Napping Cob mare

[LITTLE MISS ELLIE]

Hi folks first post for me, just bought a cob mare age 4 new to the horse world, so not experienced, went and looked at this mare before buying seen her being ridden walking over poles I rode including my son who screamed the place down as he didn't want me on, as he so keen for himself but needed to check this horse out well for my son. The mare was very good putting up with such racket did as asked of her walking over poles standing and walking as asked, in good nic etc so bought it. The lady did say she napped a bit and needed bringing on, selling as her man moaned about having to much horses to feed. This mare came from a pack of 5 horses. she was good in the horse box and good with her feet being done . She is head strong good with my son but likes a wee nibble of you now and then but she just gets a poke in the nose whenever she does . So the problem with her is napping, she is very nosey and curious about her surroundings just wants to eat when we return the way we have just come from, I saddle her up etc in the cattle court get on her and she goes quite happily to the field I work her in then just stands there, tried the leg movements nothing works she tends to turn her head towards my right foot so I have just sat and waited out for small periods of the time but end up dismounting and then she has to be pulled and coxed on to come back the opposite way, I have been told to crop her but not sure if that's safe while im on her, I don't think she has been worked in a while and getting really frustrated with her, today took her out as usual wouldn't move but a soon as my son walked on in front she followed him quite happy but feel this is unsafe practice soon as we turned to come back she wasn't moving so ended up being frustrated and put her back in her field then she went mad bucking and running around madly any one help!!! Help from some one experienced I thinks..

 

[TequilaMist]

Ok are you new to horse/horseriding or just never owned before?
At 4 mare still a baby and learning.Is she out with others if she's not but came from a herd of 5 it will be quite scary and upsetting for her .She will need company
Personally I would get livery on a yard with staff/YO that will help you at least for a while til you are more confident

 

[MagicMelon]

Ok are you new to horse/horseriding or just never owned before?
At 4 mare still a baby and learning.Is she out with others if she's not but came from a herd of 5 it will be quite scary and upsetting for her .She will need company
Personally I would get livery on a yard with staff/YO that will help you at least for a while til you are more confident

This. I think it probably wasn't the best idea to buy a 4yo if you're inexperienced yourself, let alone for your young son... But hey its done now. I think you have to get help from someone, lots of lessons etc. Definately do not "crop" her, as it sounds like its probably lack of confidence on both your parts that's causing it. Have you contacted the previous owner? Sometimes they'll come out and help (if they're nice!).

 

[NeverSayNever]

how much has the mare done prior to you getting her? Have you spoken to the old owners? A 4 year old was never a good idea for a novice Chances are the pony was only started in work a few months ago at that age so a lot to ask.

 

[Princess_shamrock]

My mums mare does this, although she is older. The first few days we go her home she hacked out her self brill. But then when she got attached to her field mates it was another story, we had never came across a napping horse before so decided to get help as she would just stop and start backing up and give bunny ops as soon as she got to a distance she though was enough. We asked an experienced (or so we though) rider to help us, all he done was sit on her and beat her bum with a crop and shout at her...needless to say she turned into a monster with him and was dripping with sweatm he then told us to sell her as a brood mare because she "wasn't safe" !! We completely disagreed so got rid of him. I started to rider her out with a friend from down the road by this point she wouldn't even hack out in company, but the friend I was with was very patient. Basically I figured out she was scared! she needed someone to tell her "its ok, trust me, I will look after you" so when she got to a point where she "hit a wall" (started napping) I just gave her a longer rein and let her "think" if she started going back I would just give an aid to stop and as soon as she took a step forward she was allowed to eat some grass and gave a big pat and lots of voice re assurance ! If we had to stand there waiting for her to be brave for half an hour or an hour we did it and she was rewared as soon as she stepped forward. Now shes still only hacking out with other horses but shes compleyely different horse so much more confident. She will also go out with a person just walking out with us and were gradually getting her and the person on the ground further from each other until the person on the ground is out of site, and shes hacking alone .

Your horse needs her confidence built up shes just a baby and needs company and gradually less and less company, so I would suggest to try something like I done, done smack lumps out her with a stick just be patient with her !! sorry for the big story but though If I explained the steps we took it would help xxx Gd luck

 

[LITTLE MISS ELLIE]

Hi folks thanks for all the comments, unfortunately I have discovered this horse has a horrible past, just recently had a foal and had been badly beaten, rejected her foal. before the woman sold her to me. My suspicions rose while trying to get the passport updated, the woman was very reluctant to give me her address , she hadn't updated the passport, so I decided to write to the owner on it, to get some more history of the horse, as she became very unpredictable. So to cut the story short she came from Ireland from the travelling community, ended up in fyfe and the man I spoke with confirmed he bought her in foal and was in a terrible mental state of the abuse, confirmed she was not suitable for a child or become a showy pony. he has had horses all his life and managed to keep handling her well but didn't break in, sold her on as he became unfit due to his age, all this information was passed onto the woman but failed to inform me knowing fine she was for my son and that we were not fully experienced so the poor animal hasn't a clue whats going on, I now have arranged for her to be professional broken in and will have to make the decision if shes still suitable for us, if not may loan her out to a experienced person and get the confidence up , she deserves a chance , but as for the woman I have had severe words with her all shes interested in is lining her pockets sod the horse. She obviously couldn't deal with the problem making out she is a professional but anyone with excellent horsemanship would have said sorry not for novice handler that's the mistake she made on her advertisement so we are all very sad and disappointed angry. Im happy that I can still handle her but never sure when she is about to turn on you with her rearing and bucking even when being groomed so mentally scarred, fingers crossed over the next 2 -3 months .

 

[NeverSayNever]

good grief! Well, good on you for sending her away to be re-started by a proper professional. There are all sorts of dodgy folks about, dont let it put you off but my very strong advice if you buy something else is to take an instructor with you and get references for the pony (from local RC and / or PC or local RI’s) - you want to be buying something with mileage, something that has been places and done things. Good luck!

 

[brucea]

as we say "green on green makes for black and blue"