How would you handle this?

[YorksG]

I have a mare who cannot tolerate carrots or alfalfa,turns her into a lunatic. It can be as little as half a handful. She is spooky on a good day,but this isn't a problem, with alfalfa she turns into a nutjob who plants and when pushed on rocks front end up then back end, on the road where she is usually pretty clued up.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

yes some treats...good point - will knock those on the head now and go for sugar free polos.

she occasionally has chaff - alfalfa no molasses - when shes been ridden - for a treat - literally half a handful...

she isnt allowed carrots.

i will get the vet to give her an mot.

I am a real believer in food rewards but in this case would check very carefully the ingredients of anything I was giving. I would definitely stop the alfalfa there are many horses, mares in particular which cannot tolerate alfalfa. Her behaviour definitely sounds reminiscent of the one I had who was intolerant of cereals and sugar, if she was put under any stress at all, her behaviour just got worse and worse, she couldn't stop herself - very similar to a hyperactive toddler after eating Skittles, or similar.

 

[Honey08]

It sounds to me as though this mare is telling you that you're doing too much too soon with her and you're not hearing. It also sounds as though (sorry this may sound awful) you're not quite up to the job. If you can't keep her out on the lunge without strapping her head out with the side reins then you need someone who can to teach you. It would really help both you and her to get some good professional help in this. As for theorising, scrap the schooling for a while. Just hack out with a confident, experienced companion (equine!) that she can relax with. Spend the next six months bumbling around, let her find her feet and balance. Don't even bother lungeing after you've got over the arguement with help. I don't turn away, but I do make the work incredibly easy for the horse and just hack..

Good luck. This is make or break stage.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I did reply to this very early on in this thread and I would seriously give this horse a break, let her just go out no hard feed just hay and grass for a good few months then start again I think she is just finding everything too much she is still very young just leave her to grow up a bit.

 

[Zero00000]

From reading this all, I would do as Polosmum says, Turn her away until spring, she is young, and this is not a good place for her to start from.

I know you say it is not suitable for her, but perhaps you can find somewhere local with a few youngsters where she can go and chill and be a baby, then think about restarting again.

This sounds like an accident waiting to happen, she has already has one, and you now need to may a decision to stop another one happening,

Knock all work on the head, and at least book a full mot, and do not work her at all until you have had this done, for both your safety and the safety of others.

 

[tinap]

I am a real believer in food rewards but in this case would check very carefully the ingredients of anything I was giving. I would definitely stop the alfalfa there are many horses, mares in particular which cannot tolerate alfalfa. Her behaviour definitely sounds reminiscent of the one I had who was intolerant of cereals and sugar, if she was put under any stress at all, her behaviour just got worse and worse, she couldn't stop herself - very similar to a hyperactive toddler after eating Skittles, or similar.

that's interesting to know. Ours has had cereals & sugar cut out but is on an alfalfa based diet due to the ulcers & she is being rather an arse lately having been on it about a month x

 

[Mike007]

Stop with all the schooling. As soon as they are remotely safe we have got them out hacking and seeing a bit of the world .OK this is Epsom and we have some of the best off road hacking there is . This is a young horse , they need some space to mature. A school can seem like a prison camp . A half halt too many and Bob the nota cob made his break for freedom over the wire/ school fence. The trouble was he then spotted a human on the ground EXACTLY LIKE the one on his back .OOPS! Backed up,through the fence , which brought the school lights down as the cable was attached. He then ran and tried to hide his head under my coat. Young horses are not just physically immature ,they are also mentally.

 

[SpringArising]

It sounds to me as though this mare is telling you that you're doing too much too soon with her and you're not hearing. It also sounds as though (sorry this may sound awful) you're not quite up to the job.

This. I feel like there is a disaster just waiting to happen (like what happened with the long reining incident).

If you're going to long rein have someone walk at her head and take everything in baby steps. Walk, stop, pat; repeat. She sounds terrified and (sorry if this is offensive) but it really doesn't sound like you're doing her any favours. Breaking/bringing on babies is very trying at times, even when you're as confident and competent as can be!

