moody mare / Schooling issues / Calmers - Help?

[1moodymare]

Just looking for a little bit of advice really at beginning of this year a bought a fabulous 4 year old mare total blank canvas, not even halter broken.
She was bought under the advice of my trainer and after years of young horses my trainer said I was more than capable of starting from scratch, but due to lack of time and not bouncing aswell as I used to  I had her started by someone I trust a lot, but just the ground work and sitting on and had her home for starting her proper education. She is sharp yet not always that forward thinking. When she came home she was very nappy resisting going forward, really silly to mount – quite often bronking before you was even on. She was vetted pre purchase and we had vet out to check her and all ok. She has a regular physio and saddle checks as well. This started to get better and started to really work with me. Next issue we had was couldn’t cope with going of site back to bronking when mounting. Again with help from trainer of site started getting through this. She did a few shows then when all settled and started to get it & work with me she had 4 months of at end of summer. Has returned to work now and she is napping not wanting to go forward, or if on a forward day just wanting to canter at every chance. If you so much as touch her with the schooling whip behind she will leap and have a paddy, if you use a short whip anywhere near front end stops in her tracks squeals and kicks out. Unfortunately my trainer doesn’t ride, so I have had a very confident and experienced friend on her who can push her through it but everything is a battle – unless she is doing what she wants, if there is a fence or poles involved she will focus. I have tried using poles on nearly all sessions to keep her focused.
Schooling is kept to a few times a week and she hacks, lunges and has a day of each week. To handle she is just a dream, well mannered and pleasant. The only thing we have had is a few field issues with getting over attached to friends and braking out if that horse left the field even though others out and if taking away from ones she is attached to she will rear and spin in hand. When stabled she box walks all the time and will quite often have a squeal and kick the walls.
But mainly a fantastic mare to be around from the ground and the potential to be fantastic under saddle but I am a little stuck, I am sure we can get through this but looking for advise in case I am missing something – also thinking of trying calmer?
I have had a mare in the past with GCT I was thinking of having her checked, or putting her on calmer / mare supplement. Any advice re schooling or feed would be appreciated. She is currently on adlib Hay, Hifi, pink powder and small amount of build up cubes.
This behavior is not affected by weather or time of year.
Sorry its so long.

 

[TheMule]

I would definitely speak to the vet about trying her on regulate as she does sound very mareish. But you may also have to work with her a little more as some of these mares just won't be told. More hacking, keep sessions in school short and sweet and don't battle her for long- get the right response once then leave it be. Mine went through this as a 5 yr old and hunting really sweetened her up

 

[kerilli]

as above. i'd be very wary of using the whip on her, i'd use legs, voice, a person on the ground for her to follow if necessary. if i'd used a whip on my tricksy mare when she was being really difficult she'd have done anything she could to ditch me. now she's working with me and will accept the odd tap without a murmur. must admit it took a good while though.
i know we always trot out the same old things but have you checked teeth, back, tried a different saddle? she may be telling you something isn't comfortable...

 

[TarrSteps]

Speak to your vet about regumate, rather than trying all sorts of herbal things. If the regumate does work then you know it's hormonal and can investigate other options.

If the hormones don't do it then you know to look elsewhere.

 

[1moodymare]

Many thanks for response, I will look into regumate. She has her saddle check regularly and adjusted - but will have saddler back out as she probably could do a check up again as is growing everyday.

 

[TarrSteps]

Probably a good idea.

Before everyone jumps on me for saying Regumate before a work up, btw, I'll fully admit it's because it's the easiest, (relatively) cheap, and definitive option. If it doesn't work then you know to pursue other areas. Some young mares have awful trouble with their hormones the first couple of years . . .as someone who has taught a lot of teenage girls over the years I can tell you it's not necessarily a species-specific problem!

Definitely worth a look at the saddle again. Can I just suggest at this age though, you don't invest heavily in something made to measure if it comes up. She WILL change shape and I've had horses go through multiple saddles between 3 and 6. In some cases, to end up back in the original saddle! She also sounds like the sort of horse who has clear ideas in what suits her so I'd want to sit in a saddle before I bought it. Hopefully none of that will come up but it bears repeating.

Let us know how you make out. She sounds fun!

 

[TarrSteps]

One more point, sorry. . . I'd probably try her off the Build Up Cubes, even though she isn't getting very much. I've had a couple of horses over the years who simply cannot eat cereal feeds and stay sane - the amount has had little to do with it. I think that sort of "intolerance" is actually a bit more rare than we are inclined to think these days - many horses just get too much to eat! - but for the few who really react there is no question it's a real problem.

 

[showjumpingfilly]

I'd second TarrSteps recommendation to remove the buildup - have had one that was a nightmare whilst being fed this.

 

[1moodymare]

Many thanks for all your imput, When i got her I bought a kieffer GP with the exclusive tree so they we could regularly adjust as she gained muscle and grew, but i will get this checked again as soon as saddler can come out. She had a work up a little while ago, just basics - flexions lungeing etc and nothing could be found.
I will speak to vet on monday now about Regumate and get her some to see if that has an impact - also will take her of build up straight away - thats intresting to know had bad effect on other horses - does anyone suggest giving her anything else to replace it - was also looking into the muscle builder supplements - as did wonder if she could have growing pains / sore muscles - she is a late maturer and a big mare. Thanks

 

[TarrSteps]

You could try one of the grass based feeds, like Simple Systems. This doesn't have to be a permanent solution - the horse I mentioned above can eat Re-leve and rice bran successfully - but starting with something very neutral will give you scope to test the hypothesis. Said horse also was markedly more sane when fed Global Herb's Immune Plus (he's sensitive to life ) which apparently is not an unheard of phenomenon. But again, start simple!

 

[NU ABO]

Funnily enough we got a sample from a horse the other day with almost the exact same symptoms.
The vet sent it in for a Granulosa Cell Tumour profile to see if that could be causing the problem. I'll have to keep a eye out to see how the results come out (takes ages though!)