Vice - Barn Sour or Hopeless Rider

Question
Wonder if you can help me.   

I just got a 6 year old TB, ex-race that just got deleted about 5 months ago.   For the first 3 months after his retirement it was just being led & walking about.   I only started to slowly ride him about 2 months ago.

The problem is - he is terribly barn sour (I don't know if it is the correct term, here in Malaysia we call it "stable shy".)   Previously he would rear(not high)and buck. Sometimes he may, when given the aids, go forward for a few steps and then make this quick 180 degree turn.   Last week he has learned a new trick.  Instead of bucking/ rearing, he just does his move forward and turn OR just completely stops and not budge.  I don't use much of the whip - tried once with the dressage whip at the hinds and he reared, short crop doesn't affect him very much either.  

When he finally gets to the arena he is fine.   A bit sluggish - heavy on he fores, but that that is slowly coming out okay. Halts with slight seat/ rein aids, trots when asked.  He doesn't have this "bolting" tendency like some ex-race horse do. Tried to hack out with him last weekend and he did his "quick turns" and "foot stomping".  Riding out with a spooky Arab didn't very much but the thing is, when the Arab refused, my horse would definitely refuse, but if the Arab goes, he may still refuse at some parts.

For your information, he is not friendly with other horses - pins back his ears.   When I first got him, he didn't like much contact, but now he's getting quite affectionate.

Is this purely laziness and can be dealt with with more riding/ training.  Or am I doing something really wrong.  My confidence level is dipping slowly here.   FYI, I started riding 3 years ago.   Use to ride daily until about a year ago when riding became infrequent.  Now its only weekends/ holidays, like 3 times a week about an hour each time or max 2 hours.

I'm riding English, and using French link snaffle.   I started out with loose ring snaffle and he didn't think liked it very much, kept raising his head and refusing the bit.   It is probable that I'm not gentle enough or could be the nut-cracker effect is too harsh for him but anyhow, thought that a gentler bit may help and it seemed so.

How do I handle this barn sour behaviour?  I just want a horse for hacking.

Regards,
-ZURAIDAH-  

Answer
Hi Zuraidah,
Thank you for asking the question.  I have never corresponded with anyone from Malaysia before.

Your horse is acting normal, for the situation in which he is in.  Yes, all what you describe, I have seen over and over in horses from the track, as well as in other horses in traditional English riding barns.  It is not about the breed, it is not about making small changes like changing to a different bit or such... what you are working with is the whole attitude of the horse, which has been shaped by how humans have handled him and by how humans keep him.

>> Is this purely laziness and can be dealt with with more riding/ training. Or am I doing something really wrong. My confidence level is dipping slowly here. FYI, I started riding 3 years ago.  >>

YES!  it definitely can be dealt with with more training: yours, your training, then the horse's training.  
While it is hard to tell you a lot of information in writing, I will try to deal with the most important here.  If you possibly can, do purchase the coltstarting and horsemanship video series from Buck Brannaman.
You need to see him, and it will surprise you, pleasantly, to see how he teaches horses.

http://www.brannaman.com

Also, check my own website,
http://DreamHorseTraining.com
I will soon have pictures up of a horse from the racetrack I am retraining right now.  

The difficult part is not the lenght of time , 3 years, since you have been riding ... although 3 years is not a lot, we all are learning all the time.  The problem is, you haven't been taught the right things, because most English teachers do not know it!!

Inspite of having the best in mind,we humans have a very difficult time seeing the world through "other's " eyes:  we think we know it all!   In particular, we historically have believed animals to be "dumb," and beneath us.  Which led humans to train animals by force, using lots of punishment, and little praise.

Now, we have started looking at our horses with a lot more respect, and we have started to learn their own language.  While there were always great horsemen, only recently have we begun to understand horses in a way in which it can be explained, and taught.

The basics:
1.  we riders and handlers need to respond to our horses in "horsetime."  Meaning, we need to SHOW them when they did the right thing ASAP-- withing 10 seconds of so!
Example: I will reward a barn-sour horse for even LOOKING away from the barn by relaxing my body, not pulling on the rein, and saying, good boy.
If a horse even as much as looks towards the barn, I will give the horse a job to do, such as, work on a circle, or shoulder in, or ride a serpentine, or work on walk-trot transitions.  As we are working on keeping the horse's feet busy, I reward every  correct step, and release reins appropiately.  If horse goes well in circles, I'll start towards the barn.  If the horse speeds up even one teensy bit, I'll ask him to work a circle, shoulder in , etc,... and won't let him relax except lookin away from the barn.

2. your horse pins his ears etc. because he is troubled inside.  It is not your fault!!! (you seem to want to do the best by your horse... and of course, have an enjoyable and safe ride...)  In my opinion, most horses are very troubled, inside.  To be ok, they need expert handling by people, but also, they need to live in a pasture, with a herd of horse to play all day long.  We treat them like prisoners:  they need to work when we ask them too, but the rest of the time, they are in prison.  May be a gilded, great, comfy prison, but a prison, nevertheless.

And yes, animals in cages often are afraid to wander out of the cage.  The barn becomes a "safe spot" and horses forget to be comfortable outside.

A  lot of horses kept in stalls have forgotten how to be social with other horses, they are both afraid of other horses, and yet, they want to be next to them.

Now this info may not be of the "practical" kind to you but I write it because it helps understand where your horse is getting some of his habits.

<< Instead of bucking/ rearing, he just does his move forward and turn OR just completely stops and not budge.  >>

I actually  think your horse is level-headed and sweet.  Try to NOT pull on his mouth all the time... not that you would want to, but since he can bolt, we riders tend to put more pressure, or constant pressure on the mouth.  Try to fix and release, do not attempt to hold him from bolting, but "fix" by picking up on the reins, sometime one rein only, and turning into a stop if he speeds up.
If he does not budge, it is likely because you may have too much pressure (in your horse's opinion) on his mouth.  Try taking his head left, try "unstick" the feet by asking him to go left and forwards, then stop kicking and praise if he even moves one step.

Bottom line:
1.  Give your horse a job to do when he gets troubled.  Keep his feet moving , do circles, transitions, shouder in, etc.  Reward a lot.  Yes, I look funny on my trailrides on young and green horses:  lots of turns, circles, snakelines... the horse is not ready, mentally, to go straight.  We need to heep his mind busy, so he can concentrate on our requests.  

2. try to be very conscious of when you apply pressure on the reins... you can slow a horse down by  bending, and be sure to release the reins whenever the horse softens, slows, turns, ... lots of releases!

3.  if you ask a horse to move forwards, such as using a crop when he acts as if he might rear, you *have to* release the reins.. and praise the horse if he goes forwards, even though it may be faster than what you 'd like.  Go forwards and bend in a circle.. if he bolds, bend in a large circle, then make the circle smaller.

Good luck, feel free to ask more questions,

Rena