# My Horse Is Aggressive When I Try to Lunge Him!?!



## Patch215 (Nov 27, 2011)

I have a 19 year old Standardbred/Tennessee Walking Horse mix and when I try to lunge him he gets aggressive when I ask him to walk. When I ask him to go faster he bucks at me and kicks at me and charges right at me. He is not in any kind of pain. He is a very stubborn horse and does not like to do anything I tell him to do. Could anybody help me to try to correct his attitude? Thanks!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

How do you know he is not in any kind of pain? Sometimes lunging puts the horse on such a small circle that it does make them more umcomfortable than typical riding.
If not, then you have to have a good whip in your hand, and when he turns toward you, you need to crack that whip good and hard, and even lay a good snap on HIM if he continues to move toward you. Usually this sort of thing is the horse knows that he can buffaloe you with this behavior. So, you have to show him that you won't be buffaloed.
I think I might have someone with more experience than you work with him the first couple of times and help you make yourself beleivably stern.


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## xEquestrianx (Aug 30, 2009)

My mare was exactly the same when i first got her.. just very agressive in general, with all the charging and kicking. 
After you're sure he's not in pain, you can work on him. He needs to realize that YOU are in charge. I would recommend having a lunge whip with you. If he charges, you charge right back and pop it and smack the ground. Basically you just have to prove you aren't afraid of him, because he's attempting to assert his dominance on you.


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## DuffyDuck (Sep 27, 2011)

As well as the above brilliant advice, please wear a hat and have someone around in case he does get you.
Stand tall, and be assertive, if he gets aggressive, you have to outsmart him, you can't fight him. If he bucks and bucks and kicks send him forward and keep sending him forward. If he stops because HE is tired, send him on again, you're the boss, you tell him when his time is up.

Good luck!


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

I would do all of the above-just reiterating the idea of helmet and a "watcher"-I had one that would come straight at me, ears pinned not caring at ALL about the whip. He found himself a new home REAL quick.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

Sounds like how my guy was! I had to find a trainer to help me. That trainer is a Clinton Anderson fan. He has some really good techniques for gaining respect on the ground. I would surf youtube for some of his clinics. It's interesting the way he breaks the horse apart and shows you where you need to be to drive him forward or change directions.

I believe your horse may never have been lunged before and I would geuss that he's definitely putting you in your place. He's being agressive because you are backing down and that's natural becuase when a horse turns towards you or kicks at you like that, your body automatically backs off. You need to step towards him and snap the whip to push him out. Make noise if you have to but do your best not to back down. Watch those hooves though. Good luck!


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

I was using a stout 12' lead on a very disrespectful 3 yr old. She was asked to walk in a circle, got half way then suddenly turned and charged me. I delivered a hard smack with that rope to her neck and she promptly veered away. I braced myself for when she'd hit the end of the rope and the knotted halter. She did a fast aboutface and stood still. Again I asked for a walk and again at the same place she came at me again. After the second smack she decided she'd had enough and her attituce greatly improved. BTW if your horse moves laterally, as many standardbreds and twhs do, lunging is more difficult for them and you may need a lunge line longer than 22'. My walker is lunge dat liberty in a field and he makes his own circles, closer to 30' from me, otherwise he has an awful time keeping his balance.


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

You really need to find a trainer who can help you. If you are in a round pen with a dangerous horse you really could get badly hurt. 

I assume that you have a lunge whip with you, you should use it.


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## GunSmoke (Sep 27, 2011)

I'm going through the EXACT same thing with my Quarter Horse right now. He's so quiet and chill that the first time I tried to lunge him it completely took me by surprise when he kicked out at me and took off. He won that time because I was literally so shocked that the rope just slipped out of my hands. But since then I've been consistently working with him and not taking any of his crap. He bucks and kicks and tries to run away from me but I just brace myself and keep him moving. The last couple days have been MUCH better and he can pick up the canter without throwing a fit. Even still he will occasionally turn in and act like he's going to come at me, but a flick of the lunge whip puts him in his place. Good luck with yours!


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## Unwoven (Jul 28, 2009)

Its normal. Just means he thinks hes sort of the boss. My paint did it to me, and he lunged and backed and acted very aggressive. Just have a lunge whip with you and be in control. Don't let him scare you. 

I agree with the others, make him keep moving no matter if he is tired or not. YOU decide when he stops and goes. My horse won't try it with me now.


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## Tejas (Jan 31, 2011)

You have to look huge! You have to feel huge! Show him you are not afraid and he needs to keep moving . My little gelding throws a tantrum too. I tell him people are watching and he is embarrassing himself! He looks silly. . . I dont like when they charge or get in your bubble. Sometimes he acts like "lets just hug! forget running in circle mom!" ... Uh. No. . . Get your whip girl! Use it! Show youre the boss!!


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## Patch215 (Nov 27, 2011)

Thanks everybody!! But i can not afford a trainer i am on my onw with all this! I have a lunge whip with me but it dont seem to help when i smack him lightly and smack the ground. He does pretty much the same thing riding too. He will buck and try to turn around when i want him to go the way he dont want to go, and when he gets tired he WILL NOT GO!


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## Hunter65 (Aug 19, 2009)

Hunter did the same thing to me. The first time was in a round pen scared the life outta me. We had him going fine but then we moved to new barn and had no round pen so lunging was done in the arena. First time I lunged him he came charging at me teeth bared and scared the crap outta me so much I was actually afraid of him for many months. Thank goodness I have a good trainer who took him for a month and started him. Afterwards she would come and help me with things like lunging etc. I am no longer afraid of him and he knows it (though that doesn't keep him from trying). I have a walking stick sort of thing that I would bang on the ground in front of him if he came at me and I would make my self big and loud. He stopped misbehaving pretty quickly.
He actually now lives at the trainers which is great cus he doesn't get away with anything. He is only 3 mind you.


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