cvd1381
New User
Okay, so I am really really confused about what to do with her at the moment, so many people have told many a billion different things, and i was wondering if any one on here (which im sure they have) have had similar experiences, and what worked for them ?
right, so we bought millie about a month and half ago, we basically brought a pony off a dealer, he was extremely unsuitable (yes, even worse than what millie is
) so our only option was to swap him for one slightly more suitable, or be stuck with him. Millie happened to be the sanest i guess you could say most qualified one on offer, so we took her, thinking that if she was unrideable then at least we could possibly breed from her.. as she wasnt an expensive horse at all, and was generally going to be used as a hack/fun horse we didnt get her vetted- yes it isnt very sensible, but at the end of the day she wasnt expensive and it was either her or the extremely mental pony. Anyway, we took back this literal bag of bones, a 15.2hh full TB mare obvs. She was timid, never made an attempt to approach us and as i said was in terrible condition, ewe necked, count all the ribs etc. she was also (and still is) EXTREMELY clingy to the ponies sharing her feild.. We contacted her old owner and discovered that she had raced a few times when she was younger and also done affilliated eventing, not to a high level but still done okay, i actually think she had been placed once or twice, but then she got sold under the understanding she would go back to her original owner when she was to be resold she obviosuly didnt, and got sold to a bloke who was a complete novice, who rang up the woman and said how much of a cow she was that bit and kicked him etc, she then got passed through dealers and ended up with us. She gradually put on weight and now looks in fab condition, she also became much more comftorable with us handling her, she is actually really loving now. Yeah she's really tempermental when shes in season, but weve been feeding her this supplement that seems to have levelled her out a bit. We got her back checked out and there were bits and peices that were abit wonky, and she had to adjust mil's pelvis, but the back lady said she should be fine to carry on with work after a few days (prior to this i had only been lunging her) her feet were also in a state so we have had her reshod there now fine, dentist is coming in a few weeks. On the lunge she was fine, a little fizzy but started responding to my voice and was going really well. I got on her in the school, and then things went downhill. she appeared like she had forgotten how to trot, she would either stand still or canter/bunny hop around. she would then stand still when she felt like she didnt want to do anything else, or go sidewards, when i tried to convince her to go forwards, she would turn and look at my feet then either go backwards or raise her front feet of the ground, you know like not a proper vertical rear, just a couple of feet of the ground. I hacked her up the lane the next time, going away from the feild she was fine, walked like an angel, jogged abit but still, then we turned heading back towards the feild, and when she got to a certain point she would just freak and go backwards sidewards, into bollards bushes, nearly into parked cars everything, she mini reared again. the only way i got her back up was by someone leading her away. i didnt understand this, if it had been the other way round, i.e going away from the field id of just put it down to napping to go home, but it was really puzzling. Still i attempted to go down the lane again, and as i expected she did exactly the same, but i just walked her up and down up and down for ages until she stopped, she seemed to give in and then afterwards was walking fine. i thought we'd had a mini breakthrough ! the next time i rode her in the school she was pretty well behaved in comparison, she was cantering forwards nicely, trot still wasnt there but at least she was going forwards, she stopped dead twice, but actually walked off without someone leading her just after me using some leg. i was (foolishly
) really pleased and thought things might be getting better. then the next time i rode her, she was an utter COW. refused to go forwards what so ever, just kept on stopping, mini reared about 5 times. still wouldnt walk off. ignoring my leg so gave her a tap with my crop, still ignored it so gave her a smack, still ignored me, when i used my leg again she went straight up vertical, when she landed, still stood still, went through the squeezing/kicking rigmarole and she did it again, this time idk if it was my balance or w/e but she felt like she was tipping backwards, i bailed out. she stood there while i caught her. rightly or wrongly as ive been told by everyone, i cracked her round the bum with my crop a few times, she looked terrified and tbh i felt really really guilty, whites of her eyes were showing, she was shaking etc etc. so i remounted, got my mum to walk the side of me, then gradually move away till she was in the middle. Millie does it again. by this time my mothers going mental at me, telling me to get off her 'not worth it' etc. im incredibly angry, big argument with mum cos i dont want to let millie win. so i got off her and untacked her, turned her back out, when i let her off she galloped off and leaped about pawing the air- like an act of defiance, which annoyed me more! so i really really dont know what to do with her ??
theres a couple of options:
*put her in foal, theres a really nice stallion we could use for her that passes his amazing temperament onto all his offsprings, but we were told that a foal is 75% its mother, so would still carry her traits, but saying that shes lovely on the ground.
