Ground work tips for a bolshy mare

G

GingerTrotter

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 September 2011
Messages
356
Visit site
I have backed my 3 year old but she is now recovering from a stifle strain and has not been sat on for a few weeks

Due to the injury I dont want to leap back on (although she is sound now) but would like to work with her in the mean time due to the fact she is suffering from a terrible lack of respect!

she is pushy and bolshy and always in your space, will step on you and walk over you.

I dont want to be hard on her, as she relishes a fight, so I need to be clever and get her to respect me without throwing her weight around. I am painting her in a poor light, she really is sweet most of the time and quite a character. She is just very sharp and clever and knows exactly how much bigger she is than me!

Is there any tips or exercises I can do? or even book recomendations that might help me - I have a nice long winter to work away with her before we start anymore real ridden work, other than 20 mins in the school or a walk in the park.

Thank you
 
Get a rope halter (anything from £2.50 cattle one to Monty Roberts, doesn't matter) and a schooling stick (I prefer the fat cushy sticks to the thin whippy ones but either will do the job).

Not sure what you mean by being "hard" on her, you just need to establish ground rules and be firm but fair? This includes a tug on a pressure halter and a tap from a stick in my book!

Ok, to work! I always start with simple "walk on", "stand" "back" and "over" commands.

For walk on, stand at shoulder, and step, she should move with you. If she doesn't give a small tap on her side behind you WITHOUT turning side on or towards her (this will encourage her back away from you).

For stand, give voice command and then tug firmly once on halter. If she walks into or through you, tap her firmly on the chest with the schooling stick and tug on halter. (Be firm but not angry, she must just learn what is desired behaviour and it's your job to teach her!) Don't tap higher up her neck, you don't want to encourage her to stick her head in the air! If necessary (e.g. if she barges you) tap her and give the "back" command too to get her to step backwards. She needs to respect your space.

For back and over, tap on chest and side respectively having just given the voice command. Tap where you leg will be for over.

Once she has the hang of these (which are great lessons for later life - gates etc!) take her in the school and progress to working in and out of poles, between wings, over tarps etc, so she is learning to trust you and not spook into you.

Keep sessions short and end on a good note. Make sure you use these lessons consistantly every single day, not just when she's in the school. e.g. my babies all step back away from their stable doors when I want to come in, step back for their dinner bowls to be put down, and stay standing still whilst stable doors opened and headcollars etc put on.

You and she will be a lot happier with some firm boundaries, don't feel you are repressing her character or anything!
 
Last edited:
Thank you Polotash. They are all excellent tips.

I have used a schooling whip at feed times and going through gates as she will throw herself into me and the gate to take the shortest route round. It once took me 20 mins to get her to walk through the gate sensibly and I did use the schooling whip but I found it made her so angry and her behaviour got worse - feeding the flames! Normally a smack with a stick just once is enough to have a horse listening to you but with her its a red rag to a bull (hence me comment of not wanting to be "hard" on her)

I'm stuck to know whats the best thing to do in those situations as I dont want to fight with her but end up doing so... so i really think i need to do alot of groundwork with this mare as I do not want these issues becoming ones under saddle too.

She is always the one in the field to walk on you when i'm putting the hay out, for example one horse nips the other and they all move quickly, all the others move round you, she'll walk into you - she seems to see me as big as a horse and not treat me with the respect she should.

Its hard to explain but i'm worried that this is the start of a big horse with attitute when she has a nice personality and is quite sweet if you see past the madam! :)
 
Having the exact problem with my mare atm, she's 3 & a half. nice sweet natured like yous, but she doesn't get the personal space bit & is pushy, constantly thowinf hwr weight a about,mine will stand half way between the gate & stop dead & will refuse to move, but like yours using any aid is like waving a red flag at a bull, as more than likely she'll spook & fly into me or she'll stand her ground and then it's a game to see who gives up first.

Yours doesn't happen to be a section d does it :p
 
GingerTrotter said:
Thank you Polotash. They are all excellent tips.

I have used a schooling whip at feed times and going through gates as she will throw herself into me and the gate to take the shortest route round. It once took me 20 mins to get her to walk through the gate sensibly and I did use the schooling whip but I found it made her so angry and her behaviour got worse - feeding the flames! Normally a smack with a stick just once is enough to have a horse listening to you but with her its a red rag to a bull (hence me comment of not wanting to be "hard" on her)

I'm stuck to know whats the best thing to do in those situations as I dont want to fight with her but end up doing so... so i really think i need to do alot of groundwork with this mare as I do not want these issues becoming ones under saddle too.

