Common issues

What common issues do you regularly come across or have problems with yourself? For instance Float loading seems to be a pretty common prob for many... catching small ponies seems to be another popular one!

Post up what you come across more frequently...

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There is never a music so sweet as a soft whinney at dawn

Hmmm interest thread!!!

Personally with one of mine leading and biting is a common problem! He's a very in your face horse and can get quite hot at times. He constently has to have something in his mouth and is ALWAYS trying to bite.
I think its essentual for people to really brush up on how to lead horses and to teach their horses about personal space. I've had my horse three years and only now I've nuckled down and told him who's boss as we've had some very hairy moments where he's just gone straight over me when being stupid. Ground manners is a must and everything else follows from there.

Hi there.
Has anyone else had this problem?
I picked up a horse ( 17h thoroughbred) from a farm a while ago who needed a new home. I was going to re-train him as he had a few issues and give him to someone.
He went on the float beautifully and off we went.
When we got home he wouldn't get off!!!!!
It was a stinking hot day and he was sweating and shaking.
Took the divider out to make it easier for him but no go. He kept trying to turn around which was getting dangerous as he was a "big" boy.
It took 45 minutes with 2 people in the front of the float pushing and 2 people at the back pulling on long ropes attached to his halter to get him off.
Felt so sorry for him but it seemed like the only way.
He's since died as he ran through a post and rail fence and broke his neck, very, very sad.
But that's another story.
Just wondering if anyone else has had this problem and how did they deal with it.
PS: I've even asked Monty Roberts when he came to town and he couldn't answer.

Yes I have this problem with one of mine.
He must of had a little incident in the past where he would of backed off and gotten a fright from something, he too tried turning around. In your case it would of been better to let him turn around safely and then work on the training after.

I went back to basics. I went through and re-teached him everything he knew but really brushed up on the backing up until I was satisfied. This also helped with his general float training too.
Now he backs up on cue but still is nervous when backing out and races off. So I move into the other bay and open the devider, standing next to him I just give him the verbal cue to back up and put NO pressure on his halter at all as this could cause him to throw his head etc.
If he starts to stress I ask him to WOAH. Sometimes he'll come off slowly and sometimes he'll race back and throw his head up, but it just all takes time.

My mare shalua is the same.
the trip in which she came to me (she is a rescue mare) is the first time she had been on a float and the girl is easily 16.2. poor thing didnt know which way to go and in the end we had to use two lunge lines across her chest and thru a rug circingle to put presure on her every time she went forward and release whenever she stepped back. it took 30 min but atleast she didnt get hurt.
the big fun part is going to be gettingher on a float again.

I too have had my fair share of float problems and it seems that mostly time and patiance are the two most important things. It's always a good idea to have the horse's favorite treats on hand, a few experianced horse people around to help out and above all, take plenty of time to show the horse that the float is safe. If your equine won't come out, by all means remove the central barrier and the chest bar. Step back, let the horse work it out for it's self and be ready to assist in any way possible. Even if it takes a few hours every time, stick to regular float training and try to give your horse some enjoyable outtings..like a beach trip.

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Tora Macaw. Atarashi Welsh ponies, Shenlong Cosplay club. Expect the best from yourself, or no one else will.

Enjoyable outings like a beach trip? Laughing

My horse thought the sea was one VERY huge monster trying to gobble him up!!! Poor guy thought he was going to be sucked in haha.

Tip for those who are having trouble getting their horses to load. I've just taught my warmblood to self load after all attemps to have him load being led up failed but he took extremely well to self loading. Unloading is still a problem, personally I wouldn't move the centre devider as I did this on the weekend and he shot off the side of the ramp (the opposite side) which is highly dangerous. In the future I'll leave the centre divider put so he learns to come out straight and not sidewards.

Mr Malfoy thought well if i cant beat it.. i will eat it and every time we go to the beach he tries to drink the sea dry LOL.

Lol that is sweet.

it is till he chews through the power cord for the stable lighting, destroys a camera, a phone and a cd player or 2 LOL

My little guy hates float's.

To get my horse to my house the last owners had to use a cattle truck! and aparently that was bad enough! I don't have a float but every time one was around i tried to show him that it wouldn't hurt him, not even being able to get 10 feet near the float. Then one day we had a float that just dropped off a new horse and i thought this was a perfect way to show that it wasn't going to hurt him because a horse came out fine like 20 mins ago, this being said he walked straight up the ramp and into the float!!!!! i pulled him out and put him back in and he was fine, no rearing or nothing! he is usually a very calm and gentle boy and has pigrutted three times in over a year and never reared, so even though he is normally calm he hates floats, but he is soo scared of them. This float didn't even have feed in it, so maybe i caught him on a good day. Or maybe it shows that gentle persistions and no force or pressure can set a horse down the right path.

Last edited by robbin'charisma on Thu Apr 17, 2008 9:42 pm; edited 1 time in total

I've found in the past, that allowing PLENTY of time ahead of floating, is essential. Usually when you're on a schedule to get to that show, or meet with people down the beach, or just trying to get a move on somewhere, then that's when little floating issues become bigger problems.

My sister had a horse which was terribly frightened of loading. She invested in two weeks worth of loading lessons with a reputable instructor, just to load & unload. The 'program' also included a few trips to local riding areas where the horse was tied up next to the float, also one local pony club rally (without participating) and a few trips round the neighbourhood with another horse. A few people thought she was crazy paying for lessons which didn't involve her actually riding, but she swore that those lessons were the best investment!! Now her horse self loads, and he just sees it as another mundane routine.

Fortunately, my guy self loads onto floats, and travels well.

It's kangaroos though ... they're his real nightmare! He's convinced that they're carnivorous, and reacts accordingly. At best, he'll see them from a distance and tap dance his way past them with his head in the clouds, he'll grow another hand taller and huff & puff along. At worst (ie if one appears unexpectedly on a trail) he'll spin, and take off in a frenzy if I'm not quick to take the lead.

We attended a cross country clinic once which was held on a lovely 50 acre paddock. Gently undulating green hills with visable, sensible jumps. Only catch: the odd kangaroo loitering about in the distance!! It was quite funny though - we'd be rolling along in a comfortable gallop towards the next jump and he'd have his eye on the kangaroo (miles away) and he'd be fixed on him until about 5 or 6 strides out from the fence. Then he'd be like: "Oh - a jump, ok" then immediately afterwards he'd be: "Now where was that scarey animal again"?

LoL. I know we are meant to be talking about floating here, but the comments about the kangaroo's gave me a good laugh and is an all too commomn fear amoung equines. My welsh pony Chouji is absolutly convinsed that they are T Rex's in disguise!

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Tora Macaw. Atarashi Welsh ponies, Shenlong Cosplay club. Expect the best from yourself, or no one else will.

He he he, I wonder what it is about those Kangaroos, eh?
Honestly, I could ride my horse down Tonkin hwy and he wouldn't batt an eyelid. But one little skippy miles away in the distance on top of a hill ... and it's all over red rover!

*Competition post 3*

haha kangaroos lol, i have many a story about those evil creatures...
sometimes they just "appear" and my 4yo tb doesnt even care, but yesterday, i went out for a ride alone, and she saw a kangaroo from quite a while away, and went OMG!!!, but then just kept walking forard no fuss as if she forgot aboput it, but then, after walking about another 20 metres, she "saw" it again haha, *spooked*, and she was fine again, then IT MOVED and scared the hell out of her, shes a funny one and those kangaroos do really tend to appear out of nowhere!! and always when i'm daydreaming or just not concentrating hahaha, ive seen some horses go absolutely MENTAL when they see a roo

*post #1*

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