# How to teach my 16 year old horse gelding to run?



## Sassysarah123 (Dec 6, 2017)

Hello!
I need some advice to get My gelding to run.
  My 16 year old gelding, Cash, is very slow and hard to even get to trot while riding him,  and if I do get him to trot he will stop in a second or two.  But he does get into a canter if I am lunging him with a whip.
He does have arthritis though...  But I have seen him gallop before without any problems! When I keep him in our small field over night then open the gate to our large field he gallops at full speed down a steep hill.  Once I saw him jump over a huge puddle of water.  So I do not believe he is slow because his arthritis.  We also have a 24 palomino gelding that loves to run!  He used to barrel race, so I guess that is why he likes to run.  But Cash has bucked before...  Once my sister galloped on Danny, our 24  year old palomino gelding up a steep hill,  Cash followed him but I usually don't go up that Hill with him because of his arthritis so I tried to turn him around.  He just shook his head around so he wouldn't feel the bit and followed Danny up the hill. Then started cantering and bucked a couple times...  But I did not fall off...   Sometimes I fear asking him to gallop because of him bucking. 
Any advice to get him to gallop?


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## Bunnylady (Dec 6, 2017)

A horse with a rider has to deal with a significant amount of weight in the middle of his back, which is something he was never designed to carry. Imagine you have a 50 lb backpack strapped to your back. While you probably could learn to run with that there, it wouldn't be anywhere near as easy as running without it. 

This horse has arthritis, so he is in pain, all the time. Put a person on him, and he is in more pain than usual. If he chooses to run on his own, he will stop when it hurts too much. But if you insist that he run, you can't be sure just how badly he is hurting, so how can you know how much is "too much?"


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## Sassysarah123 (Dec 6, 2017)

Bunnylady said:


> A horse with a rider has to deal with a significant amount of weight in the middle of his back, which is something he was never designed to carry. Imagine you have a 50 lb backpack strapped to your back. While you probably could learn to run with that there, it wouldn't be anywhere near as easy as running without it.
> 
> This horse has arthritis, so he is in pain, all the time. Put a person on him, and he is in more pain than usual. If he chooses to run on his own, he will stop when it hurts too much. But if you insist that he run, you can't be sure just how badly he is hurting, so how can you know how much is "too much?"





Bunnylady said:


> A horse with a rider has to deal with a significant amount of weight in the middle of his back, which is something he was never designed to carry. Imagine you have a 50 lb backpack strapped to your back. While you probably could learn to run with that there, it wouldn't be anywhere near as easy as running without it.
> 
> This horse has arthritis, so he is in pain, all the time. Put a person on him, and he is in more pain than usual. If he chooses to run on his own, he will stop when it hurts too much. But if you insist that he run, you can't be sure just how badly he is hurting, so how can you know how much is "too much?"


So, I should never ask him to gallop?


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## Sassysarah123 (Dec 6, 2017)

Would it be best if I sold him and got a younger horse?


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## Bunnylady (Dec 6, 2017)

^sigh* Somebody (who may not have known any better) asked this horse to do more than his body should have been asked to do, so his joints got damaged, and now he lives with pain every day of his life, and you are asking should you throw him away and start the cycle again with another horse?


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## frustratedearthmother (Dec 6, 2017)

I agree with Bunnylady in theory...I hate to see a horse discarded.  But, on the other hand, if he cannot meet your needs I think it would be better to retire him or find him a GOOD new home rather than  keep asking something of him that he can't do for you.  It's really not fair to him to be pushed beyond his capabilities at this point.  BL is also right that he will self limit his running when he is on his own.   He might be perfect for doing lead line for a young child.  You might contact some reputable training stables in your area to see if they  know someone who can give him a good home.


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## promiseacres (Dec 6, 2017)

If you haven't I would have his arthritis evaluated by a vet,it's possible medication could help. 
And secondly have a good trainer evaluate him on why her is refusing to run. 

Agree if he's that bad then yes he's going to refuse or buck. Very sad as a 16 year old can have many riding years left if taken care of.


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## Sassysarah123 (Dec 6, 2017)

I would not get rid of him.  I don't even know why I asked...  I just wanted your opinion.  I've got little sisters that love him!  I ride him everyday...  Oh, he will gallop on his way back to the gate where I take off his saddle.  But never anywhere else.  Do you think his arthritis will get worse?  
When he gets older would it be okay to do tricks with him instead of riding?


