Confidence/stress

J

jumpingjack

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My mare seems to have taken to having strops and has a total disrespect of manners at the moment, before i totally lose the plot has anyone any tips on taking things back to the beginning and what exercises to try.

At the moment, she is bargy, wont catch easily and wont be lead.
She never used to be like this and i hate it
confused.gif
 
How long have you had her? How old is she? Has this been a sudden change of temperment? Is she the same with everyone who handles her? Have you change anything recently/ ie. feed, routine, field companions etc...
 
I brought her April and she was a star, she changed in Oct when she had another mare in the field with her who was very dominant, she was getting bitten and kicked lots.
She was much worse with the sharer, however i moved her 2 weeks ago and she had been ok and then another lady came to ride her wed when i was out (i had seen them ride before on splash) and she couldnt catch her so left her and since then her catching and leading have been a total disaster.

I know she is probably unsettled still but we seemed to be getting somewhere and now have taken 20 steps back again
 
Sounds like she has just been unsettled again by the change of yard and by different people riding handling her. I would try to limit the number of people who ride/handle her till she is more settled. Make sure you maintain a routing and are 100% consistant with her as this will her settle more quickly. Some ground work will also help establish boundaries when you are leading her, being barge/walked over is not acceptable. My mare has just had a late season (due to the mild weather we had up till last week), she may have too, which won't have helped. Have you anyone who can help you?
 
not really the yard i am on i am alone on until they get anymore liveries.

Will stick to just me with her and see how we get on.

Any tips on making a mare move when she doesnt want to - have tried backing up, tension, walking the other way she just plants her feet, the only way i can get her to move is to follow with a lunge whip while my bf leads her.
 
I have found that you can always get a horse to move if you stand to one side of them and ask them as they have to move sideways because you can pull them off balance that way...don't bother trying to pull from in front as you are fighting a loosing battle! So when she plants pull her forwards but sideways or even better push her away from you to the side and then circle her in a tight circle 3 times and then ask for walk on again. If she refuses, circle her a few more times and keep going until she goes forward at your request. I have the most stubborn of Welshies and even he gets fed up and gives in after a few circles round and round!
 
[ QUOTE ]
At the moment, she is bargy, wont catch easily and wont be lead.
She never used to be like this and i hate it
confused.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

Your other post suggests that she has a back problem. Perhaps she has started acting this way as she is in pain?
 
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