Need Mini Horse HELP- taming/training?

[papps13]

I have just bought a 5yr old miniature stallion. His previous owners didnt handle him much and his is very spooky of sudden movements. The only time i was able to pat him was in the trailer and i put a halter on him. This was the first time he had a halter on!

 

When we arrived at my property, i tried leading him to his paddock, and he refused to move, even with a dressage whip. Eventually after pushing and pulling, and alot of patience, we got him into his yard.

 

My questions are-

How do i get him to allow me to pat him? (everytime i go to pat him he spooks and takes a step back)

How do i teach him to trust me?

How do i teach him to walk on a lead?

 

I know people might say i shouldnt have bought him etc. But i couldnt let him live his life the way it was. I have all the time in the world for him and will give him a great life!

Thanks

 

Here is a pic of him!

 

[Minimor]

The trust will come with time and handling, and as he learns to trust you he will also learn that it is nice to be petted. Because he is a mature horse it might take longer than it would with a foal or even a yearling, but then again each horse is different and you may find that he comes around very quickly.

As far as getting him to lead--my favorite way for an older horse that has never been taught to lead is to have another person walk along behind and keep him moving forward while I'm leading. That person can carry a whip & use that to urge the horse forward. You can carry the whip & do this on your own (as you tried) but having the helper behind usually works a little better at the start. With the person behind the horse won't swing away to the side as he will when you are on your own & tap him with the whip. You can keep him along the fence to prevent him from swinging sideways, of course, but I do find the horse will move forward easier if there is a person actually behind him. Once he starts to get the idea of leading then you can work on your own. You could try a rump rope, but I like them best for foals--on a mature horse it takes more muscle to pull the horse forward with a rump rope if that horse decides to plant himself & not move. A mature horse could be more likely to react negatively to having a rope around his rear end too.

You can also teach him to tie--once he learns about being tied he will know about giving to the pressure of the halter and that will likely make him easier to lead. I like to tie with an inner tube so that there is some give to the rope.

Also, when you're leading him it helps if you get back a little bit so that instead of being at the horse's shoulder you are actually just a little bit behind the horse's shoulder--still far enough up to be out of range of a kick, but back that little bit extra to be able to "chase" the horse forward. You're not really chasing the horse, of course, but by being back just that little bit you encourage the horse to move forward, which is what you want. If you're in that proper position right at the shoulder a horse that hasn't been handled and is a little leary of people & unfamiliar with leading is likely to hang back and then stall out on you.

 

[WashingtonCowgirl]

You might try offering him some treats, sit on a chair in his stall/paddock, and let him learn that you'll not hurt him or try to scare him. That you're a good friend to have around.

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This.

Make a schedule too, so he has a routine. Horses that haven't been handled much tend to be more "horsey" in their way of thinking, compared to the horses who are handled on a regular basis.You should dry lot him if at all possible, that way you get more brownie points for bringing the food. Take things slow, first let him get used to the fact that you bring the food. Then after a week or so start staying a little bit after you bring him his food. Keep upping the time you spend with him until you can be in there for a while, sitting in a chair so you are more his size. Trust me, once you get to this stage he will start to get curious about you. Put a bucket with a few treats in it a few feet away from you. Don't try to touch him till he starts to feel comfortable around you, and when you do, move slow and steady and go for his shoulder, not his butt or face.

Good luck!

 

[targetsmom]

Great that you got him out of a bad situation and will do right by him! Is there anyone nearby that could help you with him? It would be much safer and training will likely go easier, as said above, if there are two people. Do you happen to have an Agri-science high school anywhere nearby? We have had great luck getting student help from our local High School - the kids get dropped off on the bus after school and most have had plenty of horse experience. We do pay them, but they also need a certain number of hours on a "project" and this sounds like something some student might like. Good luck with him.