A few questions about my youngster?

[Nicole-Louise]

Today has been pretty much an eventful, yet excitable day. My 3 year old ISH, was on long term, permanent loan, but a surprise call changed it all. Her owners are legally signing her over, and sign all her documentation.. she's now mine


Anyhow, I have a few questions. She's only 3 and a half, but a hefty size as it is, she's already at 16hh and her bum is still a lot higher, expecting to reach minimum of 16.3hh.. Her fear of water is ridiculously hard to get her out of. I've tried so much, puddles she tries avoiding but have been managing lately to fight her through them. I also tried tempting her into a small stream.. absolute hell. She attempts to go through it, realizes what it is, runs back and forth then starts shaking in absolute fear and tries bolting away from it. However, she's happy enough for you to give her baths and wash her feet.. that she will happily stand for? I've tried literally everything.. she was the same with mud, but now walks through fine.

Also - not now, in future, I'm looking to get her into eventing, but what would be the best way to do so? Her mum was a professional eventer, as were a few of her siblings, and her endurance at this age is remarkable, (although I understand this isn't a priority right now). Considering she's only 3 and a half, I don't want to put anything strenuous on her.

Thank you

 

[Cocorules]

In relation to puddles I found the way to get a phobic youngster used to it was to be in a field which necessitated walking along a really wet track to get to stable and food in the middle of winter where there was no option but to go through as the puddles went right across the track. After that she was much better. To a certain extent she would revert back to wanting to avoid them come spring but was vastly improved.

 

[AmyMay]

Think about backing now, don't worry about puddles, and as for the stream, take down a friend to lead her through.

 

[GeorgieLee]

my sisters horse is 11 years old, wont set foot in a puddle, but when out on the x country course she dosent bat an eyelid at the water, just ploughs right in, I wouldnt worry about it at the moment

 

[Nicole-Louise]

She is backed, has been since she was 3, although I refuse to jump her until old enough, she hacks out lightly

 

[Nicole-Louise]

Think about backing now, don't worry about puddles, and as for the stream, take down a friend to lead her through.

I've tried having her follow other horses in, under saddle and on foot. She tries to follow but panics as soon as she realizes what it is. Tried leading, but you only get dragged badly. This is her only fault :/

 

[siennamum]

In your place I would stop doing stuff which is turning into an issue until you have her sufficiently trusting and submissive to work for you.

I would do very little with such a physically immature horse. What I would do is when she is 4, the odd 15 mins in a school refining her understanding of your aids, lots of fun hacks to build her confidence and when you see puddles try to get her to follow others, through, but not if it's too easy to skirt round.

When she is braver & more submissive generally she simply won't think about these things. By having too many fights now she is learning a fear of them, by allowing her to refuse to do stuff you want, she is learning to say no.

It is a really hard judgement call, these are just my views but the challenge with young horses is to acheive a mix between casually ignoring stuff so they think it's business as usual (which you won't do by standing at the side of a puddle trying to coax her into it) and waiting till they are mature enough to process things calmly and will go when you say without question, and if they do question they have sufficient education to go anyway.

 

[Pale Rider]

Horses are full faculty learners from birth, they have to be or there wouldn't be any.

I see nothing wrong with teaching lots of things on the ground from the start, youngsters have very active, enquiring minds and need the stimuli.

Physically, well thats another matter, I tend to back late, but as they are fully conversant on the ground, the transfere is easy.

I agree with not making a big issue out of things, patience and repetition is the key.

 

[Nicole-Louise]

In your place I would stop doing stuff which is turning into an issue until you have her sufficiently trusting and submissive to work for you.

I would do very little with such a physically immature horse. What I would do is when she is 4, the odd 15 mins in a school refining her understanding of your aids, lots of fun hacks to build her confidence and when you see puddles try to get her to follow others, through, but not if it's too easy to skirt round.

When she is braver & more submissive generally she simply won't think about these things. By having too many fights now she is learning a fear of them, by allowing her to refuse to do stuff you want, she is learning to say no.

It is a really hard judgement call, these are just my views but the challenge with young horses is to achieve a mix between casually ignoring stuff so they think it's business as usual (which you won't do by standing at the side of a puddle trying to coax her into it) and waiting till they are mature enough to process things calmly and will go when you say without question, and if they do question they have sufficient education to go anyway.

