Advice with what to do with cheeky 2yo?

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RoyalPolo

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I have recently bought my first 2yo new forest shes been with me just over 2 weeks now and has been trouble as soon as she got off the trailer what with escaping out of the field then realised that my older mare didn't like her and that was why she was jumping out all the time so we resolved that problem there now seperated and all has been well there.

Shes now decided that i am fair game to her in the field and will follow me round, run at me, try to bite me when my back is turned and then on friday reared up at me and boxed with her front legs at me equalled me cacking my pants as i didn't really expect her to do it which has made me very wary of her now and realising that a 2yo obvisouly wasn't the best idea even if i do have help from experienced people around they just said "oh thats normal" Well it may well be normal for her to do it but i want to teach her not to and i am not sure on how to go about it i have pushed her away each time, ignored her made her walk backwards and she will just come back at me she also will kick and barge into you when she has her dinner.

At the moment she really isn't enjoyable to own and wish i had just loaned another horse instead of buying one but i feel its to early to give up on her yet but i really dont want her to knock my confidence anymore or ruin her as i already have a nervous old horse who kicks etc but i am willing to put up with quirks given her past.
 
i would recommend join up and getting yourself a dually and building up confidence with her and doin lots and lots of ground work maybe fence a circle of your field off and preform join up, i think it will help with the majority of your problems hope this helps, you need to learn your horse now or he will realise he can do this more often and accsident could happen.xx
 
Woah, give her some time to settle! Two weeks is nothing.

Firstly, she is 2 so she's going to be a bit of a bugger...she will grow up and out of it!

Secondly, make yourself safe around her. Hat, gloves etc.

Thirdly, start from scratch. Spend some time going in to her field just to be with her, groom her, scratch her, itch her itches etc etc. In to that you can mix teaching her to back up. Then I'd start walking around her field, following you is ok but running biting etc is NOT, and when she's badly behaved I'd yell and scream and wave my arms etc. When she's being good, lots of rubs etc.

I have to say it is quite normal for them to rear etc...but boxing is not. My filly keeps away from me when she rears now after the first time she got too close she got a smack on the stomach with a lead rope - quick reflexes from me! Shes never done it again near to me which is fine by me. Not sure if thats recommended though...!

Take some deep breaths, it will be ok. Is she naughty with other people or just you? It might be worth looking in to your body language around her - I realised this after she was an angel with my OH but AWFUL with me!!!!

Good luck! Keep us informed xxx
 
Personally I don't think its normal and is in no way acceptable. If she was a 17hh 2 year old I doubt your experienced friends would be quite so accepting about it either. She may be small but she can very easily hurt you badly.

Whatever you do keep yourself safe.
 
Flamehead is right, she's just being a typical youngster pushing her boundaries and seeing how far she can push you I'd say she's treating you as a playmate, slap her down with a sharp No!! when she goes too far and she will soon learn were the boundaries are. Best of Luck
 
If you have one near you I'd recommend getting one of the Intelligent Horsemanship Recommended Associates out. They can help you nip this in the bud now before things get out of hand. It is early days but that is scarey and dangerous behaviour.
 
They're not known as the terrible twos for no reason!!!

Please be safe when around her - hat, goves and BP. I got my arm broken buy my two year old last year in a similar situation.

get yourself a dually halter - and the DVD that comes with it to learn how to use it. then do some groundwork with her. she may also benefit from somwthing to do - walks out in hand are great for occupying the young brain.

BUT... if I understand this correctly, she's in a field on her own? this is far from ideal. she needs the disclipline from another horse / horses...
 
How did you introduce her to your mare? It might be worth reintroducing them. She would benefit from some lessons in manners from an older horse!
 
flamehead said:
How did you introduce her to your mare? It might be worth reintroducing them. She would benefit from some lessons in manners from an older horse!
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I put them both in the same field but with lots of grass to keep them busy which was probably not the best idea but Polo is normally never boss of any horses she has ever shared with and has always been bottom of the pecking order so i assumed that although she may well be boss of the new 2yo she would probably get on ok with her for a few days all seemed ok a few "No im boss" moments but no chasing and would graze side by side at times then a few days on 2yo kept escaping so would put her back then my friend put her back one evening and Polo chased her round and round until she jumped out que seperate paddocks they have now been side by side for over a week which they seem fine about but today when i bought them up the field to come in to have a groom and for 2yo to go in the school they had a kicking match as one went by which has made me think there not quite ready to go back in together although my plan is for them to go back in eventually.

