Lack of respect/taking the mick advice please?

[Ellietotz]

Your girl is a bit tricky because she's not a simple one-or-the-other kind of horse - sometimes it is just her being a diva (and we know how much of a diva she can be!), sometimes it's genuine pain like the ulcers, or fear like this seems to be. The trick is telling them apart.

The thing I definitely hold with is that she should be looking to you for guidance, reassurance and instruction, even if she is scared or unsure. Just like I wrote in an early post when she was being bitey and I said that even if it was ulcers, expressing pain at times was acceptable but trying to bite your face off was not, this carrying on repeatedly in the same place is not acceptable, even if she is genuinely scared. She needs to be looking to you to for confidence and to know what to do in this situation. And that takes a bit of concentrated work and consistency.

So, I remind you to be very mindful of what you may be unconsciously communicating to her with your body language and attitude. If you're anticipating her doing this, she will read this as even you think this is something to be afraid of and will carry on. Adopt what I call the Mary Poppins attitude - everything is fine if she listens to you. Chin up, nothing to be frightened of here. Spit spot, no nonsense, do the job. It's not unsympathetic but it is authoritative.

I would be doing along the lines of what Pearlsasinger and others have said. Rather than trying to deal with it in the course of a hack, plan some sessions where you only go to the pig spot with the intention of just working on this problem. Show her the place. Let her have a good look and smell without the pressure of trying to ride past. Give her the time. Lead her past, around, through, whatever. Even maybe consider putting her on a lunge line when you're there so she has a bit of freedom of movement but can't completely bog off.

As for the not jumping at home issue, I would consider putting a stronger rider on her and see how you go. I remember you saying ages ago, just before she went off to the loan home, that you watched someone else riding her and they were getting very good work from her. I'd be very interested to see how a rider like that would fare with her now.

Thank you for this.
Regarding the jumping bit, she was the same for me at the start. She probably thought she would be turned back out and not ridden again for ages. Now she knows how to get out of it. She jumped anything at home but now she will play up and try to get out of it.

 

[Ellietotz]

have you thought about paying the pigs a visit in hand? maybe that will show her that they're aren't that scary? I would agree also with the waiting till she wants to go then waiting some more till you're ready.

but it's the typical thing of you can't go out expecting to be able to get her past in 10 mins because it will take you 2 hours. If you go out expecting 2 hours it will take 10 mins.

I've tried before when they got in next door, I led her close enough so she can see them and she was absolutely quivering. She didn't want to stand and watch, she wanted to run. It's difficult to get her to stand still too when she plays up in that spot, she doesn't want to stand and will keep trying to turn around or back up

 

[fburton]

No but I think I will tack up and ride her to the point that she starts getting worried, get off and lead her, give her a treat so she doesn't associate it as a bad place anymore and get back on again. I hope that will work.

Be careful that you're not rewarding her getting worried (and associated behaviours) with the getting off and/or giving a treat. I would prefer to reward steps in the right direction, or moves towards calmness.

 

[Ellietotz]

Agreed! I was always taught that the most dangerous place to be around a panicking horse is on the ground! It's interesting to read everyone's responses though, my 4yo originally napped due to being hacked in a broken saddle in his last home so obviouly a pain response. He's now a-okay on the pain front after working with vet and physio but has learnt that the best way to get out of work is to plant and when you push him he'll buck spin and kick (luckily he hasn't learnt how to rear).

Hacking in company is the order of the day for us as well as long reining out and about. I agree that one on one sessions with your mare are necessary, I'd also wonder if hacking in company past that particular spot might be a good complementary confidence booster for her? Start by going behind, then progress to side by side with her on the on the outside, then side by side with her on the inside, and then eventually work up to leading the other horse past at increasing distances?

Best of luck!

She doesn't bat an eyelid going passed with other horses or someone on foot, we have been passed there a million times like this and on our own before everything went wrong!

 

[HEM]

I would be tempted to go back (if possible) to the pigs with a hand full of treats a reassuring voice and lots of calm affection. I think the more time you spend with the pigs (not necessarily in one go, ie 5-10 times 5 mins each time) the more confident she will become, and you don't necessarily need to be close just even close enough for the start of the reaction and then built it up.

IMO I don't really see a correlation with the pigs and the jumps, so not sure I can give any advice to the jumps. You've said she doesn't have a problem while hacking until you come across pigs, so to me shes not generally spooky just spooky to the pigs - take away the unfamiliarity and fear and she should be a lot happier to trot/walk past.

 

[Ellietotz]

I've just led her down to the scary area as I'm off work today. Just got her out the field, kept her rug on etc, kept everything as normal as possible. The whole way she was snorting and sniffing. She tried to stop and turn around quite a lot as we got closer like she would normally but not as violently and without rearing or bucking, she's very easy to control in a headcollar so I didn't have to pull her away or anything, she's very good inhand, goes wherever you walk. She was shaking and just terrified the poor thing. I made her stand and circled her round a few times. She calmed down a little but very on edge and you could see in her eyes how terrified she was. I will have to keep doing it until she goes down there with no problem. I think the jump thing is the same and it makes sense why she jumps so massive over little ones at home, she's probably not confident with it and out hacking, there's lots of distractions so she can just go for it. My poor terrified little baby!

 

[HEM]

aw sounds like she is making progress! Glad to hear it, best of luck!

 

[Ellietotz]

Quick question, if while I'm walking her and something else spooks her or there actually ends up being pigs there, what do I do? I don't want to create more bad memories but I don't want to just turn around either a make the habit worse!