QueenT
Well-Known Member
I just bought a lovely, talented 13-year-old, 16.5hh warmblood mare. Before buying, I rode her 6-7 times - indoors, outdoors, traffic, jumping. Although not completely bomb proof, she's very close. After purchase I rode her for two weeks at her stable before moving her, confident in her stable manners, she was calm and cuddly.
She comes from a big centre, used to children etc small concern I had was her little experience with herd dynamics, but felt that she was calm and old enough not to be too rattled in a new setting.
At out stable mares and geldings, ponies and horses go together with few previous problems, 9 now.
First 1.5 days we put her in a separate pasture where she ran, paced, screamed, wet with sweat all day. She was really unhappy. Mid-second day, we decided to get it over with, and put her in with the rest of them. Gelding Who Thinks He's a Stallion chased her wildly, she got bitten (mostly hair), and also sent a few the other way - so he's is in love. Inseparable day three. Leading Mare, well, stomping, snorting, smelling - that was it. Second Gelding is cautiously interested, just wants to say hello. Gelding Stallion bites him ferociously, and doesn't let any of the other near my mare. Now we're at day 5, and Gelding Stallion has lost interest and Leading Mare has taken possession of my mare, they are conjoined twins. I was longeing my mare in the arena near the pasture entrance, she couldn't concentrate at all, calling out, and Leading Mare screamed and cried, galloped and nearly jumped the fence. When they just mind their own business, they all graze peacefully most of the day.
While all of this is going on, my mare is a nightmare to handle inside the stable. She does respect my space, but can barely contain herself. I can't saddle her alone, because she tap dances around - so I've only ridden her once. I longe her without taking her inside first, do stop-go exercises in the arena in her halter - I basically try not to stress her out. She just wants to go back out to her new gang. I tell myself it is early days, and her herd deprived previously life has triggered an overflow of repressed needs - or something like that.
But I am worried that the lovely mare I thought I had checked out in every possible way won't reemerge! Please, please tell me - all you experienced horse people - that it is a phase, it will pass, she will calm down. For right now she's too hot to handle.
She comes from a big centre, used to children etc small concern I had was her little experience with herd dynamics, but felt that she was calm and old enough not to be too rattled in a new setting.
At out stable mares and geldings, ponies and horses go together with few previous problems, 9 now.
First 1.5 days we put her in a separate pasture where she ran, paced, screamed, wet with sweat all day. She was really unhappy. Mid-second day, we decided to get it over with, and put her in with the rest of them. Gelding Who Thinks He's a Stallion chased her wildly, she got bitten (mostly hair), and also sent a few the other way - so he's is in love. Inseparable day three. Leading Mare, well, stomping, snorting, smelling - that was it. Second Gelding is cautiously interested, just wants to say hello. Gelding Stallion bites him ferociously, and doesn't let any of the other near my mare. Now we're at day 5, and Gelding Stallion has lost interest and Leading Mare has taken possession of my mare, they are conjoined twins. I was longeing my mare in the arena near the pasture entrance, she couldn't concentrate at all, calling out, and Leading Mare screamed and cried, galloped and nearly jumped the fence. When they just mind their own business, they all graze peacefully most of the day.
While all of this is going on, my mare is a nightmare to handle inside the stable. She does respect my space, but can barely contain herself. I can't saddle her alone, because she tap dances around - so I've only ridden her once. I longe her without taking her inside first, do stop-go exercises in the arena in her halter - I basically try not to stress her out. She just wants to go back out to her new gang. I tell myself it is early days, and her herd deprived previously life has triggered an overflow of repressed needs - or something like that.
But I am worried that the lovely mare I thought I had checked out in every possible way won't reemerge! Please, please tell me - all you experienced horse people - that it is a phase, it will pass, she will calm down. For right now she's too hot to handle.