Been booted...some advice please?

As already said, really don't recommend you get confrontational if there is any doubt over your leadership. If you have leadership its all well & good, if not it can be very dangerous. I've met plenty of horses that don't respond to pure dominance, but will to a leader. However combine that with aggression & it can get complicated. Horses like that you can only control if you are the leader as pale rider says. We have an 11.1 mini x who is very dainty. She is perfect for my 7yr old & I trust them together like I would with the most elderly saintly first pony. But she is fear aggressive with good reason. And despite her tiny size she can, & has had experienced grown men back down if they've approached/ handled her in a dominant manner. If she respects you though as leader, she'll do anything.
 
Is this your youngster? You seem to have left out the food issues?
Not happy at all.

Grace has food bucket issues as well as lack of knowledge regarding personal space...so i use a whip to generally warn her off, which worked fine, i dont use it daily but i use it most days.

Today; I moved B into the front field for her feed who unsuprisingly ambles in lovely... as shes is 99% perfect but would not dare kick.... left grace in her paddock...went in with the bucket feed, forgot my whip.

Grace was getting way to close and in my face so turned round to face her but unfortunately she was too quick and double barreled me. My stomach is shot at. Thank god she wasnt any bigger as t would have been my head. I have a lovely hoof print on my stomach/base of my ribs.

So - kind of confirmed my decision of the fact grace isnt working out!! height wise she isnt going to do it and id rather sell her now and have something to ride, than wait a year and waste my time (im not attatched to her!)

Trouble is i have B to consider. I ideally want to swap Grace for a chunky 14.2 + (some cash my way)... but for now i need to sort out grace's food and space issues....before i sell.

Any tips and gentle hugs?!
 
My new forest starting swinging her back end at me in the field when it was time to be caught and one day went to kick me, instinctively I swang the metal clip end of the leadrope in my hand at her backside, it sent her running a good few strides. I then went and caught her. She can still be a pain to catch, but she has never swang her back end at me again.
I can tolerate naughtiness, but not nastiness. All my animals know when enough is enough :D

Like a few people have said though, she sounds like she might 'fight back.'
I think I'd be looking for someone who works with problem youngsters to come in and help you!
Stay safe
 
how was she to know you only had keys in your pocket not nice things that you may sometimes give her and they have come out of your pocket, we need to look at our language to the horse as well.
 
Thanks all :)

definately worse around food....managed today to handle her/tie her up and she was quiet as a mouse (never tied up until today and she was 100% chilled) even watched a digger go past and didnt bat an eyelid....

Slightest russle off food - its like jeckle and hyde?? (however you spell it)!,...shes nasty if she dosent get her own way....with food!.....shes lovely when i dont have food on me...so ive purposefully not fed her any form of food (bucket) whatsoever for several days now....

both mares are fine weight wise (spesh the older one), and rather have my horses leaner than overweight tbh....

I know this problem can be solved and i do keep blowing hot and cold about selling her etc...but i cant pass her on knowing she kicks out around food without solving it (or trying too as best as i can)....


putasocinint - total body language change....she was all happy when i put my hand in my pocket and then turned almost nasty when she realised she wasnt getting anything when i took my keys out.

I know it stems back from the fact shes had naff all done with her since she was born (not even her feet...), and ive come along and given her fab feed, amazing grass, lovely turnout in a field which has done her a world of good....but obviously too good in respects of the feed ive given her

shes still very quiet (today proved that) and i did manage to mess with her legs/feet when tied up and i used a very long brush! She was fine with me touching her legs/feet and hooking the brush round her backs to pull them up (using the word "up"), she didnt get it but with time she will and then i will then quickily swap brush for hand but im not confident enough right now.

I did say in a pm to someone (again thank you!) that i wasnt willing to invest the money into IH instructor...i think its worth a shot...shes almost two and frankly i value my limbs...she will get bigger and stronger and id like to live!! :D
 
Those who take whips into the field/stable with them, have you considered taking a lead-rope instead? It is much more visible to a horse from a distance, you can swing it easily, further away from you and if you need it to make contact with the horse it catches them a good one without the sting that a schooling whip has, which imo is what they react to by kicking out again.

I do agree though that body-language is the best defence against dominant horses.
 
thanks ^

i long reined Damien (as she is now known!) this morning :D she was literally foot perfect never don eit before!

her ears were forward, striding out and generally loving it.....i have found she thrives of being poked and doing something - even if its just a little walk down the lane

she is young...but i think long reining her a couple of times a week will keep her head ticking over and make her much easier to break....

Ive decided to keep her too :o i cant bear to part with her purely as my mare absolutely adores her. yesterday i found them huddled together, my mare hiding under my youngster (her head) away from the flies.... they get on so well.

so for that reason - she stays, the other things with the kicking -im looking into a IH instructor to come help! :)
 
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