As horses get old they become naughtier?

Devonshire dumpling

Devonshire dumpling

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I have a theory lol, as horses become aged, they become more cheeky, does anyone else find this?
Tonight I got the horses in late from the field, they consist of 1 x 23 yr old thoroughbred, 1 x 24 yr old welsh pony and my Cob who is 2yrs old.
It was pitch black when I got to the field, the welsh pony had broken out under the electric tape and was waiting patiently by the gate, i captured her and put her in her stable (naughty pony). Then I return to the 23yr old TB who is being a wally, and my Cob baby who is stood watching, now it comes to something when you decide to put a headcollar on 23yr old as you don't trust her and let the 2 yr old wander in loose! So I open the gate and take the tape back and lead the TB in, she hauls me in 100mph, jogging and shying and being a wally, and the baby strolls in, walks to his stable and lets himself in, in the meantime the Tb is pratting and refusing to be lead into her stable! I mean really :D he put the 2 old ladies to shame :rolleyes:
 
I think they have their moments! mines 27 now and I've always been able to swap rugs in the field and in the last year she's started running off with the loose rug on before I've been able to do it up! or just wondering around while I'm trying to do it up!

She only does jog, never walk, but thats her through and through!

she thinks its her right to drag me to the grass so she can eat it on the way back to the field!

and when we go for a gallop she thinks its okay to bolt!

maybe I just let her get away with it a bit more now that she's older! bless her, she doesn't need telling off anymore! we don't have anyone else to impress!

but she loaded really easily 2 weeks ago, normally it takes me an hour! but 5 mins each time and she went in :) well impressed!
 
kerrieberry2 said:
I think they have their moments! mines 27 now and I've always been able to swap rugs in the field and in the last year she's started running off with the loose rug on before I've been able to do it up! or just wondering around while I'm trying to do it up!

She only does jog, never walk, but thats her through and through!

she thinks its her right to drag me to the grass so she can eat it on the way back to the field!

and when we go for a gallop she thinks its okay to bolt!

maybe I just let her get away with it a bit more now that she's older! bless her, she doesn't need telling off anymore! we don't have anyone else to impress!

but she loaded really easily 2 weeks ago, normally it takes me an hour! but 5 mins each time and she went in :) well impressed!
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I must say my dog is 18 now and he is so naughty lately, raiding the bins etc, he's stone deaf, and I just pick up the rubbish, can't be doing with disciplining him hehe
 
Riz was appalling naughty from birth until about 14. We then had about 6 years of him being well behaved (i could lead him to the field in a headcollar, not a bridle). He went completely downhill again from about 20 & was naughty until the day he died aged 28 :-) i wouldn't have had him any other way-there is nothing like seeing an oldie feeling well enough to be an absolute prat!!!
 
Riz said:
Riz was appalling naughty from birth until about 14. We then had about 6 years of him being well behaved (i could lead him to the field in a headcollar, not a bridle). He went completely downhill again from about 20 & was naughty until the day he died aged 28 :-) i wouldn't have had him any other way-there is nothing like seeing an oldie feeling well enough to be an absolute prat!!!
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Yes I know what you mean, I did chuckle when the TB was being a prat, it's lovely she feels so well, just thought how funny it was I knew the 2 yr old would be ok, but didn't trust her! I think they get old and wise and know all the tricks , my 2 yr old is all innocent, where as the mares know how to work the system hehe
 
I think the 20 year old I ride has always been naughty. He's horrible about his food and really horrible if he thinks he's missing out and someone else is being fed and he's having to wait. His latest trick is threatening to turn his bum on me to kick ! He's a git! On the plus side he's teaching me to deal with tantrums :) and how to hold on to his leg when he's having a strop and I'm trying to pick his feet. He sulks when I get the better of him and puts on his hard done by face.:(
He's been allowed to have his little quirks so don't know if I can change him much now. Also he's very clever so he susses any weaknesses out very quickly.
 
My 23yr old isn't naughty, she's actually a star. But, good behavior has earnt her the right to do stuff I wouldn't allow a youngster to do. Because with her, its not about testing boundaries, or learning bad habits, its just a case of what she fancies doing at the time. And I allow it. Eg this morning she was racing about broncing like a loon, quite close by, while I was smashing the ice on the trough. Then racing over to me, snorting, & racing off, before broncing a few feet away again. I wouldn't let a younger horse invade my space uninvited in that scenario. With her though, her manners are such its harmless. And I just fed her an apple when I'd finished.
 
Of course some would day it could just be because she's a TB & he's a cob.....!! BUT.....Riz was a stonking irish cob & i'm yet to find a sane one of those....he was so bad!!
 
I have a NF pony who has always been so naughty. I've had him since he was 16 months and apart from when he has been ill, he has never missed an opportunity to take the mick out of me......

