Cubbini
Member
Hi all,
I wondered what your suggestions would be on next steps with a 4 and a 1/2 year old Connemara mare.
She's a laid back character, very much more woah than go type, non-spooky, not marish. She has always been extremely food orientated. We have had a brilliant 6 months and great summer, taking things slowly, riding approx 2 to 4 days a week (hacking and light schooling etc). She's been fantastic to take out twice to two arena hires this summer behaving brilliantly both times (wanted to show her the world a little bit this year). She has a lazy character (which people on the yard joke about including my trainer) etc. This has not been a negative for me as she has not been sharp at all and as I am now on the slightly older side it's actually been quite nice!
My question is what would you now do at this stage? Her behaviour has negatively changed recently (in the last 3 weeks). She has become nappy hacking (every time) and grumpy in the school. Also she has had me off twice in the school in the last two weeks after 15 mins of very light work. As mentioned, given my age, this is not something I can continue with as a regular occurrence. The first time was due to bucking and the second time she bolted. This has all coincided with the yard changing their routine for the winter 3 weeks ago, which is most likely contributing, and she is even more food orientated and lazy than before (which I didn't think possible!) and now always appears desperately hungry and wanting to go to her stable when I bring her in from the field. Her routine has now changed to being stabled from 2pm - 7am, and turnout 7am - 2pm (she was previously stabled in the day and out overnight). She is in the same field but with less turnout time as mentioned and her hard food has stayed the same, she is a good doer (hay in stable and small feed of chaff and nuts, morning and afternoon).
I am thinking there could be multiple reasons for the ridden behaviour change, routine change, freshness due to less turnout, less grass grazing and more hay, stomach/digestive changes, time of year, warm then cold weather we are having and lots of rain, winter coat/growth, boredom with routine change or ridden?, work sour, she needs time to process what we've done this summer and is asking to slow down/for time off, and/or ultimately a young horse having young horse moments etc. On the ground she is currently as good as ever without any behaviour change and good with ground work (just lazy still).
Considering her age and that we are coming into winter etc I am thinking of turning her away and then bringing her back into work next spring. However the expectation of the yard/trainer is that I shouldn't do this and 'straighten' this out now.
Thanks for reading this and for any suggestions/advice that you feel may help.
I wondered what your suggestions would be on next steps with a 4 and a 1/2 year old Connemara mare.
She's a laid back character, very much more woah than go type, non-spooky, not marish. She has always been extremely food orientated. We have had a brilliant 6 months and great summer, taking things slowly, riding approx 2 to 4 days a week (hacking and light schooling etc). She's been fantastic to take out twice to two arena hires this summer behaving brilliantly both times (wanted to show her the world a little bit this year). She has a lazy character (which people on the yard joke about including my trainer) etc. This has not been a negative for me as she has not been sharp at all and as I am now on the slightly older side it's actually been quite nice!
My question is what would you now do at this stage? Her behaviour has negatively changed recently (in the last 3 weeks). She has become nappy hacking (every time) and grumpy in the school. Also she has had me off twice in the school in the last two weeks after 15 mins of very light work. As mentioned, given my age, this is not something I can continue with as a regular occurrence. The first time was due to bucking and the second time she bolted. This has all coincided with the yard changing their routine for the winter 3 weeks ago, which is most likely contributing, and she is even more food orientated and lazy than before (which I didn't think possible!) and now always appears desperately hungry and wanting to go to her stable when I bring her in from the field. Her routine has now changed to being stabled from 2pm - 7am, and turnout 7am - 2pm (she was previously stabled in the day and out overnight). She is in the same field but with less turnout time as mentioned and her hard food has stayed the same, she is a good doer (hay in stable and small feed of chaff and nuts, morning and afternoon).
I am thinking there could be multiple reasons for the ridden behaviour change, routine change, freshness due to less turnout, less grass grazing and more hay, stomach/digestive changes, time of year, warm then cold weather we are having and lots of rain, winter coat/growth, boredom with routine change or ridden?, work sour, she needs time to process what we've done this summer and is asking to slow down/for time off, and/or ultimately a young horse having young horse moments etc. On the ground she is currently as good as ever without any behaviour change and good with ground work (just lazy still).
Considering her age and that we are coming into winter etc I am thinking of turning her away and then bringing her back into work next spring. However the expectation of the yard/trainer is that I shouldn't do this and 'straighten' this out now.
Thanks for reading this and for any suggestions/advice that you feel may help.
