Mental Horse?

C

chloe12345

Member
Joined
16 April 2012
Messages
14
Visit site
Im not sure whats up with my horse at the moment but i think she might be mental?

I had a friend schooling her in the field the other day , she was trotting around fine , then she slamed her head down and galloped at the barb wire fence. ( friend managed to circle her )

I rode her out yesterday and tried to get her to canter up a field she ended up going sideways across the field and into a bush!

As soon as we get on a field she gets a really petrifed look in her eye and will start spinning around even if i only want her to walk across it.

When we hack out on the roads she will sometimes try and pull me up roads she would like to go up , totally out of the blue and for no reason!

i feel as though she is really really confused and scared and have no idea why ? shes always been a little crazy being a chesnut mare , but when she does these things its for no reason its like something clicks in her brain and she thinks it might be a good idea ??

its hard to explain but i cant understand why she does these things??

has any one else had the same problem or have any ideas why she might be doing these things ??? :confused:

oh btw , shes 15 years old , chesnut mare welsh D.
 
It sounds like she is in pain, horses do not behave like this for no reason, I dont think they go mental either, you need to get a vet to check her over.
It could be many things and you really need to find out why she is getting so upset.
 
its not just something she has started i have just noticed its becoming worse. Shes trampled over me in the field before when going to catch her and sometimes when i lead her out of the field shell just trot round and round me in a circle ? its not just when riding.
 
Is she sensitive through the back? And has her work load been different recently? This will affect saddle fit, as she would have changed shape. Our anglo starts behaving like this if her saddle isn't absolutly perfect on her, or if she has a little niggle anywhere. The spring grass won't help, but I would be looking at physical issues, as this sudden change in behaviour isn't normal. How long have you had her? If this is the first spring, this could be a strange seasonal thing.
 
Personally, I would still get the vet out to check her over. You never know.

It doesn't sound like she has much respect for people on the ground (ie trampling over you in the field, etc). Have you tried doing some ground work with her? This could help.

As for her misbehaving when riding, have you had any lessons on her? An outside opinion may see things from a different perspective.

Alternatively, you could get in touch with a behaviourist if you think she has underlying issues. I have never used them personally nor do I know much about them, but it's another option!

Hope you manage to sort everything out x
 
zaminda said:
Is she sensitive through the back? And has her work load been different recently? This will affect saddle fit, as she would have changed shape. Our anglo starts behaving like this if her saddle isn't absolutly perfect on her, or if she has a little niggle anywhere. The spring grass won't help, but I would be looking at physical issues, as this sudden change in behaviour isn't normal. How long have you had her? If this is the first spring, this could be a strange seasonal thing.
Click to expand...

Iv had her four years. its not really a sudden change in behaviour she has always been the same. i bought her after seeing my friend flying around the school un able to stop her ( young and silly ) shes always been very forward going , joggy and unpredictable im just posting this now as its everytime i ride her now. Shes become alot worse since i moved yards to somewhere with no school , shes not been schooled in over a year ??
 
I used to ride a horse for somebody that ran off at walls etc, she was I think 6 it must be about 7 years ago now if not longer. The owner had some bad falls and became scared of her another guy took over riding but the mare continued the same way.
I started again with her just as she was about to run it felt like she had just grown an inch so I would pop her on a 10 m circle each time eventually we were doing all sorts :)
I then got the owner back on only for a 2 minute walk to start with then gradually longer and longer till she took over completely :) I was gutted because the horse was amazing but I had to hand her back :(
It was not pain because owner ruled all out but I think it was a lack of confidence on both mare and owner and when this was sorted out the issues were solved.
 
Just seen your last post, she has not been schooled in a year, for a quirky horse it's essential you keep on top of it and keep the brain engaged, am afraid I would be inclined to move your horse to somewhere that you can work on any issues in a safe environment of a school
 
annaellie said:
Just seen your last post, she has not been schooled in a year, for a quirky horse it's essential you keep on top of it and keep the brain engaged, am afraid I would be inclined to move your horse to somewhere that you can work on any issues in a safe environment of a school
Click to expand...

This is the problem im faced with at the moment. i have another horse now who is perfectly behaved and who i tend to spend most my time on. The farm im at at the moment is really close to my house and i really dont want to have to move to a livery yard. I would like to sell her as i feel shes being wasted with me and she wont school in a field without getting really het up , but i just dont trust that someone will take her on and be patient :confused:
 
Check stuff over but don't dismiss the idea that she IS scared of some things. Think of it from her viewpoint - she's noticed something across the field that she doesn't like the look of, all her survival instincts are telling her not to go near unless she's absolutely sure it is harmless. With her breeding she will be super-bright and super-sensitive. I've got a little Welsh mare who also has this tendency - she ain't going near until she is very very sure she's not going to be eaten - and it's not easy to deal with. You may have to go back to 'first principles' with her for a while.

Read all you can about horse behaviour and recruit some help - a sympathetic instructor and a hacking partner/walker with infinite patience - and a real understanding of what you are needing to do, make sure you are not giving her any inadvertent signals that she's right to be scared (very very easy to do with the super sensitive ones, a slight tension in the saddle or in your voice can be enough). Also make sure you have time to sort it out, my gal cannot be rushed when she's worried it just makes her explosive, your little mare could easily be the same.
 
