Dangerous to lead?! Please help

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catherine22

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I recently (July) had to retire my mare (17) as she has really bad arthritis in her knee, no other physical problems. She has since got more and more of a handful to handle and as much as it pains me to say it bordering on dangerous to lead. I started having to lead her in her bridle as i had no control over her in headcollar, the has now progress to having to lead her in a chifney, lunge line and hat and gloves, as she kept rearing up and leaping about in the air in just the bride. In her chifney she doesnt rear up, but you do have to keep a proper hold of her but she still isn't safe to lead.
she is turned out 24/7, which is what she was used to with the same company as when she was in work and is only fed Hifi once a day just to have her joint suppliment
I am at a loss with what to do with her, the vet wanted her taken for walks etc but she is too dangerous to do that with and sedalin/acp has no affect as her adrenaline just kicks in.
My OH who is horsey is of the opinion she needs PTS, he will not even lead her anymore and is constantly worried he is going to hurt me, but I want to have tried everything with that as a last resort

wow, that turned out a lot longer than I thought

Thanks

oh and PS can you use a noseband with a chifney? As altho it stops her rearing she does open her mouth so wont a noseband stop that or is it a no no?
 
How is she if you ride her? I know she has arthritis but seeing as she's like this being led would it be easier to just get on board or would she be the same?

Have you tried stallion chains or a chain headcollar (eskadron do one) if she is strong? Not sure whether that would help stop her leaping about though. Is something setting her off or is it just random?

Personally if she was mine and better with someone on board I'd be tempted just to ride her unless she was likely to fall.
 
She would be similar if ridden, she often just plants then will spin and leap so probably not much safer!
Will have a look at the stallion chains, not sure how they would be stronger/better than chifney. Its completely random

She only needs to come in for the farrier etc and if i bring her in to groom her, which I often just do in the field, shes fine to groom etc and when shes in tied up shes fine, its just the leading thats the problem
JMO7 - I fear you're right, if something happened to me it would be down to him to look after them
 
Has she always been like this then - how did you manage before? Horses respond to different things so the chain type control method may work it may not.

If you've had her a long time i find it odd she's suddenly started to misbehave like this though - is she on some drugs/painkillers? Maybe they do not agree with her!
 
(Putting tin hat on firmly and doing up safety strap). I have a naughty mare who, when excited, is a handful to lead. I did Parelli with her and I can now lead her in safety no matter how bonkers she is. With the halter and long line (its about 18 feet I think) if she starts I back her up with the snaking rope. Because she has been conditioned to move away from it, and therefore me, I am immediately safe. She can do her parts on the end of rope but she can't go anywhere. Its amazing how quickly their brain twigs progress will only be made if they calm down. I then proceed where I want to go with her at a bit of distance with HERSELF controlling herself. This is the critical bit.

I'm not a Parelli fanatic at all but it really does have its uses and I wanted to post this as you said you wanted to explore every avenue before even considering the you know what option.
 
i dont hold with the parelli stuff but as oldred says this could be helpful in your situation.... not necessarily parelli but doing things with her from the ground to keep her mind engaged may help because she could be going out of her head because her brain doesnt need to work if u no wat i mean
smile.gif
stimulate her brain i think
confused.gif

good luck
 
Could you get some Sedalin for the occasions you have to bring her in? Either administer it by syringe in the field if she would have it, or put it in feed in the field, then bring her in a half hour to an hour later?

I quite like the logic of backing the horse up with the long line, I take it that's the method where you create a wiggle on it.

But your safety has to come first. Even with a hat on your face is vulnerable. One of our forum members was horrifically injured in this way. I'm not being funny but how about a motorbike helmet if your horse wouldn't freak at the sight?
 
chain headcollar warning...if you do use one WATCH OUT! we have one which we put one on for some extra control...was a little bit of a rearer in hand before, but with that chain headcollar on went vertical about 7 times in from field as soon as u touched the rope. This ended in me getting caught in the face by her front foot when trying to take headcollar off in the stable. She then went up and over on the yard! So try one if u wish...but be careful!
 
She's trying to tell you something very important, though I have no idea what. Stronger and stronger chains/drugs/etc will be no good in the end. Her reactions will just go up the scale to match it. And just leaving her untouched in the field will be a no no as she will need farrier/vet/etc at some time.
 
Ditto Box of frogs - WHY is she behaving like that? It's not normal in the slightest. You're not going to solve the problem with various gadgets, only mask it until it gets worse.

Something is bothereing her and you need to find out what. Is she excited in coming in (the prospect of dinner?). Is she stressed about coming in (leaving her friends, somethings always happens when she comes in)? Is she just being a bad manner witch? (respect and groundwrok required!) Is she sore?

Once you know why you can decided the best way to sort it.
 
Wow thanks for all your replies, have only just been on to catch up with them.
Tangoharvey - She's is the same both on her own and with company, worse on her own tho.
Lady t – I have had her 2 years and she had been abused before I got her but she has always been good as gold especially on the ground up until I had to retire her, she obv doesn’t like the life of luxury and would rather work. The only thing she’s on is premierflex HA nothing else so wouldn’t have thought it was that but I suppose I could take her off it and see how she is!
Mrs_Wishkabibble – lol! No not really but she does still need to come in for the farrier and if she had to have the vet or anything I would like to know I can get her in, but I will admit to only leading her anywhere if I have to
Olderd and flissymare – I have the same opinion of ‘parelli stuff’ but like you say it could be what she needs to stimulate her mind because I think that’s what’s working overtime and she just doesn’t know what to do with herself. I do feel really sorry for her but its hard to when she's leaping above your head striking out with all 4 legs!
Lady archer – that’s what worries me, I do have a motobike helmet I may try it, she's used to it as she's seen my OH in his. Will definitely try the wiggling the rope thing, like I said I always have her in a lunge line so I’ll see how it goes
Kareef – thank you, have replied!
Box of frogs and kallibear – that it what is worrying me, there must be a reason I just need to work it out, I don’t think she's excited to come in because when she's in she doesn’t get fed and she will stand tied up quietly for hours. She's the same if I bring another in or not so I don’t think its stress, I know she is sore on her knee but it doesn’t stop her pratting around so surely it can’t be that bad? She has always been good as gold to handle but then she has always been in work so I think her brain is just working overtime because she has nothing to do.
The problem is where to start!!
 
You say she doesn't get fed when she comes in, and will stand tied up hours. Is it possible she is playing up because she really doesn't want to come in. If it is possible to get her in safely can you try bringing her in for a small feed and then turning her straight out again, or even perhaps just bringing her out of the field, offering a reward and turning her out again. It may just be that she isn't suited to a life of retirement, coupled with the fact that she is in pain from her knee perhaps the kindest (and safest) thing would be to pts.
 
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