Post by 7isheaven on Aug 22, 2012 4:24:04 GMT -5
Hi everyone
Well, I've got a 14yr old Saddlebred gelding and while he's the most laid back horse I think I've ever owned he's got one quirk, he's barn bound. He's a former dressage horse (from what I was told) that was bought by the folks we got him from and put out to pasture and ridden very little. He had been stabled his whole life until they got him and then he was pastured.
My husband bought him for me for our 20th anniversary (I had seen him and had made mention I'd love to have him as he was a total sweetheart and gorgeous). When he was delivered to us he was very thin, so I had the vet come out and check him over, other than being thin he was fine. I've managed to put weight on him and he looks great now. Sorry I'm getting off subject.
My question is, does anyone have suggestions on how to break a horse from being barn bound? He never acts up as in trying to rear, kick, buck or do anything ugly but when your riding and he wants to go back to the barn he starts side stepping, backing up and turning towards the barn, wont go forward. We don't have a riding ring only pastures and fields but will be building one in the near future. I'm wondering if he possibly only feels comfortable riding in a ring?
Any suggestions as to how to break this bad habit would be greatly appreciated. He's a good boy just has this issue. I've never had a barn bound horse before. We've started riding him every 2 days or so since we wasn't being ridden at all before we got him, so I'm trying to work him up to a daily riding schedule.
Just for fun I thought I'd share pics of my Bentley boy...
Well, I've got a 14yr old Saddlebred gelding and while he's the most laid back horse I think I've ever owned he's got one quirk, he's barn bound. He's a former dressage horse (from what I was told) that was bought by the folks we got him from and put out to pasture and ridden very little. He had been stabled his whole life until they got him and then he was pastured.
My husband bought him for me for our 20th anniversary (I had seen him and had made mention I'd love to have him as he was a total sweetheart and gorgeous). When he was delivered to us he was very thin, so I had the vet come out and check him over, other than being thin he was fine. I've managed to put weight on him and he looks great now. Sorry I'm getting off subject.
My question is, does anyone have suggestions on how to break a horse from being barn bound? He never acts up as in trying to rear, kick, buck or do anything ugly but when your riding and he wants to go back to the barn he starts side stepping, backing up and turning towards the barn, wont go forward. We don't have a riding ring only pastures and fields but will be building one in the near future. I'm wondering if he possibly only feels comfortable riding in a ring?
Any suggestions as to how to break this bad habit would be greatly appreciated. He's a good boy just has this issue. I've never had a barn bound horse before. We've started riding him every 2 days or so since we wasn't being ridden at all before we got him, so I'm trying to work him up to a daily riding schedule.
Just for fun I thought I'd share pics of my Bentley boy...