Why did she do that? She scared me.

[tracyward]

Yesterday, like any other day, i went to get my mare out of her field, which she is fine with, groomed and tacked her up ok, but as soon as we got into the school she lost all concentration, wouldn't listen to me her head was thrashing around. I had tacked her up tp ride, but decided that it would be safer for me to lunge. (The day before I had changed her into a softer/kinder bit and she was fine when we rode).

Any way, on my way to putting her back into her field, she reared up several times and struck out as if to get me, she missed my head by an inch or so :eek: . This scared the life out of me so i let her go. I managed to get her into the field, I can't understand why she did this :confused: , we have such a close bond.

Any help, i'm so fed up of my confidence being lost just when i think i'm getting somewhere.

[BeachRiding]

Are you sure she's not in pain? Sudden change in attitude usually points to that, has she had her back,teeth ect. checked?

[Pink's lady]

It's possible that she's in pain but I suspect that it's more to do with your relationship

Horses need a strong and brave leader who they feel can and will look out for them and solve problems and dangers. That way they can go back to eating and let you worry about life ;) If they don't feel you are that leader they need they will fight to be leader - they feel they need to to survive.

Horses that have to be leader, since they feel their owners aren't up for the task, can be very overt about it or very bulshy and pushy. They are also very flighty and nervous since they need to be on constant lookout since their owner can't be trusted to do it for them.

I suspect in the school that she was being disrespectful and arguing about who's boss (she obviously doesn't think it should be you;)) but going back to the field I's guess she saw something that she thought was a threat. And rather than let you deal with it, she felt she had to take the sitution into her own hand (hooves).

And now that you've lost the confidence to be herdleader the probelm will just get worse unless you work on it.

You need to start doing some ground work to prove to your horse that you are a good leader and can keep her safe. It's basically all about being able to move the horses feet.

[galadriel]

A sudden change in behavior *can be* (not necessarily *is*) related to something physical. If you've recently made a change and your horse then becomes hard to handle, it's worth changing back to see what happens.

Perhaps the bit is more gentle in theory, but it doesn't fit in her a way which is comfortable. Bits sometimes aren't shaped right for a horse's mouth, or the material is different and strange, or sometimes the mouthpiece even has sharp parts that you can't see, but the horse can feel. Since that's what you've changed recently, perhaps that's what she was responding to.

PL does present an excellent point, of course, and is another option to investigate. But sometimes the simplest option clears everything right up ;)

[Skib]

I would back what galadriel says. You changed the bit, sothat could cause a change in character.
But, I'd like you to know that at his last UK clinic last autumn a lady brought her horse which had had a similar sudden change of behaviour three months before. And retraining had not entirelky sorted it out. Like Pinks lady Mark Rashid pays enormous attention to the relationship between horse and owner and to obedience on the ground. But this would apply to all horses and all owners. And relationships dont change overnight either.
He said that a sudden change in behaviour is almost always physical in origin. Although the horse seemed fine, a close examination by his chiropractor showed that it was a tiny bit lame on one foot. So though I hesitate to contradict a vet, Rashid's answer would be entirely the opposite.

If it is not the new bit causing the problem. call in the vets, dentist, farrier etc and get her thoroughly checked out.

[tracyward]

I have now changed her bit, so we will work with that today. She has had mud fever for a while now and i know that its very sore, i have been treating it with fuciderm and in the past it has cleared up well. The vet is out next week to give her boosters, so I will have a word with him about her mud fever and the change in behaviour.

We have a very strong bond, she is normally very affectionate towards me.

The other thing which was different that day is we normally have a couple of carrots on our way back to the field and that day, because she was naughty i didn't take any with me, could this have contributed to her behaviour do you think?

Also that day there was another mare in one of the fields that she normally grazes in, could this be part of it.

Thank you all for your great advice.

[joey_olop]

I have a love hate relationship with my horse-its so frustrating isnt it?? It just feels like that you dont want to do anything with him.

I have no advice, looking for it myself but Good Luck and let us no how you get on.

