Just a suggestion. He should be backing while you lead with a thumb not pressing on his chest and the word back and praise when he does. Do this a few times before mounting. Praise then ask him to back a few steps.
As with all trainng you never do the same thing twice. So forwards the next time, etc.
I would try just getting on, sitting there, and then getting off. Don’t ask him to do anything else but stand there. Once he gets to the point that that is his new normal, one step forward, (or back, as Suzie suggested) then off - rinse, repeat. Do all of your work on the ground first, solidify the driving and make mounting the end of the lesson. Just change his mind about what it means when you get on. And do all this without anyone else present or helping. Let your connection get solid too.
I second everything @CBoylen said here! I would definitely eliminate the handler, most of the time it hurts you more than it helps. The only time I’ve found another person to be useful is to pony the horse getting started……but that person and pony horse would work extensively with the horse first before I jumped on.
I would work on getting him to disengage his hind end and also move out while laying over him. It’s alarming to me that his first instinct is to leap around when you first get on and it makes me think you’re missing something.
I may be off base, but I would probably be a little more aggressive with this one on the ground with manners and paying attention to me….especially if he understand what you’re asking and is just flipping you the bird to stare at mares. When you’re working with him, you have to be the leader of the herd and you definitely aren’t right now.
Sometimes the baby boy Warmbloods are babies for a loooong time. I’ve got a 3yo that sounds a bit like yours except not studdish.
Last spring he learned to lunge, respond to voice commands, and do some basic ground driving quickly and easily; and although he was quiet about being ridden he was just not ready for more than walking u/s.
I turned him back out in the field and will start him up again in the fall and see how it goes. The colts can take longer than the fillies to mature, both mentally and physically. Maybe he’s done all he can for now and just needs a few months off to grow up a bit.
Good luck!
I think there’s a reason why in Europe, it’s more common (or seems to me, anyway) to back the babies in the fall of their 3-year old year, then turn them out for another six months or so to mature.
I rode a five-year old warmblood a lot like this one - not mentally mature, wanted to test everyone. I only rode him for a couple of months before they moved him to an eventing barn (where they fried him asking too much, too soon). It took a LOT to get him to listen, and he was already fairly solid under saddle.
I never started a young horse where I didn’t have a very trusted and experienced person on the ground. That person was in charge for the first several times under saddle as the young horse got used to my weight and movement. They were also solid on lunging and voice commands. I would use the aids in conjunction with the voice commands. Gradually, the lunge line would be taken away, but not until the youngster was solid.
With yours, I would absolutely second the idea of ground driving him for another couple of months. Then turn him out for the winter, and let him grow up a bit. In the spring, continue lunging/ground driving him for a bit more, then start light under saddle work.
I never backed my babies until they were three, then turned them out for the winter with only some ground work during the cold months. He sounds to me like he’s still got A LOT of testosterone raging and needs some discipline about respecting the space of any human. I’d be very sure of that, and do way more ground driving until he’s very comfortable in the bit and bridle. Always lunge before you ride until you’re sure all the wiggles are out. The idea of someone else in the arena on a quiet horse is interesting, regardless, it sounds like your guy is too young for what you’re asking. I would do way more in the line of teaching manners and respect on the ground, and solidifying the driving.
My mare is the perfect babysitter for the young and green, but I would not risk her wth a youngster like OP’s. And I agree with those who say get very basic ground manners, and then turn him out for the winter.
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