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About Rick Gore (www.thinklikeahorse.org)
Expertise
Visit Rick Gore's Horse Site: www.thinklikeahorse.org
--I am a student of the horse. I can answer questions about sacking out (Desensitizing vs. Sensitizing), dealing with spooky, abused or ex-race horses, rearing, bucking, horses that won’t tie or load into a trailer, working in a round pen/round corral, starting colts, dealing with aggressive or so called "mean" horses, herd behavior, biting, kicking, horses that won’t let you mess with their feet or head, horses that are hard to take a bit and hard to catch. I can also answer questions about using a bosal or hackamore, do's and don'ts, soft hands and direct reining verses neck reining. If you expect me to tell you feel good advice, you will be disappointed. 95% of all my answers will include the problem is you and not your horse. About 90% of most answers that I give out are on my web site, so if you read it you will probably answer your own question and may learn a few other things. I am like Gordon Ramsey (Hell's Kitchen) and Simon Cowell (Idol), you may not like what I say or how I say it, but it will be pretty true and accurate, in my opinion, judging from my experience.

Experience
I am an experienced horseman with many years of riding and handling horses. I grew up in Texas around horses and horse people. I have started colts, ridden many horses with behavior issues and worked with problem horses. (I believe that most horse problems are normally people problems) I believe in and practices natural horsemanship. I continue to read and study books by great horsemen. I routinely attends clinics, talks with and discuss horse issues with other clinicians and trainers. I have never met a horse that could not be fixed. I believe it is never the horse's fault and with proper handling, all problems can be worked out.

Education/Credentials
Rick has life long experience in being around and working with horses. Over the years he has watched good horsemen do the right thing and seen the wrong things done with bad results. Rick has a Bachelor of Science degree in Education.

You are here: Experts > Sports > Horse Racing > Horses > Pushy horse: Rick Gore Horsemanship - www.thinklikeahorse.org

Horses - Pushy horse: Rick Gore Horsemanship - www.thinklikeahorse.org

Expert: Rick Gore (www.thinklikeahorse.org) - 11/6/2009

Question
Hi I have an approx 11yo Leopard appy dont really know who bred him etc and who is from the country and was used as a backing horse In cutting? I dont really know much about that disipline but he is a great pony to ride until I hop off and do basically anything which involves me being on the ground with a strange object. Washing, clipping, worming, teeth etc He tends to get very pushy and instead of what I thought all horses would normally do is go backwards or pull on the lead.. my pony barges into me! When I tie him up he still swings his haunches towards the post or fence where he is tied then pins you against the fence then walks forward until he cant anymore because he is tied up. Then he goes the other way. I dont know why he does it.. is he just being a pain because he thinks I'll give up?

He is okay with his feet being done, rugged and being brushed. But even when I try to lead him with my hand under the halter/headstall he bashes into your side or pulls me along! I think a young girl had him before me and she was scared of him (and he is a chunky pony for 14.2 hh, he is nearly the same weight as our 16.3hh tb)

Do you know why he does this? And is there a relativly kind way I can teach him to lead and get washed etc without being so pushy? It is pretty embarrasing when the dentist has to lead him to a fence and go on the other side of the fence to do his teeth.

Your advice would be appreciated. =]

Answer
This is not a pushy horse, this is a lack of leadership from you. This horse does this since it knows you will not or can not stop him. He would lean against me once and would get trouble real fast and would HE would decide that is a bad idea to lean on me. Then he would over to you and lean on you since he knew he could. This is you not teaching him he should not do this, he needs to learn that leaning and pushing you gets him work, trouble, movement, makes him uncomfortable, then he will choose NOT to lean on you. Unlike now, he knows he gets you to move, he gets to move where and how he wants so I ask you "why should he stop doing what he is doing"?

You said you think the young girl that had him before was scared of him, I say you are scared of him and I say he is not scared (does not respect) you. That is why he does what he does. You allowing this makes this horse dangerous and this disrespect will later turn into biting, kicking, ignoring you more and more. And all of this will be your fault for not correcting it and showing him what is acceptable and what is not acceptable.

Read my horsemanship page on my site so you understand horses better.

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