Bossy mare trying to bite/kick

[Bellacat]

My mare underwent kissing spine surgery last year and has been recovering really well. I only mention her surgery as a possibility for her behaviour. She has always hated having her girth tightened and I’m always really careful and do it slowly and reward good behaviour. But lately she’s started trying to bite or she swings her bum at me as I attempt to fasten it even when it’s the lunge roller. Today when I went to catch her in the field she started walking away from me and again started swinging her bum at me as soon as I tried to approach her. She’s never done this before. What’s the best way to deal with this behaviour?

 

[Bellaboo18]

So it sounds like she's got ulcers and/or is in pain somewhere. So you need to get to the bottom of that with a vet workup.

 

[Green Bean]

Not sure about the ulcers. My mare is terribly girthy, so I had the usual workup including scope for ulcers and x-rays. No ulcers but minor KS. She had injections into the effected bone areas. She is still girthy, which I put down to the anticipation of pain from riding. Although my mare only pulls faces and pretends she is going to bite you, I don't get the bum. I would wonder a little about manners. Like you, I have taken things really slowly with my mare after her injections, followed the vets advice by the book, including keeping her in work so she doesn't lose her supporting muscles (her core). She has got a lot better which I attribute to 'listening' to her and giving her the opportunity to sniff (and occasionally munch) the saddle. When she is ready, she drops her head slightly and relaxes. I still get the faces even before the girth is 'connected' to the saddle but they are not serious. One issue of concern, however, is recently, when I go to tighten her girth again, just before I get on the mounting block (it is high enough that I just sit on her, and not putting pressure on one side only as I get on) she has started kicking out with her nearside hind leg (only once so far). She got a little smack on the bum for that as that is bad manners but I will be keeping an eye out for anything that may be a further pain issue. I am waiting for lock down to be over so the vet can come back to assess her as she had the treatment just before Covid closed everything down...