She comes in a few times a week to go in the school when i have someone around to give me a hand as shes very nappy at the moment and i need someone to give her push from behind to keep on walking forwards but shes fairly well behaved for a 2yo in the school its just to and from we have the issues.

My main problem is just when i am poo picking if i turn my back on her to walk off shes there trying to bite me with her ears flat back then if i don't have anything thats when she will chase, rear etc at me.
 
I bought a 2 yo Newforest Gelding last year and he is a real escape artist. Was she Forest bred like my chap.

I had the opposite with him as he was so wary you couldn't get near him but I do recommend some groundwork and baking her up, moving her around just to teach her some spacial awareness and what is and isn't acceptable. Also agree a hat around an unpredictable youngster is a must.

As for poo picking when Henna ( our foal ) was tiny she was a bugger for trying to pounce on me and throwing her legs out the side so I just popped her and Mum in another paddock while I poo picked to be safe while you calm her down and sort issues out.

Good luck and it's only been two weeks so she's probably wondering what everything is all about and where she fits in but New Forests are such wonderful characters and I adore my chap now we understand eachother :D

I also gave my chap magic when he first arrived and for the first month just to settle his nerves and I felt it worked for him.
 
flamehead said:
what are you feeding her?
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She gets a handful if that of mollichaff in the morning with her garlic/mint and carrots as a treat as shes out on good grass and the main reason she gets a breakfast really is i feel mean not giving her one as my old girl gets the same due to the fact shes a bugger to catch so we have to make a point of dinner = being caught each day which has been working really well for the first time ever and has actually lasted longer than a few days before she realised dinner wasn't worth being caught for lol.
 
I wouldnt be feeding her anything until you get the barging for it out the way. Just feed your old girl, leave her. She might find you less interesting if you never bring food for her.

Not sure if you've answered this but is she badly behaved with your other more knowledgable friends? xxxx
 
You can go the NH route if you like, or you could invest in a short length of blue hose and enforce the ' your space, my space' rule. She should only come into your space by invitation, in fact you should be able to walk into hers but she should always wait for permission to enter yours.

It isn't as unpleasant as it sounds - it makes plenty of noise but doesn't really hurt, and gives you an extra 3' of personal space. She will soon get used to the idea
 
Sounds like you have one like mine. He would barge and bite while being lead if he didn't want to go where i was leading him he would rear and strike out, If i was doing anything he didn't like he would strike out with front legs. Mine turned 2 at end of june. I show him in hunter youngstock classes (only 3-4 shows a year) After his latest show i decided he needed time to just go in field to be a baby. He has spent the last 4 weeks in the field, not been brought in till the other day when blacksmith came to tidy his feet up and he was so much better. Alot calmer, didn't bite once! He has his last show this week then he is off out for the rest of summer! Yours may just need some time to settle in and be a baby. 2 yr olds can be naughty but if she has just arrived at yours in the last few weeks she could also be doing it out of stress and a defence tactic. Dont let it get you down, Youngsters are hard work but will be well worth it in the end. Best of luck!!
 
I've had several forest ponies over the years, some off the forest, some stud bred. They were all different. One colt reared over my back while I was poo picking (I had the vet to cut him the following day). Personally, I wouldn't feed her unless you have done a little something with her and I'd just leave her in the field for a bit. Can you bring her in at all? It's quite good to bring in, groom, do a bit of work tied up in stable eg over, pick up feet, then give her the chaff as a thank you and put her back out. Don't stand any nonsense, if necessary leave her with a headcollar and a long washing line on so that you can always catch her - if she worries you when you are poo picking, tie her up, but stay safe. Good luck.
 
It's not dangerous if you use an old fashioned washing line which can't be wrapped round anything. We've done it for years it was recommended by an old forest breeder many years ago and it works.
 
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