# Planting feet and refusing to move.



## beauforever23 (May 6, 2010)

No one has any advice for me? I got 13 views really, need some advice here :] 
Bump anyone?


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## RedTree (Jan 20, 2010)

probably a good idea to get a whip on him.... I'm not much help.
Buzz used to do it going in to the float just plant his feet... in the end my dad went behind him and literally pushed him up, that worked and now he walks straight on.. most times.. not much help again 
I would probably cancel going to this show, I mean there is probably going to be heaps more coming up once you have gotten over his little problem, but see how he is on wednesday/thursday he may of just had off days


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## HairyCob (Jan 7, 2011)

Possibly being a bit nappy? 
Our Thoroughbred used to do that (as RedTree has said), hers was out of laziness and she thought she could get away with it. 

I'd say keep working with him as much as possible in the school and don't give up. If he isn't responding to you then give him a little tap or have someone in the school with you to help get him going. 

It would probably be better to work out this problem before going to any shows, as it'll help your confidence and his.


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## beauforever23 (May 6, 2010)

He might have been tired or just lazy but, he wasn't worked the whole week really, or the week before that so, he shouldn't have a reason to be lazy. 

He hasn't been nipping or showing any signs of pain. Checked for heat and ran my fingers down his back and he didn't flinch or anything like that so, it definitely can't be that. 

Although, I am in a backyard barn so I can't really have anyone school him for me and my trainer offered but, I don't want her students riding him and trying to train him out of it and than, they go and ruin him on me. He's done this before so, I could probably get through it but, he also seems to be freaked about the indoor. 

He just had his teeth floated so, it's definitely not the bit. As for the show, I am going to cancel because I'm not going to risk all that embarrasement especially because it's in an indoor! And, if he's doing this at home while being schooled, he'll most definitely do it there. It's more his confidence, rather than mine. 

I don't have much time to spend with him though because I live like an hour away and, I work full time so, I really don't get to see him often  So, when I do get the chance to work with him I do the best I can. 

Like I said, any advice to help him and me get through this would be great. :]


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

To get a planted horse to move, all you have to do is get him to follow his nose, aka the drunken sailor walk. Use no leg pressure at all. Sit square, let one rein go slack while you use the other as an opening rein to bring his nose off to one side. The mere action of bringing his nose over should make him step that way. Next step, switch reins and do it the other way. He'll take another step in that direction. Before he realizes it, he's unlocked and moving forward, albeit in a zig zaggy way. It ain't pretty, but it does work. 

The other thing, no talking, praising, not a sound. Your job is to sit there confidently like you have all day. He's gets no reward for moving a foot, since he shouldn't have been a jerk in the first place. He's just trying a new evasive technique. As soon as he finds out there's no drama reward in it, he'll move onto something else. Good luck.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

By the way, don't feel like you're going to look like an idiot at the show. Winter shows are the most fun to watch since most of the horses there are bouncing around the indoor arenas like pin balls! If your horse does act up, he won't be the only one.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

You say he was sweating and pacing. To me, that indicates a high level of fear. We cannot really understand how big fear is to horses. It totally takes over their brain, and it's not about being willful or lazy. To that horse, he may actually fear for his life. 
I wonder if it might be fruitful to spend some time desensitziing him to the indoor arena. Would he go inside and eat something tasty, like a nice bunch of alfalfa or grain and just hang out there and watch the goings on?
Would he be happier if he entered the arena side by side to a friend horse and just walked around the edge while you guys had a nice talk, then go on home?
I think it might be worthwhile doing some nonstressful work in the indoor to see if that won't change his attitude. If he isn't willful or lazy elsewhere, then I doubt there is that much thought on his part in trying to avoid work.


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## beauforever23 (May 6, 2010)

MyBoyPuck,thank you for the advice. I will most definitely try that, the next time I am out by him. Like I said though, I work full time and he's an hour away so, it's tough to get out there to work him. :/ 

Yeah, I guess it would be fun to see the other guys act like pin balls. Also, I felt like talking to him would just help him relax but, I can see that's not a good thing. So no talking to him or praising, just no sound at all :] 

Thanks!