She is always the one in the field to walk on you when i'm putting the hay out, for example one horse nips the other and they all move quickly, all the others move round you, she'll walk into you - she seems to see me as big as a horse and not treat me with the respect she should.

Its hard to explain but i'm worried that this is the start of a big horse with attitute when she has a nice personality and is quite sweet if you see past the madam! :)
Click to expand...

I know exactly what you mean, I've worked with a few babies on the ground like this so don't feel you are alone. You and she need to grasp that a horse naturally wants to move into pressure, and you want the opposite. Until she learns this you won't see eye to eye!

I would agree with other poster welshys/ ID's are especially prone to it, but anything which hasn't been taught ground rules will barge you, because it doesn't know that is not the desired behaviour, as you say, that's what they'd do to another similar ranking (or slightly lower down pecking order) horse.

Firstly, you CAN make her better, and I totally agree you need to find a way to do this without resorting to losing your temper and walloping her. If she is bright she may learn to exploit this anyway!

There really is no short cut to it, it's just time, firmness and consistency. If you can avoid the awkward situations whilst you get some school sessions into her then I would do this. Otherwise you will be forced to deal with them in the field, when she doesn't really know what you are getting at, so everyone gets upset!

By the way, good tip for horses that walk into your space. Get an old cotton lead rope, cut the clip off (important!), now when you need to walk through the field swirl the rope next to you on the side she's on. You are NOT aiming this at her, you just swirl it in the same circular plane as you walk. She should back off that and not want to walk through the rope swing. If she does walk through it, she ends up with the rope dolloping onto her through her own action, she should be able to understand this, as she hasn't provoked you into hitting her, which is what happens when she barges gates etc and you smack her with stick. I use this all the time with bolshy babies, even when leading them - they teach themselves not to crowd you.

Another tip. If she objects to a tap on the chest from a stick for back I frequently pinch a small amount of skin on the chest (it's nice and loose there). A firm squeeze on the skin fold with your fingers is enough for some, the very dense ones may need your nails dug in a bit. You only have to do it a couple of times, as you say "back" clearly and they soon learn.

Final tip, from lots of dog training, teach the word "no"! There is absolutely no reason why a horse cannot learn this. Use it clearly and firmly, no shouting, and always in the same tone. I can stop my youngster (also 3) from chasing a dog across the field by telling her this!
 
I agree with miss bean - perfect manners is a great book as is 101 horsemanship exercises.

I do carry a stick from time to time with my 3 yr old when I'm doing exercises but it's mostly so I have some movement behind or in front of the driveline, it is very rarely used for tapping as he generally responds to my body language.
 
How did you all guess! shes a Welsh D x (IDxTB)!!!

I love the idea of the rope spinning - thats an excellent suggestion and i have a broken lead rope that will fit the bill nicely.

The first step i think is to get her out of my space and respecting that - and then all other things should slip into place, as you are all correct in that she has no understanding of where she is in the pack when it comes to me.

I have done the twisty pinching on her chest when she walks into me in the stable and tries to barge out the door - but i swear this mare feels no pain!! I shall try and hand on the nose and a squeeze of her nose until she stops that.

I have been letting her get away with things and just blaming her age and thats she's bold due to her being home bred but enough is enough - I need to be consistant.

I'll go and buy that book too :)

The silly thing is that I have been training and handling youngsters for years but she is so strong willed and wears me down (mainly because i'm too soft on her as she's homebred! :S) I should know all the tips and tricks myself but she seems to have me not stepping back and seeing the bigger picture.

Your suggestions have given my confidence a boost to keep at it!

I have her full brother too and he is as soft as butter and was so easy to produce! oh the difference between mares and geldings :) :)
 
GingerTrotter - may the Lord be with you.

Hehe kidding Welsh D's are awesome, I remember going through the "bolshy" phase with my one (who was 5 at the time :eek:).

7 months and a TONNE of groundwork later, he is an improved pony. So have faith, you will get there!

Also second the schooling whip + rope halter. I used both and they are great for teaching manners.

I'm afraid now you have said she has Welsh D in her, I will be requiring pictures..
 
Unfortunately many people make the excuse that they are "oh their young ,a baby, he's nervous" .Rubbish every horse/pony should have manners, bigger or small , it does not matter they should have manners.

