Mare runs towards things she doesn't like!??

Crazycob06

Crazycob06

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Hi, I am new to this site so sorry if I'm posting in the wrong place!

I have a 6yr old cob mare which I have owned for 2 1/2 months now. She is very green! I have been riding her out with a friend on a sensible horse and we were progressing wonderfully! When we went out yesterday she seemed to be a lot more confident as she would happily take the lead where as before she would only really follow. We went passed a golf course on the way out fine but on the way back there were people out driving around and playing golf. Instead of running away from it all, my mare decided to try to charge over to them! Has anyone else's horse done anything like this before? She did it the rest of the way passed, then after crossing a road for home, bolted with me for the first time!! She will also turn her shoulder out towards cars over taking!?!
 
Hmmm, not good! Some mares can be very bold, and want to take on the world, so I think you need to nip this in the bud.

Have you got an instructor that you can speak to? You need to make sure she knows you are in control, it sounds like she is quite a dominant mare so first she must know you are the boss, and she also needs to feel secure and safe with you. Getting bolshie with cars and golfers isn't really on!

Do you have a school you can work her in? She needs to listen to you, and if she is bolting on a hack then I would stop hacking for a while until you have more control.

Groundwork can also help - if you take her into the school in a bridle and long lead rope (hat and gloves on), then you can do some exercises getting her to walk forward, stop, walk back, move sideways, walk over, in and out, and round over poles on the floor, all the while being firm with your handling and body language, but you do need some help from an instructor or knowledgeable friend, to make sure you are in charge.

She may be looking for leadership from you, and if it's not quite there, she is taking charge of the situation. Is there anyone that can help you do some of this?
 
Thank you for your reply! Yes a have a great friend who really knows what she is doing (the one I ride out with) and she is going to come and watch us in the school tonight. I have done a lot of ground work with her and it has help no end but think schooling is def a must right now!
 
One of our mares did that to me a few years ago. I was in a lesson at Gleneagles and they decided to drive a pair and carriage through the arena to the stables - my mare (who was only 4 at the time) stood stock still for about 20 seconds and then took off at great speed TOWARDS it! I had been sat there nice and still saying all the usual "don't be such a twit its only a carriage" type thing so go completely left behind - how I didn't come off the back I don't know. When she got within about 5 yards of the carriage she stopped dead and refused to move! I think she was totally panicked. Eventually I got her to walk round in a circle while they moved the carriage very slowly out of the arena. She did get over the issue - my daugther took her on an endurance ride run in conjuction with some driving trials!!
 
My mare runs towards spooky things too, especially cows. Just have to be on the alert in case she slams the brakes on.
The gelding I had before her used to chase cars :o
 
This is natural herd behaviour which mares would do if they felt their herd/offspring was being threatened by an "invader".

So I think you need to think this through before you go punishing it; it might just be that you could utilise the behaviour rather than see it as a problem, if you see what I mean.

Your mare is obviously feeling that YOU the rider need looking after and/or protecting; again, classic "mare/protector" behaviour, and it shows basically that she feels that SHE has to be the one making the decisions as to what is Safe or Not Safe as possibly OP is quite an unassertive rider and/or hasn't made it clear to the mare what is safe and what isn't.

So I think this is maybe where to start. OP's mare is obviously a little star and is a mare who obviously is looking after her rider; and this "attacking" behaviour is just her trying to keep her rider safe.

When she does it, perhaps to try rewarding her, i.e. tickling/stroking her neck or whatever, and then asking her to turn away in a different direction and go where the rider wants her to - but it would be the worst possible thing IMO to punish her for doing basically what is the natural thing for her to do in a situation where she's not sure what's going on.

If it gets into a tug of wills then it might be worth asking someone who's got the right mindset i.e. someone that can see what the mare is "saying". Personally I'd recommend someone who's Intelligent Horsemanship affiliated, or a similar discipline (ummm, NOT Parellii!!) as they will be able to see what's going on and be able to work with the pair of you.

Good luck. Your mare sounds very like my loan mare; a fantastic girl who really looks after whoever's on top, but can be a bit dominant at times and can know her mind a bit too much. She's the first mare I've ever had in 40 years of riding, so she's teaching me very fast!!
 
I used to loan a mare who would run at things she was scared of, try to kick them then run away again. Thankfully no roads involved, just plastic bags, traffic cones on the hack route and in the arena and things like that, was very strange and never really found a way to stop her. Also used to rear at things she didn't like. I'd maybe stay off the roads if possible until you've found a way to control the behaviour.
 
Shame she didn't run over the golf course!

Sorry not very helpful at all but I have a huge hatred of golf and would love nothing more than to leave a few large divets in their perfect turf!
 
Daughters pony is fear aggressive, with good reason, however tbf its rarely exhibited anymore. As a result she's fight not flight. The key with her was letting her realise someone else was around to protect her. In our case an older lead mare & later daughter & I. If you can find an older steady horse she's turned out with (preferably a lead mare) to ride with till she trusts you it will help. Ours was over it prior to backing, so never had the issue ridden, just got the rather handy bonus of a pony that is very bombproof.
 
Thanks everyone. I definitely wouldn't punish her for the behaviour, I just need to try and avoid it happening it the first place! It's good to know its common behaviour with some mares and a nice thought that she is protecting me! I will try and show her I'm leader and she's safe with me. This week especially tho will be indoor schooling!
 
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