Difficult mare

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Marthawalsh

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So, I have a 5yro 18hh warmblood mare that I bought last autumn. She's very talented, fantastic showjumper, nice paces etc.
She was fine and lovely and easy for the first few months. But recently we've hit some hurdles.
In the last month, steadily getting worse, she's been napping, threatining to rear, humping her back, ears flat back, backing up and refusing to go forward. It comes completely out of the blue, we can hack for half an hour and then it will suddenly happen. Or she can do it straight out of the gate. I can usually get past it, I just have to ignore it and keep asking her forward and eventually after a tantrum she will give in. Occasionally it happens in the school too.

I've had her back, teeth, saddle etc etc checked and also tried putting her on bute for a week and the behaviour didn't go away so I'm fairly sure it's not pain related.

My last port of call is to turn her out, she's not been out since November because of the weather so I'm praying she's just fed up and needs to go out.

I just thought I would post here and see if anyone has any ideas.

Please no nasty comments, I try my damnedest to make sure my animals are cared for exceptionally and no expense is spared.

However, I'm coming to my wits end.
 
Another one who says turn her out! I'd chuck her out, let her have a few days/a week to get all the wrinkles out, then reassess her behaviour.

Don't know (so not judging) why she has been in since Nov, but I'm of the opinion that fields can be repaired, and mud can be removed. Brain fry is a more difficult thing to fix.
 
Can she go out in school with another horse? I turn all the youngsters out every day in groups in the school (granted we have really high fencing) and it makes an enormous difference with behaviour, like all young horses/ people/ animals they need some 'stupid' time and at 5 years old your mare probably is still quite playful.
If turnout doesnt cure it, it could be a confidence/ trust issue where some groundwork would be benefical. Maybe try her on long reins.
 
She's not been working that hard really.
She's also not the only one that's been in that long. But the only one that isn't coping, if it is that.

She can't go out in the arena unfortunately.
We have just moved yards so I'm hoping to sort her paddock tomorrow and get her out for a little while.
Thankyou, she's very good to handle so I hadn't really considered that. Very good point.
 
Last edited:
Auslander said:
Another one who says turn her out! I'd chuck her out, let her have a few days/a week to get all the wrinkles out, then reassess her behaviour.

Don't know (so not judging) why she has been in since Nov, but I'm of the opinion that fields can be repaired, and mud can be removed. Brain fry is a more difficult thing to fix.
Click to expand...

Agree 100% with this, sadly though if your on livery its not always that easy when at the sight of a raindrop they stop turnout. That's the main reason I found my own place, my winter field is trashed but I have 2 sane youngsters who having just been broken have not chucked me yet. Without turnout I fear this would be a very different story !

Even if you just manage to get her out a few hours a day it will make a big difference :)
 
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