Help/Advice Needed!!!!

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AimeeLou

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I have recently bought a 17hh 2-year old Trekhaner filly,who's not been backed or broken yet, and I think im in over my head!!! She has 'apparently' been handled well, and showed no signs of aggression when we went to pick her up. She's been stabled for a week or so now (out during the day), and is quite aggressive in her stable. A very slight touch on her rump and she lashes out with her back foot. We're on our second door already!!
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I need some advice on how to get her used to being touched and brushed, without anyone getting hurt. She's never had a rug on either. Any suggestions???
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hi erm Im just wondering why you bought a 17hh 2yr old as you dont seem to have much experience with youngsters? What she is doing doesnt sound that bad!

Getting them used to being rugged, groomed hosed etc is just part of them growing up, did you establish what exactly she had had done before you bought her??

What she is doing doesnt sound particularly bad but if its so much of a problem then i dont see why you bought her?
Sorry if that sounds harsh but too many people buy young unspoiled horses that end up spoiled.

Anyway back to the issue, its just a matter of desensitising her, did you groom her etc when you went to se her, its just a matter of taking things slowly and staying calm.
 
Can I ask what your long term plans for her are?

I don't mean to sound rude but if you are asking those kind of questions I would have serious concerns about your ability bring on such a large youngster.
 
how could you 'give up' on this poor horse in a WEEK !?!?!?!?!

one of THE most stressful things humans do is to move house and you expect this 2 yr old baby to be settled and behave like an old riding nag after a WEEK ?!!?!?!

sorry - but I do think you should try and send her back to her previous owners - if they are the right sort of owner they might well take her back rather than have her sold on so quickly with what looks like a bad reputation from you.....

babies that are unhandled are HARD work - and 17hh is too big

I hope you realise that this 2 yr old large warmblood will take another 4 years at least to be mature ??????
 
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how could you 'give up' on this poor horse in a WEEK !?!?!?!?!

one of THE most stressful things humans do is to move house and you expect this 2 yr old baby to be settled and behave like an old riding nag after a WEEK ?!!?!?!

sorry - but I do think you should try and send her back to her previous owners - if they are the right sort of owner they might well take her back rather than have her sold on so quickly with what looks like a bad reputation from you.....

babies that are unhandled are HARD work - and 17hh is too big

I hope you realise that this 2 yr old large warmblood will take another 4 years at least to be mature ??????

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Easy Airedale, we don't know the background. She might be looking after it with an experienced friend or..?
 
Remember this youngster has only just been moved and at that age it is such a trama for them. let her settle in her own time, maybe turn her out with a companion. She will get use to you as you will be feeding her. take one step at a time, stoke pat, lead. All youngsters are green and scared so give her time. Dont shout or throw things at her, be nice. She will come round. If next year you still feel she is too much for you then best to sell her on as unbroken, as you do not want to spoil her.. good luck . (ps I love youngsters, such a nice feeling when you get results )..
 
As much as it does seem you have bitten off more than you can chew, you are in this situation now, so lets not give up on your little (sorry MASSIVE) young lady. Try and find someone who has youngster experience to help you, and everything else is slowly slowly. It might be that she's been whacked on the rump before and so doesnt like it too much, but if you carry on making a big deal out of touching her rump it will always be a big deal to her. Some one on here was desensitising (sp) their gelding, who didnt like having his sheath touched using a broom handle with a glove attached to it, (might be worth a go). All I can say is the more you do with youngsters, (at a rate that suits both of you) the better she will be in the long run. Give her time, and like jubbily says if you still feel the same way in a year or so then reconsider your horse choice. Good luck!!!
 
No need to apologise- why don't you let us know more about yourself and your situation- all we have to go on is the very few words you have posted?

Do you have much experience? How is it she has come into your hands?
 
i dont think you should give up just yet, o.k you may have quite a challenge on your hands but it will just take time and patience. Help is out there if you need it.
If you are scared of the horse i would send it back though as a young horse and nervous owner wont be a good combination!
Where abouts are you and what sort of experience do you have?
 
It is difficult to give you advise without knowing how much experience you have of big strong youngsters.

I have a lovely book that talks about a blob stick ,basically a pole with a padded end that you stay in the safe zone with and gently stroke the horse with but all these things need a confident experienced handler.

You may be better to get a professional to help you but it won't be cheap.

This horse may well be a handful for a while and it is even more important next year or the year after that his ridden work is done well for a long time.

As I say you will need a lot of help and experience and that can cost alot of money.Kindness is needed but it is no good just giving in.
 
