Training Tips

QUESTION: I have just purchased a two-year-old colt a few months ago. I have had my first horse for a couple of years now and am not a complete amateur, but I am having a little trouble with this new colt. I knew him when he was a foal and took care of him for about 6 months, until the owner sold him. He is very affectionate, eager to please, and is a quick learner, but does not react well to being handled roughly. Usually he will do what you want him to do if he knows what it is. I've seen his latest owner handle him and whenever the owner takes the lead rope, the horse braces or flinches. (If this doesn't "work out" we had to agree to sell him back to the person we bought him from because he didn't really want to sell him). Since his former owners didn't have time to work with the colt, he is very behind and still doesn't know how to lead properly. Lately, he has taken up trying to bite or nip at the lead rope or at the person leading him. Whenever I slap his shoulder for that, he tries to bite me again. The more I slap him (never on the mouth) it just makes it worse and he just gets scared and is a mess. He has never really gotten his teeth on me but I'm afraid that he is going to eventually. I know this horse is going to be a pleasure to train, but nobody ever taught him wrong from right. I don't wan't to be rough with him but since it gets worse every time he is punished, I don't know what to do. How do I get him to respect me without him freaking out? The funny thing is that he adores my mom. He only acts up bad when she is not around. As soon as she shows up, he turns into an angel. If you have any tips for me, please get back to me. Thank you!

REPLY: Hi. Thanks for writing. I understand all of this. This is typical for an "unstarted" 2-year-old, but you can fix this easily, don't worry. Let me direct you to some links on my web site that will show you step by step what you need to do there now.

As for the nipping, don't slap him on his body, that just: 1) models bad behavior when we want to build trust and them learning good behavior; 2) only plays into a "tag" game that male horses play with each other. Let me show you a better way to discipline him for that and get him stopping that for good, and it's about: moving their feet most importantly. Read this link and follow what you learn there (and read the links within that page as well): Aggressive/Biting/Bratty Stud Colt - Yearling stud colt out of control biting/disrespectful

I fix horses like this all the time, and in just one session often (if the owner then remains consistent with what I've taught them there!), so...know...technically it's a "people problem" (people not knowing properly what to do about it), not a horse problem. Fixed in one session and the horse learns what is expected of them for good.

Follow-up letter later from above writer: Dear Sylvia, Wow! What can I say? Thank you so much for the advice you gave me. Yes, it worked great! My horse is behaving so much better. I did what you told me and he responded really well. I had been doing the back up thing with him that you taught there, and while I was rewarding him, he tried to bite me and I immediately told him to back up. I only had to do that once and he hasn't tried biting again. I am definitely going to continue with the respect method. Thank you so much! God Bless!