Franklin Levinson's
Horse Help Center
Professional support for you and your horse!
Stubborn or afraid?
HELLO FRANKLIN,
I HAVE A 12 YEAR OLD MARE THAT DOES OKAY FOR A WHIILE SHE STOPS IN HER TRACKS, I CAN TURN HER HEAD LEFT AND RIGHT NO LUCK SHE WILL NOT GO. I SMACKED HER ON HER REAR AND SHE BUCKED. HER PREVIOUS OWNERS SAID SHE IS JUST STUBBORN. I NEED TO KNOW HOW TO GET HER GO. IT IS JUST LIKE HER LEGS TURN TO POST SHE WILL NOT MOVE UNITL SHE WANTS TO. I AM A PRETTY NEW RIDER
THANKS
Your horse is not bad, "stubborn," or any such negative human thing. You are judging the horse like it is doing something to you personally and this is extremely unfair and inappropriate. You horse is afraid to move forward when it balks. Its as simple as that. The hard part is for you to stop thinking so negatively about your horse and judging it as 'bad' and to rather get smart and attempt to teach the horse it is safe to do as you request. With your attitude as it is now, you will tend to go to force and try 'make' it happen. This course of action will make things worse for you both.
I strongly suggest and urge you do more than ride your horse. If you play with your horse on the ground and get it going forward on cue really good on the ground (either on a line, at liberty, or when being ground driven), this will assist the horse in trusting your leadership and make it more willing to 'try' to comply with your requests. Sounds like you don't really have much of a relationship with this horse. If you did, you would not be smacking her anywhere. Relationships with horses are formed first and foremost on the ground playing, doing appropriate exercises and games and dealing patiently and skillfully with fear issues that all horses have at some time or another. This is where the training should begin, your training and your horse's training. English riders only think of riding. This is a selfish and narrow view of horsemanship. Learn something about horses themselves NOW. Riding instructors only teach riding (equestrian) skills. They never teach anything about the horse itself. So, when a behavorial problem like your comes up, they tend to say "take charge" - "make her do it" - "take control." This way of looking at challenges with horses is narrow, unfair and inappropriate. This does a huge dis-service to their students and the horses in their care.
I would advise you purchase some training dvd's (your English riding friends will turn their noses up at western trainers) by gentle, efficient trainers. Many good ones are found in the backs of all horse magazines. I have several in my shopping corral that would prove very helpful to you. Learn the mind of a horse, get some knowledge based in the reality of equines and not projections of some individual with limited experience, erroneous opinions and big egos (many English riding instructors). There is so much more to the world of horses than the humans riding them. Mostly this world is never taught or even considered except by a few trainers.
So, in order to resolve your problems, get connected to your horse ON THE GROUND first. Become its trusted leader on the ground by directing all movement on the ground first. You will gain sensitivity and self-awareness, confidence, leadership skills, knowledge about the horse, a great bond and earn the animal's trust and respect. Then when you go to riding, if the problem has not dissappeared completely, it will be greatly deminished and you will have the skill to deal with it appropriately and successfully. I HAVE GIVEN YOU THE TRUTH OF YOUR SITUATION. Its all about trust.
Sincerely, Franklin