jumpy/ run away help…

[PeytonM]

I tried the search and didn’t really find what I was looking for so if someone would be able to help me with my most resent issue.

As some of you may know I got another team. They are a mare gelding team of Belgians. both turn 7 this year. I got them from a local guy I’ve became friends with. I drove them a hand full of times out at his place doing work and things seem to be real good. I fell in love with the Mare. she’s 16.2ish and gives every last bit of what she’s got in to working. she pushes to work very hard and an amazing horse.

the  team mate and problemed horses is about 17H and is a little jumpy in harness, out side of harness out in the pasture hes pretty easy going. he is a little jumpy if he doesn’t see you coming walking up, I dont know if he doesn’t listen around him what. I know hes not deaf. as soon as I get him in harness as soon as you touch his heal chains or hook them, do anything behind him to make noise he wants to take off. Thus he did the last time I hitched, It was on a white oak bob sled and I just went to step on the sled and off they went. I’m going to say its mainly the geldings fault because the mare I feel pays a lot of attention to the teamster. There was no stopping them, I had the choice of going over a huge snow bank or bailing off, I bailed, they how ever turned from the snow bank and went in to the field where we have field equipment and long story sort bob sled needs repair work and the mare had 2 cuts on the back of her lips, one on each side.

These horses are trained to go on the voice command ” easy” and only kiss when its a heavy haul for them or you really need them to pull on something.  I got the horses from a guy who is a well known puller in WI. I know that the mare was pulled 2 years ago and did a very good job, won a lot of pulls. and the Gelding was only pulled 3 times last year, to my knowing this is all hes pulled. I know that he starts pulling them a little later than most do just so they would be able to pull in to their teens and not have issues and be middle aged.

I don’t really know how to break  him from being so jumpy. I know that he doesn’t have theses horses use to hitting the load hard and I know that he uses his team that he pulls with to do field work and what not. I dont know if I would be able to get them to be totally broke, where when they stop they stand still and wont move unless I tell them to. My other team is like that, I pull them up to where I’m working and stop them so they can see me and I do what I got to do and then I go drive them and carry on with my day, they are dead broke.

thanks for the help.

PeytonM

[Eli]

I was told farm horses and pulling horses are broke differently. And some pulling  horses have a hard time making the change to farm horses. If it were me I would start over with their training just like they not broke. Round pen and the whole nine yards. I’m no expert just what I’ve been told I my search for a team.     Eli

[PeytonM]

every one i know that breaks horses for driving just harnesses them and puts them with a mate and takes them out driving in the winter time in the snow for a few reasons, one is if they want to have a run away your in a open field and they get tired fast esp. when they are pulling a big off road tire from a end loader.

 

[Donn Hewes]

Hi Peyton,  I have brought home some horses like what you describe.  With a lot of attention on your part, allways making sure the animals stand quietly even if it is only for a short while and asking them to go before he starts to,  never get in the habit of stopping just to test it; you can make a lot of progress and the horse will improve.  Unfortunately, at the end of the day it may not be as good or as reliable as your other horses.  That has been my experience any way.    I agree with the idea of treating them like they are new. but that can include hooking them up and going to work, just changing your expectations about he can and will do when you stop.  He is young it sounds like and that will help, it is even harder to change these habits as they get older.

 

[PeytonM]

What hooking him with one of my other geldings? I am looking forward to spring.. if it ever comes to Wisconsin

[Rod44]

PeytonM – where are you in WI?  I am from the Viola area, between Richland Center and Viroqua.

[PeytonM]

well right now I live by Colfax, but I’m trying to move over by stratford because I got a job welding over there. I found a place over there that I could bring my team with me but I haven’t checked it out.

I talked with a few people and I get the response ” you need to have a hitch rail to hook with” well I harness at one but I don’t hitch at one, thus being I have 2 wagons with poles, a work sled, a disk and mower, I’m not going to have a hitch pole in front of each of theses or do I have the wrong idea on hitching? I harness the team walk them around to the back of the barn where we park everything and then hitch on what ever it is I’m hitching on.

 

thanks for the help.

 

Peyton

[wally b]

That horse will be hard to retrain, especially if you are a beginner or can’t work with the animal every day for a while.  I would look for another teammate.

 

wally

[PeytonM]

Well money is already spent he’s supposed to be an amazing puller. Im gonna work him single and with another horse of mine that’s pretty old. Maybe my old horse can teach him a thing or two cause I the older one in the woods last weekend and was awesome! His team mate is having a baby with in the week so i’ve been letting her take it easy. Ill keep you posted, I had a smooth snaffle in him before and I got wire bits now if that don’t work I have a friend that can hitch him every day and he said he would work him for me for a while

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