Well, I am using a crop to threaten him with in case he decides to charge me or what ever he did to me the other day:
Yesterday he decided to get all moody so I just grabbed it and he trotted off, when I went out to mess with him (around twenty minutes later) he didn't act up at all. So I am using it to keep him from charging (I'm just deciding he charged me) again. He backs up and trots away when I bring it out. I know he is scared of whips, but I don't want to get hurt because then my parents will get sad and maybe sell him, so I *can't* get hurt. I don't want to see him gone because I'm dumb and don't know what I'm doing. So should I keep afraid (not hit) of whips until he doesn't act up at all? Or desensitize him to it?
One more question, he will rear and strike out at you (some times he will strike when rearing, he's done it to me once and he almost hit me in the face [that was around a month ago though!]), should I smack him (not hard, just a tap) with the crop when he does that? I know another horse would kick the living crap out of him if he done that to them. I just don't want to abuse him, though.
I don't expect him to get over it on his own. That is why I'm working on it with him!
Yesterday he decided to get all moody so I just grabbed it and he trotted off, when I went out to mess with him (around twenty minutes later) he didn't act up at all. So I am using it to keep him from charging (I'm just deciding he charged me) again. He backs up and trots away when I bring it out. I know he is scared of whips, but I don't want to get hurt because then my parents will get sad and maybe sell him, so I *can't* get hurt. I don't want to see him gone because I'm dumb and don't know what I'm doing. So should I keep afraid (not hit) of whips until he doesn't act up at all? Or desensitize him to it?
One more question, he will rear and strike out at you (some times he will strike when rearing, he's done it to me once and he almost hit me in the face [that was around a month ago though!]), should I smack him (not hard, just a tap) with the crop when he does that? I know another horse would kick the living crap out of him if he done that to them. I just don't want to abuse him, though.
I don't expect him to get over it on his own. That is why I'm working on it with him!