Nasty Mare

[rjohnson]

hiya all i am in need of some advice, i have recently just started loaning a mare, she is normally quite nice to ride however she is horrible to handle on the ground! when you try and tack her up she will spin round and try to kick you, and not even as a threat, she will literally full on try to double barell you! the other day i went in to her stable to get her out and she had me pinned up against the wall and as i was trying to escape was following me with her bum trying to kick me, it was terrifying! when she gets nasty when tacking her up i normally carry a whip and give her a smack if she tries to kick out or threatens to, although this is just a short term solution and just winds her up more. but i don’t want to be soft to her as then she will just push me about more and get more agro! any help would be greatly appreciated as i am just becoming deathly afraid of her and feel there is nothing i can do?

 

[tankgirl1]

Has she been checked for ulcers? Being a cow bag to tack up is a classic sign! Do you spend time with her just being or does she associate you with being worked?
Using a whip may well just make things worse if she is in pain

 

[vmac66]

Can you spend some time with her, just getting to know her. My mare was a witch when I got her, trying to bite or cow kicking when tacking up. It took time and lots of patience being very firm but calm at the same time. I never used a whip on her and still dont. It just escalates things. Making her back up for her feed and when I want into the stable were good starting points.

 

[meleeka]

Horse don’t try and kick, if they want to kick you they generally will!

I have a ‘marish’ Mare. Her faces are very dramatic, but she doesn’t kick or bite. If she did I’d be looking at ulcers/guts/ovary issues. I think you need to keep yourself safe so always tie her up when handling and avoid her back end wherever possible. I don’t think hitting a mare every really works so try spending some time with her getting to know her and gaining her trust, not just riding.

It’s a good idea to get her checked by a vet. You’d no doubt feel awful if it turns out to be something physical and you’d been punishing her for trying to tell you.

 

[little_critter]

Have the owners said anything about this behaviour? Is it a new behaviour for her? (In which case I’d certainly be invastigating for ulcers etc, or getting her saddle checked)

 

[oldie48]

A friend has a very dominant mare who can be very unpleasant in the stable and to handle generally. With people she knows and respects she behaves perfectly. With her it is definitely a dominance issue and she needs firm confident handling. How is she with other people? If she behaves with some people then I'd be looking to improve my handling skills and getting some help. Horses read your body language very easily. FWIW, this horse is home bred by experienced people and the rider is a vet it is not pain related on the other hand I've had a very mannerly horse become more difficult to tack up eg moving around/away when it has been sore but never had one that became dangerous in the stable.

 

[JanetGeorge]

Have the owners said anything about this behaviour? Is it a new behaviour for her? (In which case I’d certainly be invastigating for ulcers etc, or getting her saddle checked)

Thats the place to start BUT don't necessarily believe all that the owners tell you, even if you know them quite well. Owners of a mare with this sort of prbolem might be the cause of it, either through bad management (leading to ulcers) or possibly even 'abuse'. When a mare has a problem, she'll try to tell you nicely. If you continue to ignoe her, or worse still, punish her, she'll end up killing you. Ill fitting saddle, sore back, or ulcers are probable and I'd be inclined to start with a GOOD equine physio. BUT - lots of observation is needed. Is she 'happy' when out in the field with other horses? Is she aggressive - or overly friendly - with any of them?? If so, then you need to get her to a GOOD equine Repro vet to have her ovaries scanned. Because her current behaviour would certainly fit the early symptoms f a Granulosa theca cell tumour - and if they are - she will get MUCH worse. But - whatever you do - DON't hit her or punish her. Use avoidance techniques to stay safe.

As a stallion owner and a breeder, I've known (and handled and backed) a LOT of mares - and while I've known a few that were bad to handle, there was ALWAYS a fixable cause. But the hardest to fix are the ones who have been given a good reason to hate people!

 

[Gloi]

You are lucky she is on loan and you haven't bought her. Send her back before you get hurt. There are pleasant horses about, loan one of those. This is meant to be fun.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

When I bought my Draft mare, the owner told me that she bit, in fact at the viewing, she said that she always put the bridle on first when tacking up because it was easier to control her threats to bite. As soon as I got her home I found that the tack, which I bought with her, didn't fit, the saddle probably had done originally but they had allowed her to get very fat, and the browband was too short, it squashed her ears. That was soon sorted but there was an element of learned behaviour, as well. She needed to learn to trust me, so I worked on that. I also fed her Aloe Vera juice to help her digestive system as I knew that she had been fed on a high sugar/high starch diet for the year before I bought her. I have many, many years of experience with mares, I knew when I viewed her that I would be able to work on her issues.

In your case, I would send the mare back to her owners and look for something more straightforward to loan.

