Barging when scared

[victoriaclement]

Ive had my mare for 6 months now and she is good in everyway.
the only problem is when she is scared, she barges, causing injury to herself or me.
We have wash boxes/Solarium on our yard (ties at both sides and very small space they stand in) so when we need to bath her ready for a show, she should go in there no problem and stand still as there isnt really anyway she can get out!
she has a terrible habit of getting scared and then running forward with all her strength to get out with no warning. I am worried that one day she will do herself a serious injury!
Now we bath her outside on the yard (not suppose to!) as we can no longer get her to stand in the wash boxes to be bathed.
I dont know whether to tell her off or just reasure her as i know normally she is never naughty and her natural reaction if she spookes or is scared of something is to run away.
when she barges out, i cant do anything at all as she is so strong and over powers me by a mile!!
She has also tried to do the same when entering the horse box. she goes to barge me out the way and there have been occations when we have been a foot away from falling off the ramp!
i dont know whether its small spaces or just her being nervous but she isnt a spooky horse!
any help would be so benefitial
thanks x

 

[touchstone]

Ah, hello from another bargy mare owner!

My mare will behave in exactly the same way and as she's a powerful well built beast it can be difficult to stop her getting away with it. Most recently it involved barging the dentist against the fence, but it has also involved tanking off at trot with a vet nurse in the past.

I find it best to use bridle if I'm in a situation where I know she might barge, keeping the head turned towards you, if she charges off she can then be turned in small circle and we persevere with this until she eventually ends up where I need her to be. Telling her off makes her ten times worse, I need to stay calm but persistent with her. If it is a genuine fear then you need to take small steps to build up to going in and getting washed. I try to avoid getting to the point of barging as I know she is stronger than me.

Mine is very food orientated, so if I were you I'd stand her in the wash box, even if it's just her front feet to start with, give her a small feed and then take her out again. Keep doing it untill she walks in no problems, then take her in and just get her to stand for longer periods of time and come out and build up to grooming/washing in there.

 

[Tinsel Trouble]

6 months is no time at all. I would imagine she was scared in there once and she got away with barging passed you, and now she knows she can get away with it. Put her in her bridle and walk her in there, feed her, groom her, tack her up in there and teach her that she can't get away with it any longer.

Danny is prone to this and now we have an agreement; If there are any real live dragons in the vicinity then I will let him deal with it. Anything other than an giant flapping lizard is my department.