Im 18, im still in school and I basically wanted a horse I could work with and eventually have broken. All my previous horses have been under the age of 4 and all of them i have brought on to be showjumpers, allrounders, etc. The only difference is that the biggest i've had is a 15.2 ex-racehorse. As with most of my horses, it was a matter of heart over head and now me and more importantly she, are in this situation. I really dont want to ruin her. She's good to feed, lead, catch and generally good to handle, just this kicking out means that I cant brush her hind quaters. So far i have only tryed brushing her and handling her in the stable as we're on a fairly busy yard. Maybe I should go down at a quieter time and handle her as much as possible out side the stable, see what happens. any other suggestions would be a great help. thanks.
 
it sounds like you have lost your confidence a little.
If you have brought on young horses before you should know what to expect and the work involved, dont be so disheartened! She's just a baby (a big one) and will probably be scared and unsettled. I would give it a few weeks if you do feel like you want it to work, quiet time building up trust, brushing and slowly working further back. I would handle her inside the stable for now outside might be a bit dangerous.
If you are not sure then send the horse back as it needs 100% confidence .
 
An unbroken youngster and a broken one in my opinion are worlds apart..... a broken one has been fiddled with till the cows come home what with tack/rugs/leading/long reining and finally tack and a rider eventually, and they are usually older and a bit wiser (I say usually but we all know that can be a very different story!!). basically what im saying is you now have to be the one to do the fiddling etc, that your previous horses had had done to them by their pervious owners. So dont expect her to be like your previous young but broken horses as she wont be, she'll be much more babyish and do lots of odd things that you wont expect, as babies tend to!! if I was you tomorrow i'd go to the library and get out every book going on handling youngsters etc, and spend all this weekend reading!!!!
 
I'm afraid I stand by my first comment, yes she will be settling in but if you are unsure of how to manage her now, how are you going to manage when she gets bigger, bolshier?

I dread to think how big she will grow if she is 17hh at 2yo, WBs grow until they are at least 6.

IMO this is not a 'first horse' to break. Unless you have a great deal of help from people experienced in handling and breaking young, large horses like this I would seriously question whether you will be able to manage?

Good luck whatever you decide- this forum is a great place for advice and people will be here to help whatever you decide.
 
I think we should try and help her given the situation she's in.
We all say you shouldnt have her, but now she HAS got her and there are so many knowledgeable people on this forum that it seems a waste to not give our advice.

I say 'our' but I have no advice as I have no experience, but what i would say is dont be afraid to ask for help, be it from someone knowledgeable from your yard or googling some experienced horse trainers on the web.

Good luck with your big girl! xx
 
Aimee lou - cheer up. I've had a lot of big babes and have just got a yearling that allready stands at 15.2hh. They will test you and push you - and you are probably used to that by the sounds of it. Also it is all a big learning curve for them and you have to be understanding with them and try and see it from there point of view without allowing them to take the pee. Admittedly from my point of view ( my personal opinion lol) I would find somewhere to turn her out 24/7. As a 2 y o who is obviously not in work yet she has too much time on her hands to sit and think. Mine have allways lived out rugged up with good forage/grass and have grown well and shown to county level etc. Desensitising is essential with her. broom handle and glove is the safe way to get her used to having her quaters touched. Equally with regards to a rug - start with a saddle cloth, then a quatered rug, halved rug and then a rug etc. Try not to give up, dont let her scare you - I am yet to meet a nasty youngster. Misunderstood yes, nasty no. If she knocks your confidence that badly then do send her back before she becomes too much of a handful
 
I really feel for you aimeelou. I have a 4yo who is 17.2hh and has a LOT of maturing to do. She is quirky and can be an out and out cow to be handled when she is in one of those moods. - Luckily she is vary rarely like this but she knows she shouldnt do it. Generally she is more of a face puller (warning you to piss off!) - and if this doesnt work (which it normally does with people who dont know her) she moves onto stage 2 which then could be holding a leg up, flicky her tail, threatening to bite. Noone apart from me has got to stage 3 which is the actual atack stage of her. Dont ever want her to get to that stage - also must say that she has only ever done it once in the whole time ive owned her (since she was 2 1/2 months old)

Apart from this she is a lovely mare who has lots to give. The days that shes moody is a handful and the rest of the days are brill. Shes great to handle, lead, ride, etc. She was a donkey to break!!!

Please persevere but do not be afraid to ask for help. Maybe you have chosen the wrong horse for your first one to break but within the next year or so before you break her you will be able to build a relationship up with her and hopefully the breaking wont be an issue. Take your time, dont rush around her as this will agitate her, and dont forget youve only had her a week or so and for all that time shes been stabled. She will be crabby - i know i would be looking at the same 4 walls.
Good idea about choosing a quiet time to be with her at the yard. Other liveries will soon pick up on the fact youre nervous around her and may start causing problems for you - i know in the past people have done that with me and my youngsters!!!

Have you thought about making one of those extandable arms so you can touch her quarters but from a safe distance incase she does kick? Just an idea, then you can build on this and move onto rugs etc when she settled.
 
I think people should not be jumping down her throat before understanding what is happening.
I have no experience with youngsters but would see is there anyone more experienced to help you out?
 
i hope this reply was QR not directed at me as i dont think i jumped down her throat with my reply in the slightest. I was merely agreeing that yes she maybe having problems but to persevere with her and gain confidence but in no way feel that she cannot ask for help.
 
Yeah I think thats what nearly all of us have been trying to say.... its really not an ideal situation but now she has her, she may aswell give her a fair start by getting some good advice off those more knowledgeable!
 
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