How to get respect from your horse?

What I have found to get a close bond with my mares: Show them who's boss or alpha, in a firm way. But also be loving and kind. When you pull the horse out of it's stall/paddock/pasture, don't ride him and put him back. Change it up. Ride one day, trailer somewhere another, and just spend time on the other. Doing something different so he never guesses what you'll be doing when you go to get him.

On days you ride, do different things as well. Arena work one day, bareback (walk/trot) another, and on the other go for a nice trail ride.

On the days you trailer, try different shows (depending on what you do), go to trail heads, or even drive around just to drive around!

On the days you just hang out, brush him down good, talk with him, tell him about your day, hand graze him, go on "walks". Anything that involves spending time with your horse!

When you go to catch him, he anticipates that you are going to catch him and make him work (hints the suggestions above). Other things you can do to change it up is:

1) Go up to him, let him, give him some treats, then walk away and don't encounter him again that day.

2) Go up to him, catch him, brush him, pick his feet, give him grain/treats, then take off the halter and walk away.

3) Catch him, being him to the gate, and let him go again (give him treats/grain as well).

About him actually not letting you catch him. These strategies about all work, but you have to catch him first! :P If you see that he's shirting his weight to walk away, turn around and walk away before he does. Most horses will follow. Other things that work:

1) First off, make sure the halter is visible! Get close to him (about 10 feet away) crouch down and look at the ground. Start digging a "much needed" hole with a stick or rock. He will become frustrated that you aren't trying to catch him. Slowly get closer, until he either lets you catch him or he comes up to you.

2)Walk towards him, paying close attention to something other than him, and when you get about 5-7 feet away, make a half circle around him and continue. Keep doing this until he gets fed up and what's your attention so badly he's okay with you catching him. Make sure halter is in sight the whole time.

That's what I've found works for my girls that are both stubborn like that sometimes! If none of this works, you may need a professionals help. GOOD LUCK!

Maybe you should check his health. Also if he does walk away from you get a bucket of treats or just a handful of them so he walks back up to you. Every time you you go out to pet him bring treats that way he thinks if he walks up to you he will get a reword. As for his head going down when you put the halter on if he puts his head all the way to the ground to wear he is eating just pull up on the lead rope and sternly say "no". If he just puts his head down to your height he is being submissive which is good

What is the horse breed? A gelding is a castrated horse, maybe that's why he has been pissed off for the last 6 years. lol. Typically a gelded horse is much calmer and used as a workhorse, a favorite for equestrians. Geldings need more care than brushing and walking, they are susceptible to getting smegma and require sheath cleaning. When a horse is healthy he is happy. Good Luck

It makes me sad every time I see people talking about 'making their horse respect them'. That's simply not how horses think, and the people who do it 'successfully' are losing a lot more than they gain, in terms of the relationship that is possible between horse and human. The people who try it and aren't 'successful' and/or have horses who refuse to be dominated in that way, usually end up with the most dangerous horses of anyone.

As far as the horse enjoying your company, some horses simply aren't huggy/cuddly friendly. Many more have learned that people are not to be trusted, aren't fair, don't understand the horse, punish it for misunderstanding, or are just plain bossy and not nice to be around.

Your horse will never see you as a 'dominant horse' because he knows you're not a horse! One thing that the people who preach dominance and alpha-herd-rank seem to be oblivious about is that the dominant position in the herd is always up for grabs, so even if they do convince the horse that they are the dominant herd member *for now*, that position is always open to challenge.

A much safer, more permanent, more positive and productive relationship is one based in mutual trust and friendship. This doesn't mean you coddle the horsie and spoil him with treats, to beg him to like. It means you treat him with respect for his opinions and feelings and perspective on things. You don't have to push him around and be the boss! You can quietly persist in asking him what you want, until he realizes that what you're asking is not too hard or dangerous, and when he does it for you his life improves too because you show your appreciation for his cooperation.

I fostered and started a previously unhandled 2 yr old colt in hand for a rescue organization. He wanted nothing to do with people and when they had to do anything with him, they just dragged him by his halter. I turned him out with my sweet mare and a few other horses. At feeding time, I let my mare and the colt out of the pasture and into a 1-acre paddock, so the other horses wouldn't be in the way of feeding time. I tied my mare so she wouldn't steal the colt's feed, then fed them both. I asked the colt if I could touch him while he ate. If he walked away and said no, I said fine, I'll just follow you and touch you while you *don't* eat. Of course he circled back to the feed pan, and I asked again. Within a few days, he decided that me touching him anywhere wasn't worse than leaving his feed. From there, I started picking up his hooves, grooming him, putting a surcingle on him, etc. He learned very quickly and calmly, and within 3 months he was quietly leading, loading, ponying, crossing the busy street, chest-deep creek, narrow bridges, facing down and chasing dogs in hand, accepting a lightweight saddle, ground driving, quiet about being bopped with a pool noodle or longe whip with a plastic bag on the end, etc.

In a different situation, I've been working with several horses that had bad history with people. A couple of them were labeled mankillers, and a few others were simply fearful of any movement a person made near them. I would catch them from the pasture with a combination of walking them down quietly and offering feed, then once caught I put them in the arena where the grass was more lush. I'd put 3 or 4 horses in the arena and remove their halters, then just move from one to another offering grooming. If they walked away, they missed the good grass while they were avoiding me, and some of them had itchy clusters of gnat bites on their bellies. Getting groomed there felt GOOOOD! Now those horses are easy to catch without any treats in hand, and I always offer them some lush grazing or other meaningful reward after catching and just before turning them out again.

Offer the horse a good deal, be consistently fair, and try to understand his point of view. Most horses will respond to this program with enthusiastic cooperation and true, *mutually* respectful friendship. I'll take a cooperative attitude over the submission of a slave to a master, any day!

You need to spend time with him. They can sense when humans are nerves, afraid, and jumpy. You have to be calm and gentle with him. If you want him to be a very good horse you need to give him treats even if he is being bad. You need to walk up to him very slowly, and not make sudden movements that will cause him to be afraid.