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Horse Problem Questions & Answers

Proud Cut Gelding

" Proud cut 4 year old gelding..."

Hi,

I have looked at several websites, e-mailed and talked to horse people, regarding our 4 year old gelding. No one has been able to come up with any ideas. Our horses name is Blaze, we found him last October, the people we bought him from said he was pretty much ready to ride, but no one except their 10yr old had been in the saddle, and that was with his dad holding the rope.

Our problem starts with when our mare comes into season, Blaze acts just like a stallion. In fact from a distance, everyone thinks he is one by the way he acts. In this time he acts like he forgot everything. We haven't ridden him yet. He was still growing when we brought him home. I don't think he will ever be big enough to handle my husband and that is the person he minds. Blaze is tall, but small framed. We have been working with Blaze and he is calmer, but has a mind of his own. We were told that he was more then likely, " Proud Cut" . This doesn't make our position any easier.

When the mare is in season, only Jeff (my husband) can handle him. I only deal with his behavior when I go to get the mare out of the big pen, for my daughter to ride. Our kids 10 & 8 years, were told they couldn't go in any of the pens with him. For no reason my son and I were walking through the main pen, when Blaze came up behind my son and reared up to kick him, I was close enough to push Blaze, knocking him off balance. Blaze does not care for the kids at all, he will charge, kick and bite. My son has nothing to do with horses, even more so since the tangle with Blaze. Everyone says he is to old to teach and that he is dangerous with the two small kids around. Since the mare went out of season, we have calmed him down a 100%, but trying the most simple things is a lot of work. He acts like he is bored right off, but he still will follow you around the pen. Blaze is not afraid of anything! He is the first, with no help to be in line for his shots. He won't lunge, even using a stick, rope across his back legs, even smacking him in the rear, he just turns and looks at you like he's bored.

The things we have ran into, horse people out here have never heard of. Some suggestions are harsh, we don't care for that approach. Other horse trainers either don't respond or tell us to get their startup kit. We have trained horses before and we know the basics, but they just don't work on Blaze. From the letters on your website from other people, you seem to care more then the majority of horse trainers. I have watched videos and read books and articles in magazines and on websites.  There is more to Blaze, then what I have written you. I thought I better keep is short. We love this animal, even though everyone has said he needs to go. We are not ready to give up!!! If you could suggest or even tell me a little more about some of your videos, so I can see if they would cover our problem it would greatly help.

Thanks for you time,

Linda

Dear Linda:

Tough situation and my first inclination would be to sell the horse before someone gets hurt badly. Some horses just aren't right, period, the end. But if you insist on staying with it I'll make some suggestions. First and foremost read over the three Western Horseman articles at the news/press link on my site. The 7 Steps outlined are the approach I take with all horses and it works remarkably well with about 98% of horses. The " Getting Started Package" will give you the tools and information to do it right.

All horses test all humans just like kids. Blaze needs to find out that you will succeed. So begin with something at which you can succeed and when you've both accomplished the task at hand, reward him lavishly. Big praise. Then add something to it. Just like a surly kid in grade school with a real attitude, if you can direct that energy into something positive, you can both feel good about it and that is exactly what my program is about - using energy constructively to promote you and your horse's safety.

Now, when he's being a jerk, you have to be the bigger jerk. I reprimand horses by backing them aggressively with the lead just under the chin and making a progressively louder shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh noise. Back the horse 10-15 steps with a backward jerking motion. This usually really gets a horse's attention. Let it sink in for 30 seconds. Don't hold a grudge just start over like nothing happened, but be prepared. If your timing is good he'll decide to be a good boy. Make sure you provide a nice place which  I call the " white zone." Conversely, there is a " black zone" that is no fun, uncomfortable, painful, if necessary. If you can have your plan together and have good timing, you can fix a horse real fast.

Good Luck and let me hear about it.

Safe Riding,

Frank Bell

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