Question:
I wanted to ask about my friends arabian gelding that I take care of. I have done Parelli with him and she practices with him a lot. But he is a unique fellow. He is AMAZING one the ground and on his back, just awesome. But he is terrible in his stall, enclosed areas and with food. He has a stall that is open to pasture and he is so sweet and wonderful when you are working with him. As soon as you put him back and he hasn't been worked in a day or so....he starts pinning his ears back and shoving his head toward you and weaving his body toward you. Then he runs off because he is absolutely terrified of everything. He tries to make you tippy toe around him. If you walk in to give him food he pins his ears and tries to tear it from you. I have tried the mirroring him and it works....It just takes him forever to give in and try to change your behavior. Is this the correct thing to do? Should I just give him time and keep doing this? Also when you are in his stall and move to quickly he will hurt himself trying to get away from you if you move too fast...But when he is out of his paddock and is being played with...he is fine. If you move towards him in the pasture he will walk away if he thinks you are going to touch him...but if you do the stick to me...he comes to you. He has never been ill treated by his current owner....but he has lots of trust issues that he is overcoming from his first owner. It has been 7 years though. Should we just stick with this program? We don't tippy toe around him, and he trusts so much when you work with him....either at liberty or online. He just turns into another horse once he gets back into his stall/pasture. I would describe him as an extrovert...even though he has some traits of an introvert. But nobody like him because he acts like such a maniac when anyone he doesn't know comes around and wants to befriend him. He is EXTREMELY intelligent and I think that has a lot to do with his behavior....Can you help?

Answer:
It sounds like you've pegged it... he lacks trust, but he also lacks respect. I would think that he shows behaviors all over the Horsenality Chart which is why he's so complex and challenging to deal with. Even though he may not have been cruelly treated, he is a prey animal and unless you can really help him trust the human he will always default to fear... and more so in a confined environment where he probably feels trapped.

Feeding time brings out the dominant behaviors in horses and it can be dangerous. Watch horses with each other and you'll see that the pecking order is held firm and it can be quite violent. When a horse acts aggressively towards you when you feed, he is telling you that he is number one and you'd better get out the way. I would not even go in the stall with a horse in this frame of mind because it is downright dangerous. Take your Carrot Stick and a flag (plastic bag on the end) and drive him out of the stall and keep him out. Put the feed down and then leave. When you drive dominant horses away they become more submissive, but in order for this to become a new habit you have to do it every day without fail. The one time you allow him to pin his ears again, he'll be working his way back to the top. Horses vote for their leaders every day and leaders have to maintain that position. Any time he puts his ears back, simply drive his front end away and continue to do so until his expression changes and softens. You don't have to be aggressive (that doesn't have positive outcomes with horses) but you do have to be firm. It's a game you need to be able to play very well to win the respect of a horse like this.

Now for the other part of the equation.... his trust. The best way you can build trust is to spend undemanding time with the horse (not near feed of course!) but certainly sitting in his paddock and reading a book and waiting for him to build the confidence to come to you and want more and more to be with you. Some horses take hours to come around. Do at least 30 mins a day and expect nothing. Read a book so he doesn't feel you waiting, that can be too much pressure! Most horses come through within four days, but be prepared for it to take a little longer. Another even more powerful way to get a horse to see you as the most positive thing in his life is to serve him water every day, two or three or four times a day... but don't leave water there for him to take whenever he wants. It doesn't take long for the horse to change his mind about your role in his life, instead of the human being threatening he will start to see you as life-giving. This was one of the ways that Pat tamed a herd of mustangs in three days, to the point that they could confidently and calmly draw blood for analysis in the National Geographic program called America's Lost Mustangs. Of course you don't have to do this forever, but you do it until your horse is calling for you whenever he sees you.

Make no mistake, you are dealing with a challenging situation and you have to use all your savvy. Hopefully you have the Liberty & Horse Behavior dvds as they will help explain the behavior and what to do about them in more detail.

Linda

UK Courses!

If understanding your horse or all the horses in your life is really important the Horsenality Course at Stoneleigh Park, from 12th - 16th May 2008... is the experience you are looking for.

Here are some thoughts as expressed by Linda Parelli in a recent article:

So if you are obsessed with learning more(your not alone!) or dedicated to becoming the best horse human you can be, this week is designed for YOU, click here for your application form and logistics! Spaces limited!

Interested in being a member of the UK Parelli Team August 9-10, 2008?

Ever wondered what it is like behind the scenes? Well here is your opportunity to apply to be a team member click here for conditions and to apply!

As part of our worldwide Volunteer Team you will share some of those special memories and magic moments before, during and after our event.