 

[JanetGeorge]

You are lucky she is on loan and you haven't bought her. Send her back before you get hurt. There are pleasant horses about, loan one of those. This is meant to be fun.

lol, that is the bit of advice I missed out on - but agree completely. Whatever the cause is, it will take time and money to cure. I sold a lovely mare a couple of years ago, who didn't have problems until 4-5 months later - then it started bucking like stink. The buyer was an idiot - and DEMANDED I take her back - and didn't even want her money (£5,000) back. It took 3 months of care to repair the damage to her back caused by an ill-fitting saddle - and another 3 months of schooling before I was SURE she WAS safe. Thankfully I found a more intelligent buyer (and just about covered my costs) - anmd the mare has now won her first two dressage tests.

 

[AmyMay]

Send her back.

 

[Winters100]

I'm afraid I totally agree with those who say to send her back. This is dangerous for you, and it is not your problem. It sounds as if it needs an experienced owner to fix it, and I am guessing that it is not you. Your free time should be spent enjoying your horse, look for a loan which will suit you better and you will have much more fun.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Definitely sounds like a pain response saddle or ulcers probably, you either investigate and get it sorted or ring the owners and send the horse back, if you tell them the problem your having they may support you to get to the bottom of it, chances are though it's been going on a while and they may feel it's a behavioural issue.

Is the horse insured ?

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

IF she were my mare I'd start investigating the cause of this; when you say she's "difficult to tack up" that's a classic sign of pain - I would firstly get the physio in to get her back checked, then saddle fitter, vet for teeth check (and possibly to check re. ulcers), etc.

But she is NOT your mare!! This behaviour - unless you get all the pain-checks above done (at your expense!!) WILL continue, and it will get worse not better. She sounds a very honest mare who is telling you loud and clear that she is in pain!

My project mare that I bought last Autumn didn't want me tacking her up and was moving away from the mounting block when I tried to get my foot in the stirrup; I got the physio in and she found issues with her sacro-iliac area. After treatment, and rest, she's come good.

I agree with others: send her back to the owner. Don't put yourself at risk anymore with a horse that isn't your own! Give owner a good description of what's happening - even better write it down - and let them sort this out.

Poor mare.

 

[Chappie]

I would never be in a situation where I had to hit a horse with a whip to get it tacked up - it's meant to be a fun hobby and pleasant for the horse too, not a situation where you are "terrified" or "deathly afraid", OP.
You must communicate with the owners asap and fully tell them what's been going on, you shouldn't be left in this situation -it's not fair on you or the horse.
Horses are generally gentle compliant creatures, there will definately be something bodily or mentally wrong with this poor mare. She's trying to tell you leave me alone I don't want to be tacked up or ridden - why? Likely something is causing her pain. Could be her muscles or skeleton or digestive issues - just cos she LOOKS fine it doesn't mean she's well.
If it is 'remembered' pain from past issues or she is a VERY dominant mare, she should only be handled by very experienced people, and is not suitable for you to be loaning.
Please - don't risk it - tell the owners and be clear it's not safe to continue. There ARE other horses out there you could happily loan.
Hopefully the mare will get the help she needs from her owners

 

[rjohnson]

Horse don’t try and kick, if they want to kick you they generally will!

I have a ‘marish’ Mare. Her faces are very dramatic, but she doesn’t kick or bite. If she did I’d be looking at ulcers/guts/ovary issues. I think you need to keep yourself safe so always tie her up when handling and avoid her back end wherever possible. I don’t think hitting a mare every really works so try spending some time with her getting to know her and gaining her trust, not just riding.

It’s a good idea to get her checked by a vet. You’d no doubt feel awful if it turns out to be something physical and you’d been punishing her for trying to tell you.

what i meant by try to kick is she will kick but i can normally manage to move in time, i have spoken to her owners as they say she has always been like this, i knew she was difficult but i didn’t really know she would be this bad!

 

[rjohnson]

i only ha

IF she were my mare I'd start investigating the cause of this; when you say she's "difficult to tack up" that's a classic sign of pain - I would firstly get the physio in to get her back checked, then saddle fitter, vet for teeth check (and possibly to check re. ulcers), etc.

But she is NOT your mare!! This behaviour - unless you get all the pain-checks above done (at your expense!!) WILL continue, and it will get worse not better. She sounds a very honest mare who is telling you loud and clear that she is in pain!

My project mare that I bought last Autumn didn't want me tacking her up and was moving away from the mounting block when I tried to get my foot in the stirrup; I got the physio in and she found issues with her sacro-iliac area. After treatment, and rest, she's come good.

I agree with others: send her back to the owner. Don't put yourself at risk anymore with a horse that isn't your own! Give owner a good description of what's happening - even better write it down - and let them sort this out.

Poor mare.

i only have her on part loan at the moment so her owners are usually around when i am tacking her up and i was aware she had behaviour issues but i didn’t know it was this bad, i have mentioned it to them but they just keep telling me it is normal behaviour for her

 

[rjohnson]

they said she has always been like this

 

[rjohnson]

hi guys just wanted to clear some things up:
- i was aware she had these issues but i wasn’t aware it was this bad
- i only have her on part loan so her owners are normally around when i ride etc
- her owners say that she has always had these issues, she even behaves like this around them
- i have mentioned ulscers to them but they sort of brushed it off
thank you for all your help though

 

[AmyMay]

they said she has always been like this

So, you’re not going to fix it.

