# Horse throwing his head up and refusing to move!



## Sammyjoe (May 5, 2012)

Ive just had this problem with a youngster who was starting to test my leadership after I lost alot of confidence following a fall ( which was not due to his misbehaving)
He was stopping everywhere really, Leading, entering stable and also whilst riding. I must add I knew that I should hit him if he refused my leg cues but I was too scared of him broncing on me!!! Pathetic arent I. 
Anyway my friend who recently broke him for me sorted this out in one minute flat, When she started riding she was ready for him to do this. She began in trot right away and as soon as he even thought about slowing down she gave leg cue and if he didnt respond she used whip, once but firm behind the saddle. she kept this up and kept going past the same area again and again. She told me not to be afraid to use my whip if I need to and to try to get him moving before he comes to a dead stop as its easier to correct that way. 
It may take more with your horse if he is more experienced as mine is only young and so was really only doing the behavior because he was feeding off my nerves and was unsure what I wanted mainly! 
Good luck. As long as you keep his feet moving your winning, I managed this but I realise now I just wasnt firm enough and fast enough correcting it! 

When I was a teenager my showjumping mare used to try and exit the ring in outdoor show if we had to pass the entrance, And she would do this at speed.She also used to try and take me back home from hacks by rearing and spinning and the same in the field. In those days I had no issue with confidence and although I never stopped her trying this behavior I did learn to "see it coming" you can usualy tell what or where there thinking by what they are doing with the ears. you get a feel for the behaviour and you can correct it before it happens, some of my friends thought this was wrong of me because it looked like I was smacking her for no reason but it would send her forward and save us getting into a fight that I would struggle to win once she got her self stopped and into the air.
I hope this helps a little and I hope some of the more experienced posters help you out with some better advice.


----------



## julianeAHS (May 30, 2012)

Hi, I think you got some great advice! Don't be afraid to increase pressure until you get the desired response. The release is everything, though - make sure to reward the slightest try (horses learn from the release, not application, of pressure). So no matter how much pressure you apply, if you release as soon as your horse BEGINS to do the right thing (there's such thing as a partial release - lighten the pressure when he THINKS or BEGINS to do what you want, then release it completely when you've got the complete result you want), you'll get a light, reactive horse.
Sometimes, however, as you increase the pressure, the horse will like you said, throw his head up, or do things that will intimidate you. To deal with this, I would teach your horse the one-rein-stop from the stand still. Then when he starts trying to intimidate you and you feel like you can't ride through it, you can turn your horse's head and ask him to yield his hindquarters to create energy that you can then later turn into forward energy. With your horse's head turned, he's in no position to intimidate you...as long as he already knows he has to give. If he won't yield his hindquarters when you're on, try it on the ground first, so he knows what you're asking him (in fact, I recommend trying it from the ground first)...I started a little morab mare last year who refused to walk forward when I was on. This is how I taught her, by creating sideways energy and re-directing it later. Every time she stopped, I had her yield her hindquarters in a circle, which is harder than walking straight. Now, I have to work on slowing her down!
Here's a little training vid my brother and I put together. It's for misbehaving horses, not ones that won't move, but at least you can visualize the exercise: 



Please let me know if this helps/if you want any more advice!!


----------



## julianeAHS (May 30, 2012)

*What I meant is that SammyJoe already gave you great advice... especially the anticipation part! Once you get to know your horse you can catch it ahead of time.


----------



## Josh (Jan 19, 2012)

Have you had his teeth checked? Might need floating... I had the same issue. Floating fixed it.


----------

