Any advice appreciated

[Morgan ocall]

Hello

Just wanted to ask for some advice with my mare. Her main issues is stubbornness, e.g not moving in the school at all and not wanting to lead. It takes me a while to move her and i have not managed to move her at all in the school, she can also be quite girthy.

Any advice appreciated

Morgan x

 

[carthorse]

On that little detail I really cannot make suggestions. It could be pain, it could be not understanding, it could be nappiness, it could be rider error. Basically it could be anything!

 

[Huggy]

Hello and welcome. I feel your pain! I have a very stubborn cob - so much so, I haven't even attempted the school! How long have you had her? I ask because if not long, then there may be a way round it, perhaps some private/lunge lessons? but if you've had her a while, (I've had mine nearly 4 years) it may be a bit harder to fix.

 

[Mary Poppins]

My first thought is that perhaps she doesn’t understand what you are asking her to do. Have you seen her ridden in a school before? How old is she? How has she been trained?

 

[Jessey]

Def much more information required - What breed is she? How old is she? what has she been doing in the past? does she just stop and not budge or does she buck, or nap? is she OK with another horse in front? is she OK if you lead her? does she do this out hacking? etc.

 

[Frances144]

I would take her training right back to the beginning. As if she knows nothing. Start with the total basics - in-hand manners and leading and moving off on voice commands all in-hand. Reward the good, ignore the bad. Keep going, short amounts of time. Always end on a good note and keep at it until the first step is achieved effortlessly. Spend as much time on every stage as it takes and then do it again. At least a week on one thing.

 

[Trewsers]

Yep definitely need more info - as already said could be any number of things.

 

[Morgan ocall]

Her name is Darcy. She is a 16-year old
appaloosa X mare.I have owned her for just over four months. I have worked on ground work since I got her. She’s respectful and will back up when you ask and will also stop behind you when you stop. When she’s caught, she will immediately plant and will only walk the way she wants to. I have tried the pressure technique and also walking her in different directions, but none of it seems to work as she will just ignore it. In the school, she will jog around at the gate and throw her head about and sometimes throw the old buck in when tapped with the schooling whip. I mainly bought her as a hacking horse as that’s what we both love. She will only nap when coming out of the yard, but once she’s out, she is quite happy to lead the hack.

Thanks morgan


​

 

[Huggy]

She's lovely - very striking markings.

 

[Jessey]

View attachment 110269
Her name is Darcy. She is a 16-year old
appaloosa X mare.I have owned her for just over four months. I have worked on ground work since I got her. She’s respectful and will back up when you ask and will also stop behind you when you stop. When she’s caught, she will immediately plant and will only walk the way she wants to. I have tried the pressure technique and also walking her in different directions, but none of it seems to work as she will just ignore it. In the school, she will jog around at the gate and throw her head about and sometimes throw the old buck in when tapped with the schooling whip. I mainly bought her as a hacking horse as that’s what we both love. She will only nap when coming out of the yard, but once she’s out, she is quite happy to lead the hack.

Thanks morgan


​

Did you have a pre purchase exam done when you purchased her? at 16 you def need to consider if she's starting to get some arthritis that could be bothering her or something along those lines, if you haven't had a lameness workup (as part of a PPE or since) then that would be my first port of call, I would also have the vet check teeth while they are there.
My personal experience of appy's is they often have a stubborn steak (it seems to be a breed trait ) and don't take well to being bossed about, you have to be firm and fair but there is an element of negotiating with them! I would get a trainer involved before her bad behavior in the school becomes any more established, you really can't beat having eyes on the ground while it happens to be able to spot exactly what is going on.

 

[Morgan ocall]

Did you have a pre purchase exam done when you purchased her? at 16 you def need to consider if she's starting to get some arthritis that could be bothering her or something along those lines, if you haven't had a lameness workup (as part of a PPE or since) then that would be my first port of call, I would also have the vet check teeth while they are there.
My personal experience of appy's is they often have a stubborn steak (it seems to be a breed trait ) and don't take well to being bossed about, you have to be firm and fair but there is an element of negotiating with them! I would get a trainer involved before her bad behavior in the school becomes any more established, you really can't beat having eyes on the ground while it happens to be able to spot exactly what is going on.

Definitely thankyou

 

[Frances144]

I would also have her teeth looked at.