Naughty Youngster Mare

[G33KKITTY]

hey

I have been looking after a 3 year old for about 8 months turning in, out, grooming, ground work, minor lunging. games, manners etc faffing with her face and head and feet etc... lots of silly things. She went to a new loan home about 3 months ago and about a month ago I got a call from the owner asking if I could help out at all as the new loaner is not coping with her. She is behaving very badly and the girl is scared of her. Now this mare is the typical stereotypical Mare. She can be a sweetheart yet also a night mare.

She turned 4 last month and I have been back working with her for 2 weeks as the loaner has said she does not want to have her any more and me and her owner are now doing her. Me 5 days a week the owner 2 days a week.

First week I spent getting to know her again. Basic grooming, feet picking up ( the girl had not been able to do the back ones since she had her ) leading, lunging in walk and stand and the odd trot.

I noticed she had become head shy which we later discovered the other girl on the yard was scared of her, when she tried to bring in her horse the youngster would try to come out too and the girl waved a whip near her face to get her to back off.

This week we have worked on our lunging, our voice commands and alot of head work and basic ground work.

My issue is I went to lead her from her field to the tie up area last night and I couldnt get her through the first gate. She threw her head up at the head collar being placed on which after coaxing I got it on.

We went through the first gate where she is made to stand to shut it as normal. She then started trotting on the spot and trying to rear in which she got a very firm NO! She then started rearing with me next to her shoulder and turning towards me .. I pushed her into moving her feet and get on making her move ( theory being she cant rear if shes moving!!) she then put her head between her legs and did her bucking act whilst on the lead rein trying to strike with her back legs( this is her in a strop) in which she kept pulling me trying to rear again whilst aiming at me. She then pulled away from me where as the only safe option I had was to let the lead rein go and let her shoot of ( we are in the second field now she is enclosed and no one/ animals / or roads are near ). she then did her rearing and cantering off with her head held high and her tail in the air with a beautiful prancing trot I might point out!!!

I got near her after she had stood to graze and picked up the lead rein and then we start again. I hold the lead rein and she ends up pulling me in circles if I am on her right shoulder she will turn tight right to me to try and rear and push and same on the left.

Took me 40 min to end up catching her and leading her in to her tie up area ( again a safe enclosed place ) and that involved a bowl of food ( I don't use treats or food as praise or training aids she gets a fuss made of her when she behaves as a youngster she gets nippy)

I called the owner to let her know this was completely out of character and I was concerned as This was the worse I had seen her where I cant even lead her in.

I petted and stroked when she was tied up eating nice and slow and minute im near her head she throws it back and wont let me near it. We have broken three lead reins ( brand new ones) in the past week. I spent a hour with her other day just stroking her head and ears and muzzle and all round her face and There were no lumps and bumps ears are clean etc.

Ok I appear to have gone on long enough. Any way I had the same problem leading her in. not as long granted but still very not happy! She is just over 16hh and I am only 5ft so she has alot of advantage over me in that retrospect

How do I compact the issues I am having? I have a dentist coming out as I know she is due her teeth done next week.

She has not been like this in the two weeks I have had her back. I know no one is going near her as I am the only one to handle her apart from her owner.

Can any one give ANY advice on how to sort this behaviour out? She is not a scared horse and I have wrapped her in tarpaulin, put head bands on her,hats, plaited her mane and for lock etc lent on her ( LAST WEEK!!!) and she is a VERY inquisative , bolshy, mare
Please help?

 

[orbvalley]

I feel for you - I have a 4 year old mare who is a sweetie 85% of the time and a dragon for the rest of it! There's no rhyme nor reason to her behaviour its just her age When she chuck her dolly out of her pram she really does lob it!! My youngster has done all of the things you're going through apart from the head shy issue which I think only trust is going to overcome that one and it will take a long time.

Here's my way of dealing with the other stuff :
Problems catching and bringing in - spend some time just going to her field putting on the head collar stroke her then take it off and walk away for the day or that session. Mix up how you put it on, sometimes just buckle it around her neck, sometimes just put the rope over her shoulders, other times put it on fully, sometimes just take it with you to the field and do nothing at all with it. The idea being that she doesn't get set into any type of behaviour when seeing you with the head collar.
Rearing & bucking whilst you're leading - think of your safety first! if you have to let her go to be safe then do so. Otherwise do what you've said and get her feet moving. Take a crop with you, extend the rope and make her run in circles around you. If she tries to stop make sure she keeps going until you tell her she can stop.
Spinning and running in circles around you whilst leading - as above, extend the rope and make her run until you decide she can stop.

Be patient, expect everything to take a long time to get over if she's been getting away with this before. Walk away if you feel you're at the end of your tether and go back another day when you feel you can start all over again.
She will eventually become your best friend xx

 

[Jane&Ziggy]

The mare who shares fields with my two boys was a nightmare when she was 4 or 5, to the extent that her vet notes include "dangerous to handle."

She is much better now, 2 years later, but can still have moments. She reared on me today because I asked her to back off in the field.

She has had a trainer she detested, and she got much worse during that time. She would actually attack him when he came near her and was almost impossible to catch while he worked with her. It took a few months for her to settle afterward.

The only answer appears to be consistent regular handling and never letting her get her way. If she thinks she can bully you she will.

 

[horseandgoatmom]

I feel for you its really hard.

I always take it cautiously with Andi because she can become a Demon girl too.
I agree with Jane & Ziggy and not letting her get away with things.

I hope you get it sorted out quickly.