My 3 year old mare is acting very different

Champion1969

Champion1969

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 March 2012
Messages
484
Location
Cheshire
Visit site
The past few days she wont let me tie her up outside her stable, she wont keep still when I groom her and she rears when I pick her feet. There is no heat or any cuts, its as if shes not with it at all, I cant get attention shes just not listening to me?

Last week I changed her feed to mollichop pony nuts and speedi beet, this was all under recommendation from the feed store. Please can anyone advise?
 
Could be the feed or coming into season. Or, at first as a youngster in a strange place she wasn't feeling confident at first, but is now coming out of her shell to express her opinions.
 
coming into first season, mine was horrendous first time but quickly settled. also coudl well be just testing the water with regadrs to teenage tantrums etc.
 
Speedi beet turned my youngster into a monster - kicking and biting when doing rugs and generally fidgety and obnoxious. Took him off it and he returned to being calm and laid back.
 
buddylove said:
Speedi beet turned my youngster into a monster - kicking and biting when doing rugs and generally fidgety and obnoxious. Took him off it and he returned to being calm and laid back.
Click to expand...

Oh dear maybe I should half the speedi beet, someone at the yard recommended that I ditch the mollichop for alfaA
 
Could be season or change of food, but it could be her age.

What she has been taught by the people you bought her off is not set in stone at that age.
You need to reteach her, perhaps even everyday, as what she did yesterday she has "forgotten" the next day.
You can't take it for granted that she will pick her feet up, will be tied up, will be groomed.
That's what older horses/ponies are like, not youngsters.
 
Aarrghimpossiblepony said:
Could be season or change of food, but it could be her age.

What she has been taught by the people you bought her off is not set in stone at that age.
You need to reteach her, perhaps even everyday, as what she did yesterday she has "forgotten" the next day.
You can't take it for granted that she will pick her feet up, will be tied up, will be groomed.
That's what older horses/ponies are like, not youngsters.
Click to expand...


I have just got back from the yard, where shes had me on the floor tonight whilst I was trying to pick her feet up. I think there is something wrong with her chestnuts if I manage to grab her hoof she is ok its the touching of her legs, acts ticklish? Not lame and no heat either.
 
Firstly Id change he feed back. My 3yr old goes ballistic on alfalfa and fizzy on sugarbeet. Not naughty but seriously silly.

The spring grass is starting to come through and will be making her fizzy.

She may also be coming into season. A mare supplement won't hurt and may help.

Then just go back to real basics. Go back over leading, giving to pressure, picking feet up etc as if it's her first time, making sure sure firm and strict but fair.
 
When my boy was three I tried him on Alfa-a. Within 48 hrs he was a complete ***** . I now feed Dengies Hi-fi lite, Baileys no 14 lo-cal balancer and micronised linseed.
He's now one chilled lad. Once he starts increasing his work I may have to rethink but like my kids on blue smarties certain foods are banned!
 
Its all trial and error, tonight somebody recommended Safe and Sound. Well tonight I cut back on the Mollichop and Speedi beet and tomorrow I got a farrier popping over to see if there is anything the matter with her feet.

I know shes still a baby and she isnt dangerous, lets hope I can find a resolve
:)
 
Champion1969 said:
I have just got back from the yard, where shes had me on the floor tonight whilst I was trying to pick her feet up. I think there is something wrong with her chestnuts if I manage to grab her hoof she is ok its the touching of her legs, acts ticklish? Not lame and no heat either.
Click to expand...

So she won't let you brush/touch her legs?

I would try to reassure her slowly, using a lot of reward/praise. Start at the shoulder and work your way down, reward her at each stage. Watch her closely for when she relaxes, that's when she should get a reward. If she gets het up, move back to a stage where she was relaxed/accepting. And of course talk to her all the time.

Been doing the same with my youngster (use clicker training, not sure if that's approved of here), but it's the only thing I could do with no facilities other than a field and an unhandled forest pony.

