Decisions.... Help (long-ish)

lialls

lialls

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I have a 12 year old TB mare. She is very dappy, one day I can ride her and she’s perfect the next day, do exactly the same thing and she’s a nightmare – spooking, bucking, jumpy and won’t listen. Is this a normal TB thing? – I know they can be unpredictable but thought it was a bit different.

I am injured and have been for the last 18 months so I have hardly ridden her. Because of this she is now very excitable to ride (when I do have a good day and feel like getting on her) and I can’t cope with this and my injury so now I will have to wait until I’m fully recovered until I can start riding her again (this defo won’t be until the end of the summer if not longer) In the mean time she is becoming more and more of a handful to handle. Shes a horse that needs to be in work to keep her sane. I am starting to lose my nerve handling her due to me not being on top form and her giving me a hard time.

Due to all of the above I am considering selling her. But I’m not sure that I am happy with this. And I don’t know why I am not happy to do this. I love my horse but there are a lot of things I wish I could change about her. I am now starting to feel that due to her behaviour when being handled I am going to lose my confidents and I really don’t want that to happen.

So do I throw it all in now or hang on for a bit longer and take the risk as to weather it will all work out ok or have to sell her further on down the line?


Wine and chocolate if you get this far. Thank you for reading anyway.
 
Could you not loan her out in the interim? It might be someone wants to take on the challenge and it would mean that once you are back to full fitness you have a better chance of building a good relationship with your mare again.
 
Why dont you put her on loan? That way, she will get the attention and riding she needs, the pressure will come off you and you can relax and get better and then re- evaluate your feelings at a later date.

I really hope you get well soon and get back to enjoying your lovely girl.

xxx
 
It's a difficult decision and something I'm sure you will think long and hard about. But I just want to tell you about a friend of mine who had a very naughty irish draft, he was 17.3hh and used to bronc and spook and generally was a pest. She came off him countless times, broke her coccyx and to be honest probably had her confidence dented. After him (he actually ended up being put down, not behaviour related) she got a super-cob! I remember her coming back from a ride on her new horse grinning and saying that she suddenly had realised what it was all about and remembered why she had got into horses - she actually had fun for the first time in ages and got to go to shows, riding club, the lot. Just remember that this very expensive hobby that we all have is meant to be fun. That's all.
 
I was going to say the same thing ... horses just take so much energy and money you should be able to enjoy them, I say sell her and get yourself a horse that you can really enjoy and wants to do the same things as you
smile.gif
 
I could put her out on loan, i dont have an issue with that other than i am very aware that she could hurt someone, i would feel awful if someone was to be injured by her, shes also a very sensitive soul and who ever had her would have to understand that.

There is no one local to me who can have her but i dont mind her going further a field though.

Where is the best place to advertise for loan? I never really thought people would want to loan a dappy tb whos been out of work for a while and as yet has nothing to show for her years, she still dosn't have very many miles on the cock competition wise.
 
I think you could have just loss your confidence a bit, could I suggest that you monitor her, and when she seems a bit more spooky and silly, dont ride her, but lunge her instead?
Could it be season related?
What about checking her feed content, too sugary maybe?
And put her on a calmer, naf, naf Magic is very good, practically switched my horse off,
It sounds like you dont want to sell, and if you try making some changes, maybe you could get your confidence back with her?
 
Walrus and Lolliie - the pony i had before her was a super little cob. She had no style and dished like she was drunk but she was soo brave she would go anywhere. I got to big for her so she had to be sold, and im still heartbroken about it now
frown.gif
I do enjoy my TB but not all the time.

The thing that most worries me about selling my TB is that i dont know if i will then find something suitable :S - kind of 'better the devil you know'
 
[ QUOTE ]
Could it be season related?
What about checking her feed content, too sugary maybe?
And put her on a calmer, naf, naf Magic is very good, practically switched my horse off,
It sounds like you dont want to sell, and if you try making some changes, maybe you could get your confidence back with her?

[/ QUOTE ]


I did wonder if it could be her season! Shes been out in the field for the last 6 months with out being riden once and iv not had a problem untill the last 2 weeks. Shes not being fed any hard feed atm due to not being ridden.
 
well, I have a mare, who is unpredictable,
last year she threw me a couple of times, out of the blue,
I had no idea, as the horse had been a broodmare, what was hte probem with her, I sussed it out, that it was pain which was connected to her coming into season, she just couldnt bear the weight of a rider. I have now schooled her all winter, inside and I have had the sweetest mare ever to ride. She will be coming into season, any day now, so I have the regumate at the ready, to start her on. (think will start her tomorrow, a lot of mares will be cominginto season, around now, and you may have better weather than ,me, whereas up here, its still darkish and cold, so she hasnt started yet.
 
yes, dont give up yet,
honestly, things can be done to improve her manners..
if it is season related, you might find magic is not strong enough,
but I would give it a go, for a start and see how it goes
grin.gif
 
We had the same issues with one of ours, the less you ride them the worse they get, regardless of turnout and calmers. They thrive on work and now ours is elsewhere and getting that he's being wonderful. I miss him dreadfully, but I think it's the best for him. Sometimes our horses don't think the same way as we do, and we just need to listen. Best of luck with her.
 
you could do as others have said and either loan her out or find a sharer while you recover and perhaps you could keep her in some work by lunging her and free schooling her a few days a week too. It sounds like she likes to be busy. I would give the calmer a go too as it may just do the trick!
 
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