QUESTION:

I have a 3 year old gelding. When he’s tied, he sometimes pulls back. How can I teach him not to do that?

ANSWER:

Hi Clarissa,
Before teaching a horse to tie the horse needs to learn to yield to pressure. That is, accept pressure and not be frightened by it. At this age you’ll have to go slowly with this.

I like to incorporate positive reinforcement in my trainings and would recommend that you use clicker training as an additional incentive to your sessions.

First, one can teach the horse not to be frightened by pressure behind him by using a TTEAM Body Wrap from Linda Tellington Jones. http://www.lindatellingtonjones.com/Print/bodywrap.htm (go slowly with this and use your clicker training with it.)

Secondly, following instructions from LTJ’s Animal Ambassadors for teaching the horse to tie: http://www.animalambassadors.com/Print/tie.htm

I would add clicker training to this to more firmly embed the ‘good’ in the horse’s thinking and let him know that stepping away from pressure is not only going to give him release but also a reward (during training – once he learns the clicker training/rewards are no longer needed all the time.)

Once he’s pretty secure in learning his lessons then the area in which you ask him to tie can vary. To start, the best place would be in a small area – even right in his stall.So I would look into the links above and see what you can do with your horse. Go slowly, always reward for the try and start at the spot where your HORSE needs to start; not necessarily where *you* think he ought to start.

Remember — go as slowly as your horse needs to go and MAKE IT FUN!