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## promiseacres (Dec 6, 2017)

Most of the time arthritis does get worse as they age.  Keeping him at a good healthy weight and keeping him exercised in a way he can handle will help. You riding him daily at his pace is good.


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## Alexa009 (Dec 6, 2017)

Sassysarah123 said:


> Would it be best if I sold him and got a younger horse?


Yes, getting rid of him is certainly out of the question.He sounds like a very nice horse who just needs some love.


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## Mini Horses (Dec 6, 2017)

I, too, suggest vet eval on arthritis & meds if needed.   May be a simple fix to keep him comfortable.   And while that may be helpful, exercise is necessary, within limits.  It is important that he be stretched and warmed up slowly for comfort and good care, to keep him lightly riding.  

You may want to get another horse for your style of riding.  But, if this guy has been with you for a while, I'd hate to see him moved without EXTREME concern for his new digs and their knowledge & care.   I feed a small herd of aging minis every day because they gave to me when I was raising/breeding, I plan to give them retirement and do that.  It is better than worrying what stresses a change would cause a 30 yr old horse, for me anyway. Most have never known another owner.


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## Sassysarah123 (Dec 7, 2017)

Mini Horses said:


> I, too, suggest vet eval on arthritis & meds if needed.   May be a simple fix to keep him comfortable.   And while that may be helpful, exercise is necessary, within limits.  It is important that he be stretched and warmed up slowly for comfort and good care, to keep him lightly riding.
> 
> You may want to get another horse for your style of riding.  But, if this guy has been with you for a while, I'd hate to see him moved without EXTREME concern for his new digs and their knowledge & care.   I feed a small herd of aging minis every day because they gave to me when I was raising/breeding, I plan to give them retirement and do that.  It is better than worrying what stresses a change would cause a 30 yr old horse, for me anyway. Most have never known another owner.


Thank You! 
I Have Had Him For a 2 Months.


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## Sassysarah123 (Dec 7, 2017)

Would it be okay to trot him once in a while?


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## Sassysarah123 (Dec 7, 2017)

I am a little disappointed because it took me awhile to save for my own horse.  I saved 1100 and now that I hear that I shouldn't be even trotting him....  Well I kind of wanted a horse that I could ride all day without him getting tired.


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## promiseacres (Dec 7, 2017)

Sassysarah123 said:


> Would it be okay to trot him once in a while?



Too hard to give an answer... we have no clue how bad his arthritis is or where it is. And it isn't impossible it's a learned behavior over a physical.  If you want solid answers get him evaulated


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## Sassysarah123 (Dec 7, 2017)

Would it be bad for him to ride him all day just walking?


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## Sassysarah123 (Dec 7, 2017)

This is him


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## Sassysarah123 (Dec 7, 2017)




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## Sassysarah123 (Dec 7, 2017)

He's related to Dash For Cash


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## Sassysarah123 (Dec 7, 2017)

I have some videos of him trotting.
Would they help? 


promiseacres said:


> Too hard to give an answer... we have no clue how bad his arthritis is or where it is. And it isn't impossible it's a learned behavior over a physical.  If you want solid answers get him evaulated


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## Sassysarah123 (Dec 7, 2017)

Mini Horses said:


> You may want to get another horse for your style of riding. But, if this guy has been with you for a while, I'd hate to see him moved without EXTREME concern for his new digs and their knowledge & care. I feed a small herd of aging minis every day because they gave to me when I was raising/breeding, I plan to give them retirement and do that. It is better than worrying what stresses a change would cause a 30 yr old horse, for me anyway. Most have never known another owner.


I've had him 2 months.


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## Mini Horses (Dec 7, 2017)

OK -- You worked hard to save, bought him and now -- issues.  

Who said he had arthritis?   Did you consider having a vet do a pre-purchase exam?  (if you did a pre-buy exam & were told arthritis, buying was not good)

You are young and may not have given these things any consideration.  In the horse world "buyer beware" is huge.   At this time you have invested your hard earned money into a horse you obviously liked.   PAY  for a good equine vets evaluation.   It may be that he is fine and spoiled.  Then you have an entirely different situation.  If you liked  him enough to spend to buy, give the both of you a chance to possibly be a long time team.   

It didn't sound  like this was a new horse in your post -- to me, anyway.


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## TAH (Dec 7, 2017)

Also, your saddle might not be fitting right.


