Horse Rearing Up Need ideals to help with this behavior

[MBhorses]

Hey

I wanted to know ideals to help to get a horse to stop rearing up. I have a 3 yrs stud who has been great until I took his mare away last week. When I take him from pasture to stall or from stall to pasture he tries to rear up.He also is trying to bite halter now, which he didn't use to do. I have tried backing him up when I do the backing up on him, he sometimes falls to the ground.I don't him hurt or me.He can still see the mares and touch nose,so why is he acting out now. I want to stop this behavior before someone gets hurt him or me.I don't have any mares in season at this time either. So what would cause this and how to I get him to stop.I have someone wanting to bred to him, but I need him to behavior better before I try to bred to any outside mares. The stud is ususally sweet.I know he does like to be by himself, but I don't have anyone to run with him right now. This stud has never been by himself until last week.I was wondering if he is having hard time dealing with being by himself as well. I got this stud at 7 mos old, he as always been with other horses.I don't want him to colic either from stress. Ideals would be great.I have had alot of different studs never had one act like this. I have had a stud rear up once or twice,but not as much as he has.My other stud doesn't act like this.He has also try to be pushy lately, I been pushing back.I am very small farm. We have two mares, two studs and two foals on the way. We use to have 20 something herd but cut way back.

Thanks Melissa

 

[JMS Miniatures]

It sounds like he needs a job. Just do lots of work with him on the ground. Backing is great to gain his repsect. Just move his feet.

 

[MBhorses]

tonight he tired to rear up again. I tried backing him up, but he wasn't moving. I have work with several horses never had one act like this. he is so strong.I did finally get him to back up and settle down then once he did i let him go and praise him.I need ideals please. He was so sweet what happen

I want this under control soon, his first foal is due anyday now. I sure don't want the new foals to see his bad behavior and learn the bad behavior.

 

[Minimor]

What happened? He's grown up. He's now 3 years old and not a baby any more, and suddenly he has more testosterone, more strength, he's more opinionated and more determined to have his way and to test your dominance. This kind of a change isn't uncommon in 3 year old stallion!

What to do--at this point he sort of has your number--he's figuring out that when he misbehaves he can win out over you, proven by the fact that he continues to rear and now you are unable to get him to back up.

I would suggest putting a chain on him--I have never had to resort to this with a Miniature but it sounds like you need something extra to get his attention. If I had to use a chain I would probably run it over his nose, but if you do that you do need to be careful because a chain over the nose can cause cartilage damage (permanent damage) if positioned wrong and/or used too harshly. Under the chin is safer, but a bit more likely to cause rearing. Used correctly it can also correct rearing, but you do need to have some finesse and good timing at using it. The trick is to get his attention and distract him before he rears. If you notice any behavior that signals he is about to rear, that is when you use the chain to get his attention. If he actually does rear be careful not to use the chain too hard--you can cause him to go higher & fall over backward. I am not opposed to tipping him off his feet as that can take the wind out of his sails and make him rethink his behavior--but if you have to go that far you want to make sure you tip him off balance sideways, not backward, because going over backward and striking his head on the ground can cause serious damage, even death.

Another alternative is a whip. Carry a whip, and when he misbehaves, use it. Don't tap him with it, smack him a good one across the rear end or on the shoulder or chest. Preferably the smack will be accompanied by a loud snarl of QUIT or STOP IT--the two combined should be enough to get his attention off of his rearing and make him plant his feet on the ground as he looks at you wide eyed, thinking, WOW, WHAT'S UP WITH HER???! Then, if he talks or shows any sign of rearing again, you get after him again--carry the whip every time you lead him, even if you don't need to actually use it. The whip's presence will remind him that you are in charge, and you can use it (just brandishing it where he can see it is likely enough of a reminder that you mean business). If you need to back him up again you will have the whip to reinforce your "back up" order. Again, you don't necessarily have to hit him with it--but you can put it in front of his chest as an extra cue.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

I also suggest carrying a whip with you. I back mine with body movement and get them away from my personal space. I do back with steady pressure but your guy needs to learn what your personal space is. I will wave my arms around in front and have like a imaginary hulu hoop around me and it moves with me. If he gets too close into my space and if I end up smacking him with the whip then that was his fault. I always rub it away by the whip. There are a lot of exercises out there.

I've had to deal with recently a very pushy mare, and she would try to run on top of you. Backing was really tough for her as she never understood the concept and always wanted to be on top of you. Sure we had some ugly moments but now she has done a complete 180 and now she stays away from my personal space unless I invite her in. Just a lot more respectful.

I don't like to use chains but nylon webbing halters just aren't that effective. I like my rope halters as they are stiffer and have more bite. And I agree his hormones have taken over and he has competely forgotten about you. I would seriously get him started on a working program now.

 

[MBhorses]

where you get your rope halters?

 

[MiLo Minis]

One really effective way to use the chain is to get a lead shank with a chain and tie it around 'his barrel at the girth. Take the chain up through the left cheek ring on his halter under his chin aand through the other ring and snap it to the higher ring. Then use a second lead shank to lead him. If he attempts to rear he will immediately punish himself and when he comes back down he will immediately reward himself which takes all the work out of it for you.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

I use the Downunder Horsemanship method and use the rope halters. Some will say that you can find cheaper methods and I'm sure you can but this method had worked great for me and I love the halters and will not use webbing halters again.

 

[Mareish Mom]

I only use rope halters, even on my goats! You can find them on ebay or learn to make your own. (I had to make them for the goats). If I were you I'd make (or have made) a rope halter for your stud with extra knots on the nose and poll. That will reinforce your correction of his rearing and be safer and easier to use than a chain. You can find folks on ebay that will custom make rope halters to your specs.

 

[Blue rose]

Hormones are so much fun. I bought my stallion last year as a 3 year old and as soon as he got here he figured out he liked girls! Drove me nuts for the first three weeks I had him. I used a LOT of patience and natural horsemanship (Downunder worked for me) to get him focused on me not the girls. He also has a snak-a- ball in his stall that is the best thing for calming him down when the girls go out of the barn. Now everyone that come by the barns comments on how easy he is to handle. So there is hope, the biggest thing I had to remember was to set reasonable each time I worked with him. It took trying a few different methods before I found one that works with him. Parreli methods are also good for giving the horse something to do.

Good luck.

 

[Riverrose28]

Well, you may not like my response, but, here goes anyway. I had a beautiful overo colt, worked with him every day cause I wanted to keep him as a stallion. As colts go he would test me once in a while but not as much as when he turned three, all heck broke lose with him. Every time I tried to take him in or out he would rear up. I could still get him to back as punishment, then five minutes later he was at it again. Tried the whip, smaking him in the chest, it would get his attention, then five minutes later again. I tryed the chain over the nose, no luck, after about two weeks he broke the chain. Went back to basics for a couple more weeks. I gave up and had him gelded. Problem solved! By the time I sold him he was a pussy cat. Patience pays off most of the time, but I felt he didn't have the disposition to be a good stallion, but he was a great gelding.