For example he nips through stable door as you pull it to, won't let me put the headcollar on in the stable by doing lots of circles.. he pulls faces behind my back and chases me and the dog in the field, knocks over the wheelbarrow, messes when I pick out his feet, bites my bum if I bend over in the stable, oh and he naps as soon as you take him anyway he doesn't fancy! He's naughty with the vet and with my OH, won't load easily.........and often at his naughtiest he does a little squeal / whinny thing just to tell you how much he's enjoying himself :D

He is now 18 and I don't think he's got any naughtier, I think he's just got better at doing it :D
 
Riz said:
WandaBells he sounds fantastic!!!
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I know it's wrong but there is something really funny about a bum nipping horse :D one of the RS chaps I had lessons on would wait until your back was turned and you had your leg up on the mounting block and then very quickly nip your behind.

WandaBells....he sounds like a lot of fun :D
 
Our oldies are worse but that's because we let them get away with things the youngsters would never get away with... And they know it!oldies will prat around but ultimately know when not too.
 
We have a 30 year old traddy cob, who has always had excellent manners, but she is rather cheeky these days :) Ours always come in by themelves, one at a time and the old lady comes in last, she often takes the opportunity to wander round the yard, mainly to see if there is any grass she might have missed. She has taken to banging on the door while her tea is being made and she thinks we aren't getting it to her in time. She doesn't see the point of coming in out of the weather if she has a rug on and often has to have a special invitation :) She also mugs people for treats, we let her get away with it all these days, she is never dangerous and has earned a lot of lea way by being a super safe superstar during her working life :D
 
A friend had a 33 year old welsh pony who in her younger years had been a top driving pony and had rightly earned a bit of lea way when it came to being troublesome!

Her favourite thing was when being led into the field [usually without a headcollar as quite often she'd just wander beside you] she'd wait until you thought she'd gone into her lami paddock and turned to redo the electric fence and nip out and trot off across the big field! And she always took a good ten minutes to catch again as she'd set the other horse off and all hell would break loose! And this was always the days I had better things to be doing than following her around!
 
well after the display my 17 yr old mare put on for the farrier today i'd say they get grumpy as well as naughty:( not often she gets a proper telling off but snatching a foot away and then trying to kick him was pushing it just a bit too far!
 
Cheeky was horrendous- I think he saw his name as a challenge! He was a pervy old man on the ground, huge attention seeker, could untie any knot without trying and liked to grab ponytails and tug them to get your attention.

Ridden, he was so naughty. He'd spook and nap and tit about- I had to be lead by a bemused farmer past a stationary tractor (he'd spent his whole life on farms...) following a ten minute performance with him refusing to go near it. It was on the other side of the hedge too. I retired from more dressage tests than I completed because he'd get bored and make his own entertainment...
 
I think we all let them get away with more.
My favourite horse at my old riding school was a little old mare. I never rode her as she was only about 12hh, but spent a lot of time with her.
She was my favourite to teach kids on, as she went faster if they kicked but would stop quite happily, and if the kid was wobbling you could just say walk and she would walk. She was a grumpy moo in the stable to the point where some staff didn't want to tack her up, but she wasn't nasty, she just would bite if given the opportunity. She got me once ever, and to be honest it was my fault for leaving my leg where she could get it, as I was doing her girth up.
The rest of the time, a bridle/headcollar resting over your arm was more than enough for her to not try and get you, she couldn't be bothered to exert that much energy! :p I never told her off for faces, whereas with others faces and biting weren't acceptable, we accepted it from her as she was in her late 20's (and supposedly had been for the whole 6ish years I knew her! :p ) and she had more than done her duty at the riding school, and was still perfect for kids to learn on. She adored having her fetlocks itched from where she had mud fever in the past, and if you did this for long enough, she was sweet and cuddly!
She also refused to be hosed off, other horses learnt to cope (we only did it for baths on warm days) but she would repeatedly walk round you and we never MADE her cos we liked that she still had attitude.
She was an amazing mare but no doubt got away with whatever she wanted! She let us know when she wasn't enjoying work anymore and she was allowed free roam of the yard. There was no way for her to get to the main road as yard is completely enclosed. She would be rugged up so she was warm enough and her stable left open with a bit haynet of hay and allowed to go wherever she wanted. She would wander off down the fields and annoy the horses out, or eat the best bits of grass on the bank next to the arena that others werent allowed! She was a sweetheart and got away with murder! But I think you'll agree, as with your oldies, that she deserved to do what she wanted!
 
We also had a 32 year old "rescue case" that came to us ridiculously skinny but full of life. He was used in a few lessons once he had put a bit of weight on and the kids loved him. He dictated when it was canter time and would go around and around the school with them! So many giggles from kids! He was awesome, from a younger pony this wouldn't be allowed but from him, it was great to see him looking so happy! (He would stop if asked but kids always wanted to keep cantering! :p )
 
I have some in their 20s and 30s and in their case it's not that they become naughtier, it's that I let them do whatever they like :) I don't care if mine jog the whole way around a ride, whereas a younger horse I would insist they walk when I ask them to walk. I feel that my horses who are this old are allowed to do pretty much whatever they want and I'd never dream of telling them off.
 
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