Mahoganybay
Well-Known Member
I purchased said horse (mare/Warmblood) in April 2018. Bought as a home bred rising 8 years from a capable rider/owner. Sold as a kind mare with a nice temperament who had done a bit of dressage, hunting, cross country etc. However, how much of the above she has actually done is now unclear as the reason for selling was ‘not enough time’.
Tried her twice, once in owners outdoor school with an experienced friend, and then on a hack. Saw a video of her cross country and loading into a trailer, 5 stage vetted, passed with a small splint on right fore, small windgall on each fetlock behind & Distension in hock joints - bubble fluid (not massive). Vet said happy to pass given I wanted to do dressage, low level jumping, hacking & riding holidays etc
Took her to first dressage test (Intro), 3 weeks into ownership, she was tense, I was nervous, but she got on with her ‘job’ we completed test and got a reasonable score. Week later, took her to dressage club which involved riding a test then a lesson after, different venue. A few spooky looks to start but got on with lesson. Refused to load in trailer on the way home, was quite distressed but eventually loaded and we came home, she bolted off the trailer.
Two weeks later, was to re-visit first venue for another dressage test, wouldn’t load from home, when she did was very distressed biting the trailer, took her round the block, when unloaded bolted out the trailer. Spent the next few months patiently loading her in and out of trailer until she was relaxed.
In the mean time, ridden wise we had a few issues, she was napping going out the yard, mini rears and wouldn’t stand still when mounting. Overcame that, then the spinning to the left started when she either didn’t want to go a certain way or saw something she didn’t like. Initially stopped the spinning, until one day she caught me off guard, she span and tanked off down a cobbled road. At this point I panicked slightly and probably did all the wrong things (pulled on her mouth, lost a stirrup etc).
Continued my lessons and stopped hacking out for a while until I had a bit more control/respect. When I started to hack her out again (with the same trusty friend) she seemed to have stopped the spinning and when anything startled her (as they do, motorbikes, people emptying bottles into bins etc), she would set off in canter, but I was able to bring her back under control in a couple of strides. Had a bit consultant to assess mouth etc and advised Myler type snaffle bit for schooling and Myler type Wilkie snaffle for hacking.
Then approx 6 weeks ago in my lesson whilst doing some shoulder work, she objected, little mini rears, my instructor suggested I trot her on a large circle, she heard a noise outside and bolted, throwing in three large bucks until I came off. We put it down to too much energy.
Quite rightly, this un-nerved me and I was wary of noises on my next schooling session, so I lunged her beforehand to make sure she wasn’t full of energy (she is fed ablib haylage, high fibre cubes and Dengie high fibre chop). There were lots of noises outside the school and she was a star, never reacted.
I have been continuously doing groundwork, spook busting and generally getting her listening to me.
My lessons were going so well, we had introduced poles, as was the hacking, so I rightly or wrongly decided to go to a cavaletti clinic (another new venue) with an instructor and two other horses (that she didn’t know). I lunged her before we went, she was tense as soon as we got there, I walked her round, did some groundwork before I got on her and only got on when I felt she was calm. She wasn’t calm, at this point I should have got off. Anyway the instructor advised me to just do some small circles weaving in and out of the poles. She bolted. I had to run her into the arena wall to stop her, she didn’t listen to any of my aids.
I have to add at this point, my nerves were shot and my hands came up even though the instructor was telling me to lower my hands. She calmed down and appeared to be listening. We had a small trot and she went again, this time twisting her neck (probably because my hands came up again), and she bucked me off. I’m afraid I didn’t get back on her, I was too sore/shocked. The instructor advised that I was over horsed.
At this point, I felt too that i had over horsed myself. I contacted her previous owner who has sworn she has never done this before (I believe her to be genuine, no reason at all to doubt and I really did my checks).
So after a lot of tears, I decided to send her to sales livery, i booked a physio to look at her to ensure it wasn’t pain related, as the lady who she was going too thought that she didn’t look ‘right’ behind. Dressage instructor/judge, so a keen eye.
Physio came, and upon examination has provided a report that states suspected stifle issues with secondary sacroiliac pain. She also reported that she was completely locked in front and was unable to move her shoulders freely.
She is booked to see the vet on Monday for a lameness work up. In the time I have had her, she has had a new saddle fitted and her teeth done.
Sorry, that was long, but feel a full picture of the situation was needed.
My question, whilst the napping, spinning, tanking and mini rears whilst hacking are in my experience a confidence issue, I feel we had overcome these, but they do show a stubborn, quirky horse with a slight attitude. However, the bolting and bucking I don’t know whether that is pain or her ‘no’ response is just getting bigger and bigger.
Anyone with any experience of this, i.e. stifle, sacroiliac causing bolting/bucking? Could this have been building up over time, getting more stiff/sore and a tense situation causing an explosion?
It’s hard to know because if she was a horse that I had owned for years that suddenly started this behaviour, I would know there was something wrong physically. But when it’s a new horse, it’s hard to tell if she is just getting the better of me and I am completely over horsed.
My friend schooled her just before she went to sales livery, she is a more experienced/capable rider than me, she tried to bolt but she bridged her reins, lowered her hands and sat back deep in the saddle and she didn’t get away with it.
Obviously I will get any pain issues sorted, but I am worried about getting back on her again. Will it be remembered, would you start again from scratch, some more groundwork, long reining, get a pro to ride her?
