Double Barrelling Mare :( HELP Please - Long story - Sorry

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Pipersky

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Hi, I am writing this as I am really upset and have no idea what to do...

I have a 19yo 17hh mare, I have had her for just under a year.

Due to losing the grazing and bad weather, she has been pretty much in a stable 24/7 for the whole of Dec and Jan, only getting out when ridden (3xweek) and each day to have a mooch and a roll in the menage.

She started to get grumpy and began to be bolshy and even bit my OH on the hand when he was doing up her rug. It was also difficult, because the horse next to her would snap over the door and she ended up doing the same (they could often be seen pulling faces at each other!)

We managed to find a new yard, with fields galore and a really nice atmosphere, so last weekend, we moved her and this is when the fun really began....

We arrived Saturday PM and she was put into her new box - no problems.
Sunday AM she is turned out in field alone, but next to field with the other mares that she will eventually be in with. After a good morning, she has some sort of altercation at the fence around lunchtime and manages to break the fence and pull a shoe. She is brought in, tidied up and left to chill out.

Monday AM the farrier comes and sorts her shoe out and she is turned out for the day alone in the same field, next to the mares.

Tuesday AM, she gets loose on the yard and whilst trying to catch her, she turns her bum and double barrells me, missing by a hare's breath. Once caught, she is turned out in the field with ONE of the mares from her future field, they pay no attention to each other and she is comfortable enough to roll.
Tuesday PM the girl who owns the other mare goes in to get her mare out and my mare turns her bum and double barrells her, missing, but scaring her before she can catch her mare.

Wednesday AM, she is turned out with the mare again, but it is noticed during the morning that she is lame, so she is brought in for the rest of the day.

Today - still lame - polticed/buted for that, but whilst taking her to the hose to sort the poltice, she gets away from my OH and kicks out as she goes, then when I try to catch her, she turns her bum to me again... after the other day, I back off and go get a bucket of nuts to catch her!

I know that this behaviour is not normal for her... I know that I have now allowed her to get away with bad behaviour, and I know that if I don't do something quick I will end up with a dangerous horse and be asked to leave the yard.

Also, she has not eaten much of the hay in her stable since she arrived, and she does not appear to be poohing as much as before, but I thought this may be down to the change to grass and the stress of moving.

I'm so upset that she is behaving like this, all I want is for her to be a happy horse, out in the field, munching grass all day, being ridden a few times a week and generally enjoying life. If I don't get this sorted, I'm not sure what I will do...

All (sensible) suggestions gratefully received :)
 
She's probably unsettled from the move and the change in routine.

It might be putting a bridle with lunge line on for leading her in and out/washing legs of etc. I would also ensure that anyone handling her wears a hat and gloves. Carrying a schooling whip when doing stuff with her on the ground may also be a good idea!
 
Pipersky said:
after the other day, I back off and go get a bucket of nuts to catch her!

I know that this behaviour is not normal for her... I know that I have now allowed her to get away with bad behaviour, and I know that if I don't do something quick I will end up with a dangerous horse and be asked to leave the yard.

And therein lies your problem! If she goes to do it again, growl at her/wallop her with a rope end/chase her round. Whatever you do don't reward her for bad behaviour with food. TBF, I have some sympathy with the mare, she has been shut in for months and now that she has access to grass, you keep trying tocatch her and bring her in and do things (as she sees it) but she really can't be allowed to behave in such a rude way. For safety it might be better to put her back into a field on her own until she is back and settled in her routine, when she understands that she will be able to go back out again.


Also, she has not eaten much of the hay in her stable since she arrived, and she does not appear to be poohing as much as before, but I thought this may be down to the change to grass and the stress of moving.

Give her very wet food and possibly a bran mash to help her to pass dung, I expect you're right it is down to the change and stress but best to sort it now before it turns into something worse.

