Do they ever get over this behaviour?

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express_75

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My 5yr old section D mare is 100% on the roads but quite spooky in a certain area in the school, really slams on the breaks and i end up on her neck, this is only in walk & trot, i haven't attempted canter with her yet as she's not balanced.

Do they grow out of this? Could she be trying it on?:)

Help!
 
Just a lot of patience...My 14 year old mare does exactly the same!
I found I was really unbalanced on this corner especially and was really not helping. Lots of encouragement and *softly softly* approach. Working her from the ground might help too (lunging or just leading her in hand)
Good luck!
 
She's great in hand

I'll be lunging her tonight down at the scary corner!

Silly horses!

I find it so unseating when she spooks and it takes me a few minutes to get over it....
 
Chancer occasionally does this in our school - went through a daft stage of spooking like mad as a 3 year old - to be honest think he was trying out how far he could get. I just kept him working at the end he spooks until he gave up at first on the lunge line and then ridden. If he starts backing off, I keep on working there until he settles.

Have no idea why he does it, is not a spooky sort and has been in the school to work or turn out most days for the past 2 years.

He now occasionally backs off or goes sideways, but when he did it last week, I had PMT and was not in the mood so he got his first ever pony club kick - instantly forward, straight and behaving.
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If she's fine in hand it sounds like she might be taking the mick! She may have been worried about that part of the school at first but now it sounds like a habit? I would just start in walk away from the 'hot' spot working in a big circle getting closer and closer until you are at the 'spot. You may now be nervous approaching that spot so take a deep breath, sit up straight and flex her to the inside as you approach to give her something else to think about.
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Once she's ok in walk, try it in trot
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Alternatively, see what she's like with someone else on her - Good Luck
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Might sound silly, but is there any chance that there could be a dead animal somewhere over near that corner? The smell of rotting flesh will get the wind up even the steadiest of horses, and it could explain why your otherwise angelic mare is being funny at just that one corner. Just a thought.
 
She's quite young so I would give her the benefit of the doubt. Many young horses are happier being led than ridden and tense up more when ridden, so to you she will look fine led but silly ridden. Why not walk her in hand a couple of times round the arena on both reins before you get on. If this sorts out the problem it's a small consession to make and she will grow out of it.
 
Its a Welsh thing, I think! I was on the same yard for 11 years with mine, now this is a horse that regularly competes in dressage so its not a schooling issue, and he was petrified of the gate end of the school! Mind you, it was really only scary if you picked up the contact and asked him to WORK!!!
He's a persistant escapee from the field and will happily mooch up and down the drive on his own all day... but expect him to be RIDDEN down the drive? Scary, man!!!!
 
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