Bad Manners!

mrsbloggett

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Help! Can anyone offer advice on how to handle a rude, bad mannered pony who seems to have lost her respect for me.

Maisie suffered a bad bout of lami last autumn which resulted in three months box rest. She is now out in a dirt paddock during the day (on her own, but in sight of the other horses), but on the vets advice is brought in a night. At night she is on the yard alone as none of the other liveries want their horses in during the summer, but she doesn't seem too bothered about it.

Leading her out in the mornings and back to the yard at night is becoming a nightmare and potentially down right dangerous. She starts off being led ok but as we are nearing the end of the trip either way, she will start having a hissy fit bucking and lashing out with her back legs.

Leading in a headcollar is almost impossible and things a little improved in her bridle, though when she realises she can't get away from me the tantrums are worse. She's always had a feisty edge, though it would have taken alot to tip her over the edge before the lami.

I need to get this sorted and nipped in the bud before it gets worse as I know it won't just go away. She's not back in work yet as she had a dorsal resection of her front hooves - I have to wait until the hoof wall has grown down. This probably won't be until autumn by which time I'll have the pony from hell!

Advice gratefully recieved, but please, no recommendations to give her a good thrashing, I think I will come off worst!
 

JustKickOn

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i hope this makes sense...

say when you are leading her from the stable, the moment she starts misbehaving, stop, take her back to the field, and start again. she should soon get fed up of walking to and fro and will do as shes told. and vice versa for field to stable.

good luck!!
 

Walder

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i dont know if a control head collar would work - a dulley ( i think thats how you spell it) i have one that i used on my last pony who would load into a trailer - but then run out backwards at 90 miles an hour before you got the ramp up and it worked for that - i dont know if it would be any good for the trouble you are having - what do other members think?? x
 

_daisy_

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maybe a long training line would help you so that you can keep hold of her but at a safe distance. I have both a 12ft and a 22ft training line and really find them useful in situations like these. Please note these arent lunge line but the line used for natural horsemanship/parelli
 

mrsbloggett

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I did think about getting one of these, but the main problem is when she's not allowed forward at her own speed (flat out gallop!), thats when she throws the paddy and starts bucking & kicking out (at me).

I've tried growling at her, turning her around in circles etc, but it just makes her more & more angry and more inclined to throw bigger paddies. Its getting to the point I'm considering wearing a body protector just to turn out & bring in!
 

Llwyncwn

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Seems she is telling you she is unhappy with this routine
shocked.gif
Is there no way you could compromise with her and bring in during the day (which is better for laminitics) and out during the night? If she knows she will be getting a bucket feed (handful of whatever) she will hopefully be eager to come in.
 

Maesfen

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Sorry, I will make myself very unpopular here, but she is taking the Michael with you and she needs a short sharp reminder of her manners as to my mind (and you are admitting it by the sound of it) she is becoming dangerous, so this is not the time to go gently gently. Take a shortish piece (2 foot or so) of alkathene piping, it's hollow, very light but because it's quite thick is not harsh but it does make a very loud noise when you whoosh it! Take her out in her bridle, pipe in left hand but across her chest (like a wand) As long as she behaves, you don't do anything but if she does play up, growl at her and give her a hard whack across the chest (nowhere else, just her chest) just the once; tell her to walk on and if she does, you praise her, if she doesn't, another pipe attack, but always just the one strike and growling. If she is nice, you are nice; it doesn't usually take long for them to catch on. Also, any time you are handling her, insist on proper behaviour, don't let her get away with anything; stand very tall and up to her, don't back down, advance on her, don't let her come towards you unless you invite her. It's basic horsemastership learnt over the years, it doesn't have a fancy name but it works!
 

Happytohack

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Try a pressure halter with a long line. This is what I have used very successfully with my bargy cob and my pony when I was having trouble loading him. You must not put pressure on the pony, the pony has to learn that by not being with you, she runs into pressure. If she stays with you there is no pressure. It takes a bit of learning to use it correctly, but I have used it with all sorts of horses, from bargy ankle biters, to 17.3 heavy horses.
 

Theresa_F

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I was going to suggest a long lead rein and using a dogs choke chain threaded through the headcollar under the jaw and then attached to the rein - makes an upside down triangle - very effective. A couple of tugs combined with something that makes a good noise and a sting for the minute she steps out of line.

Nice thing about chain under the jaw is that the mouth is not touched and they soon respect it - you also cannot do damage to the top of the nose. My WB mare would fight against anything other than the chain and I have found this to be the case with others I have used this on.

Mine have very quickly grasped that if they were nice, the chain was slack, they did not meet Mr Whackity and got growled at. I rewarded them with a pat and if really good, a minty cube (mine don't have treat issues).

Finally have you thought about getting someone in who is used to dealing with bolshy horses - I did and learnt a lot about how to deal with horses not playing nice and how to make them realise life is nicer if they work with you.
 

pickalilli

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I have to agree with you!!!

We have a piece of blue water pipe, which makes a lovely sound. Used it on my bolshy shire twice he soon learnt to walk in and out properly.
 

browbrow

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Hi

the pipe thing really works !!! I own a 13.3 mare who is very fiesty and sometimes could not help herself than to bomb off - I kept the pipe with me at all times and kept it across her chest - if she messed about - bash the pipe was hit across her chest and the noise stopped her going forward ! Its worked - she is still dead fiesty and I do use a bridle now and again but she NEVER runs off anymore!! Its just manners - for a more severe method lead in a bridle with a chifney bit - which is an anit rear bit - and really helps with horses barging and charging!! good luck
 

SpruceRI

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Lead in a chifney. Wear hat and gloves. Whack her with the pipe, and if she still mucks about take her back from where you came and give her 10 mins to think before trying again

I had a vicious gelding years ago. I know why he was vicious but that didn't mean he had to be that way with me. The first few months of ownership were hell until I stood up to him - and I don't mean a good beating! He spent many an occasion being frog-marched back to his stable like the naughty boy he was. He soon cottoned on: be an arse, don't go out.
Wish I'd had a whip-wop pipe though!
 
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