I'm so upset that she is behaving like this, all I want is for her to be a happy horse, out in the field, munching grass all day, being ridden a few times a week and generally enjoying life. If I don't get this sorted, I'm not sure what I will do...

All (sensible) suggestions gratefully received :)
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You will both be much happier when you take charge and put your horse back in her place. It's all about body language really - don't let her get the idea that you are frightened of her.
 
Do not give her the oppertunity to try it again. Make sure everyone knows the story, wears hat and gloves and does everything super carefully, inc catching her first when bringing the others in, leaving a headcollar on her always leading in a bridle, tying her up out the way whilst mucking out etc. Explain to everyone that she is normally a complete sweetheart and this is really out of character and you need their understanding and patience whilst you deal with it.

Give her a couple of weeks to settle, under those strict conditions and re-asses once she's calmed down and has proper friend.

Also try and get her diet sorted. Buy in some nice hay/haylege if you need to and consider putting her on a colic or gastric ulcer supplelement to help her just in case. Also think about a calmer.

As you've said, it's really out of character for her and something is obviously really bothering her. Once you can get that sorted she'll go back to her nice normal self and if you dont give her the chance to try kicking again, it wont become a learned habit.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
And therein lies your problem! If she goes to do it again, growl at her/wallop her with a rope end/chase her round. Whatever you do don't reward her for bad behaviour with food. TBF, I have some sympathy with the mare, she has been shut in for months and now that she has access to grass, you keep trying tocatch her and bring her in and do things (as she sees it) but she really can't be allowed to behave in such a rude way. For safety it might be better to put her back into a field on her own until she is back and settled in her routine, when she understands that she will be able to go back out again.
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Whilst I entirely agree that she should not be allowed to walk all over you, please please please do not start hitting or threatening her whilst her bum is turned to you. She has already shown she had no qualms about kicking and she WILL lash out. If she gets you in the head she'll easily kill you.

Just try never to let her get into that situation in the first place (use a lunge line if you need to, so you can turn her to face you) and there are times and places to pick your fight, Whilst she's aiming at you with back feet is not the time nor place. There are plenty of other excercises (feet moving) that you can do to build respect that are safe, even with a grumpy stroppy unhappy mare.
 
I do thnk she just needs time to settle into her new yard. She's prob delighted to have access to outside, but as previously said, would just not let her know you are the least bit scared of her. Definitely wear the hard hat, and gloves, and if not a lungeline, use one of the longer leadropes. You dont have to be violent with her, to show her who's boss, and just make sure if anyone else is around her, they stick to the same rules. Horses are great at picking up on our weakness's. My boy behaves for me, but if someone nervous is leading him, he's so jumpy, he's like a jack in the box. Sorry for being boring, but there was a study done a few years ago, possibly in sweden, where 10 horses/riders were given an exercise, where they were told beforehand that they had to lead the horse (headcollar & leadrope only) from point A to point B. They were also told that the lady with the umbrella standing midway would open the umbrella as they passed. Every horse spooked, even though the lady did not open the umbrella. The horses didnt know what had been said. same process was applied when riding. All horses spooked again. 3rd time, the people were told that the lady would not open the umbrella, and every horse walked passed, no problem. That really opened my eyes to the effect I have on my horse. I dont anticipate scares anymore, I anticipate that he will go past anything. It works. x
 
Don't give her the oppurtunity.
Plan everything like a military operation.
Bridles to lead, hats on, carry a whip if need be to remind her who has the driving seat.
I also wouldn't be going into the stable with her until she has calmed down. I'd be putting her a headcollar on over the stable door and holding her over the stable door with this and putting the bridle on. Leading her out in the bridle and tying her up before mucking out etc.
Give her no opportunities.

Some people entirely disagree, and thats fine, but after a yard change my mare was a nightmare (rearing, bucking, double barrelling, charging at people in the field etc.) and I put her on topspec calmer. Within 24 hours she was calm. Even if it was the placebo effect (which I HIGHLY doubt) she was like a different horse.

