my horse is sweet andnice, kinda a bully to other horses, and can sometimes be to me until l put him in his place...he will be aggressive and try to nip at me but l just chase him off or say no loudly and he submits, but l do not wanna keep demanding my title of herd leader l want him to respect me and like to be with me

he used to follow me around the pasture like a puppy dog always eager to see what l was up too

and now he seems to have gotten more aggressive and since he acts this way l keep having to put him in his place, i will swing the lead rope towards him, or stop my foot loudly at him to keep him away when he tries to nip, and he submits!! 100% he was always the first to give in and lower his head

and now that l keep putting him in his place it seems like he does not like being around me as much, l always talk softly when approaching him and l let him know he is accepted in my space, but he seems to be more timid around me

why do you think he had this behavior change?

he rides great same as always super leg and rein responsive, perked ears, he loves his trails.. he gets scared but aways goes on with a little encouragement.

so l want him to enjoy being with me because l LOVE being with him
he just seems more grouchy and annoyed with me these days
ice had him for about 5-6 months and he is 7 years old

Well, for one thing, u do not mention how long you've had him & how long this has been going on, so l can not say for sure.

If you're looking for a way to be a leader to him, l can highly suggest either Clinton Anderson method, or Parelli. They r both great & can help to get ur horse to respect you. Now, u say u swing u lead rope & stomp ur foot.One thing that Anderson firmly teaches is ur hula-hoop space-Basically, there is a space around u that ur horse is not allowed to come in unless u invite him. This may help to solve some problems, as if ur horse is outside ur hula hoop space, he wo not be able to nip you. Another thing could be too much sensitizing. Every time u teach ur horse to be more responsive or to be more supple, or even when you're wanting him out of ur space & push him out, u r sensitizing him to pressure. However, some horses can become so sensitive, that they become aggressive or fearful. Therefore, u may need to desensitize. This would consist of getting him used to the sound of a whip (Anderson also has some great ways of desensitizing-Check out his book if u want some more ideas), getting him used to a lead rope be thrown over his neck/head, etc.

Anyway, without more specifics, it is hard to know, but these r just a few possibilities.

Good luck!

this site should helped you.. it helped me!



try this site:
http://horsechannel.com/horse-experts/default.aspx

anyway, hope this helped (:

A few years ago l sadly had to let my BEST FRIEND go to another home because we did not have the space.
He was a 14' 2'' dapple-grey Percheron x Australian Stockhorse & was THE MOST AMAZING HORSE IVE EVER KNOWN (i miss u tom!) He & l shared a very strong bond. It all came down to trust. l trusted him with my life, & l believe he trusted me the same. When Tom first came to me l didnt use any halters or restraints. l sat in the paddock with him for a whole day & ''got to know him''. He would follow me around wherever l told him too, would come inside the house, jump over anything, take me anywhere, make me laugh everything! he really was my best friend!
i'm not an expert, but l have spent alot of time with horses, & just like humans they need complete trust. l suggest u do what l did, & a spend a day with ur horse, show him things & let him show u things. no halters, no saddle, nothing. just u & him.

i hope this helps a little.
peace.

Well, honestly to me it really does not sound like u r trully putting him in his place. Sounds just like you're threatening him to me. And l think he is caught on that u will step towards him or throw a rope at him..but as long as he keeps pushing that is all the further u will go with you're 'threats'.

Or maybe he is just bored..tryin doing more things with him..find his itchy spots..my horses love little 5 fingered massager things. Or maybe find him a favorite treat he absolutely adores.My mare is partial to the strawberry cream savers & coconut marshmallows haha.
Does he have horses in the pasture with him?
How old is he..his age might have a lot to do with it & how long u have had him??

You know what? l reckon all u need is a bit of a break.

Just take ur horse out to the paddock, sit down, & be there with him for twenty minutes to the entire day - if you'd like.

And with the whole 'stomping ur foot' thing. It sounds slightly over the top. If he does something bad, just say 'no.' If he persists, say 'no' again & push him away.

It is not really about dominance. In a herd of horses the lead mare is always biting & kicking other horses that get into her space. You have to show that you're on teh same level; but not so much that he can bully you, etc.

For example, in a herd of horses, there r the yearlings, the foals, the mares, etc. In teh yearlings they all tolerate eachother, right? They bite & kick & play & stuff. That is what u have to be like. Just have fun around ur horse, & show that you're on the same level. But if he goes above that boundary, stop him. It is like dogs. l adore my puppy to death, but she is not allowed on the furniture at all. She can come inside, outside. But if she is on that couch, she is scolded & ignored for a few minutes until l relent (because she is just too cute) & cuddle her again.

Best of luck! l really hope u can bond with ur horse. n___n

Ground training.

l do not believe u can have it both ways. If you're the herd leader, do not expect him to hang all over you. Watch how he acts with a dominant horse in the pasture. They will be fearful to those they respect. Many people treat their horses like dogs & they wonder why the horse is in their space & shoving them with their head.
Do u want a foolish pal or a respectful partner? Horses r too big to be allowed to act like dogs. This will get someone hurt. If u want a pal, go buy a dog! l hope this helps!