And use a small body brush, not a big dandy at first. Made the mistake of looking at the thick coat (and the mud) and thinking a big stiff brush was just the thing. It's my son who was using the smaller brush and it was noticeable the difference.

Don't "grab" the hoof. Work on making her think it's a good idea to pick her foot up for you because there's something in it for her. I did that by touching the back of her leg, she picked it up to get away from the "scary" human touching her, instant reward. It took her under half hour to start picking her front feet up for me and letting me support it once she had picked it up.
 
I can't feed pony nuts to my old mare.....turns her into a complete wreck!!!!! Try taking the pony nuts away and looking at something low sugar/starch hi fibre for her.
 
I'd cut the feed right back to basic forage.... I wouldn't trust what feed merchants advise, they are just trying to sell at the end of the day. I contacted a well known branded feed nutrition helpline and they recommended alfalfa, sugar beet and youngstock mix... Ha! My girl would have been wired to the moon on that!!! She does well on adlib hay and a balancer. Surely a 3 yr old wouldn't be in enough work to be needing 'hard feed'. Back to basics, I find if I'm having issues with my girlies feet I do it more, so twice a day until shes bored of it and knows what's coming. I start at the top near neck for example and run my hand down, when she is standing nicely I retreat, if she dances about I keep my hand put until she stands again. Etc
 
I wouldn't take advice from a feedstore either. I don't think you have said yet what she was on before and why you changed?
 
HBM1 said:
I wouldn't take advice from a feedstore either. I don't think you have said yet what she was on before and why you changed?
Click to expand...

Sorry forgot to mention, she was out 24/7 with no feed just haylage, she still has growing to do as she is still bum high, where I keep her they are stabled at night and out in the day, with not a great deal of grass as yet.
 
This morning Anni's was the same, really tense nervous and edgy, her stall has bars all round and next door is a very stroppy mare that does lunge at her with teeth and has on many times had a go and me and my 6 year old daughter. Only this morning when the other horse was turned out she calmed down.
Its never crossed my mind that maybe that is the problem? Anyway I have just changed stable today to one where she can put her head out with a very nice gelding next door. Fingers crossed see how she is later.

The Farrier came down she was very calm back to her normal self he said her feet are in perfect order however there is a funny patch of very dry tender skin behind her knee, which is why shes not allowing me to lift it, so we managed to put some aqueous cream on it to see how it goes. I will give the Vet a call in a day or so.
 
Champion1969 said:
Not sure only had her just over a month.
Click to expand...

I think this is most likely your answer - she will need a lot longer to settle in - I have to say that a good 6 months but realistically I believe you have to have a horse a year before they are truly comfortable with any change.
 
Yes very true, but I just felt something wasn't quite right. It was like talking to someone with ADHD. Today after the other mare was taken out she went back to her self
 
I wouldn't be surprised if the grumpy horse next door was upsetting her. If you have bars between the stables you can hang rugs over them as she may like some peace even from calm horses next door - my sister's cob hates that style of stable and goes really grumpy himself if in them. I would also be tkaing her off all hard feed unless she's really thin. Bit of unmollassed chaff and a balancer will give her everything she needs without the extra sugar and fizz.
 
Today I have had the pleasure of a much calmer horse, I think the stable has worked. I went back into her old one and realized myself how she must have felt not being able to have her head over the door with also an aggressive mare next to her. I feel terrible now poor Anni.
 
Champion1969 said:
Today I have had the pleasure of a much calmer horse, I think the stable has worked. I went back into her old one and realized myself how she must have felt not being able to have her head over the door with also an aggressive mare next to her. I feel terrible now poor Anni.
Click to expand...

Dont feel bad. You noticed the change in behavior and straight away started looking for the cause. What more could a horse want than an owner who can understand and change things that upset them?

Very well done to you. Keep us posted on how she settles now xx
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top