Any words of wisdom, positive or negative experiences greatly received.
I really do like this horse, she is my dream mare. However, i value my safety more.
Tried her twice, once in owners outdoor school with an experienced friend, and then on a hack. Saw a video of her cross country and loading into a trailer, 5 stage vetted, passed with a small splint on right fore, small windgall on each fetlock behind & Distension in hock joints - bubble fluid (not massive). Vet said happy to pass given I wanted to do dressage, low level jumping, hacking & riding holidays etc
Took her to first dressage test (Intro), 3 weeks into ownership, she was tense, I was nervous, but she got on with her ‘job’ we completed test and got a reasonable score. Week later, took her to dressage club which involved riding a test then a lesson after, different venue. A few spooky looks to start but got on with lesson. Refused to load in trailer on the way home, was quite distressed but eventually loaded and we came home, she bolted off the trailer.
Two weeks later, was to re-visit first venue for another dressage test, wouldn’t load from home, when she did was very distressed biting the trailer, took her round the block, when unloaded bolted out the trailer. Spent the next few months patiently loading her in and out of trailer until she was relaxed.
In the mean time, ridden wise we had a few issues, she was napping going out the yard, mini rears and wouldn’t stand still when mounting. Overcame that, then the spinning to the left started when she either didn’t want to go a certain way or saw something she didn’t like. Initially stopped the spinning, until one day she caught me off guard, she span and tanked off down a cobbled road. At this point I panicked slightly and probably did all the wrong things (pulled on her mouth, lost a stirrup etc).
Continued my lessons and stopped hacking out for a while until I had a bit more control/respect. When I started to hack her out again (with the same trusty friend) she seemed to have stopped the spinning and when anything startled her (as they do, motorbikes, people emptying bottles into bins etc), she would set off in canter, but I was able to bring her back under control in a couple of strides. Had a bit consultant to assess mouth etc and advised Myler type snaffle bit for schooling and Myler type Wilkie snaffle for hacking.
Then approx 6 weeks ago in my lesson whilst doing some shoulder work, she objected, little mini rears, my instructor suggested I trot her on a large circle, she heard a noise outside and bolted, throwing in three large bucks until I came off. We put it down to too much energy.
Quite rightly, this un-nerved me and I was wary of noises on my next schooling session, so I lunged her beforehand to make sure she wasn’t full of energy (she is fed ablib haylage, high fibre cubes and Dengie high fibre chop). There were lots of noises outside the school and she was a star, never reacted.
I have been continuously doing groundwork, spook busting and generally getting her listening to me.
My lessons were going so well, we had introduced poles, as was the hacking, so I rightly or wrongly decided to go to a cavaletti clinic (another new venue) with an instructor and two other horses (that she didn’t know). I lunged her before we went, she was tense as soon as we got there, I walked her round, did some groundwork before I got on her and only got on when I felt she was calm. She wasn’t calm, at this point I should have got off. Anyway the instructor advised me to just do some small circles weaving in and out of the poles. She bolted. I had to run her into the arena wall to stop her, she didn’t listen to any of my aids.
I have to add at this point, my nerves were shot and my hands came up even though the instructor was telling me to lower my hands. She calmed down and appeared to be listening. We had a small trot and she went again, this time twisting her neck (probably because my hands came up again), and she bucked me off. I’m afraid I didn’t get back on her, I was too sore/shocked. The instructor advised that I was over horsed.
At this point, I felt too that i had over horsed myself. I contacted her previous owner who has sworn she has never done this before (I believe her to be genuine, no reason at all to doubt and I really did my checks).
So after a lot of tears, I decided to send her to sales livery, i booked a physio to look at her to ensure it wasn’t pain related, as the lady who she was going too thought that she didn’t look ‘right’ behind. Dressage instructor/judge, so a keen eye.
Physio came, and upon examination has provided a report that states suspected stifle issues with secondary sacroiliac pain. She also reported that she was completely locked in front and was unable to move her shoulders freely.
She is booked to see the vet on Monday for a lameness work up. In the time I have had her, she has had a new saddle fitted and her teeth done.
Sorry, that was long, but feel a full picture of the situation was needed.
My question, whilst the napping, spinning, tanking and mini rears whilst hacking are in my experience a confidence issue, I feel we had overcome these, but they do show a stubborn, quirky horse with a slight attitude. However, the bolting and bucking I don’t know whether that is pain or her ‘no’ response is just getting bigger and bigger.
Anyone with any experience of this, i.e. stifle, sacroiliac causing bolting/bucking? Could this have been building up over time, getting more stiff/sore and a tense situation causing an explosion?
It’s hard to know because if she was a horse that I had owned for years that suddenly started this behaviour, I would know there was something wrong physically. But when it’s a new horse, it’s hard to tell if she is just getting the better of me and I am completely over horsed.
My friend schooled her just before she went to sales livery, she is a more experienced/capable rider than me, she tried to bolt but she bridged her reins, lowered her hands and sat back deep in the saddle and she didn’t get away with it.
Obviously I will get any pain issues sorted, but I am worried about getting back on her again. Will it be remembered, would you start again from scratch, some more groundwork, long reining, get a pro to ride her?
Any words of wisdom, positive or negative experiences greatly received.
I really do like this horse, she is my dream mare. However, i value my safety more.