringing him in and out often.

Q: How can I train my 5 year old horse not to paw when tied for grooming and to stand still?

A: Be patient and consistent. I use a small crop or towel and when he paws, I smack him enough just to let him know that's wrong and say NO.

Q: My 9 year old Thoroughbred mare has recently started to rear after having her girth applied. She has always been "cinchy", but seems to be getting worse. We lunge her before saddling her and tighten the girth only enough to hold the saddle on before walking her out. Any suggestions?

A: Check to make sure your saddle is fitting her properly. It may be pinching her somehow and causing this reaction. Also check that she is not back sore.

Q: My three year old gelding just recently started to act aggressively towards people and other horses. My vet told me he was "rigged". Could you please tell me how to deal with this problem?

A: You want to consider if the horse has pain which may cause fear. Or if something in his training has changed his feelings toward people.

Q: How can we fix the problem of our horses becoming "buddy sour"?

A: If at all possible, change stalls or fields around, so they are not always together. This way they can deal with separation at times other than when they are being ridden. Try and ride where they cannot hear the other one screaming out to them. You may even want to trailer them away from each other so they have to deal with the separation.

Q: If a 9 year old registered gelding was trained only for halter/show, can he be retrained for roping, reining, or pleasure?

A: That shouldn't be a problem. Go ahead and start him under saddle as a green horse.

Q: My horse was diagnosed with a pulled muscle. He was stall rested for three weeks, only grazing on a line. Now, when I try to lead him, he spooks at everything. How can I get him to calm down again?

A: He will probably be OK when he gets back to normal work. You want to cut his feed back so he is not so fresh.

Q: How do I train my 18 year old large mare not to pull back and break loose when tied. She learned years ago that she could use her weight to break loose. I just didn't tie her because I didn't know how to cure her from breaking loose. She was "leased out" as a brood mare for many years and I now have her again. I have spent about two years gentling and can ride her again. She was very head shy when I got her back. That is fine now and we have tied her a couple of times successfully for short periods of time. The last time we tied her and left to saddle another horse, she pulled up removing the top 15' log, with nails from the hitching post, ran around for several hours before we could find a way to set her free from the log. Each time we tried to approach her, she jerked up, hit herself with the log, and was scared all over again. Is there a way to train her not to break loose?

A: Safety First - Try and tie her in the stall where she cannot get loose. At first, just tie her with one rope, but have a thin rope or bailing string that will break quickly if she panics. Have a cotton rope draped over her neck so you can grab her if she starts to panic and calm her. Never leave her, it's not worth her getting hurt. I would rather leave her tacked in a stall untied than have her run around for hours with my tack.

Q: I own a horse that has started rearing after sending him to trainers. All the methods used to this point are a stud chain, bit, and other aggressive methods. I was wondering if you have a suggestion. I have heard of hobbles that connect to both front legs and one back, would this be a good option? If so, where can I buy one?

A: I have never heard of using hobbles for a rearing problem. If it is a problem on the ground, I would use a chain shank and carry a dressage whip. Make many transitions and direction changes because you want to keep his attention on you. Start in a quiet area till you feel comfortable. When and if he rears, hit him with the whip right below the knees. This should get his attention. If he has not been gelded yet, this may be his problem.

Q: I recently purchased a draft horse with a head tossing problem. I am currently using a curb bit with a low port, grazing bit. Any suggestion on how to correct this problem?

A: If you feel comfortable, try using a snaffle bit. This is a softer bit. Curb bits tend to be severe to the horse's mouth. Check to make sure the bit fits him and sits comfortably in his mouth. Do not hold his head tight, he may be asking for more rein and softer hands.

Q: I recently purchased a quarter horse, rides with a hackamore. He has started to buck when mounted or you just can't mount him at all.

A: This may not have anything to do with the hackamore. You may want to check that the saddle fits him correctly or that his back is not sore. Does he get enough turnout or lunging, it could be an energy problem. Make sure his hackamore fits well. These are the things I would look into first. If it continues, you may need to consider having a professional look at the two of you together.