Good luck OP.
 
I had a similar thing and when we moved yards. My girl became bolshy and generally trying to take control of me. I was just very firm with her and did lots of groundwork which we did anyway. She just needed security from me. Moving is extremely traumatic for a horse. There are huge changes and they will be trying to sort out where they stand amongst the other horses too. Once my girl knew that the heirachy between us was the same on this yard as it was on the new yard, she settled right down. Lots of backing up and moving the legs around. If she moves when you havent asked then ask her to go back where she was and stand for a bit until you do ask her to move.
 
On top of settling and throwing her weight around, she is now lame and probably hurting.

As said above, wear hats etc and be sensible. I wouldn't go on the attack when her bum is turned, if she takes offense she'll do a lot more damage than you. I'd do as claribella has said. When I had one turning bum I used to clap every time she shifted weight to move or turned round, really didn't take long to figure she didn't like the noise and you could keep a safe distance away.

I'd also be available when the other girl is in the field for now. You should go in and catch mare so she can get hers etc. You'll get someone appreciating you've got a problem but it's not affecting her (and quite possibly someone who wants to help or at least keep an eye on you). It won't be a long term thing but right now I'd say it's necessary.
 
claribella said:
I had a similar thing and when we moved yards. My girl became bolshy and generally trying to take control of me. I was just very firm with her and did lots of groundwork which we did anyway. She just needed security from me. Moving is extremely traumatic for a horse. There are huge changes and they will be trying to sort out where they stand amongst the other horses too. Once my girl knew that the heirachy between us was the same on this yard as it was on the new yard, she settled right down. Lots of backing up and moving the legs around. If she moves when you havent asked then ask her to go back where she was and stand for a bit until you do ask her to move.
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When we moved yards my mare was similar, I did lots of groundwork as suggested.
 
Thank you all so much, it is such a relief to know that I am not the only one who has had this problem.

I am not the hitting type and feel that maybe because I am a big softy this is why she has taken advantage, but tonight she started to turn in the stable and I just growled at her and opened up my shoulders and she stopped in her tracks, so fingers crossed we can work on her respect issues and stop this bum turning so that she doesn't get the chance to kick...

She is now sound again, the farrier came out tonight and pulled her shoe and checked whole hoof then reshod, trotted up fine, so I'm putting her out in the field tomorrow am and she is going in with the mare she was with before as her owner is happy for them to stay together (thank goodness) as she thinks it may just be teething problems from the move.

I plan to turn out with the bridle as suggested and will be wearing my hat etc too.

Thanks again to you all
 
I too would try a magnesium calmer. When I moved my mare just before Christmas she unwent a complete personality change to ride although she clearly preferred the new yard. I rang Nupafeed and they explained that horses have magnesium in their bodies which they get from the grass and store to be used as and when. Once a horse has been stabled for a while the stores of magnesium are used up and if they then have an event where they are under stress they effectively run out of what they need and can become very stressed. My mare had a loading dose for a week and then I slowly reduced the amount until I reached a happy medium where she is calm.

She is now completely back to herself and loving life. Got to be worth a try.
 
just be positive she isnt mildly 'colicy' as in full off gas and bloated, so feeling uncomfortable.
ive found a big change e.g. moving can really upset the insides, and mares seem more effected than boys......and you've done alot of changeing in the past week! home, now out, hay, feed etc.....
and they all express themselves in diffferent ways
 
Thank goodness for an understanding field mate!

Do what you're doing, take sensible precautions, give her lots of praise when she gets it right and ignore her when she plays up if you can, and carry on with the groundwork.

Put yourself in her shoes - she's in a new place, and she's probably missing her old friends, and we all know horses are notorious for not accepting newcomers! New hay, new grass, even new bedding - she's probably upset and confused, and you're the only constant in her life at the moment, so behaving as normally as you can around her will help her settle.
 
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