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## Baymule (Dec 8, 2017)

I have 2 senior horses 28 and 30. I still ride the 28 year old, he has two speeds, slow and stop. LOL The 30 year old has breathing issues, I don't ride her anymore. They can stay here until they die.

You bought a horse to ride. You can't enjoy him for what you want to do. If you have him checked out and he is unable to do what you bought him for, then sell him. You worked and saved your money so you could enjoy riding and that's what you bought him for. 

There are many other horses out there that you can choose from, a much more educated buyer now than what you were. His bloodlines might help sell him, but don't matter if all you want is a riding horse. If he is slow and gentle, sell him for a kid's horse. Lots of people want a slow gentle horse for their kids. I have turned down several thousand for my old gelding. If you take this route, ride him, make sure he is reliable and gentle, then put him up for sale. 

Take your money and go shopping for another horse.


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## Sassysarah123 (Dec 8, 2017)

Mini Horses said:


> It didn't sound like this was a new horse in your post -- to me, anyway.


I'm sorry...  I should have said in my post


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## Bunnylady (Dec 8, 2017)

Sassysarah123 said:


> I kind of wanted a horse that I could ride all day without him getting tired.



That animal may not really exist outside of fairy tales.



promiseacres said:


> it isn't impossible it's a learned behavior over a physical.



And, it could be a bit of both. I have a horse that was hugely overweight and had chronic foot problems when she was given to me. I can remember watching her come up from the back of the pasture with her buddies; they were running and playing, and she was pounding awkwardly along behind them. You could almost hear her saying, "wait for me, guys! I'm coming,_ please_ wait!" Sometimes she was limping, and I wondered if it was really a kindness to keep her alive with feet like that. Quite a few months later, we had the excess weight off, and she wasn't just keeping up with the others, she was bucking and playing as she ran. She still has thin soles on her absurdly small feet, but at least she's comfortable. She had been a lesson pony in the past, and had learned a lot of tricks to get rid of riders - now that she was sound enough to ride, we had to deal with bucking, barn sour, dog shaking, etc, etc. Sometimes it can be a bit tricky figuring out the difference between "I just don't wanna," and "I can't." In this horse's case, there had been a recent owner that didn't recognize "I can't," and we had to undo some training mistakes on top of everything else.


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## Sassysarah123 (Dec 8, 2017)

We found Cash on Craigslist.  So we went and took a look at him...  The guy didn't say he had arthritis in his post.  When we got there he mentioned it to us.  Well this was our first time buying a horse,  so we didn't know if it would be a problem or not.  So I rode him in a round pen.  I got him to trot, canter, and gallop easily.  We weren't sure about the arthritis thing so we took time to consider it all.  We asked one of our neighbors and he said most horses get arthritis,  And it wasn't a big deal and it won't get worse if we don't use him to compete in anything.  So I bought him


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## Sassysarah123 (Dec 8, 2017)

The guy we got him from said he could gallop


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## Sassysarah123 (Dec 8, 2017)

I guess he just needs to stay at his own pace...  A nice little walk.  I hope his arthritis doesn't get any worse


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## Mtn Margie (Dec 13, 2017)

It seems like you should check your saddle fit.  Also, a smart good horse will not do what a rider asks if there is fear and and unbalanced rider up there asking them.  I have an older horse that will do anything for me but for a new rider, she will not go beyond their capabilities.


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## ca (Dec 13, 2017)

Sorry, a little late to the party but: Check your horse first for saddle fit, chiropractic issues, and ulcers. Have his teeth checked as well! Those are the most common issues and they are all fixable. If your vet confirms the arthritis issue you can help with medication and supplements. When all that is evaluated it is time to get him some training. It might be that he just doesn't see the need to go faster and has gotten away with refusing before (he was sold on Craigslist, a hint that he might have some issues). He sounds like a nice fellow and could still become your dream horse! But don't work on behavioral issues until you have evaluated all possible physical problems!


