help please, wifes 'mare' just bl@@dy kicked me......

annsGG

annsGG

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Hi, Ann's hubby here, our 11 month old mare (who has alsways been a bit naughty) has just presented her back end to me when trying to get her in for the night (she's usually quite good) ignoring this I tried to get close to her and she lashed out with her back legs, Ann always has had slight threats of this from her, particularly when grooming, but this is the first time she's lashed out at anything with 2 legs! I have been reading with interest about horses with funny moods at the moment and this seems to fit Penny's current profile, could she be in season, how does one tell (be gentle with me please, I'm just a man!) sorry for all the stupid questions but 'er indoors just thinks I'm making it all up but I swear I'm not, I have always been a little nervous of horses of any size after a flat out ride on a runaway stallion when I was 12, and a soft landing in the dng pile (pheeew!!!)
Help or advice would be very much appreciated.. Phil

Follow up... she believes me now after just being trapped in the corner of the stable with madam lining up for a kick in a very threatening manner, ears flat etc
 
Doubt it'll be in season at 11 months old....give her another year! I have had horses turn their backs,and young fillies can be bitchs! you need to gain her respect,her mother would have bollocked her for that! She'll be testing the socal structure.
Nows the time to deal with it these things don't tend to just go away, you sound quite inexperianced so your best bet is to enlist the help of a experiaced breeder.Thease kind of problems are not safe to resolve through internet opions,I fear there are some people on this forum who have an awful lot to say but don't have the knowledge or experiance to do so safely.
Till you can get help play safe,catch and tie up.don't put yourself back in the same situation.
 
I agree, dont put yourself in that situation until she has more handling etc, if necessary leave headcollar and half a rope on, get her head over the door and hold it before even going in, then you can tie her up safely, she will get the idea eventually...
 
2 of my pony fillies tried this with me. First few times I tried to ignore it when they turned their bum on me as I wasn't sure whether it was a threat or they just wanted a scratch. But when one of them tried to kick me when I was carrying a bucket of feed through the field, I realised the intention was all there. Have to admit that time, I threw the bucket of feed at her - which wasn't the best idea!!

After that carried a bottle filled up with stones (whenever I was in the field or handling them (spray bottle was good as you can hang it off your jeans) Any bottom presented got rattled at and a stern 'No' This seemed to do the trick. It tended to make them shoot off, then come back inquisitively, when they then got a pat and fuss made of them.

A few goes of that each, and never had any more problems with either.
 
I agree with the others about enlisting the help and advice of someone local who is used to handling youngsters.

In the meantime, when she next threatens you, square up to her and look directly in her eyes, lift your shoulders and arms up to make yourself look 'big' and growl at her. You are then using similar threatening behaviour that a lead mare would use.

She is just testing her level in the herd pecking order. Its important that she understands that you are the leader. Once she has acknowledged that and given you the respect, her behaviour will improve.
 
One youngster I had started to do this when she was a 2 year old. I think they find it works with other horses and cant see any reason why it shouldnt work on humans as well. Its all about asserting their dominance. You do need to nip it in the bud right away otherwise she will continue. In my case I didnt realise she was doing it as she had never done it to me, but subsequently found out she had let fly twice at someone who helps me with the horses, (but she hadnt wanted to worry me so didnt say anything!) Anyway my youngster did it while I was poo picking in the field one day - just swung around and let fly with both feet. I had a shovel in one hand and ran forward and whacked her as hard as I could on the bum with it. She never ever did it again!! Her face was an absolute picture!
 
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