Aggressive Ex Broodmare

[kateandluelue]

Hello Everyone.
My newly purchased ex broodmare has just begun being extremely aggressive to other horses, predominantly when we are on a hack. She is grumpy to my old mare in the field if she gets too close but as the old mare is very easy going and the field is huge it causes no problems. On a hack though if another horse gets within a metre of her, her ears are back and she is swinging her bum at them which is becoming a right pain now Any advice with this would be great thanks

 

[Pigeon]

Firstly, tell her off when she does that. You can't stop her being grumpy, but you can stop her acting on it!

Maybe it's a hormone thing? There are many supplements you can try, I've never had mares so I'll let someone who knows more go into specifics! Also perhaps she's not used to other horses coming up behind her, and she's worried? Is she generally confident?

 

[Horsemadsmother]

There is a really good supplement called 'No Moody No' that i've seen work wonders on moody mares

 

[samisheen]

thats exactly how my mare was when i got her, she has agnus castus and it works really well for her

 

[NZJenny]

Cut her a bit of slack. You don't know what has happened to her in her previous life, and she may have been bullied by others and the life of a broodie is not always that nice.

However, she does need to learn what is acceptable or not. My mare kicks and is nervous around strange horses - she adopts an "I'm going to get them, before they get me" attitude. Always a red ribbon in her tail when we are with company and I just don't let others get too close. Mind you, she usually gives them the evils before they get that close anyway. Kicking, however is not tolerated.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Make sure she knows that when your on board that behaviour isn't on in the slightest. But Im another who thinks that agnus casts would be a good idea in this situation

 

[kateandluelue]

Thankyou for all your comments! Ill give that agus castus a go! I think half the problem is knowing how to deal with it when she does it!

 

[Happy Hunter]

What NZJenny said...

Mine was like that too - She just didn't understand that in the field was a different scenario to when being ridden - i.e. personal space and horses coming from behind etc.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

On a hack though if another horse gets within a metre of her, her ears are back and she is swinging her bum at them which is becoming a right pain now

Why are other riders letting their horses get that close to her?

My response may be coloured by a girl I used to ride with who thought that it was absolutely fine to use my mare as a breaking aid. Grrrr!

I was taught to leave a good gap between horses when riding one in front of the other (a horse's length) and even riding side by side on the single track lanes here, a decent, well over a metre gap is possible.

Put a red ribbon on her tail and start to carefully train her to accept horses near her when she's ridden, but the other riders must take some responsibility and control their own animals (you must ask them to not get too close).

 

[kateandluelue]

Thankyou everyone for your replys she hacked better today but i think the other horse kept his distance!