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## Gorman Farm (Dec 13, 2017)

Sassysarah123 said:


> We found Cash on Craigslist.  So we went and took a look at him...  The guy didn't say he had arthritis in his post.  When we got there he mentioned it to us.  Well this was our first time buying a horse,  so we didn't know if it would be a problem or not.  So I rode him in a round pen. * I got him to trot, canter, and gallop easily.*  We weren't sure about the arthritis thing so we took time to consider it all.  We asked one of our neighbors and he said most horses get arthritis,  And it wasn't a big deal and it won't get worse if we don't use him to compete in anything.  So I bought him




Ok I am going to look at this from a different perspective, as a former riding instructor I can see in your words that you need riding lessons. The most telling is that you have fear about him bucking while cantering or galloping. This fear is very detectable by the horse. Before you can ask or teach a horse to do something you need confidence and a secure seat in the saddle. I highly recommend that you get riding lessons from a qualified teacher that will give you the confidence you need. The instructor can also look at/ride your horse and determine if it is a training issue or a health issue. My guess is a little of both, the horse prefers not to gallop or canter with weight on his back, but is actually able to based on your statement above. I am older now and I have arthritis in my knees, I prefer not to run but if I were being chased by a bear I would run like the wind, do you follow. Also, sad to say but sometimes sellers give pain medication to horses they are trying to sell, and when you first ride them you think it is all great, then the meds wear off and the uncomfortable horse doesn't cooperate.  Speaking of which your horse may need some anti-inflammatory or pain medication on a regular basis.


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## rbruno (Dec 13, 2017)

Gorman Farm said:


> Ok I am going to look at this from a different perspective, as a former riding instructor I can see in your words that you need riding lessons. The most telling is that you have fear about him bucking while cantering or galloping. This fear is very detectable by the horse. Before you can ask or teach a horse to do something you need confidence and a secure seat in the saddle. I highly recommend that you get riding lessons from a qualified teacher that will give you the confidence you need. The instructor can also look at/ride your horse and determine if it is a training issue or a health issue. My guess is a little of both, the horse prefers not to gallop or canter with weight on his back, but is actually able to based on your statement above. I am older now and I have arthritis in my knees, I prefer not to run but if I were being chased by a bear I would run like the wind, do you follow. Also, sad to say but sometimes sellers give pain medication to horses they are trying to sell, and when you first ride them you think it is all great, then the meds wear off and the uncomfortable horse doesn't cooperate.  Speaking of which your horse may need some anti-inflammatory or pain medication on a regular basis.



I agree completely with Gorman Farm.  Like others, I would certainly find out if there is anything physically wrong with your horse (arthritis) and also check your saddle fit, but to me, much of this I believe is learned behavior of the horse.  He is essentially training you, and you are responding to his cues and not the other way around.  I am not trying to be harsh or judgmental or critical, so I hope you don't take it that way.  Horses are very smart and they will always take the path of least resistance.  They would much rather graze in the field and play when they want then work for us.  In one of your post, you mention that he will gallop back to the post where you remove the saddle.  Does he do this when you are riding him or when he is just coming in from the field?  If he is doing when you are riding, think about it from his perspective, why is he all of the sudden running back to the gate/post?  It is because he knows the sooner he gets back to the post, the sooner you are done with him.  He is controlling the situation.  When you ask him to gallop and he bucks, what do you do?  You stop right?  You have just taught him what he needs to know to get out of work.  In my opinion, you should never let a horse stop doing something when they want to.  It should always be up to you when they stop doing something.  Now, all of this goes out the window if the horse is so arthritic that he is in pain or has something else physically wrong with him.  

How are his ground manners?  Is he pushy?  Does he stand well for the farrier?  You may want to start with some ground work to build your confidence and to get him more use to responding to you and what you want him to do.


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## perchie.girl (Dec 13, 2017)

you have had excellent advice here....  First of all a horse with arthritis is manageable...  Exercise is essential for all arthritc critters.   But get him evaluated...  there are dietary supplements that will ease his discomfort...

Second Get that saddle fit looked at...  from a trainer or qualified person.  You may be able to change his padding or adjust how yhou set the saddle on his back.  Or may need to find a different saddle for him.

Riding instruction is essential to sort out areas where you are lacking and he is lacking...  My guess is hes pretty well trained and senses you need to be "taken care of"   or Lacking confidence...   a trainer can get on and evaluate his needs pretty easily.

story time:  I am sixty two right now

Back when I was in my twenties I had a girlfriend who had a lovely stout mare...  we rode trail and took riding lessons together...  Her mare was sweet but a bit lazy or slow.   We had the advantage of having a three quarter mile track around the boarding facility...  a safe place to run...  and I ran my mare occasionally on it.

