Reader Question on Young Horse That Won't Stand Still

Cindy wrote me about her coming 3 year old Appaloosa Gelding that she has raised since birth. She has been riding him since he turned 2 last April. He has been doing very well,....she has no major complaints or problems except he does not stand still when tied or when she is tacking up. And sometimes he tries to kick.

Well Cindy, I don’t too much like a horse that kicks. Very seldom is it because he’s just plain mean. Usually it’s out of fear. Could be that he’s turned out with other horses and is at the bottom of the herd pecking order. Could be that he’s just a young horse. If I'm leading a horse and he tries to kick, I give a quick, sharp jerk on the lead line to my rope halter. If the I'm turning the horse loose and he spins and kicks, I'm not only out of the way but also ready to use the popper end of my lead line to pop him on the hip. I'll usually catch the horse again, and go through a couple of times of haltering and un-haltering him until he stands or at least doesn't spin and kick.

My way is gentling a horse at 2 years old and even if I don’t get a saddle on him until 3, that’s okay. In most cases a horse isn’t mature, physical wise, until they are 4. That’s where the real riding starts. So you are not behind with him by any means, and some of his bad habits will most likely go away (with good handling) as he gets older providing you go through a lot of wet saddle blankets – that is to keep working him.

Whenever I’m on the ground or in the saddle and a horse doesn’t want to stand still.....such as being barn sour or buddy sour, I create some energy and move him in a tight circle for a little bit then offer a chance for him to stand still. Most of the time the horse will soon learn that standing still is a good deal. So this is another example of pressure and release,..making the wrong thing hard and the right thing easy.

In the video below I have my Mustang gelding, who when I got him did not like anyone to walk around his rear and, would move away when I was putting a saddle on him. He’s very good about it now, but I'm using him to demonstrate applying pressure by turning him in tight circles then offering him a chance to stand still.

With your horse, chances are he moves off, at least a step or two, when you get into the saddle. Make sure you mount with a short rein tipping his head slightly to the side you are mounting, and if he tries to walk as you are getting situated in the seat, back him up a few feet. If he wants to move away as you mounting, then don’t mount,....instead create some energy and move him around in a tight circle and offer it to him to stand still and try to mount again. Hope this helps you. Good luck and safe journey.