Walk away

 

[Teajack]

if she was just plain "difficult" she would be as bad to ride as she is to tack up.
if she intended to kick and not miss you wouldn't be able to move fast enough.
She may well have been in pain since the current owners have had her.
On the other hand a surprising number of people are less than truthful when it comes to their horses.
Poor horse.

 

[joosie]

How old are you? Maybe your style of writing is misleading but I get the impression you are quite young, and/or not particularly experienced. You are going to get hurt if the current behaviour is allowed to continue, I can tell you that for a fact. You need to either get the owners on board to get her issues investigated and dealt with, or find a more suitable horse to loan.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

So, you’re not going to fix it.

Walk away

IF the mare "has always been like this" and the owners are continuing to ignore it and regard is as normal behaviour, then they are being neglectful. This mare is obviously in pain, and if allowed to continue, there is a strong likelihood that someone will be injured.

Mare will then be labelled as "dangerous/unmanageable" and thus will begin the descent through selling her to someone who can't cope with her and won't think to get the pain issues sorted; through to substandard dealers yards, market, then meat man.

And all because an owner was blind to what was happening and wouldn't listen!

This could so easily be sorted.

FFS. Words just fail me. Makes me bleddi angry, and that's an understatement.

 

[sunnyone]

I think it is probably pain related.

My homebred IDX mare was broken at 4 and was still green when I took her to Spain a few months later. The YO of the livery yard there fell in love with her and even spent his own time plaiting her up in one of those very complicated Spanish interwoven plaits. He also persuaded me to let him teach her some doma vaquera dressage. For this he used his regular riding "one size fits all" Spanish saddle. I would be around when he did this: the horse kicked out mildly at first and then with increasing force such that fellow liveries wanted her classed as dangerous. However I was convinced it was the saddle causing the trouble as when putting on an English GP saddle, she stood perfectly. I stopped the dressage training and she has never kicked out again and she is now 15.

 

[JanetGeorge]

i only have her on part loan at the moment so her owners are usually around when i am tacking her up and i was aware she had behaviour issues but i didn’t know it was this bad, i have mentioned it to them but they just keep telling me it is normal behaviour for her

The owners are morons then - not fit to own a horse. It is not normal for ANY mare without a cause - either pain or hormones. PLEASE let the owners know about this thread - and walk away before she kills you.

 

[little_critter]

I feel so sorry for the horse.
Sadly if the owners have no interest in getting the the bottom of this mares problems then the likely outcomes for you if you keep part loaning her are:
You get injured
You get increasingly upset by being unable to do anything to help this mare.
If the owners are adamant they will not investigate this mares behaviour then I would suggest you walk away.

 

[maisie06]

hiya all i am in need of some advice, i have recently just started loaning a mare, she is normally quite nice to ride however she is horrible to handle on the ground! when you try and tack her up she will spin round and try to kick you, and not even as a threat, she will literally full on try to double barell you! the other day i went in to her stable to get her out and she had me pinned up against the wall and as i was trying to escape was following me with her bum trying to kick me, it was terrifying! when she gets nasty when tacking her up i normally carry a whip and give her a smack if she tries to kick out or threatens to, although this is just a short term solution and just winds her up more. but i don’t want to be soft to her as then she will just push me about more and get more agro! any help would be greatly appreciated as i am just becoming deathly afraid of her and feel there is nothing i can do?

Hand it back and find another loan, Horses are meant to be a fun hobby and this one sounds like it has lots of issues and could end up costing you injury and heartache as well as cash and it's not even your horse.

 

[rjohnson]

How old are you? Maybe your style of writing is misleading but I get the impression you are quite young, and/or not particularly experienced. You are going to get hurt if the current behaviour is allowed to continue, I can tell you that for a fact. You need to either get the owners on board to get her issues investigated and dealt with, or find a more suitable horse to loan.

i am 18 and have been around horses all my life, i have previously show jumped up to 1.30 so i wouldn't say i am inexperienced but have never had a mare like her so have never been put in a situation like this

 

[sport horse]

I have had competition mares for many years and the odd one (certainly not many) could be tricky. I suggest that you always go into the stable with a titbit and the headcollar. Let her come to you for the titbit and then talk quietly to her and put the headcollar on. Then tie her up. Never ever lose your temper with her - that will make her worse. It could be that she has been 'got at' at some time of her life and this is default response. Hopefully as she gains trust in you her behaviour will imrpove.

Only you can decide if you can cope with the mare - you certainly do not want to get hurt. However, my most difficult mare was, in competition terms, my best one and the days when she was really difficult were that days that she won!!

 

[MDB]

Walk away. Whatever the cause of the behaviour, the owners are aware there is an issue. Which means you are not going to fix it and you are putting yourself at significant risk each time you go near it.