Advice needed

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KathD

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Hi I was wondering if you could help me with my dilemma. I bought a 5yr old TB mare 2years ago, since then I have been slowly bringing her on and up until recently I thought we were doing OK. We have been gradually improving and growing in confidence together. She has had off days where she been spookey or not wanted to jump or been a bit nappy, but nothing to concern me.
In the past 2 months she has started to be very stubborn when being asked to do things when we are riding by ourselves. She has been planting her feet, head tossing and rearing and being extremely spookey. I have had everything checked and nothing has been found to be wrong. Everyone keeps saying to me its the grass- so I have given her a calmer. But as of yet no improvement.
I am wondering if anyone knows anything- she is my first horse (Ive loaned in the past) and yes I probably should not have bought a 5 year old TB mare! But I really am now in two minds of what to do.
Thanks
 
When horses get silly like this on grass there is one simple answer. Cut out all hard feed and get more work into her. Lots of trotting and cantering to get rid of her surplus energy.
 
Bold riders make bold horses. Her spooky moments, refusing to jump, nappiness etc have not been immediately corrected. She knows who's in charge and it's not you. Get firm with her and mean it.:)
 
Thank you, I am feeding her a scoop of copra meal morning and night, so perhaps I can cut it right down, just so she has something small when the others get fed. She is the only mare in a field of geldings, so was not sure whether the attention from them might be a contributing factor.
 
Very good point, I do need to be firm. I thought I was but looking back I have let her get away with things. Its just knowing how to react appropriately.
 
Mares are generally "in charge" of herds, so being the only mare probably doesn't help... But that doesn't mean she is allowed to be in charge of you!
I would cut out all feed, if possible, and maybe lunge for 10 or 15 mins before riding, to release excess energy. Also, being that she is only young still, she could be hitting the equivalent of the trerrible twos, so get tough! Try not to give up, and choose your fights wisely! If she starts playing up when you ask her jump, take the jump out of the equation and school over trot poles. Then go back to a small simple cross pole.
Good luck!
 
Perhaps if I am choosing my fights wisely I should try and avoid asking her to go into the school when it is empty for a while as she seems to be much more settled when she is in the company of others.
All this aside she is lovely in the winter!!
 
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