 

[soulfull]

I wonder if the stress of being backed and then going on loan (plus maybe something that happened on loan) has caused ulcers? Spooking and explosive behaviour is VERY typical of them

 

[ester]

shes had 6 days off [was not planned] and she came back bouncing

6 days isn't time out though IMO, they need a bit longer than that to 'reset' in to not being worked mode sometimes.

I still think you need to have a frank talk with loaners, vet and time out before starting again.

 

[noodle_]

Thanks all
I can lunge and keep her out with no reins etc on her - just makes things easier hence why i used them...i know that isnt always the answer but shes always been a very frustrating horse.

I am upto the job ....but sometimes i find myself expecting too much from her, hence why im pushing and i know i need to take a step back

shes having a week or two off regardless for her leg's and then after that I will play it by ear - turning her away [new yard] is definately not even a consideration - i was lucky to get this stable and im not giving it up. turning her out/daily routine im happy to go with... meaning no work i can live with that

If anything I will make sure I walk her a few days a week [in=hand] and go right back to basics again - for now and see how we get on

 

[twiggy2]

Thanks all
I can lunge and keep her out with no reins etc on her - just makes things easier hence why i used them...i know that isnt always the answer but shes always been a very frustrating horse.

I am upto the job ....but sometimes i find myself expecting too much from her, hence why im pushing and i know i need to take a step back

shes having a week or two off regardless for her leg's and then after that I will play it by ear - turning her away [new yard] is definately not even a consideration - i was lucky to get this stable and im not giving it up. turning her out/daily routine im happy to go with... meaning no work i can live with that

If anything I will make sure I walk her a few days a week [in=hand] and go right back to basics again - for now and see how we get on

so no vet check and carry on-rather you than me

 

[noodle_]

yes vet check as well - but exactly what the vet would be looking for im not sure?

i was thinking more saddle/teeth check first and go from there., even though her saddle was done a couple of weeks ago i dont want her to have any excuses.

 

[twiggy2]

ulcers/full lameness workup/anything that may indicate a source of pain/check eyes/neck and poll/full blood screen

then a full physio work up

dentist and saddle would follow for me and then if still having any issues ask a good equine vet to observe the horse being ridden/worked

 

[noodle_]

i will give her a week off then look into all this again. thanks :]

for now i am keeping an eye on her chest as since she whacked it she has fluid [vet was called], but not a lot we can do about it for now - but short term my concern is her cuts and chest

 

[Tnavas]

HAve you recently had rain and the grass grown quite significantly?

If so she may be Magnesium deficient - try this mix 1 tablespoon each - Epsom Salts, Baking Soda, Yeats and Thyme. Give twice a day while grass is growing and then once a day to maintain the levels.

Also consider that at 4 she will have caps coming off her molar teeth. If one is stuck it may be causing pain.

Saddle fit - change of shape.

Many years ago I had problems with my young mare with lunging, I got a more experienced person on to it - she tried it with her and got a good flick of the whip up her bum - made strong contact - a few weeks later same mare was used to teach pony club kids to lunge. Same problem loading her again had to get tough then was the worlds best horse to load after this.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

that's interesting to know. Ours has had cereals & sugar cut out but is on an alfalfa based diet due to the ulcers & she is being rather an arse lately having been on it about a month x

Funnily enough that particular mare was fine with alfalfa, it is many years ago and at the time, the only feed we could find for her was imported alfalfa cobs. Nowadays, I would feed her on grassnuts and dried grass.
YorksG's post above is about the one we have now which cannot have even a small amount of alfalfa.

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

Poor girl sounds to me like she really needs some time out
She is clearly trying to tell you something and I agree a vet check etc would be advisable.
The last thing you want is for her brains to be blown completely. My own 4 year old is off being schooled etc at the moment and it has taken them 3 weeks to get to the stage of sitting on him. They have done everything in very small chunks leaving it all as a positive experience for him and I'm incredibly pleased with him. I'm not a novice but I could see this particular horse was going to leave me well out of my depth so got professional help.