I've got a 20 month old that's really kicking my butt. He's a Perch cross warmblood and he's been a puppy until training started. He doesn't want anything to do with ground driving. It has gotten to the point that if he sees you with a lead rope, he's gone !!! I don't like using feed to catch him. I don't like leaving him locked up, so I can get my hands on him. If you start at him with the surcingle & lines he goes crazy. If he thinks he's gotta work, he's gone. I'm lost.

On riding horses in the spring have been known to leave a horse saddled for as long as a week after that there realy easy to catch and saddle. they were left in the barn day and night,because we might need them to help with calving problems.

I am beginning to think more like Dale. Leave them alone until you are ready to break them. As to this one get a good big horse and get with it. A tire of education is your friend. He is getting away with being a dink because he can. KM

He sounds a little young to me, and he's not quite ready to pay attention. Warm bloods are a little slow to mature, but seeing as you got him started you should keep going with him. You might want to try some round pen work until he gives in to you, then try harness again. Might have someone with you for a little help. Good Luck

You can do a lot of ground work at this time that hasn't anything to do with ground driving. Start with training him to come when he's called, to halter and lead, to stand in the crossties a few minutes, to have his feet picked up, to stand while grooming. Keep all the training sessions frequent, and very short and consider leaving off the work part for now. From his reaction, he sounds confused like you are trying to do too much too soon for his brain to comprehend, and he is very young. Slow down and go back to the beginning. If you have a smaller paddock to put him in, carry the halter with you every time you go in there and walk him down, put the halter on and give him a carrot, then take the halter off. If you want him to have a good attitude later on, you really need to go back and start over, slowly. He's very young but he can still learn good ground manners and a good attitude.

Well Wink, it sounds like you have done a good job of spoiling this one.
If he was mine (and I was a lot younger), I'd have him frontfooted, tied down for a couple hours, and when I let him up, he'd be wearing my saddle and I'd go for a ride until he was wore out. He then would be tied and the only feed and water would come from my hand. The only exercise would be for me to ride him every day for a little or a lot depending on his actions. If he acted up, get violent enough get through his mental block.
If gets to bucking you off, don't worry about it. At 4, he may be worth a lot of money as a bucking horse.

Dad always said no mater how much ground work you do, someone has to put a leg or harness over him soner or later. would rather do it while he is soft before you get him all toned up with all the ground work there easer to ride.

Well KC, I was told by an old Nezperce that anybody can ride the horse, it's the oats that is hard to ride.

seen horses that had to have 2 gallon oats a day just to mantain conditon for the riding they were getting bucked at least once a day for 90 days, before mised one day of bucking. great horse never quit me on any thing I ever done with him he died at 20 years old.