At last I own a horse -- or he owns me -- at any rate he has my number! He's 7 yrs. old gelding paint. I'm no spring chicken! Yeah, I'm afraid of him! Why? Because he pushes me around. He doesn't kick or bite and will follow me but I know it's because he thinks I'm a feed bag! When I pick up his feet on his right side, he'll push me into a wall, if I let him. Not so bad on his left. I've crawled under his belly more than I want to. I can only brush him when he's eating as he'll continue moving from side to side and won't stand still; then there's the problem of trying to mount, he'll walk away.
I got the info you sent on bonding and as soon as the weather breaks I'll take him to the pen. I've done lots of things wrong; saddle didn't fit, took 4-5 before found the right one, then there was the bit, finally had one made (is this how tack shops go into business?). He was fine when I rode him several times where he was born and broke (an 8 hrs. drive) but the minute he left "HOME", it was trouble. He jumped or crashed an 8 ft. fence. Found him 7 miles away. Figured he was looking for more horses, so moved him to a barn where he'd have buddies. I'm told he's a "perfect gentleman" -- whatever that means, so he must be happier.
There's more -- nothing drastic but we need fixing! Hear you're in Conyers, GA. I've relatives there and I'd make the trip with the horse if you'd help--with everything-- including my self confidence which is shot! Please note I didn't ask price 'cause at this point all I've been doing is writing checks anyway!
People wonder why I have such confidence in working problem horses. I guess that it is because there are really very few new horse problems and I have learned a few things that really work on quite a high percentage of the old horse problems. There are *no* new horse problems, only the individuals involved are new.
There are some variations, but there are only a set amount of horse problems. A bolter bolts for one or more of a pretty much static group of reasons. A bucker bucks for one or more of a pretty much static group of reasons. A rearer rears for one or more of a pretty much static group of reasons. After awhile you get pretty good at zeroing in on the why.
Can I cure all horse problems? No. There are some that I can't cure, but I *can* cure enough of them so that people think I can cure them all.
There are some problems I know in a New York second that I can cure. And this is one of them. I can tell because I have heard these thoughts expressed so many times from horse owners in the same boat. Since horses, for the most part, are horses, when I hear these thoughts expressed, I know, just from the info in this post, I can cure ALL the problems covered in this post in about an hour. Take it to the bank. Guaranteed.
How do I know that? Because this, pure and simple, is a respect issue. We have someone whose confidence is in the dumper because "At last she owns a horse" and the "horse has her number". As so often happens with horses, the positions get switched. In effect, as she so aptly puts it, she has become a "feed bag". When this has happened, the cure is to switch the balance back. Do that, and the respect issue based problems disappear.
We do that by interacting with the horse using natural genetically predisposed herd dynamics. We in effect, act like a *horse* who will not put up with being treated in a disrespectful manner simply because it never occurs to her to do so. In such situations, the horse that comes out on top is the one who will prevail and the other defers. The horse that comes out on top is almost always the one who is the most determined to come out on top.
Because we are capable of progressive thinking (this act will lead to this one), and horses are static thinkers (I'm mad! I'll punish!), we can direct the outcome so that we prevail in this, for lack of a better set of words, battle of wills. Horses are genetically predisposed to defer to the prevailer in such situations.
As I said earlier, *I* can cure this in about an hour. That will take care of the horse. Under my direction, in person, it will take the owner a little longer, but I guarantee the owner will be able to do it just as certainly as I can. *THAT* will take care of the owner *and* the horse. The owner gets the confidence that says, "*I* will call the shots!", the horse recognizes that confidence and RESPECTS it.
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