How to tackle a new rearer in the field

[Julie O]

Hi,

Please can anyone offer some advice?

We have owned our 13 year old NF pony for over a year and she's quite a determined character but generally pretty good.

It is my 13 year old daughter who rides and I started a few months ago, so we are novices.

She is in a field on her own at the moment but can see other horses.

Over the last week she's started rearing when we try to bring her in. She isn't racing up and down the field beforehand or whinnying. We are wondering if it's generally when she's the last horse out and it's due to fear.

I am seeing if she can go in with another horse ( they are generally in ones/ twos in the field), but has anyone had this issue before? I am trying to do more groundwork with her as she can baulk, but does back up reasonably well.

She's also being exercised most days with cantering so I don't think it's excess energy.

Please help!!! I think we will have to get a behaviourist in if it persists as I'm worried about our safety.

Thanks folks.

 

[AmyMay]

How does she behave to bring in if she’s not the last horse out?

 

[Julie O]

She's OK if there is a horse in an adjacent field.
I am going to see if she can be moved in with another horse.
She has never done it leading her out even if she's first out, or when riding, but I don't want the behaviour escalating.
Thanks

 

[!CobsCan!]

Could it be due to pain? If being ridden is hurting her and she associates coming in with being ridden, and therefore pain, that might be why she's doing it

 

[Julie O]

I don't think so as sometimes we ride her before she goes out and she's okay but thanks.

 

[AmyMay]

Could it be due to pain? If being ridden is hurting her and she associates coming in with being ridden, and therefore pain, that might be why she's doing it

Unlikely. It seems to me that anxiety at being the last horse out is manifesting its self in rearing. It’s actually not that uncommon, and simply solved by ensuring that she’s never the last horse out.

 

[Shysmum]

Sounds very scary

 

[Julie O]

Thanks folks. She is lovely- I just wish I was a horse mind reader!

 

[Singing Dawg]

make sure you're wearing hats when you go to bring her in.

 

[Julie O]

Thanks, we will.

 

[babymare]

Also wear gloves for hand protection. Rope burns are ?

 

[Sir barnaby]

We have a horse on livery that really reacts to being left in the field and is terrible to bring in if left so we bring her in before all the others if we are all riding or bringing in for bad weather as her owners only come up in the evening. She’s fine if she’s alone in the stable just not in the field.

 

[oldie48]

Pretty sure it's because she doesn't like being the last one in. I have a mare like that and she's so polite normally but if she thinks she's going to be left out on her own, she will rear and get very upset. she'll do this even if she can see her companion but thinks he's going to be in the lead. I work round this and it's usually OK now but I still lead her in a bit on a head slip and if it's windy or pouring with rain, when she's more lit up, I wear gloves and a hat.

 

[ihatework]

Intimidating behaviour for a novice to deal with but also pretty predictable/manageable.

Address the anxiety of her being left alone, ideally turn out with others and make sure she isn’t left until last.

Get some handling lessons. Once they have confident no nonsense handling, they generally pack in the acrobatics even if they are a bit anxious

 

[Julie O]

Thanks so much for all your advice - it's really appreciated xx