Grumpy face

Jane&Ziggy

Jane&Ziggy

Jane&Sid these days!
Apr 30, 2010
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Charlie has started to look grumpy when we are working, especially when leading. His ears are back and his expression is disgruntled.

He is also getting quite mardy if asked to do something he doesn't fancy. It's a bit early for the Terrible Twos but that's what it feels like sometimes.

On the positive side, he really thinks about what I am asking and he learns when I don't do anything, if you see what I mean. 2 sessions ago he was really struggling to circle around me - yesterday he offered a beautiful circle on his better side (not so beautiful on the other side, but still much better than the previous session). And yet I still have to remind him constantly not to push into me with his right shoulder when we're leading.

We don't train very often, twice a week or so, and I try to keep sessions short, but I would prefer him to enjoy them. I am not sure if he's just got comfortable after a couple of months with me and is starting to throw his weight around a bit, or if I should just do a bit less. There's plenty of time, after all - he's not quite 18 months old.

What do peeps think?
 
Having had three youngsters...... I would keep sessions short and sweet .... always end on a good note.... he just not wanting to do stuff I would think. Mine have a little rule as we only have a grass school 23 hours a day the get to live with the herd and be ponies the hour or so they are ridden we expect them to behave and have manners.... and work on that always.

Little and often won’t hurt him at 18 months.
 
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I think they're a bit like children when they start school. "Oh this is good - teach me something else!" Then "What? Really? I'm expected to do this every day? Forever? Nope." Bless him!
 
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I'd agree short and sweet is the way to go, under 10 minutes at that age (this would be in addition to normal handling, leading, feet etc. which would be done daily) and not asking for something new every session, just doing something familiar that they find easy can help make the sessions less daunting for them. I would probably do less frequently as well, once a week/twice a month maybe, to do anything over and above the basic handling stuff.
 
Ears back could just just be concentrating or the wind is blowing.
Often mine pops her back when she comes over in the field as it's windy, they always point towards just before she reaches me.

Also leading they are pointing back, but if I drive her in they are forwards.
Hacking behind listening behind, hacking solo or upfront they are forwards.
 
newforest said:
Ears back could just just be concentrating or the wind is blowing.
Often mine pops her back when she comes over in the field as it's windy, they always point towards just before she reaches me.

Also leading they are pointing back, but if I drive her in they are forwards.
Hacking behind listening behind, hacking solo or upfront they are forwards.
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His are always forward when we are out. These are definitely grumpy ears.
Jessey said:
I'd agree short and sweet is the way to go, under 10 minutes at that age (this would be in addition to normal handling, leading, feet etc. which would be done daily) and not asking for something new every session, just doing something familiar that they find easy can help make the sessions less daunting for them. I would probably do less frequently as well, once a week/twice a month maybe, to do anything over and above the basic handling stuff.
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That sounds good. I might restrict lessons to times when I have a lesson (two or three times a month, sometimes four) both for his sanity and my safety, as he moves as fast as a dragon when he wants to!
Huggy said:
I think they're a bit like children when they start school. "Oh this is good - teach me something else!" Then "What? Really? I'm expected to do this every day? Forever? Nope." Bless him!
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Absolutely this! Absolutely! He knows fine how to pick up his feet, but at the moment it's just "I won't, I won't, I won't."
Native Lover said:
Having had three youngsters...... I would keep sessions short and sweet .... as we only have a grass school
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I only have a grass school too, but I think I will soon start to walk him up the hill to a sand school where he may find it easier to concentrate (after a while!)
 
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Mark Rashid would say a 2 year old needs to be turned out in a herd which will teach him manners and his place in the pecking order.
He would deal with youngsters people brought to a clinic but would always say that horses always trained or petted by humans were far harder to solve.
If you have yourn Tik Maynard influence Parelli style trainer, I would ask her.
But remember too that the changes in weather are having some effect on mood. The mare I rode was pretty grumpy this week.

I only say get help because I dont want you hurt Jane. He's already come nto your space and hurt you once.
 
Mine went out into a herd it didn't make her suddenly have manners with me! She's had opinions.
It was nice in one way to have her out in a mixed group and some were broodmares. One broodmare took her under her wing and she would run round and bite the bum of the other and go hide.

Don't forget everything you do with him is technically working. I don't do ground work for the sake of doing it unless I was teaching her something.
Doing the seven games as we did initially soon became rather boring for her unless it had a purpose
So yes I will willing move over or backwards if I need to be asked- going through the gates, but she would get a bit moody if I just wanted her to do it for the sake of it.
 
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Hogan was a wee sh*t when I first put him out in company because he became herd (of two!) boss! Mind, he was a wee sh*t in the first place, just became more of one for a while lol! On a serious note though, we always learn the hard way that they're big animals, and if they strop, they can hurt! Ramsey was generally the sweetest, most obliging, and malleable youngster when I first got him, but he had grumpy days, and it never failed to surprise me when the ears went back, and the tail swished and he put on his "Can't make me do it" face.
 
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Jess was with my 2 boys at that age, when she got too big for her boots as a 2yo I decided going out into a small group of old, been there, done that, and very big (all 16-17hh) broodmares would be good to teach her manners, she just went out and instantly kicked the crap out of them and they ran each other silly, she was boss in about 5 minutes flat so that was an epic fail and did nothing to help her manners :rolleyes: so don't feel too bad that you can't put him out in a big herd.
 
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newforest said:
Mine went out into a herd it didn't make her suddenly have manners with me! She's had opinions.
It was nice in one way to have her out in a mixed group and some were broodmares. One broodmare took her under her wing and she would run round and bite the bum of the other and go hide.

Don't forget everything you do with him is technically working. I don't do ground work for the sake of doing it unless I was teaching her something.
Doing the seven games as we did initially soon became rather boring for her unless it had a purpose
So yes I will willing move over or backwards if I need to be asked- going through the gates, but she would get a bit moody if I just wanted her to do it for the sake of it.
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Thanks, I think this is part of it, he's saying, "What's the point?" He never does when I ask him to go through a gate, for example.

Jessey said:
Jess was with my 2 boys at that age, when she got too big for her boots as a 2yo I decided going out into a small group of old, been there, done that, and very big (all 16-17hh) broodmares would be good to teach her manners, she just went out and instantly kicked the crap out of them and they ran each other silly, she was boss in about 5 minutes flat so that was an epic fail and did nothing to help her manners :rolleyes: so don't feel too bad that you can't put him out in a big herd.
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Thank you, that makes me feel better :)
 
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Jessey said:
Jess was with my 2 boys at that age, when she got too big for her boots as a 2yo I decided going out into a small group of old, been there, done that, and very big (all 16-17hh) broodmares would be good to teach her manners, she just went out and instantly kicked the crap out of them and they ran each other silly, she was boss in about 5 minutes flat so that was an epic fail and did nothing to help her manners :rolleyes: so don't feel too bad that you can't put him out in a big herd.
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Madam!
 
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