Help! Gelding aggressive toward strange horses on the trail (sorry, LONG!)

[TownesThatBigChestnu]

Just getting back into riding after 20 yrs. I don’t feel “New To Horses” but it’s like I’m New To Riding, or at least riding in this decrepit 45yr old body!

After a blissful summer of floppy-rein solo trail rides, the other day Townes went crazy when he saw 3 horses out on our “daily” trails. We were on the last stretch of a relaxing walk when he saw the other horses way off in the distance through the trees. At first he froze & watched them a minute, then started snorting and stomping, then bucking, backing, spinning & even got a little light in the fronts as they say.
(He’s pokey & not very coordinated, so the quality of his bucks etc leave something to be desired, thank God. I almost felt left out of the equation, it was like he went crazy seeing the horses and gave me no thought)

After that 10min ordeal, they were right close by. I tried to be firm but calming, they stood quietly to give me a chance to collect him, but he basically marched over to them ears pinned and put on a studdy show, snorting, backing, going sideways…ridiculousness.

Finally got him semi-calmed down and followed a little ways behind them and got us home. As soon as they went off toward their barn, he relaxed immediately like it never happened.

A cpl wks ago I was out at the State Park with my barnmates on our normally floppy rein ride when we ran into 2 of their friends on the trail. We rode along with them for an hour, and Townes was an ass the whole time, unlike him. He was all over the place, agitated, snorting, ears… I could tell he didn’t like the other horses. I figured he was just being possessive of “his mares” and didn’t like strange geldings around. He was perfect as soon as we split off. Put a damper on the ride for me and my too-polite-to-say-so friends.
It was no fun but wasn’t an all out nutty like the other night when we were alone.

I did stay on. Love my Aussie poleys!

He is 16, and has lived at his own 6 stall barn since he was born. He’s head of his 4mare herd with one other very aged gelding who is low man. Other than some ears at the old guy, he’s not studdy at his barn, he’s kind of dopey and lazy lol. I think he has seen other horses come & go but he has always been the king. But now he’s being studdy to random horses on the trails?

The only other recent thing is a new mare came and there was a big shake up and new alpha mare (his “new gf”)

We have passed horses once or twice while riding in a group & he never flinched. Both incidents happened in the last 2 wks. The other night was the first time we have run into horses alone on our “everyday” trail.

Supposed to be going out this beautiful wkend (nothing like foliage in MA) but running into other horses is on public trails isn’t something I can control.

Advice? Ideas?
I love this horse and he was the best behaved one out there all summer (in the heat!)

[AKB]

My horse is a jerk in a group, particularly if the other horses are jumping and he is not being allowed to jump. If I pass a group of horses on the trail, he is fine. He is obnoxious if I stop to talk with the other riders and then ride away from them. This seems to be getting better over time.

[SuckerForHorses]

Sounds like he gets excited with other horses, and he shows this by the carrying on like an A-hole, which is exactly what my gelding does. He is getting better the more we ride with groups.

[reubenT]

horse thinks he’s herd boss, and has to prove it to every new horse that comes along. Person needs to be herd boss and assert it. Which is what all the NH teachers are trying to get across, some better than others.

[Hampton_Bay]

When my gelding makes ugly faces in an actually threatening way, he gets a growl and/or a sharp smack on the side closest to the horse he’s being rude to. I make sure I carry my whip in the hand between him and the other horse so I’m ready. That behavior can escalate to getting someone hurt and I don’t tolerate it.

[candyappy]

Were there mares present every time? He needs to be disciplined for this behavior. If you can find someone brave enough to ride with you , on a horse he doesn’t like, in a controlled setting ( arena) it would be safer for you to address this issue.

I agree he feels the need to establish his dominance. Also how hard do you work him and how often? If he is getting good feed and just plodding along mostly when you ride, he will have energy to burn when exciting conditions come up.

[katarine]

The horse has too much free time available to him.

[mountainhorse]

It’s hard to give advice on a training problem so specific, with so many variables involved, but off hand, I would say to ‘put him to work’ if he wants to tune you out and pay attention to other horses on the trails. Ask for ‘something’-transitions, circles, etc. keep him moving and focused on a job. IMO, the worst thing you can do it ‘feed it’ by letting them stand still (or try to get them to ‘stand still’) and look at whatever ‘it’ is. If their focus is elsewhere, it helps.

[pAin_t_Misbehavin]

I also own a horse-aggressive gelding. My advice? Sweat the small stuff.:yes: He doesn’t get to so much as pin an ear at another horse when you’re around without an immediate response from you. I usually respond to an ear pin with a growl, and if those ears don’t do a 180 right that second, he gets put to work, or a smack, or something that convinces him I am way more important than that other horse.

Mine still cuts a shine when he’s loose around other horses (which is only on the other side of a fence) but he knows when the human shows up it’s time to cut it out.

You’ve really got to get a handle on this behavior. Not just to stop the aggression, important as that is, but because you’re absolutely right when you say he left you out of the equation and gave you no thought. It’s not safe at all for you to be on a horse who forgets about you. Ask me how I know this!

Don’t know about you - for me, I wasn’t experienced enough at the time to address this behavior myself, so my horse and I went to a good trainer who started rebuilding our relationship from the ground (literally) up. Best thing I ever did for both of us.

[goeslikestink]

work him- ride him like you mean it,
as in be assertive and confident-- mate ahorse will push your buttons easily if your a sweet push over and talk to him like in baby talk as in nampby pamby coo coo stuff, horses are not stupid 1- hes got your no by how you act with him

so change it------- my horses when ever i get a new in or when i am out be riding as in hacking in company or alone
i am boss----------- that means i pick up the contact and say right ho of we go

horses like firm direct signals when they do well they like pats and scratches as in happiness liek they done a good round or work well be that out or in big pat and jolly voice and say - well done

if hes naughty then deep voice and say no as in NO and mean it

your voice is your biggest asset and aid
so useyour tones and pitches well

dont go out with floppy reins -------- as hes in control then ---------
pick your contact up and mean bisness

this horse has your no and will for ever have it unless you change your style of riding him

keep him on a low or cool mix so not anything with high energy on it so it keeps calmer and blooming work him

you got a horse they love work and direct signals - so use him
horses have 2 fear factors 1 is to flee the 2nd is to advade you be that ridden driven or handled

hesitation, causes a doubt, lack of confidence causes a doubt, mismatch of signals causes a doubt etc--------- a doubt in all cuases confusion a that causes a fear factor

when one rides --------- with floppy reins who’s in control not you mate you have given your horse the advantage to be naughty and thats what he is naughty

[Snowdenfarm]

Dr. Deb Bennett has a great ebook on this. Well, not this specifically, but about getting and keeping the horse’s attention on you. It is called the Birdie Book, as birdie is her metaphor for their focus. www.equinestudies.org