Q: I have just purchased a Shetland Pony. She is wild and scared. Should I be slow and super gentle or should I show some firmness? What are the odds of a two year old calming down enough to pony children?

A: I would do all of the above. She is young, but she is also a pony and is probably very pony-minded, which means she is very smart and strong-willed. If you let her get away with something, she will remember it and once she gets a foot, she will take a mile. Do a lot of ground work making her listen while leading her. This will teach her a lot of respect. You need to be firm and consistent. Know what you want and ask for it. Are you doing turnout with this pony? Turnout is a big help in getting rid of a lot of energy. She is still a little young to expect her to carry children, you don't want to scare either one. Take your time and you will feel when the time is right.

Q: How do I teach my young mare (2 yrs) to pick up her feet for cleaning and shoeing?

A: For the front feet, you should squeeze the tendon below the knee. If no response, do the same thing but lean against the shoulder. This will help move her weight over to the other side making it easier for her to lift her foot. For the back feet, do the same thing, squeezing below the hock. At first, you may only get her to pick up her feet a little bit, but it will get better with consistency. Always be careful when working with the back feet, because she may kick. Go slow and do short sets. I like to use a hoof pick with a brush on it to get the hoof good and clean and for them to get used to the sound. Your blacksmith may have some good suggestions also.

Q: My gelding does fine in a cross tie, except when I ask him to move over. When he moves over, he also backs causing the quick release cross ties to break. How can I teach him to move over without backing too? Is it better to teach him left (move over) and right (move over) for incidents when riding?

A: You may want to try and put him on just one crosstie for starting to teach him to move over. This way he will not feel the pressure and start to pull back. Only press on his side when you ask him to step over. You can also try clucking to him at the same time. This will later help when you want to ask with your leg to move over when riding.

Q: Why is my young horse, in training, chewing on his full cheek snaffle bit?

A: This is not always a bad thing. He may just be getting used to the bit. When you start to ask him for more, he will forget about the bit.

Q: I have recently acquired an 18 year old mare and her 12 year old gelding son that have been together for 12 years, minus one day! I need advice on how to work on separating them. They freak when even separated by a fence.

A: Needless to say, weaning at this age and stage is no small task. I would recommend introducing another companion to the herd for each of them. Begin separating the pairs for small periods of time, once they are accustomed to each other. The most expedient means of weaning would be to remove one of them with their "new friend" to a complete other property just to put more space and distance between them. Good luck and take each step carefully.

Q: I have a 9 year old quarterhorse mare and want to know the most effective to teach her to neck rein.

A: I am not an expert in neck reining as we do not do any at our farm.

Q: I just recently bought a perfectly mannered quarter horse - 12 year old mare. I have given her a month to get adjusted to the new surrounding. She has gotten attached to a second horse. Now, she becomes especially nervous when she is out of site of the other horse. Due to this nervousness, she has picked up habits of rearing, stomping her front foot, and backing up. What can I do to calm her down? Is this just a phase? Is there anyway to break the habit of backing up or stomping her foot?

A: Try separating them periodically, other than when you ride. By separating them, you will be helping her to realize that she can live without her friend. As as far as riding, you need to make the mare go forward. If you don't feel comfortable with this, you may want to get someone with more experience to help you through this time.

Q: I have a shetland pony who was used only for pony rides. I'm trying to lunge her but all she wants to do is be close to the handler as if she is just going to be led around. I'm using a lunge whip, but she doesn't understand what I'm asking of her. Any suggestions?

A: You may want to try getting help from another person who would be able to stand further out from you and closer to the pony with a lunge whip. This will help the pony understand that she needs to stay out.

Q: My 3 year old is starting to buck at the canter. She has never done this before, even when first started. She doesn't do this with the stable trainer, but does with everyone else.

A: She is just starting to test her limits. Ride her forward and keep her head up. Watch and get help from the trainer who has no trouble.

Q: What is the best way to socialize a three year old breeding stallion, under saddle in public, when he has been born and raised in an area that didn't allow for socializing as a young colt.

A: I would suggest taking the horse to different farms to school him in areas different from what he is used to.