*Send her away to be reschooled, dont know if this would work, is also quite expensive.
*get rid of her, have no idea what we would sell her as though, im not one for lying to sell a horse. i could not sell her to be ridden.
*continue riding her through it and face being seriosuly injured, in a way i want to carry on an work through it, but ive heard that many horror stories about rearers, idk if its sensible, especially as i have my main horse who i jump bsja with almost every wkend and cant really afford to be out of action with. i mean do things like standing martingales, market harborough etc work ?
shes meant to be for me to jump eventually, and my competent mother to hack, is she worth it ? shes not going to be a superstar or w.e but like i say shes really nice natured, and could in the long run be a nice horse..
i dont know if im doing the right thing with her, im not a novice i wouldnt say, i broke in a 13.2hh we rescued from scratch and produced him to jumping discovery, he's jumping 2nd rounds now with his new rider, im fairly confident though i must admit the rearing buisness is denting it a bit with mil, i dont mid anything- bucking, napping, spooking etc. but rearing its just- eeeek...
i mean someone went mad about me bailing out 'going i wouldnt of-now shes got away with it...blah blah blah'
and then others saying thats what i shouldve done, and to get shot of her.
it just seems a shame cos shes really sweet in other respects, and does have a promising jump. (seen her loose jumped)
i really really really dont know what to do with her. i dont think the reason behind it is her teeth, because i never had a strong contact, and are not paticualry heavy handed, she has a mild bit in. her mouth doesnt seem to be causing her discomfort, idk.
i reckon its something that happened with the bloke, like something phsycological ?
or do you think shes just trying it on ?
should i just ride her through it ?
someone said to try xc schooling-get her thinking forwards, not upwards./backwards/sidewards ?
sorry about the life story but thought it was best to include all the info, incase it was of any relevance.
any help tips would be greatly appreciated.
right, so we bought millie about a month and half ago, we basically brought a pony off a dealer, he was extremely unsuitable (yes, even worse than what millie is
theres a couple of options:
*put her in foal, theres a really nice stallion we could use for her that passes his amazing temperament onto all his offsprings, but we were told that a foal is 75% its mother, so would still carry her traits, but saying that shes lovely on the ground.
*Send her away to be reschooled, dont know if this would work, is also quite expensive.
*get rid of her, have no idea what we would sell her as though, im not one for lying to sell a horse. i could not sell her to be ridden.
*continue riding her through it and face being seriosuly injured, in a way i want to carry on an work through it, but ive heard that many horror stories about rearers, idk if its sensible, especially as i have my main horse who i jump bsja with almost every wkend and cant really afford to be out of action with. i mean do things like standing martingales, market harborough etc work ?
shes meant to be for me to jump eventually, and my competent mother to hack, is she worth it ? shes not going to be a superstar or w.e but like i say shes really nice natured, and could in the long run be a nice horse..
i dont know if im doing the right thing with her, im not a novice i wouldnt say, i broke in a 13.2hh we rescued from scratch and produced him to jumping discovery, he's jumping 2nd rounds now with his new rider, im fairly confident though i must admit the rearing buisness is denting it a bit with mil, i dont mid anything- bucking, napping, spooking etc. but rearing its just- eeeek...
i mean someone went mad about me bailing out 'going i wouldnt of-now shes got away with it...blah blah blah'
and then others saying thats what i shouldve done, and to get shot of her.
it just seems a shame cos shes really sweet in other respects, and does have a promising jump. (seen her loose jumped)
i really really really dont know what to do with her. i dont think the reason behind it is her teeth, because i never had a strong contact, and are not paticualry heavy handed, she has a mild bit in. her mouth doesnt seem to be causing her discomfort, idk.
i reckon its something that happened with the bloke, like something phsycological ?
or do you think shes just trying it on ?
should i just ride her through it ?
someone said to try xc schooling-get her thinking forwards, not upwards./backwards/sidewards ?
sorry about the life story but thought it was best to include all the info, incase it was of any relevance.
any help tips would be greatly appreciated.