After coming back my girlfriend told me she had never gotten her horse to run and didnt think she knew how.   Now running and cantering or loping are two different gaits  a Lope is a three beat gait and a run is a four beat gait...   I asked my friend If I could ride her horse.   Whos name was Bonnie by the way.

I got on and shortened the stirrups a bit...  Hers was a jumping saddle mine a dressage saddle...  she took a longer stirrup than I did as well.   I trotted her around a bit then got her on the track...  and set my feet and knees *(only way I can describe it)  so my balance was more forward and asked for a canter then kept asking for more and more....  Pretty quickly she went into a run...  Oh my goodness she had a huge stride....  The wind tore at my eyes....    She even took huge breaths between strides....  it was awesome.  half way around I could tell it was enough so I shifted my weight back a little and started talking to her...  

Down she came to a canter  then a Very swinging trot...  Horses breathe better at the trot by the way....   she was NOT fit that was obvious but for that quarter mile she was a happy camper.  My girlfriend was astounded.... but she was never able to get Bonnie to run...  No worries..  she just wanted to see it.

ONce you get yourself and your horse sorted out...  Rding all day may not be an option...  But once he gets fit and comfortable you may be surprised at what the two of you can do.

16 is not old for a horse by the way.   My mare now is 22 and a Draft..  and can do sliding stops and rollbacks on the fence...  Percheron style.... LOL...  I dont ride any more but I do Drive...

Good luck


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## Sassysarah123 (Jan 4, 2018)

Mtn Margie said:


> It seems like you should check your saddle fit.  Also, a smart good horse will not do what a rider asks if there is fear and and unbalanced rider up there asking them.  I have an older horse that will do anything for me but for a new rider, she will not go beyond their capabilities.


I will try using a different saddle to see if that works. 
Thank you


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## Sassysarah123 (Jan 4, 2018)

ca said:


> Sorry, a little late to the party but: Check your horse first for saddle fit, chiropractic issues, and ulcers. Have his teeth checked as well! Those are the most common issues and they are all fixable. If your vet confirms the arthritis issue you can help with medication and supplements. When all that is evaluated it is time to get him some training. It might be that he just doesn't see the need to go faster and has gotten away with refusing before (he was sold on Craigslist, a hint that he might have some issues). He sounds like a nice fellow and could still become your dream horse! But don't work on behavioral issues until you have evaluated all possible physical problems!


Thank you!


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## Sassysarah123 (Jan 4, 2018)

Gorman Farm said:


> Ok I am going to look at this from a different perspective, as a former riding instructor I can see in your words that you need riding lessons. The most telling is that you have fear about him bucking while cantering or galloping. This fear is very detectable by the horse. Before you can ask or teach a horse to do something you need confidence and a secure seat in the saddle. I highly recommend that you get riding lessons from a qualified teacher that will give you the confidence you need. The instructor can also look at/ride your horse and determine if it is a training issue or a health issue. My guess is a little of both, the horse prefers not to gallop or canter with weight on his back, but is actually able to based on your statement above. I am older now and I have arthritis in my knees, I prefer not to run but if I were being chased by a bear I would run like the wind, do you follow. Also, sad to say but sometimes sellers give pain medication to horses they are trying to sell, and when you first ride them you think it is all great, then the meds wear off and the uncomfortable horse doesn't cooperate.  Speaking of which your horse may need some anti-inflammatory or pain medication on a regular basis.


This is very helpful!  Thanks


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## Sassysarah123 (Jan 4, 2018)

perchie.girl said:


> you have had excellent advice here....  First of all a horse with arthritis is manageable...  Exercise is essential for all arthritc critters.   But get him evaluated...  there are dietary supplements that will ease his discomfort...
> 
> Second Get that saddle fit looked at...  from a trainer or qualified person.  You may be able to change his padding or adjust how yhou set the saddle on his back.  Or may need to find a different saddle for him.
> 
> ...


Thanks!
He has been galloping a lot now!  But not while I ride.  Yesterday I was lunging him for about 15 to 20 mins.  So it was cold so I decided it was about time to quit, so I took his halter of him stood there for maybe a few mins then I started to walk away and he took off and galloping! He made it up a pretty 
Steep hill all the way up to my other field.  It seems like I see him galloping everyday now.


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## Sassysarah123 (Jan 4, 2018)

rbruno said:


> In one of your post, you mention that he will gallop back to the post where you remove the saddle. Does he do this when you are riding him or when he is just coming in from the field?


