This post is about how to train the barn sour horse to get him leaving the barn yard and his buddies.
The barn sour horse can be challenging, but there are ways to re-train him if you think about why he is acting this way and use common-sense horsemanship tactics to change his mind.
Barn sour meaning explained
Barn sour is a term used by horsemen to describe a horse that doesn’t want to leave home, his pen or the barn. He will resist or completely refuse to move off if you try to ride him away from home. He is often attached to his buddies and doesn’t want to leave them.
Why do horses get barn sour?
Although it’s hard to admit we create these problems for our horse. The biggest reason you cannot make a barn sour horse leave the barn without a big fuss is that he knows you cannot control him. Many riders don’t want to hurt their horse, so don’t give the horse the discipline he needs when he misbehaves. This sort of misplaced sympathy is bad for the horses training, if a horse needs a swat he will accept it and learn from it.
Horses in herds have a pecking order. They establish who the leader is in the herd through chasing, kicking and biting each other. If your horse doesn’t listen to you and you don’t correct his behavior with a swat on the butt then he will think that he is above you in the pecking order. He is the herd leader and the boss of you. He may allow you to catch and saddle him but then tells you he has had enough for the day and he isn’t leaving home to go on a ride, it is too much work.
Reasons for being barn sour
Horses are smart and they learn that certain places are where they go to do work and other places they are able to rest and relax. If we always work a horse hard in one place and always stop and relax in the same spot they will naturally want to go to the place they get to stop and rest.
Some horses will refuse to go to areas where they are worked like the riding arena or want to quickly leave out the gate. Other horses refuse to leave the farm and head away from their comfort zone. They walk slowly away from home and come home fast. The good news is you can retrain the barn sour horse, all it takes is a little time and consistency. These tips for training that come next are straightforward. If followed they will have you in control and enjoying riding your horse away from home again.
Your horse must respect you as the leader
Do not try to leave home on a barn sour horse until you have retrained him to listen to your cues and respect you. Do not think that riding him only at home will make him more stubborn about leaving and more anxious to get back. It is the control you establish by schooling him at home that wins the battles and prevents the war.
Steps to get him to leave the barnyard:
Step 1
The first thing you need to do is work your horse in a round pen or arena and teach him that he needs to pay attention to you. You can start with lunging him. Make sure he is focused on you and has his nose tipped to the inside of the circle not looking away and trying to see his barn mates. Establish a good stop and have him moving off quickly when you cluck to him. Use your lunging whip to get his attention and make him move.
Step 2
Then you can ride him in the pen and make sure he is walking, trotting and loping forward willingly and not being lazy and dragging his feet. Carry a crop with you and use it to get his attention if he is not moving off like you want. Make sure he can stop and turn easily both directions before riding in the open.
Step 3
Next, take him to the area where he resists leaving and work him in that area. If it is by the barn lunge him or ride circles in that spot then calmly get him to walk in the direction you want to go. Make sure you are sitting straight not leaning forward or back, look ahead to where you want to go, encourage him with your feet by squeezing or kicking if necessary, As soon as you feel any resistance at all like slowing down or turning use your crop to encourage him in a forward direction. If he stops moving forward pick up your rein and turn tight circles with him several times then ask him to go forward in the direction you want. He will likely be glad to stop circling and walk forward for you.
Effective training involves making the right behavior easy and the wrong behavior challenging. If he hesitates to leave the barnyard, engage him in activity there. Disrupt the expected pattern by resting where your horse expects to work and working where he expects to rest. By applying reverse psychology and addressing behavioral issues early on, you can reprogram your horse. A rider who notices these tendencies and invests extra time to train can transform a barn sour horse into a more cooperative and agreeable companion.
My horse doesn’t want to leave his barn buddy. What should I do?
When your horse doesn’t want to leave his buddies then you need to make him work hard over by where his buddies are. Lope circles around the horses he wants to be with. Do roll backs. Do whatever training exercises you like in the pen with the horses or just outside the pen until he is tired and then ask him to walk away from them. Repeat this training as much as needed so that he understands being close to his buddies is no fun and riding away from them is a relaxing break.
Tips to Retrain your Barn Sour Horse
- If your horse resists leaving the barn area, commence the training session right there. Trot around the barn, trailers, and hitching rail before calmly walking away. If resistance persists, continue trotting in circles and gradually walk away until your horse willingly leaves the barn area.
- Challenge your horse’s expectations by riding past the usual dismount and unsaddle spot. Keep riding beyond that area before dismounting and leading your horse back.
- Don’t always get off when you come home from a ride. Make him lope circles at the barn so he doesn’t equate the hitching post or barn with stopping.
- If your horse speeds up when coming home. Then you need to work him hard every time you come home. Then ride him away from home at a nice casual pace and repeat if he speeds up coming home, then work him again at a fast pace back at the barn.
Clinton Anderson explains how he corrects a barn sour horse.
If you liked this post I’m sure you will love these ones too!
Basic Horse Riding Commands-How to Control a Horse
Training a Spooky Horse to be Bombproof
How to Groom a Horse a Step-by-Step Guide
Have a great day friends and remember to save a pin for later!
