Grumpy/sour 3 year old

[BethanT]

Ok so some of you may remember a thread I started about a 3 year old filly a friend of mine was breaking that all went wrong.

Well to fill you in she is now at home (owners place) being out at grass with two friends - both geldings. I have since started working for the owner from they home riding his two ridden hunters and doing general groom duties.

While I can see a visible transformation in how relaxed she is I've noticed more and more how she tends to put her ears back a lot. She did this a little back at my other yard when you entered her stable but once headcoller was on all was ok. Same in field.

She is quite friendly and almost seems as though she wants to be your friend but she does this with both me and her owner and neither of us have ever done anything to hurt her. I will also add that did apparently did this before being backed.

Does anyone have any ideas to what this could be down to? It's like she's an old mare who has been around a bit and is a bit sour, but she's only 3.

Sorry for the essay and if I've missed anything out let me know, am on my phone.

 

[Doormouse]

My 2 year old filly is a bit of a grump in her stable, it is her area and I'm fine with it. She is as good as gold to handle and is probably the easiest horse I've ever dealt with but she isn't one of lifes very affectionate people and she prefers her own space.

I wouldn't be too fussed at the moment, give her space and let her come to you and assess the situation once she is being broken and worked on again. In my experience mares are very different to geldings and ofter prefer to stand alone until they completely trust you and often simply prefer their own space.

 

[BethanT]

I thought this might be the case. She does it in field to. She will come up to you and allow you to fuss her then just puts her ears flat back and walks away for no apparent reason. I don't follow her I just leave her be.

 

[honetpot]

I have a mare who I have had since she was two and she is now eight. As a two year old she was on her third home after being sold at the sales in Ireland, I later found out she had been 'swung' in an effort to teach her a lesson. Her basic personality is dominant but at the same time she is insecure so although she wants to be boss she responds to clear ground rules and is happiest in the field when she is friends with another dominant mare/gelding. I think she is one of those animals who in the wrong hands would walk all over you and would not what to do with the power.
I would think that your mare is the boss of the two geldings and she is giving subtle warnings that she would be the boss of you. My advice is always make her get out of your way, don't go round her, if you keep trying to be friendly she will have gained dominance over you, and make sure you do the same to the geldings. In books they always stress routine, I used to think this was about time but really its about predictability and constancy, if she comes to rely on you when put in a stressful situation she will hopefully rely on your guidance and be less stressed.

 

[Shysmum]

I've read a lot on here about mares sometimes being stand-off-ish until they really get to know and trust the owner. I would just keep at it, and ignore her when she walks away, don't stress about it. Time is a huge help.

If it were me I would (cough, splutter), try gently sending away in a school, and then practising join up. *tin hat - RUN*..

 

[BethanT]

I think he would benefit from join up but unfortunately we don't have a school or anything which we could do this.

I never really though she was top, not bottom either, but after watching the three of them today she was taking haylage out of the others mouth (who I thought was top) so perhaps she is. I tend to make her move out my way anyway as don't trust her back end

 

[MrsElle]

I've got a 2 year old filly who's default facial expression is ears back and looking evil We call her The Witch.

She behaves much as yours does, always comes over for a fuss, and seems to like it, despite the ears flat to the head, and when she has had enough she will just walk away. She isn't dominant within the herd, she is a middley, and always walks back and out of my way when told. We have just accepted that she is a grumpy so and so, and love her (sometimes!), grumpy personality and all

 

[Wagtail]

We have a mare at the yard who always greets you with her ears back. Her yearling son does it too. But neither of them are actually being grumpy or nasty. They are both very friendly and love fuss. It takes a bit of getting used to and I always have to explain this to newcomers that they are not being nasty, it's just the way they are. So it may not be that this filly is being grumpy at all.

 

[Trules]

i'm just having some diagnostics done on my 7 yr old mare who has a grumpy ears back face most of the time to try to work out if there is a reason. but I don't think there is. I think that is just her default face. she is never nasty, just looks a bit narked most of the time. but I hasten to add she is great. never known a horse with so much personality and we get on great. she's a babe!

 

[babymare]

I know a few humans with constant sour faces to

 

[Cortez]

Some horses don't like being messed around with, mares in particular. If they don't want to be petted, leave them alone.

 

[skyrock]

what on earth is anyone doing breaking a 3 year old? She is too young to have weight on her back she is still growing and her joints are not formed she could be hurting. I know some people try to break horses early because it's easier when they are young and not too powerful but its wrong. My mare will be 6 in spring and will be started then.