He will gallop to the post when I am riding him.  He does this so I can dismount him.  That's why I now dismount him in the middle of my field.  But he also will gallop when I let him into my big field for him to graze.






rbruno said:


> How are his ground manners? Is he pushy? Does he stand well for the farrier? You may want to start with some ground work to build your confidence and to get him more use to responding to you and what you want him to do.


I do ground work with him.
No he is not at all pushy, He would rather not have anything to do with me.  My 24 year old gelding is VERY pushy!  If you are leading him around then you stop walking, he just bumps in to you and puts his face all over you!

When the farrier does his front feet he is great, but when she does his back feet he tries to rip them away. I
His ground manners are fine


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## rbruno (Jan 4, 2018)

A couple more suggestions I would make.  I will still dismount him at the post and not in the field.  This is because he is still controlling the situation.  He runs back to the post because he doesn't feel like working for you.  I would work with him to walk, not gallop, back to the post again to train him to do the things that you want him to do. When you start to head to the post, if he starts to pull on the bit or move at a faster pace, I would slow him up or check him to move at your pace.  If he continues, turn him away from the post and head back to the field for more riding/work.  Then start to head back to the post.  As soon as he increases his speed, either check him with the bit to slow or turn around and head out again.  If you keep doing it, he will eventually figure out he has to walk back to the post or he will have to continue to work.  It might take a while, but he will figure it out.

It seems like he has pretty good ground manners which is great.  I would work to desensitize him with his rear feet.  Plenty of things you can do to get that area to improve.  I would still suggest ground work with him, just make it a little more challenging.  Have him go through/over obstacles.  Set up simple games or activities for him to do.  All of this is again to get him used to doing things that you want him to do and responding to your cues.

Sounds like he is moving around well which is another good sign.


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## Alexa009 (Jan 5, 2018)

You should probably make the saddle bigger or if the horse is overweight you should make him smaller.


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## Sassysarah123 (Jan 5, 2018)

rbruno said:


> It seems like he has pretty good ground manners which is great. I would work to desensitize him with his rear feet. Plenty of things you can do to get that area to improve. I would still suggest ground work with him, just make it a little more challenging. Have him go through/over obstacles. Set up simple games or activities for him to do. All of this is again to get him used to doing things that you want him to do and responding to your cues.


Do you suggest he jump over things?  Or would that be bad for his arthritis? 
Thanks for the ideas! I will set up some activities for him to do.


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## Sassysarah123 (Jan 5, 2018)

Alexa009 said:


> You should probably make the saddle bigger or if the horse is overweight you should make him smaller.


But you don't even know how big he is


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## Ridgetop (Jan 11, 2018)

In this thread I see that several people have suggested that you have a vet check him out.  I don't see that you have done that yet in spite of that good advice.  You need to have a vet evaluate the horse for arthritis or any other physical reason he does not want to run.  If the previous owner is the only source you have for thinking the horse has arthritis you may be relying on bad information.

First, never buy a horse without a vet check.  A couple hundred dollars for the vet check would have saved you $1100 spent on a horse that you think is crippled with arthritis.  This was an expensive lesson.  Get a vet check now so you know what you are dealing with.

Second, mild arthritis can be controlled with medication.  It usually can be seen in limping or favoring of the arthritic leg.  I don't see anywhere where you mention a limp.  It is possible that the rear legs are the ones affected and maybe why the horse doesn't want the farrier lifting them.  Most people with an arthritic horse had had the horse for a long time and are willing to medicate because they are old friends.  You have just bought this horse.  Medication does not come cheaply and you saved a long time for this horse.

Third, you bought a horse to ride.  You have only had him a few months.  You are not enjoying riding him because he will not do what you want and you are afraid he will buck or run away with you.   If the vet gives you bad news about arthritis, or any other condition, sell the horse.  Buy another horse with a proper vet check.  Buy a horse with proper training.  Don't just take the seller's word for the horse's condition.  If you cannot use the horse for riding the way you want to, you have wasted $1100.

Fourth, if the vet says the horse is sound, you will need to either work with the horse (depending on your riding experience level) or put the horse with a trainer for a few months for a tune up.  Once the horse has been with the trainer you will have to ride the horse with the trainer to learn how to make the horse follow your cues.  The horse will behave differently with the trainer so you don't want to just bring him home and expect him to behave for you.  Horses have very long memories and his memories are of doing what he wants with you instead of doing what you want and he will expect to continue doing it his way.