Have confidence yourself otherwise they will walk all over you.

I have a friend who has a six year old, that now he has been with us for a few weeks is starting to feel his feet. She is continuing to say "oh he's a baby, he's only young" ,I feel he will walk all over her. She will not reprimand him at all.

To get a horse to move away from you find a small short piece of twig (about 9" long) and every time they come into your space just prod them with it. Short sharp jabs/ prods to ask them to move. As soon as they move stop. They do learn quickly that it is better to move than getting a prod.

A good sharp "NO" when hey do wrong.
 
GingerTrotter said:
How did you all guess! shes a Welsh D x (IDxTB)!!!

I love the idea of the rope spinning - thats an excellent suggestion and i have a broken lead rope that will fit the bill nicely.

The first step i think is to get her out of my space and respecting that - and then all other things should slip into place, as you are all correct in that she has no understanding of where she is in the pack when it comes to me.

I have done the twisty pinching on her chest when she walks into me in the stable and tries to barge out the door - but i swear this mare feels no pain!! I shall try and hand on the nose and a squeeze of her nose until she stops that.

I have been letting her get away with things and just blaming her age and thats she's bold due to her being home bred but enough is enough - I need to be consistant.

I'll go and buy that book too :)

The silly thing is that I have been training and handling youngsters for years but she is so strong willed and wears me down (mainly because i'm too soft on her as she's homebred! :S) I should know all the tips and tricks myself but she seems to have me not stepping back and seeing the bigger picture.

Your suggestions have given my confidence a boost to keep at it!

I have her full brother too and he is as soft as butter and was so easy to produce! oh the difference between mares and geldings :) :)
Click to expand...

My mare although not pushy will come into my space and refuse to move, if you try and move her by physically touching her she gets very angry, ears back, teeth out etc.. I've bought a rope halter and have started some NH exercises with her and the improvement within days was dramatic. The best exercise I found to get her out if your space is to get them to back up. Using a long rope line, without a metal clip you stand in front of the horse, look at them but not into their eye and use a forward, powerful stance. You hold the rope in your hand and start by just wiggling your finger, as if tutting at a naughty child, if no response you start waving the rope, if no response you wave it harder and harder and as soon as they step back you release the rope, this has to be instant to reward them. At first why mare would just stick her head up in the air and refuse however now after only a week of practice I can just pick up the rope and she is alert, all I have to do is is wiggle my finger and she steps back out my space. It's a great exercise!
 
paulineh said:
Unfortunately many people make the excuse that they are "oh their young ,a baby, he's nervous" .Rubbish every horse/pony should have manners, bigger or small , it does not matter they should have manners.

Have confidence yourself otherwise they will walk all over you.

.
Click to expand...

Yes - you are wholeheartedly correct!!
 
ImmyS said:
My mare although not pushy will come into my space and refuse to move, if you try and move her by physically touching her she gets very angry, ears back, teeth out etc.. I've bought a rope halter and have started some NH exercises with her and the improvement within days was dramatic. The best exercise I found to get her out if your space is to get them to back up. Using a long rope line, without a metal clip you stand in front of the horse, look at them but not into their eye and use a forward, powerful stance. You hold the rope in your hand and start by just wiggling your finger, as if tutting at a naughty child, if no response you start waving the rope, if no response you wave it harder and harder and as soon as they step back you release the rope, this has to be instant to reward them. At first why mare would just stick her head up in the air and refuse however now after only a week of practice I can just pick up the rope and she is alert, all I have to do is is wiggle my finger and she steps back out my space. It's a great exercise!
Click to expand...

Thank you - this is great! x
 
FreddiesGal said:
GingerTrotter - may the Lord be with you.

Hehe kidding Welsh D's are awesome, I remember going through the "bolshy" phase with my one (who was 5 at the time :eek:).

7 months and a TONNE of groundwork later, he is an improved pony. So have faith, you will get there!

Also second the schooling whip + rope halter. I used both and they are great for teaching manners.

I'm afraid now you have said she has Welsh D in her, I will be requiring pictures..
Click to expand...

Shall dig one out and post it :) she's a cracker!!
Thank you for your comment, it fills me with hope!! :D
 
picture.php


Here she is... butter wouldnt melt!!
This was the 5th time she's been sat on and she was coming off the leg and trotting round the school like a proper smarty pants. :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top