Maybe cut out the riding and see how you go:)

[Wally]

Do you have a close relationship???? or is it only close when you are doing what your horse wants?

[tracyward]

She seems to want to please me 99% of the time and is always looking for ressurance from me.

I went down this morning and i felt so sick. My friend walked down the field with me and i got her out, she was good. I thought i would lunge to see what mood she was in and it was a good one. She listened well. I had to then turn her back out and at this point my stomach was churning. Again my friend walked down with me but only to the first gate, i made the last bit of the journey just the two of us, we had our carrots to hand and she was as good as gold.

Don't know what set her off that day, maybe it was the hot weather getting to her like it does with us. Hope it never get to find out again.

FINGERS CROSSED X X X X X

Thank you all for trying to help me solve my problem, lets hope I don't have to come back with this problem again.

[Mehitabel]

if it was a one-off i'd guess she was being bitten by a fly or stung by a wasp. the best horse can turn itself inside out with a wasp under its tail.

check her all over for bites or stings.

[Mimi + Me]

That's really weird because I've had Mimi for over three years now and she reared for the first time ever with me at the weekend. I was mounting her from the ground, told her firmly to 'stand' and as soon as I got one foot in the stirrup she took a couple of steps back. So I ended up hopping till I could get my foot back out of the stirrup. Because it was hot and I was irritated I smacked her belly with my whip (I know, I know I shouldn't have done, I don't normally beat my hoss, honest;)). She took a couple of steps back and did a HUGE rear, in fact I thought for an awful moment that she was going to topple backwards:eek:. I let go of the reins in amazement because she has never, ever, done anything like that before (I honestly didn't think she knew HOW to rear :D). Maybe it was just the heat getting to them.

I went on to have a lovely ride though so I'm guessing it's just a one-off, and hopefully it's the same with your mare :)

[teabiscuit]

they are keeping us on our toes, that's what it is :)

[doris]

Mares sometimes get very grumpy and/or badly or oddly behaved when in season. I believe they can suffer from ovarian pains etc similar to humans. I believe it's also been proved that horses can get headaches.

[Wally]

...yeah, but not even I am that bad tempered! ;) ;) ;)

[doris]

Point taken Wally - I think I'm more grumpy now I'm over all that and in my
50's.

Mares can also have hormonal imbalances, and their ovaries are not too far off where the rear of the saddle is situated. I'm not saying that this is the answere, just something else to give thought too if all other areas are OK.

[Lucy J]

she could have been grumpy if you usually have carrots but didn't. my old gentlemen gelding sweet as anything physically attacked me once when in a strop because i gave the mare in the field a polo before him. i went to smack him but he knew it was coming and ducked out the way.

my mare is a bit random at the moment, depends which of her friends are in the field and whether or not she is in season. just try to forget about it, if he behaviour continues check teeth and saddle fit etc. My new forest has been changing direction with me in he school, i thought he was being naughty, but I got his teeth done now he is right as rain. just remember they only have so many ways to express their unhappiness, they are not necessarily trying to be horrible/mean or scare you.

good luck!

[carrimclaren]

Agree with Lucy J. My mare's been a bit up and down behaviour wise but i sort of put it down to several factors. New field of grass, time off through lameness which the better she felt the more she was full of it, new young horse in a nearby field etc. I've had her 2 years now so i tend not to be scared of her anymore when she's pratting around as i know she means no harm and is just being a bit of a baby about some things. I got on her for the first time in 3 weeks expecting an idiot and she was fresh but nicely fresh so i was plesantly surprised. Maybe hitting 8 means a new maturity level?? :rolleyes:

[tracyward]

Not sure what her problem was but she seems to behaving herself now (fingers and toes crossed please). Like you say it could have been a number of things that set her off, i know i get very grumpy :mad: in hot weather so we can't expect any less from our mares.

At the time it was scarey but i got through it ok and if she did ever rear again i'm hoping i will handle the situation better. :eek:

Thank you guys for all your valued input and help. I'm still smiling :D .