Mare experts - I own a psycho mare

[GGRider]

Curious to hear from others as I truly believe I have a little psycho on my hands and just wondering if anyone can share any such stories or has had any joy with such stroppy madams who like to throw their weight around and try to intimidate.

Firstly, to set the scene, I consider myself to be pretty switched on managing and handling youngsters, training, producing my own to BD Adv Medium and running a large commercial yard. So quite sure, it's not me, it's her! Have played nicey nicey and beginning to tire of her behaviour!

Young mare, purchased as newly broken 3 year old, now 4, attitude like you would not believe, no appearing to be linked to seasons either weather or hormonal, has to be handled in a bridle to keep control on ground, loves to plant and not budge or drag you across field, rear etc. If you tell her off, tends to throw even bigger tantrum. Quite nice to ride. Was horrid in stable but soon learnt that was unacceptable and backed down.

Going to chop her legs off! Anyone got any better suggestions before I reach for the chain saw?

 

[Abby-Lou]

Yes mine was a horror until about two then she started to come around I have many a war wound. My now mare is strong in personality, herd leader, set your boundaries be consistent and you do come out the other side !

 

[Happy Hunter]

Thank goodness she has found yo u - just think of all mess she could get into in a novice owner's hands! Good luck - Im sure in a couple of years time you wont be able to live without her

 

[leggs]

mare's require constant negotiation love them, especially the dominant type. When you have finally got through their manual she will go to hell and back for you.

 

[Addicted to Hunting]

It's is definitely negotiation with a mare, I tend to get on better with mares, once they are working for you they generally will do anything for you. Allthough tend not to get into an argument I won't win!! Which does mean I get someone else to clip and also pull her mane. She is a spoilt brat but does the job well and does have manners.

 

[PorkChop]

I wouldn't call myself an expert but I have always had mares - love them I have only had one that I just couldn't get on with, you definitely "ask" a mare.

You are obviously very experienced, so the only thing I can suggest is to have her ovaries scanned to check this is causing her discomfort. Other than that she could just be a bolshie youngster, and it matters not that she happens to be a mare!

Has she had this attitude since you have had her or this a recent thing?

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Definitely ask, rather than tell a mare.
Don't get into an argument that you can't win, instead distract and divert.
Reward the behaviour you DO want, rather than telling off for behaviour you don't want.
Keep your wits about you at all times, be prepared to be big and scary if all else fails and the behaviour is threatening to become dangerous.

If you think there could be a physical problem, don't mess about get it checked out.

 

[ilvpippa]

I have a dominant mare. She has complete meltdowns every now and then - and near enough a mini meltdown every time I hack her through pure excitement!!

She can read for blooming England & does it right at me; if I tell her off she does it more; so I always lead her with a lead rope around her nose if I sense she's in the mood - which I can now; best thing I found was keeping her forward even if I had to trot her.
She's just come off box rest which was ok apart from the rearing; but she'll do anything for me & has a massive heart & bags of courage!!

Ps she's nearly 13!!

 

[GGRider]

Big and scary often works with this mare - when the situation is right. She stopped trying to threaten to kill me whenever I entered with a hay net after I threw the net at her several times and she decided I was worthy of respect. She now smiles more sweetly and allows me in her box!

In the field, she can get one up on me by rearing ridiculously high and springing off in to mid air - Levade and Capriole will be no trouble for her! Bridle seems to be the only way forward.

She has tried all her party tricks on the lunge too - a proper 180 degree spin and double barrels at me - but now I have strapped her down with gadgets somewhat and I am not a gadget person generally so she now agreed to modify her behaviour and goes nicely.

Actually I quite like her spirit, and I don't scare easy thankfully. I honestly think I have spent a year asking/negotiating nicely and now going to try the tell it how it is approach and see how we get on from there.

Just off to sharpen the chain saw just in case. Thanks folks.

 

[GGRider]

Oh God - Could I have 9-10 years of this!

I have a dominant mare. She has complete meltdowns every now and then - and near enough a mini meltdown every time I hack her through pure excitement!!

She can read for blooming England & does it right at me; if I tell her off she does it more; so I always lead her with a lead rope around her nose if I sense she's in the mood - which I can now; best thing I found was keeping her forward even if I had to trot her.
She's just come off box rest which was ok apart from the rearing; but she'll do anything for me & has a massive heart & bags of courage!!

Ps she's nearly 13!!

 

[ilvpippa]

Haha! Perhaps! She has got better I think & I had her as a 6year old; but in honesty I think I'm better at managing her & no the tactics now!! She also does the rear & leap off allow fours - including when I'm riding!! She's a sweetie though & I love her to pieces; used to hunt amazing for a little chestnut thoroughbred it was her forte & I'm gutted she's no longer allowed due to her injury etc.

Oh & I also stopped lunging mine 5 years ago!!!

