Different riders handle pushy horses according to their unique personalities. Some people are more prone to pushing back, while others will back off immediately. The correct response to a pushy horse is somewhere in between, but it is important for riders to understand the behavior and the best ways to correct it.
A pushy horse will engage in a number of behaviors, which include:
- Pushing people or objects with their noses
- Crowding handlers while walking to and from the barn
- Following other horses too closely on the trail
- "Leaning" on handlers or other horses
- Refusing to lunge on a circle
In order to cure a pushy horse, riders must learn how to establish boundaries with horses. Much as a person would ask others to respect his or her "personal bubble", riders must ask their horses to respect personal space.
Identify the Behavior
As with any problem encountered while training horses, riders should first inventory the problem. What behaviors does the horse exhibit, and when do they surface most frequently? Make a list of the times the horse engages in pushy behavior, as well as the times and circumstances.
For example: some horses have trouble respecting boundaries around feeding time. Others might get pushy when the rider starts grooming or tacking up. It is also a good idea to determine whether the pushy horse exhibits these behaviors with everyone, or if it is limited to one rider or handler.
Control the Circumstances
It is difficult to train the pushy horse when riders are not prepared for the behavior when it occurs. Therefore, riders should focus on controlling the circumstances surrounding the behavior. For example, the rider should halter the horse immediately upon entering a stall or paddock so he or she has control of the horse's head.
This way, if the horse exhibits a negative behavior, the rider can react immediately with a jerk on the lead rope or a swat on the chest. Establishing boundaries with horses is much easier when the rider initiates consistent reactions to certain behaviors.
React to the Problem
The worst thing a rider can do with a pushy horse is not react. If the rider is troubled by a horse who doesn't respect personal boundaries, it is essential to communicate displeasure to the horse as quickly as possible. This might mean backing the horse up quickly, jerking the lead rope, swatting the chest or shoulder—the exact reaction depends on the individual rider's preference.
For example, some horses will refuse to lunge on a circle because they crave human contact. They are comforted by the close proximity of a human, and venturing out onto the round pen rail on their own is scary.
In this case, punishment is not necessary, but reaction is definitely required. The rider should walk the horse out to the circle and step back quickly, creating immediate distance. A second lunge line can be used to drive the horse, which will control both the inside and outside vertices.
Similarly, with a pushy horse who crowds his handler when being led, the handler should work to create distance between himself and the horse. When the horse ventures too close, the handler should immediately pull the lead rope away from his body, forcing the horse outward on the lead line.
Reward Good Behavior
A pushy horse is not a bad horse; in most cases, horses with trouble establishing boundaries are simply not sufficiently confident to allow their handlers personal space. Therefore, when the horse exhibits good behavior, the rider or handler must immediately issue a reward.
This does not mean the horse should get a sugar cube each time he lunges correctly or walks without crowding. A gentle word of praise or a stroke of the neck is more than sufficient to communicate a rider's pleasure.
Laura Thompson - Laura Thompson is a horseback riding instructor and freelance writer living in Houston, Texas. She is proud to be the feature writer for ...
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