# Barn sour :(



## ColleenT (Apr 5, 2007)

just keep urging her to go . the more you trail ride her out the better she should get. most horses prefer company on the trail, another horse, so that is always better. but if you have to ride alone, keep doing what you are doing. once she behaves and relaxes, reward her, praise her, etc..i use a crop when i know my guy is probably going to be a pain. it is better than kicking if you ask me.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

Anything you can do to keep her focused will help. Backing up, circles, etc. Every once in a while our 6 year old mare will decide she would rather be back with her buddies and I've found that the more she has to do (going over logs, trail blazing), the less she thinks about it. And of course, praise when she behaves.


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

Just keep going out together. I would spend more time with her doing one on one things as well. She may not see you as her buddy which makes her not wanting to leave the barn.
If you spend more time with her one on one it will be easier for her to go out with you by yourselves.

Otherwise other than that, the only other thing you can do is take her out lots, until she gets used to it.


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## dtwh (Apr 15, 2008)

Like has already been said...keep her working and moving. 

With Dez I used to ride him maybe once a week around the arena....which is close to the barn...very close...so he was in his little comfort zone. When he was given to me, I had plans to trail ride with him...but he wasn't having it. When I'd walk him a few steps away from the arena...he'd try to turn and speed up towards the barn. He wouldn't listen to me...at all. He had his mind set on going back to barn...whichever way was the best. Yeah...I hit the dirt a few times. lol

So I started from square one. (now I'm not saying you should do this, but this worked for me) I started him on ground, lounging him a good distance from the barn...then after I would lounge him I'd get on and ride and do cirle 8s...farther and farther. I kept him working the whole time. I did this every day for a good while and pretty soon I was able to head out of the barn and go without any problems.

Just work with her as much as you can and the barn sour attitude will eventually go away.


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## travlingypsy (Apr 5, 2008)

Thanks guys, Me and a barn mate who was their yesterday went out today and she was worse both of the horses were. But once we got past the barn sour part and got to the galloping feilds. She was BAD. Mr.T my friends horse was really good they were cantering around. Gypsy all I could do was walk and trot and if I asked for a canter she crow hoped and bucked. I also couldnt let her be on a loose rein or she would take over...So I have lots of and lots of work to do. I hope I can go out once a day...I wish I could lunge her by the barn but theirs not really a good area.


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## Britt (Apr 15, 2008)

We've had a few horses who weren't 'barn' sour, but 'herd' sour... Same difference, really... though.

With my girl, I made her go, but I let her do pretty much what she wanted and let her stop and graze a lot more than I usually did when we rode with another horse. She was quick to pick up on the fact that when we ride alone, she got to have more fun, go more places, and not work half as hard. Now she's the best horse in the world when it comes to riding alone, and I've gotten her back up to doing very hard work when riding alone.

My uncles mare is BAD herd sour. She'll ride alone, but you've got to stay on your toes when riding her alone or she'll throw you and run back home... she's a challenge, but she knows to listen... she just is a handful... she's always been like that, though.


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## travlingypsy (Apr 5, 2008)

well she was better at leaving the barn this time but I did bring a crop. But we decided to go up into the tight trails not just galloping hills and we got lost in an elk train, while raining. and we had to lead the horse through thick thick brush. It was bad but they did REALLY well. Im both happy and mad at her because she still would take over even as we were going home and I had to lead her back to ther barn cause I couldnt get back on


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## Dumas'_Grrrl (Apr 2, 2008)

Try again...poo happens! :roll: 

Sorry about your crappy ride tho...


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## ColleenT (Apr 5, 2007)

sounds like there are some training issues. the horse is not respecting you.


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## travlingypsy (Apr 5, 2008)

colleen I could not agree with you more! I have tried everything that I know of. Ground work, working with a trainer... And she is still like that. I dont know what to do, I mean im at a totall loss...Ive had her for more then a year and she is still as mean as the day I bought her. 

When she was in training she only rode her out side a few times. That was it and I went out on rides with the trainer and she helped with me there...But im always on Gypsy to keep her from taking over.


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## ColleenT (Apr 5, 2007)

i guess all you can do is ride as much as possible.