 

[ihatework]

I think it would be worth a scan of her ovaries & a regumate trial just to rule that aspect out.

 

[Bluedaisys]

mare's require constant negotiation love them, especially the dominant type. When you have finally got through their manual she will go to hell and back for you.

I agree, mine pushed every one of my boundaries, but i know my blood, sweat and tears (literally) were all worth it. Stay safe and good luck

 

[NZJenny]

LOL - no. Sounds like she is being a "teen ager". I'm another long time mare owner, but in the end a horse, is a horse is a horse, so I don't like to make excuses based on sex/breed/colour etc.

I think that all youngsters reach a point where they try pushing boundary's, but some back down quicker than others. Sounds like you have a toughie, but odds on she will turn into the best horse you ever had.

 

[Dazed'n'confused]

Curious to hear from others as I truly believe I have a little psycho on my hands and just wondering if anyone can share any such stories or has had any joy with such stroppy madams who like to throw their weight around and try to intimidate.

Firstly, to set the scene, I consider myself to be pretty switched on managing and handling youngsters, training, producing my own to BD Adv Medium and running a large commercial yard. So quite sure, it's not me, it's her! Have played nicey nicey and beginning to tire of her behaviour!

Young mare, purchased as newly broken 3 year old, now 4, attitude like you would not believe, no appearing to be linked to seasons either weather or hormonal, has to be handled in a bridle to keep control on ground, loves to plant and not budge or drag you across field, rear etc. If you tell her off, tends to throw even bigger tantrum. Quite nice to ride. Was horrid in stable but soon learnt that was unacceptable and backed down.

Going to chop her legs off! Anyone got any better suggestions before I reach for the chain saw?

**Snigger** - I'm so glad I'm not alone!! Don't know why I'm laughing, I've 3 mares!!!!
The 13 yr old fat companion pony has a mind of her own & god forbid you approach her in a way that she deems inappropriate coz she will do a runner & WILL NOT be caught (without a lot of swearing & body language techniques)!!
The 4 yr old WB x ID has a hot temper but is generally ok to ride, however she is THE grumpiest moo when she wants to be left in peace in her stable - if she could get away with biting me she would but thankfully remembers the one time she tried & got more than she bargained for!
Finally, I have a home bred 2 yr old who I would say is the biggest diva in the world, except there's also her mother...!!! The mare she's out of is the bravest, kindest, most talented horse I've ever broken & jumped but we call her HRH as she can throw the biggest tantrum you've ever seen!! She throws herself on the floor if she's in 'the wrong place' in the lorry, she can moonwalk backwards & buck at the same time, she can tap dance, she's deadly accurate at aiming at people's heads in the collecting ring if they're too close to the jump & she can either jump over or wriggle under any fence if she wants in!! Her daughter is just the same!
It took me weeks to master the headcollar going on - she wasn't scared just stroppy! She squeals, bucks & rears coming in from the field. She was cross when she was born coz she was wet - she still screams in annoyance at me if she's wet & she throws herself down the second her feet touch bedding!! She rears & paws if visitors come & don't talk to her first (I make a point of not doing so just to remind her that she's not running the place...)!! However, she's also affectionate funny & unfazed by most things, I'm hoping she's as good to ride!!
I could go on all night!!! At least there's never a dull moment........

 

[DJ]

I think it would be worth a scan of her ovaries & a regumate trial just to rule that aspect out.

This ^^^ It could be ovarian cysts which affect their hormones making their behaviour more dominant, reactive and stallion like. If it is, they can remove the cysts and/or treat with drugs which really make a difference in how they behave.

 

[ArabianGem78]

Interesting posts. I have two chestnut mares - one pure arab, one part-bred. Both went through a phase of testing the boundaries and both still regularly check they haven't moved, but 99% of the time they are wonderfully behaved. Polite, kind, loving. I learnt very early on to not fight with them or try to dominate. I an firmly of the opinion that if i am polite with them, they are polite with me.

 

[georgiegirl]

I know you say you dont think its hormonal but it may well be worth doing a detailed diary of her behaviour if you havent done so already just in case there are any patterns.

My mare normally doesnt really show that she is season much all year EXCEPT for this time of year (hence its taken me a couple of years to even really work out the pattern) I have to confess even though Ive had horses the past 20-odd years I wasnt truely clued up on mares and seasons until our vet said that the beginning and end (ie now-ish) of the mares cycle year can be the very worst times. Explains the scowling, spooking and innattentiveness as well as moving off when mounted I had a week or so a go and voila - two days later I could tell for sure she was in season! (ew!!!) I now have my soppy, happy girl back but its very confusing when the rest of the year it doesnt really affect her!

 

[Echo Bravo]

I have a mare that has been mine from birth she is coming up 10 years of age. She is a loving sort, but very temperamental bless her, it is hormonal but you never know it's going to hit you as when she's in season, this pass 3 weeks she's been an utter menace and she has been like this from the day she was born.And she comes into season no matter what the ruddy season.