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Beau, hope it works. I work full time and am 40 minutes away, so I feel ya there. Maybe your horse will see the other pin balls and stand there with his leg cocked and wonder why they are all making a fuss!

Tiny, that exercise of weaving the horse between the reins, for some reason, has a calming affect on the horse. I think the movement back and forth might actually get them to switch back and forth between thinking and reactive brains. I use it when my horse sees a deer or something and becomes a rigid snorting monster. It's my technique for working him past his fear. Usually after a few steps, he calms down and decides he can deal with it.


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## beauforever23 (May 6, 2010)

tinyliny said:


> You say he was sweating and pacing. To me, that indicates a high level of fear. We cannot really understand how big fear is to horses. It totally takes over their brain, and it's not about being willful or lazy. To that horse, he may actually fear for his life.
> I wonder if it might be fruitful to spend some time desensitziing him to the indoor arena. Would he go inside and eat something tasty, like a nice bunch of alfalfa or grain and just hang out there and watch the goings on?
> Would he be happier if he entered the arena side by side to a friend horse and just walked around the edge while you guys had a nice talk, then go on home?
> I think it might be worthwhile doing some nonstressful work in the indoor to see if that won't change his attitude. If he isn't willful or lazy elsewhere, then I doubt there is that much thought on his part in trying to avoid work.


 
I haven't tried that yet but, I will do that the next time we go over which will be this coming week. Put the hay or grain in the middle of the ring I would be assuming. I have a hay net, would it be okay to put the hay and a tiny handful of grain in there and tie it to one of the posts or just, lay it on the floor? I can definitely, have one of my trainers or friends horse hang with him. It definitely would be worthwhile doing that.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Yeah, I just wanted to add in my post to look at the issue more as a horse that is scared rather than one that is plotting how to get out of work. Work with the fear and skip whacking him on the butt.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I would put it off to the side, not in the middle where he has to keep an eye on all directions. Put it where he is not in a confince space, but neither is he vulnerable from all sides.


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## beauforever23 (May 6, 2010)

Now, hearing it from you TinyLiny, I most definitely will work with the fear more than worrying, about the whacking him on the butt. At first I thought, it was maybe laziness but, now reading your posts I can see that it's fear.


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Beau, tiny's suggestion is very good. Same rules apply though. No coddling horsie. Walk around in there like there is nothing odd going on. He'll be looking to you to know it's alright. It's your body language, not your voice, he'll be keying in on. I wouldn't touch his butt either! This problem is all in his head.


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## LJohnson (Jul 24, 2010)

Best feet planting technique I've used on the ground is a plain old rope. No whips or elevated energy. I had a horse that planted as an evasion. Gently toss the loop of rope over the hindquarters so any pressure hits on the back end while your horses rump just holds the rope in place. Those feet will start moving and there's no aggression or fuss.


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## BarrelracingArabian (Mar 31, 2010)

we are working on this with a little mare that was abused. She does not like to go forward and hates pressure so the lady has me put my hands forward and alternate bump right bump left feet and kiss not straight jamming both feet into her sides but alternate and if needed give a little bump with the crop on the side of your choice when you move that foot. It worked really well after about 10 mins of her having short refusals i had her trotting around barrels and in circles and dropping her head (someting she doesn't do often)


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## Deema (Jan 11, 2011)

You say that he hasn't worked the whole week or the week before? Sometimes that's the reason horses don't move. At my riding school, when a pony goes lame and gets a holiday, they think they can be lazy and get away with it.
Try showing him your serious and give him taps with the whip, if he doesn't respond to that, try getting your trainer to just get the instrcutor's whip near him, sometimes that helps.
You should cancel the show until your horse is 100% confident and used to riding in the indoor arena.


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

I didn't read all the replies, so I apologize if someone already suggested this. But can you turn him out in the indoor arena for a while. Like maybe a few hours? Then he can figure it out that it's not going to hurt him without any pressure from anyone. 

Just let him relax and explore the arena and figure it out for himself.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

trailhorserider,

Good idea! Why didn't any of us think of that! It takes someone who is actually awake, not just pretending.


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