i have a 5yr old gelding
as a baby he was not handled correctly
and now he is a very untrusting horse
he does a lot of nervous snorting and its just obvious hes very nervous about everything
how do i make him into a more trusting, and calmer horse
hes slowly coming along, but its getting difficult, and the process is so slow
it gets hard to stay positive
any help would be greatly appreciated
Let me tell you a story.
I have a Quarter Horse, Cheyanne. She was broke the "old fashioned" way out in Alberta.
The farmer that trained her, used a barb wire bit to start her head-carriage. Her tongue was completely severed and sewn back on. She was tied to a donkey for TWO MONTHS. This was how she was tought to lead.
She was tied to a pole, and beaten with shovels, buckets and tires. This was how she was de-spooked.
She was then branded and shipped to Ontario.
That was nearly ten years ago, and to this day, she is terrified of men.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com She will kick, bite and attack anything in her way if a man comes near her.
She is posessive of her stall, and no matter who you are, if you come in, you will get kicked, and she will not stop.
She could be ridden very basically (walk, jog, lope), until I started working with her.
Two years ago this horse placed top ten at the world-champion All American Quarter Horse Congress.
With a little bit of patience, anything is achievable. She is just an example of what consistence and baby-steps can do.
It took nearly two years, but I am hard pressed to find a horse worth the same amount as this mare.
Some horses only bond to one thing at a time, obviously something has traumatized your gelding before, and it is very possible that you will be the only rider for him.
Just keep working him consistently. Leave saddle pads on his stall door some nights, sometimes a saddle, gradually move to a mirror (not in the stall but so he can see himself-tends to be effective in overcoming fear of their own shadow) and take him out as much as possible.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com I cannot stress enough how important it is to be consistent.
Good luck with your gelding, dont give up on him.
Trust is the main thing.
Dylan James
AQHA NBHA
Because horses are prey animals they dont like to be approached directly especial if they are untrusting, To gain His trust quickly sit at the side of his pen dont approach him or square your body up to him just sit and wait for him to approach you, when he does dont touch his face horses that are untrusting dont want to be touch they want you to respect then a mistake people commonly make, just walk around him and make sure he stays calm, ive him a pat and talk to him softly after a while you can start running you hand on his back or brush on him, altho this seems like a slow beginning process, but it will help greatly in gaining his trust and he will come around faster after he trusts you.