Just because the horse runs in the field doesn't mean anything.  How long have you been riding horses?  Have you taken riding lessons?  You need to learn how to be the boss of the horse.  Right now it sounds as if the horse is telling you what to do and you are obeying him.  Until you become the boss, you will not enjoy your horse. 

I hope you will take everyone's advice - but *first get a vet check*.  No sense spending money buying new saddles or paying for trainers and lessons if the horse is not sound.


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## Sassysarah123 (Jan 12, 2018)

Ridgetop said:


> In this thread I see that several people have suggested that you have a vet check him out. I don't see that you have done that yet in spite of that good advice. You need to have a vet evaluate the horse for arthritis or any other physical reason he does not want to run. If the previous owner is the only source you have for thinking the horse has arthritis you may be relying on bad information.


Right before we got him the guy said that they had just taken him to vet and they said he had minor arthitis.  The guy said we could gallop on him. But he also said his wife was riding him and when she was going up a steep hill with him he was stumbling so she jumped off.


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## Ridgetop (Jan 12, 2018)

Sassysarah123 said:


> Right before we got him the guy said that they had just taken him to vet and they said he had minor arthitis.  The guy said we could gallop on him. But he also said his wife was riding him and when she was going up a steep hill with him he was stumbling so she jumped off.



You need to have your own vet examine him because people who are selling horses (used cars, etc.) _do not always tell the truth.  _Does the horse really have arthritis and how bad it is needs to be determined by _your_ vet.  If the seller told you the horse was stumbling so badly his wife got off and led him home, why did you buy him? 

If a horse gallops back to his stall, but is sluggish going away from it, it usually means he is "barn sour".  This is training.   _*But you need to verify the seller's claim that the horse actually has minor arthritis instead of something more serious.  Horse people have a saying no hoof, no horse"  and this applies to any leg problem or foot problem.*_

My uncle used to buy and sell horses and livestock.  He told me many times _"never believe a horse trader"._  In any livestock deal, always verify.  If you are buying dairy animals ask for the milking records, breeding stock, ask to see the breeding and offspring records, registered animals get the papers, horses do a vet purchase check.  Doing a vet check on a horse before purchase is standard.  No matter how sweet the horse is a horse with a medical issue is going to cost a lot in vet fees.  For a lifelong companion this is understandable.  My husband's 28 year old Tennessee Walker needs $120 a month in meds to get to her feet in the morning - we pay it because we have had her for years and she deserves her retirement.  It sounds like the seller of this horse just retired his unsound horse into your pasture and you will be paying the bills for his meds.



Sassysarah123 said:


> Do you suggest he jump over things?  Or would that be bad for his arthritis?
> Thanks for the ideas! I will set up some activities for him to do.



If this horse was stumbling when being ridden, asking him to jump could be dangerous for you.  Again you have to verify his physical problem before asking him to jump, or do any galloping. 

_This seems to be your first horse purchase.  
Sadly, I think you have made a costly mistake with this horse._ _Every mistake we make is a learning experience.  Hopefully your next horse purchse will be what you are hoping for.  Good luck._


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## Sassysarah123 (Jan 13, 2018)

I trotted and canter on him for a good 5 mins today.  He stopped a few times but I clucked and he sped up.  He kinda started to run to the gate but I turned him around the other direction.


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## Sassysarah123 (Feb 6, 2018)

I did gallop on him a few days ago.  It seem like he doesn't mind running if he is following Danny.  I think it also might be me or something because when my mom rode him he didn't seem like he minded trotting she even got him to gallop, and he didn't try to stop.  I think I have been worrying too much about his arthritis that I am starting to let him get away with certain things like running.  I need to be more firm with him. 
I have a video of him doing a gallop I will try to post it on youtube so I can post it on here


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## Sassysarah123 (Feb 6, 2018)

Today he was pacing the fence galloping around and throwing his head when he knew I was coming back to feed him sweet feed.  
He gallops a lot now.
If he can gallop fine without a rider why can't he with?


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## Sassysarah123 (Feb 7, 2018)

I trotted him today for awhile.  At some points he did try to run to the gate that I dismount at.  But when he did I turned him the opposite way. At the end he was doing pretty good he stopped trying to run to the gate so I got off him and walked him to the gate instead of riding him there to dismount


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