I would try some groundwork with her in the field, until she coped with that better. We lunge our looney before riding, one of my arabs also has a tendency to behave like this, and tends to jump up and down banks, and has run through fencing and sat on the odd car. Patience is the key. I lunge her lots, only ride if I'm feeling cheerful, and get off and lead if she throws a complete wobbler.
 
zaminda said:
I would try some groundwork with her in the field, until she coped with that better. We lunge our looney before riding, one of my arabs also has a tendency to behave like this, and tends to jump up and down banks, and has run through fencing and sat on the odd car. Patience is the key. I lunge her lots, only ride if I'm feeling cheerful, and get off and lead if she throws a complete wobbler.
Click to expand...

Thats her favourite , jumping up and down banks ! she loves a good hill climb lol !! iv started to lunge her actually she just gallops round and round and round , i suppose she will get better though we've not done it in a while.
 
Have you EVER had her checked for back pain etc etc etc.
When was the last time you had her teeth looked at?
Whilst she might be a nappy pony anyway, a sudden increase in this behaviour would suggest its a pain related issue.
As for running you down in the field? Teach her some sorely needed manners with some groundwork.
 
shes always been a little crazy being a chesnut mare
Click to expand...

What utter rot! Get that idiotic idea out of your head, it is nothing to do with her colour!

Ok, rant over. ;)

I agree with the other posters, it is most likely a pain, fear or training issue.

ETA. Get her eyes checked by a Vet too.
 
I think you need to assess this from all angles.
I'd have her back & teeth looked at again
What are you feeding her? If she's on something with a high molasses content or alfalfa content that could be contributing to silly behaviour.
I'd also have your vet out to give her the once over, and check her eyes too.
What do you ride her in? Might it be worth getting a different bit if you struggle to stop her?
 
chloe12345 said:
Thats her favourite , jumping up and down banks ! she loves a good hill climb lol !! iv started to lunge her actually she just gallops round and round and round , i suppose she will get better though we've not done it in a while.
Click to expand...

With my gelding I use a school (which, just remembered you haven't got) and free school him - i.e. I get dizzy watching him show off and gallop and change direction at a mad pace - until he's got it out of his system - and then I put him on the lunge.
 
chloe12345 said:
its not just something she has started i have just noticed its becoming worse. Shes trampled over me in the field before when going to catch her and sometimes when i lead her out of the field shell just trot round and round me in a circle ? its not just when riding.
Click to expand...


I had a WelshDxTB mare who had similar but more severe problems. she was bought as a sensitive but reasonably sensible 4 yr old by the time she was 12 we were seriously considering pt. the vet suggested that she had a brain tumour. She was actually very sensitive to cereals and sugar (even tiny amounts) in her feed. If yours has anything except hay to eat, I would remove it and see if that makes a difference.
We stopped feeding hard feed from one day to the next and her behaviour became even odder, she was apparently agoraphobic for about 3 days. I did say that if i were to do it again, I would decrease the feed gradually.
 
chloe12345 said:
its not just something she has started i have just noticed its becoming worse. Shes trampled over me in the field before when going to catch her and sometimes when i lead her out of the field shell just trot round and round me in a circle ? its not just when riding.
Click to expand...

Could still be pain related, she could be sore and the more you ride / handle her the more she's starting to object. One of mine had a sore back a couple of years ago - normally a sensible, very honest boy who never argues, he just started grinding to a halt suddenly under saddle and not wanting to go forward, slowly this got worse until as soon as I got on him he refused to move and started threatening to rear - totally out of character. Looking back he was also quite spooky to handle and just not his usual relaxed self. Had a back specialist out and she advised to get a new saddle fitted which I did (I had my first saddle fitted to the horse and checked by the same saddler regularly but when I went to a different saddler, she was horrified the last saddler had fitted the saddle so badly! Basically the saddle didnt fit well at all!). After I got the new saddle and he was massaged twice by a back specialist, that was it, he went totally back to normal again.

So even if you've had your saddle fitted professionally, its definately worth getting a 2nd opinion. And always worth getting out a back specialist as opposed to just a vet. Just get everything checked - even down to her teeth.
 
chloe12345 said:
Im not sure whats up with my horse at the moment but i think she might be mental?

I had a friend schooling her in the field the other day , she was trotting around fine , then she slamed her head down and galloped at the barb wire fence. ( friend managed to circle her )

I rode her out yesterday and tried to get her to canter up a field she ended up going sideways across the field and into a bush!

As soon as we get on a field she gets a really petrifed look in her eye and will start spinning around even if i only want her to walk across it.

When we hack out on the roads she will sometimes try and pull me up roads she would like to go up , totally out of the blue and for no reason!

i feel as though she is really really confused and scared and have no idea why ? shes always been a little crazy being a chesnut mare , but when she does these things its for no reason its like something clicks in her brain and she thinks it might be a good idea ??

its hard to explain but i cant understand why she does these things??

has any one else had the same problem or have any ideas why she might be doing these things ??? :confused:

oh btw , shes 15 years old , chesnut mare welsh D.
Click to expand...

my welsh cob was like this, throwing himself on the floor and running into trees and fences. i thought he was mental too. i had his back checked but something made me get a second opinion. turns out hes got kissing spine. he was in pain. so now hes just a companion horse for my other cob.

sounds like your girl is in pain.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top