 

[Dunlin]

I was loaned a chestnut mare until last week. She is 8 years old, Anglo Euro SH and had actually come from a riding school where she was booted out due to her bad behaviour. Wouldn't hack alone, napped horrendously, threw tantrums all the time, pulled the most amazing faces, wouldn't lead nicely in and out from the field, had a complete meltdown if she was separated from her field buddy, kicks other horses and the final straw for me was she turned and kicked out at me HARD when I put her hay in the stable (thankfully I can still move QUICK), there was no warning whatsoever and it had never been an issue before. Being nice wouldn't work, patience wouldn't work, back to basics wouldn't work, being dominant definitely didn't work, Moody Mare supp didn't work and even bribery didn't work. She was in perfect health, no cysts, no ulcers, no back issues, no teeth issues, no feet issues, she was absolutely fine health wise and it was all the time, not related to her being in season, she just had a screw loose and I was not the right person to care for her. She went back to a previous owner who knew all her issues (and the new ones), luckily for the mare she is an incredible show jumper which, for some, makes up for her being a pig! My first experience of having a mare and I have to say it's been enough to put me off!

 

[Goldenstar]

I think it would be worth a scan of her ovaries & a regumate trial just to rule that aspect out.

I would defiantly do this .
Mares used to be my thing .
You just have to learn to work with them and sometimes around their bad habits .
My best horse was a mare ,unbelievable feisty, hot as hell hacking her was never for the faint hearted you had to watch where you looked or the next thing she would have jumped whatever was between you and where you looked but she was magic , she used to jump into the garden and lie down on the lawn when I was weeding .
She was a very very special person , I could write pages about her behaviour which was pretty extreme but I loved her and just learnt to work with her .

 

[Cragrat]

I have a 26yo TB mare, home bred.
She was such a cow to deal with from 3-5 my mum frequently tried to persuade me to sell/loan/give her away, but I always refused, through my tears.
We have had 20 years of absolute pure joy together. She is literally the best horse in the world to me, she will, as the the saying goes, go to hell and back for me, and I would for her. Our trust for each other is total and absolute. Riding her, being with her, is amazing.
She just about tolerates my son and and daughter, and terrifies everyone else. My husband bears many scars, and frequently threatens to put some lead in her brain.
I paid a friend, who is also a professional groom, to feed and check them for a week one summer when I went away. She said she is the only horse she has ever been terrified of. My best friend (who has known her all her life) is terrified of her. All vets are terrified off her. She is barefoot because no farrier will come back a second time (but I do her hooves without even tying her up).
She is getting to the point where I will soon have to PTS, and I will cry for weeks.

 

[flirtygerty]

I have a 20+ yr old WB mare, very dominant on the ground, so much so I always have her in a headcollar in the barn, she has learnt manners, not grabbing at haynets/feed buckets until told she can, resisting running through me when bully boy is up to his tricks, she is more than capable of standing up to him, very loving when she wants to be, standoffish when she doesn't, doesn't bother me, she just misses out on lip curling scratches, if she walks away from me, I bring her back, as often as needed till she stands still, she never wins in our spats, but doesn't stop her trying, but ridden, she's a saint, you can put anyone on her, from a 2yr old to a 75 yr old and she looks after them, such a confidence giver, never spooked at anything in three years I've had her, total lady, love her to bits

 

[mirage]

Oh yes,I have one.Knobberpony is only 13h,but when I first bought her,she would plant when I tried to bring her across the field.I was advised to take a whip with me-big mistake,if I tapped her with that she'd rear or lash out.It once took me 40 minutes to get her about 400 feet.I was very novicey,so took some serious advice as there was no way on earth I could let my children handle her.A session with a dually and we never looked back,the lady who came out said that knobberpony had no confidence in me [quite rightly really],hence her behaviour.Once she knew I was in charge,she changed completely,she'll do anything I ask,the children can catch her and bring her in,load her,no trouble at all.

I have spoken to a few people who knew her in the past,and apparently,she has always been a nightmare to catch,load and lead,BUT because of her size and trustworthiness under the saddle,she is a brilliant first pony,so has had more than her fair share of novice owners and has learnt to throw her weight about.Apparently,when her first owners sold her,she stayed on the same yard,the new owners couldn't deal with her at all,and the old owners had to catch,lead and load her as they couldn't handle her.She is 24 now so has had a lifetime of being stroppy,but we have an understanding and it is quite funny when people recognise her and say 'oooeeer,is that Gem?' Good job I love her!

 

[mirage]

I ought to say,that I adore her,she is simply the best pony in the world,if I could clone her,including her bad temperedness,I would.I hope I can find a bigger version of her for when my girls outgrow her.She'll always have a home with me,she is irreplaceable.