 

[AdorableAlice]

what on earth is anyone doing breaking a 3 year old? She is too young to have weight on her back she is still growing and her joints are not formed she could be hurting. I know some people try to break horses early because it's easier when they are young and not too powerful but its wrong. My mare will be 6 in spring and will be started then.

Everyone to their own I suppose. I would expect a well brought up 6 year old to be winning novice dressage classes.

 

[Cortez]

what on earth is anyone doing breaking a 3 year old? She is too young to have weight on her back she is still growing and her joints are not formed she could be hurting. I know some people try to break horses early because it's easier when they are young and not too powerful but its wrong. My mare will be 6 in spring and will be started then.

Sorry? Horses are normally broken to ride at three, and the vast majority do just fine. Of course they should be lightly ridden and not hammered over jumps, etc., but there is no problem with breaking a mature three year old. Leaving a horse until 6 to break is totally unnecessary and will often mean that there are problems with attitude, not to mention the massive catch-up if it is intended to be a competition horse.

 

[BethanT]

We start the process at 3 and only do light work. Personally I then turn away for winter then bring back into work following year as a 4 year old. So long as work is steady and controlled there is no problem.

As for the comment regarding them still growing, some Warmbloods grow until they are 8 and by that point could be competing to a fairly high level.

It is easier to back them at 3/4 as you don't want them too strong or getting their feet under the table as such. But as AA said, each to their own. But do you think horses like Valegro started education at 6? No they didn't.

 

[lula]

what on earth is anyone doing breaking a 3 year old? She is too young to have weight on her back she is still growing and her joints are not formed she could be hurting. I know some people try to break horses early because it's easier when they are young and not too powerful but its wrong. My mare will be 6 in spring and will be started then.

Good for you.
However there is nothing wrong with someone starting a little work with a 3 year old if not over done and it is mature enough.

 

[PerfectPony]

Laughed when I read this... My two year old does his 'ears back' nasty face. He learnt it from an older companion. He hasn't a nasty bone in his body. All I do is say 'Nice Ears' if he does it... don't make it an issue, but don't allow it either. I have had him a couple of months and it is getting less every day. Have a go xx

 

[maccachic]

My mare does this when she feels she shouldn't have to do something its like her 'nah' face. Getting better now that she realises she is not the boss. She is 7 and has been a broodmare and have broken her in she is actually better out of the paddock in situations outside her comfort zone.

Very interesting one to break compared to the younger ones I have done. Thinking she will make a nice eventer.

 

[Tobiano]

Laughed when I read this... My two year old does his 'ears back' nasty face. He learnt it from an older companion. He hasn't a nasty bone in his body. All I do is say 'Nice Ears' if he does it... don't make it an issue, but don't allow it either. I have had him a couple of months and it is getting less every day. Have a go xx

Oh that reminds me of a clicker training course I went on where nice ears were clicker trained. I suppose there is a bit of a risk you train them to have a nice expression and then miss the warning signs though! Easy to say and probably harder to do, but I would try to walk off first if chatting to the filly in the field so she doesnt always decide.

 

[Echo Bravo]

I have a mare that I've owned from the day she was born, came to stable door where her mother was standing and could see these two small ears pricked just slightly above the door as soon as I got there the ears went back, roll on 8 years she's still the same and she doesn't have a nasty bone in her body, I bought my young cob from traveller friends 2 1/2 years ago when he was 4 months old he does the same and again there isn't a bad bone in his body and he doesn't trust strangers, they say it's a sign they are being submissive and I think that it's very true.

 

[flirtygerty]

I have two geldings like this, the 10 yr old does it at feed time, still waits till he's told he can have it though, it looks threatening but it's just his way, my 3 yr old does the same, he used to be pushy when being fed, but now minds his manners, i'm not sure if it's his way, or he has copied my lad, either way, there's not a bad bone in either

 

[siennamum]

my gelding is like this. as a three year old he was much worse, and quite intimidating. Generally I just ignore it although he is very threatening to men he doesn't like still. In the last few months he is much more cheerful and I can't help thinking it is because he is getting medication for an illness which has plagued him for years.

 

[doriangrey]

I have a mare that I've owned from the day she was born, came to stable door where her mother was standing and could see these two small ears pricked just slightly above the door as soon as I got there the ears went back, roll on 8 years she's still the same and she doesn't have a nasty bone in her body, I bought my young cob from traveller friends 2 1/2 years ago when he was 4 months old he does the same and again there isn't a bad bone in his body and he doesn't trust strangers, they say it's a sign they are being submissive and I think that it's very true.

Agree with this, when my mare was being nasty her ears were absolutely flattened to her skull (before we bought her - but we went ahead haha). I think it can be hard to read as we are taught that ears back equals bad mood but also submission and there are probably other facial expressions to take into account too.