Naughty horse

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MizElz

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Ellie has developed a horrid habit in the past few days. When I muck her out, I tend to let her loose in the yard for a bite of grass and to stretch her legs. She is normally as good as gold with this; she'll stop to have her neck scratched, stand in the doorway and watch me, all normal 'nice' stuff. Well the day before yesterday she started mucking around and wouldnt let me catch her; everytime I got near she whipped round and went to the other side of the yard, then made a flying leap into her box (dangerous, I know) and turned her back end on me.
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I eventually managed to grab her forelock and nose and put her headcollar on, thinking that the funny phase was over. Then yesterday she did exactly the same thing, but this time threatened to jump over the fence in the yard (which would have taken her straight onto the bonnet of two cars
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) My mum came out with an apple and caught her (which I kind of objected to because I dont like rewarding naughtiness - but at least she was caught). She then had no problem with being tied up; its like once she's caught, she stops being silly. But this is a new thing and I'm eager to break the habit before it gets to the point that I cant let her loose any more. Are treats and food the way to go, or should I be really firm with her and let her know that it isnt acceptable? Or should I stop letting her loose and simply tie her up all the time? She hasnt had a fright or a scare, so shouldnt be panicking about anything.
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I just dont know why she has started doing it.
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i tend to put this kind of behavoiur down to the weather.being not far from you i think,it`s horrible here.
 
Cahill - I think you may be right (again)....the wind has a lot to do with it! Though she stood outside last night in the hail storm and refused to come in! Weird girlie!
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Piebald_Easter - I dont think she's really in danger of hurting anyone, I just think it's bad manners. But I dont really want to restrict the little freedom she has at the moment
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But I dont really want to restrict the little freedom she has at the moment
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No you're right, much better to leave her to "whip round on a yard" and do "diving leaps into her box"!!! An injury won't affect her freedom at all!!!!
***drums fingers....where's the 'rolls eyes' smiley when you need it!!***

Why not hand graze her if you want to give her a leg stretch and a pick of grass???
 
Where's the 'raise eyebrows' smiley when you need it also!?!?!?

At the end of the day, it isnt dangerous that she is loose in the yard; what is iffy is that if I try to catch her unaided, she starts being silly. If I have food or a bucket, there is no problem. We quite often let her have the run of the yard whilst we're indoors; what I'm asking is, should I work through this, or should I resort to feeding her to catch her even though it is a blatant display of bad manners!
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ETA: Sorry if I didnt make clear the fact that it was only when I want to catch her that she mucks around; when left to her own devices, she wanders around and in/out of the stable quite happily!
 
i would wait patiently for her to come to you for a treat, use your voice and body language to call her, and hopefully not have to follow her around... it sounds as if she's making a game of it. the wind doesn't help at all, obviously.
from what you said, it sounds as if she could injure herself, certainly by catching her hips if she dives into her box, or even worse if she tries to jump out of the yard.
i don't think feeding her something as she submits to being caught is rewarding naughtiness, it's rewarding her submission.
i'd leave a headcollar on her all the time, too, to make it much easier to catch her. psychologically i think it makes them easier to catch too.
 
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Why don't you put her from the stable into the field instead of letting her wander round? surely that will be safer

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Because we dont have permanent turnout at the moment, and with the weather as it is she is still not overly happy in the field.


Kerilli - that's a very good point about the headcollar - she doesnt normally have it on but I think I will start putting it on her when I let her in the yard. Probably a good idea regardless of whether or not she is being silly really!
 
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Well if you haven't got permanent turnout that is probably why she is being "silly" too much energy and doesn't want to come in....

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Nope, can guarantee that isnt the case. She is being turned out and/or ridden every day, but needs to be supervised when she's in the field as there's a lot of tractors/muckspreaders etc going through - plus, as I have already said, the weather doesnt help! (and I am sure you will remember my previous post on this matter....
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)

Hence we cannot just 'leave her' in the field, but the yard is quite fine; she has some grass to pick at, chickens to chase, etc. So there is not a problem with being in the yard, only with being caught!
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(worth adding also that she is, and remains, fine to catch in the field!)
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I think the most obvious thing to do is tie her up with some hay to keep her occupied...until the weather improves or her mood does!
 
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How about shutting the stable door whilst she is in the yard so she cannot dive back in.

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I did that - put her chain across to stop her going in and risk catching herself on the door - it was then that she made out that she was going to try and jump the fence!

Thing is, my horse and I are both very strong willed individuals; I do not like her getting one over on me, but she is equally as stubborn!
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I know the feeling - I can't let my horse win any battle as he will then use that behaviour to get his own way whenever he wants. I try to find ways round things so he does what I want without an arguement. In this situation I would leave the headcollar on, or tie him up. That way he can't do what he wants and will try and find some other way to wind me up.
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Our mare often swings her bum on me when I go in the stable. I do put a handful of chaff in her feed bucket if I want to put a headcollar on. I personally think that a treat to make catching easier is fine if it avoids a dangerous situation
 
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