any suggestions?

[SilverCharm]

Hey. My pony is calm when I ride her around the pasture and on trails heading away from it, but when I start to go back towards the pasture she gets really "worked up". She rounds her head, chomps on the bit, and takes short, quick steps. When I ask her to stop, she side steps. I do get frustrated and part of the problem is probably me. I just want her to be calm. Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[msscamp]

Based on your description of the problem it sounds like she is barn sour. I would let her go almost all the way back to the barn and then turn her around and take her away from the barn. Do this as many times as in necessary until she calms down.

PS You may want to further explore the forum as there is a horse boards on this forum that would be more suitable for this type of question as it more horse knowledgeable people would see it.

PS Welcome to the boards!

 

[taranr2002]

Well I have had lots of horses with all kinds of problems over the years, this is a common problem and its easy to fix if you do it soon the longer it goes on the harder it is to fix. The best ways to fix it or prevent it are never run your horse home, don't form a pattern, try to go different ways and when the horse starts acting up turn them around and take them back out. And never let them think they got there way.

 

[msscamp]

Something else that will wear a horse out quick is to trot them up and down summer fallows or heavy sand. It takes the starch out of their sheets pretty quick and tends to make them more receptive to what you are teaching/asking. Just make sure you are teaching/asking properly or you may end up with a whole new set of problems.

 

[J]

I have gone as far as stoping 50 yards short of the barn, get off and loosen the saddle and just stand there and let the horse blow for a few minutes (calm down) then I led them back to the barn at my pace. But there are probably a hundred different ways to handle it. Just keep your cool in whatever way you try to solve the problem because thats half the battle in my opinion when you are training something. Always be patient. Good Luck

 

[fellersbarnoneranch]

Remember to plan for plenty of "training time" at the end of your ride. It's awful easy to say (when you're tired or in a hurry) that you'll start working on the issue next time. Save yourself plenty of patience and energy for the end of your time together.

 

[Muratic]

Barn sour horses tend to run back into the barn for their stalls, so always remember to shut the barn doors when you head out for your ride. Otherwise, be looking for a good hand hold in the rafters and lose the stirups before hand. Don't ask me how I know

 

[TXBobcat]

First off, as others have said, I never like to run a horse back to the barn. Always take it slow and easy. When I have a horse that is "barn sour", I will come to a complete stop when I get in sight of the barn and just make the horse stand. When they get figidity, then I turn them away and make them go the opposite direction a ways and then face up to the barn direction again and just stand. This may go on for 15-30 minutes, but I won't let them walk towards the barn until they have stood for a while and I have finally queued them to go.

And finally, when we do get home, it's time to work. I make them lope laps in a circle and work on reining and such until they are handling pretty good, and then we will stop for the day.

A barn sour horse believes that rest is at the barn, so I beleive you have to convince them that is not true, and there is no need to be in a hurry to get back.

 

[TAMARACKREG]

Much good advice. Also, no treats when you get back. Don't reward your horse for getting you home sooner.[/quote]

 

[msscamp]

Barn sour horses tend to run back into the barn for their stalls, so always remember to shut the barn doors when you head out for your ride. Otherwise, be looking for a good hand hold in the rafters and lose the stirups before hand. Don't ask me how I know

LOL!!! While I haven't had the 'pleasure' of that particular experience, I have come way to close to being wiped off the back of my horse because I didn't shut the trailer gate while working cows in the pasture. Talk about a fully trailer-broke horse!! I didn't make that mistake twice!!

 

[tapeworm]

Do like everbody else said and dont run to the barn or pasture where you keep your horse. Id stop feeding there to if I was you...feed somewhere else. I like to go PAST the barn with young horses when Im done riding...then when you get back to the barn work work work...make the barn or pasture a place they associate with work sweat and being tied out...youve got to be the boss. Good luck to you

 

[Wilson_Cattle_Company]

yepp barn sour!! I can cure that in a hurry.....

Don't ever run the horse back to the barn and dont let it run back... EVER! When you turn around to go home and the horse knows the horse will speed up. Everytime the horse speeds up with out command turn the horse around and go away from the barn. Everytime you turn the horse around never take it the same distance away from the barn and turn around back for the barn take the horse further away everytime you have to repeat and do it slowly! Go ride around somewhere else for a minute then turn the horse around. Repeat this over and over until the horse is done acting up.

hope this helps.

 

[Missyclare]

It sounds like your horse is barn sour, but you are only having to deal with the last half of the problem. Atleast you got the horse to leave the barn in the beginning. The fact that she is bunched up and dancing tells me 2 things. She's not listening to you and she is in a preliminary explosion mode. Do not stand still, that will bring on the explosion faster. Keep moving and asking her to keep busy and listen to you. When you reach the end of your ride, don't just turn around and head right back to the barn. Widen the turn enough so that it's a gentle one facing the horse back home. Sometimes an abrupt turn for home can be a pinch point in the horse's mind and cause and explosion right there, so try to turn wide enough that the horse doesn't realize that he is heading for home. I would also be doing turns around trees or doing circles and taking advantage of anything along the trail to keep the horse listening to me. Doing exercises to teach the horse how to speed up and slow down in the same gait as well. Once the horse starts to speed up for the barn, just turn him in a 10' circle and keep the circle going until he slows down and starts listening to you, but keep moving, don't stop facing the barn, waiting for an explosion to happen, put him to work, make him listen. I'd come out of the circle at a walk and let him straighten out heading for the barn and see what happens. If he speeds up, circle him again, until he gets the message. It may take some time, but keep circling and once you get a level, fluid walk, let him walk out of it heading home. I also have pegged some apple trees en route to give the horse something to look forward to as we go. Makes the ride more pleasurable for both of us, instead of Point A to Point B. Hope this helps!

 

[Linda]

Circling is the cure I was taught by our trainer. And, it works. The circles we make are very small ones. "No roundabouts!" our trainer friend called to me one day. I asked what he meant, and he explained that larger circles where the horse can just walk around aren't as much work for the horse. Make very small circles, using a tug and realease action on the inside rein. Pull on the rein, then release the pressure when the horse yields and starts to circle. Use leg cues, as well, if your horse is trained for them. Continue in a small circle, but watch very, very carefully for your horse to flex his neck and bring his head around toward your toe, even touching your toe. The instant the horse flexes and gives to you, walk him out of the circle. If he continues to walk, praise him. If he takes even one step into a trot or anything other than a walk, instantly turn him in a circle. It's very important to always walk your horse out of a circle . . . never let him just stop when you complete a circle. It's also very important to start a circle with the first step the horse takes that's not a walk . . . don't wait for two or three steps. Also, don't always turn in the same direction. The theory behind this is that circles are work for your horse. If you do this carefully, he will soon understand that when he doesn't focus on you, he has to work. His reward is to walk out of the circle.

Another suggestion, is to always, always back your horse when you stop him. Back until his head bobs down - this is a sign your horse is yielding to you and acknowledging you as his herd leader. The instant his head bobs down, drop your reins on his neck, giving him full and instant relief from the bit. If he walks off after backing and stopping, immediately circle him.

Backing shifts your horse's weight onto his hindquarters. He is less likely to just walk off after you stop him if you always back him. Backing also gives you a safer horse to ride. If you have a horse that knows how to back well, and who knows he is always going to back up when he stops, he will respond much better to your command to stop.

The best of luck to you. I think you can solve this problem, but it will take very consistent work on your part. If you decide to do the circles, at first they will drive you crazy. But, you will wind up with a horse that is a pleasure to ride in any direction.