This is where things usually end in a debate, I've had similar conversations with others. It's not so much a fight where she refuses and rears etc. She has NEVER reared or bucked because of me tempting her to walk through puddles. She gets really doubtful and questions what I ask her, and although she panics (usually when there is a lot of water, i.e. streams) she does walk through them. The same with mud that was swamped with water, she tends to avoid, however, when asked she now goes straight through. It's just puddles she tends to avoid.

She does walk through, and believe it or not is VERY submissive. If anything, she's usually the one eager to work, half the time attempting to drag me off the yard and refusing to go in her stable or field. She's certainly not one for standing in a field doing nothing, as soon as her tack is on, she attempts to walk off the yard.

I did months work of ground work even before attempting to do anything more with her, and she has been schooled, and understands aids perfectly well. She is extremely soft mouthed, and I've never had to kick, a gentle squeeze and she goes forward, even understands click aids, and knows when to go forward. Her rein contact is impeccable.

For her age, she is pretty brave. She doesn't bat an eyelid. Been out in the heaviest of traffic, even in rush hour, past packs of dogs, bikes, lorries, motorbikes, open spaces, etc. She just willingly walks past and ignores it all. Just puddles that's an issue, although she is gradually walking through them.

As for the debate issue I mentioned earlier. I had her as an unbroken, severely aggressive and temperamental youngster. It's taken me months to get her to where she is, and I was even advised by professional racehorse trainers that because of her physical aggression, that she should have been backed younger around 2 and turned away until 3. However, turning her away is NOT an option, I know I sound ridiculous in what I say, but as soon as she is left for too long, even 3-4 days, she starts turning back to her old ways, and I've worked too hard to let her go back. I can't risk her attacking the other horses in the field, and anyone else on the yard for that matter. It's not only for her safety, but mine and everyone else's. She is NOT worked 24/7 and has every other day off. She is lightly hacked, I will not allow her to jump.

 

[Nicole-Louise]

Horses are full faculty learners from birth, they have to be or there wouldn't be any.

I see nothing wrong with teaching lots of things on the ground from the start, youngsters have very active, enquiring minds and need the stimuli.

Physically, well thats another matter, I tend to back late, but as they are fully conversant on the ground, the transfere is easy.

I agree with not making a big issue out of things, patience and repetition is the key.

Thank you. I was hoping to back her late, but due to her physical aggression, she was way too strong as a 2 and a half year old, and due to this I backed her at 3. I did months of ground work even before I did anything else, she was walked out daily, and was handled regularly. Also tried ''bombproofing'' her to as much as possible. She has come along way with her water issue. In hand she would attempt bolting or running away, but she is going through a few with a lot of encouragement. I tried encouraging her into a stream for an hour. In which, I never gave up, she was nearly in but she let her fear get the better of her last minute.

Certainly not prepared to give up just yet. And it's not a big issue, I just don't like seeing her panic.

 

[Queenbee]

I agree with amymay don't worry about water just yet... I'm in exactly the same position with Ben, if we do water we follow others eventually he is brave enough to do it on his own

 

[Pale Rider]

Thank you. I was hoping to back her late, but due to her physical aggression, she was way too strong as a 2 and a half year old, and due to this I backed her at 3. I did months of ground work even before I did anything else, she was walked out daily, and was handled regularly. Also tried ''bombproofing'' her to as much as possible. She has come along way with her water issue. In hand she would attempt bolting or running away, but she is going through a few with a lot of encouragement. I tried encouraging her into a stream for an hour. In which, I never gave up, she was nearly in but she let her fear get the better of her last minute.

Certainly not prepared to give up just yet. And it's not a big issue, I just don't like seeing her panic.

No I know what you mean, I don't like seeing horses panicky or unsure about stuff.

I tend to get them to put their feet on all sorts of different objects, tarps, boards, pedestal type pallets, plastic, anything really to give them the confidence to know that, if I ask then its ok and safe. Puddles and brooks become just like anything else, If asked to put their feet in, it's ok.

 

[AmyMay]

I've tried having her follow other horses in, under saddle and on foot. She tries to follow but panics as soon as she realizes what it is. Tried leading, but you only get dragged badly. This is her only fault :/

Next time you do it, make sure you have plenty of time, that way you can play around all day if needs be with getting her to step in and through the water and back again.

Don't make an issue of it sometimes just sitting there is enough for them to decide to take that next step forward.

Then do it the next day, and the day after and after that etc.