Discipline and youngsters - advice please

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Switchthehorse

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I have a 20mo filly who is currently on box rest due to a few issues. Far from ideal but should make a full recovery relatively quickly and seems to have adapted to her life in a box (rather smugly).

i am allowed to walk her out in hand twice a day, and every third day or so let her have 5 mins or so 'playing' in a round pen.

Naturally being a baby and away from her herd she is a) quite boisterous when allowed loose and b) wants to 'play' with me

She is a pleasure to lead in hand etc, and learning about personal space, this is an ideal time to do a bit of loose schooling which she is cottoning on to.

My problem is the playing bit, there is the occassional cheeky run at me (ears pricked) then dodge and run away, the occassional bronc and turn her backside on me, and the occassional fly buck at me, but all a good 10ft away from me so never actually ON or AT me as in no real danger.

My question is - do I reprimand her? i want a horse with manners as she grows up. My instinct is to not allow this behaviour but and only a small but i am concious she is out of her herd environment, has no one to play one, and is downright bored so a bit of high jinks here and there is surely permissable, and she will be back out in the field in a month or so and forgotten about again for a while so how much impact would this couple of weeks have?

Hope that makes sense and thanks in advance
 
At the moment, she has pretty good reason to mistake you for a play buddy, so it would be a bit unfair to punish her for something she can't really help. At the same time, I wouldn't want her thinking that behavior is acceptable. So, I'd just simply leave her to play in the round pen herself, & walk away so she isn't able to try & even play through the fence. Then take up the loose schooling when she is back out with friends.
 
Just leave the round pen and let her play - she's letting off steam and the last thing she needs is to be reprimanded.

So in the pen, walk away, monitor, return, collect.
 
amymay said:
Just leave the round pen and let her play - she's letting off steam and the last thing she needs is to be reprimanded.

So in the pen, walk away, monitor, return, collect.
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Agree. Why do you need to be in there if she is just stretching her legs? It's a bit unfair to tell her off for playing and relieving boredom.
 
Agree with amymay.

You wouldn't expect an older, broken horse on box rest to spend his outdoor time being schooled sensibly, so it's asking for trouble with a baby.

Just let her play on her own then fetch her in. Hope she makes a speedy recovery :)
 
Thanks all - sounds like I was thinking what most other people were (so far at least)

Just to qualify and somehow I always make myself sound completely inept in my posts and I am genuinely not.. anyway I havent been properly 'schooling' just encouraging her to go round - because if i leave her she just stands and stares and neighs! Its like she is afraid to let rip!

Anyway I will do as I thought and as suggested which is basically not a lot!
 
Just watch when you reintroduce her to the herd. Mine was box rested for 6 months at 2.5yrs and socially was very inept when she went back with the others.

She also became very attached to me in the time and that has never changed. Other horses are not welcome near me if she is around. Even now at 18yrs she does not fit well into the herd. It has all stemmed from that box rest.
 
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