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## dtwh (Apr 15, 2008)

Make the barn not so fun of a place, and make the trails seem like heaven.

When at the barn make your horse work...either by riding or some ground work. When you're in the trails just walk and take it easy...sometimes working backwards will move you forwards,..let your horse nibble at some leaves, and just be as relaxed as possible and try to keep it at a walk/slow trot. 

If you ask her to stop and she keeps moving...as soon as she moves make her do a circle or work her some how...if she stops and then tries to move again...repeat...and repeat if needed. 

If she's trying to get back to barn and is not responding to you...as soon as you get to the barn....give a good 10 minute workout before you undsaddle her. If you just unsaddle her and put her up...then she's getting away with it...again make the barn a not so fun place.

I'm not sure if all that will help, but it does for me. lol Worth a shot though I guess.


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## travlingypsy (Apr 5, 2008)

Thanks guys ill try that dtwh... WELL. I think something did happen on that trail ride with me and my horse! When we were lost in the thick bruch..lol I tried to give her as much comfort as possible while trying to get us out...so anyways I go to the barn and I well I was crying..  lol a little trying to hold it in I watched the moving long shot and got all worked up how her horse loved her and blah blah...well I went in a started petting her and she rapped her head around me...it was nice! She usually dosent do that, well never really. Then I did ground work and she was really good. So I hope she has found some more respect and thinks of me as a leader more..I would like to go out tommorrow.. I hope it goes better. I try and not canter at all on the trails I know shes not ready and im not either I never trotted on a trail until a few days ago. So slow and stedy...


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## boonesar (Dec 3, 2007)

*My horses had the same problem this worked for me...*

near the fence where the other horses can see and be seen. I walk in circles making them bigger and bigger. As the circles get bigger my horse and I get farther from the fence. The horse you are riding go in to scared mode farther away and then calm again closer. As you keep doing this they eventually get tired of panicking because that takes a lot of energy. Eventually they calm down and relax. Hope I explained that right. I better at drawing a picture.


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

The horse I have now is just the opposite. She fights me when I turn for home... I know weird :? 
I've had horses like that though and I know how you feel. Just keep going, you have gotten some really good advice here. I'm sorry you had one of those 'geesh why can't my horse be like that' moments and it ended in tears.  I feel for you, but when you do get that one great ride when everything goes perfect, its well worth it.


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## travlingypsy (Apr 5, 2008)

Thanks, yah she has her tricks with circles to no matter if im trying to go the opposite way she some how gets us the other direction. But she has been doing really really well. Our last trail ride was sooooooooo good. She didnt try to take over no bucking no problems leaving the barn or anything. I was even able to TROT up a hill and she didnt take off at the canter. Thats big for us because of her past and her feeling that she needs to be runned on trail rides and thats all you do is go go go.... YAY im so happy shes better. Thank you guys for your adivce! As you can see it really helped. Im going out this morning and I might try and canter we will see. Wish me luck!


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

Glad she's improving!


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## ColleenT (Apr 5, 2007)

another suggestion was given to me the other day. If you are ok with giving treats. 

When you get out on the trail, and she relaxes on her own, give her a treat. then give some time, when she least expects it, and she is relaxed, and listening, give a treat. That helps to let her know a ride is not all that bad, and if i am Relaxed, i might get a reward. plus it helps the rider relax a bit, too. since they know when we are nervous, it helps to try to relax ourselves a lot, too.


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## zephyr (Jun 9, 2008)

I haven't had much of an issue with the horses not wanting to leave the barn but sometimes they will get anxious as soon as we turn around to go home. What I do is as soon as we get home unsaddle them put their halter on and tie them up by the barn but in a safe area for an hour or so. This is teaching them that getting home right away isn't so great after all, I don't get to eat, drink, and play with my buddies immediatly so maybe trail riding really isn't so bad afterall. It may be hard for you to do at first and seem like you're giving them a consequence for no reason but they will understand quickly if you do it every single time you get back from a ride. I know this has helped all my horses tremendously. There's nothing worse than a horse that wants to run home and you can't stop it!

Heather


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

Aw that's good she's doing much better.


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