Doh! So much for horse on trial..

[Skhosu]

To begin with, mare was very unsettled in the stable anytime any of the horses left, kicking the door and generally being a prat. We rode her last night and she was grand, looking about but quiet. Very clingy to other horses though, shouting etc.
Sister tied her up this morning, was putting the bridle on, had the headcollar round her neck and the reins and was putting the bit in her mouth. Of course the mare then decided she was going somewhere, pulled away, broke the baler twine and headed down the drive. In the meantime, breaking a good stubben bridle!
Unluckily, I had left the gates open as we were going for a hack so the mare went half a mile down the road, into someones garden, before we caught her. Then she walked home fine.
So we continued, took her out with me on a pony and sister on the horse along a short grass track. However, it is an old railway embankment and she was stopping to look at things and needed lots of leg to keep going. She would walk behind me, but not beside or on front. When I stopped ricky and asked to her to walk on, she did, for two strides then started backing up, getting worked up and nearly went over the side.
At this point, we decided we'd seen enough and no way was she going to be suitable for mum to hack out.
So unfortunately, she'll be going back and that's that. I don't think we were incorrect in stopping there, we did walk on a few more strides, then turned back, but we wouldn't have felt safe taking her on the road or even letting her lead as she stopped so much.
Now I have to ring the seller who was convinced there wasn't a problem with her.
The other thing is, she did a lot of headshaking, and there was no flies around, perhaps a headshaker?

 

[Claireg9]

Seems a shame, how long was she at her previous owners for? Maybe she just feels unsettled and would calm down after a while, horses do react differently put in different situations.
Having said that i can understand you wouldnt want to take the risk.
Nothing ventured nothing gained i guess!

 

[JAK]

Oh dear - sounds a bit like Cob Blob's long-lost sister!

Doesn't sound very suitable for what you want, I must say, as she sounds very green or very insecure, or both!

Re. the headshaking - CB does this as a nervous habit, if he gets 'stressed' & we nearly sent him back when he first came, as we thought he really was a headshaker & MD was constantly being wrenched out of the saddle, his head movements were so violent!
Only does it now if he meets something really scary out & about etc.
Just a thought!

 

[OWLIE185]

If she is on a different yard with new horses and new people she does not know then she will need some time to settle in.

To avoid horses escaping why don't you leave your gates closed at al times and only open them when going in our out? If they don't have them already you can get some equine friendly latch openers so that you can open and close the gates from horseback.

 

[the watcher]

None of this behaviour sounds too unusual for a horse in new surroundings, although it does sound like she lacks confidence.
I would be inclined to give her another chance but only you know what your mum can cope with. the headshaking sounds like stress and will probably stop if she settles in..or maybe she needs a very loose contact

 

[Noodlejaffa]

I would definitely give the horse another chance. I had one of mine on trial for a week before I bought him and he was a real prat hacking out the first couple of days (spinning round, etc). He's good as gold now, and we've used him for hackign out youngsters with as he's so well behaved!

Just let her settle and take it from there. How long have you got her on trial for?

 

[Malibu]

yes so would i, when i got my current eventer, he woudlnt let me on him, took about 20 mins to catch him and if i had given him back it would have been the worst mistake ever as i have learnt lots from him!

they are not robots and if you were taken away from your usal surroundings would you not be unsetteled? give the horse a chance, how long is the trial? let her become used to you and her stable mates, etcetc then decide and yes keep those gates closed! and when you are out hacking she wont have seen it before, my boy when i take him somewhere new, or not been to a place for a while he has a good look then over it!
good luck, keep us updated

 

[Skhosu]

I know they aren't robots, but we have never had one do this before, and ours are not bombproof hacks, but will all go out on their own and are pretty safe, they weren't bought for hacking though. I understand she is stressed etc. and the escaping I can cope with, she was upset and would settle. It's the stopping and backing up (she stopped whilst mum was on her trying out so that was why we had her on trial to see if it was one off and it obviously wasn't). She was also bad to load both ways, (she's on her way back now!) and just generally wasn't pleasant to have.
We only had her on trial for a day or two so had to try it. She also threatened to rear when going back which is a BIG no-no for a nervous novice (who wasn't on her luckily!)
Seller said she'd never done it before, however, horse had also never been a problem to load before and was fairly bad today again so...
Just wasn't suitable, disappointing as she seemed a nice mare but that was the doubt when she did a funny stop at her own home.
We have now found the perfect(we think) horse for sale. Ex-eventer from a good friend who found my horse and used to event a lot, it's her retired horse and was very successful. Now on his last legs so up to doing a bit of walk, trotting and some cantering, ideal for mum really!
However, not up to intro eventing so we'll have to see, we might buy a young horse for us to bring on and sell maybe..

 

[Malibu]

good luck