wakijaki
Well-Known Member
Hoping someone can offer me some constructive advice.
Heres a bit of back ground info...
Owned a few ponies when i was younger. Did 2 and a bit years of equine studies as a teenager. Had a 14 year gap due to child. Started helping out with a friends horses and spent 8 months caring for them on a daily basis before deciding to get my own as it would be less work plus my friend decided to sell all hers.
So I admit I made all the classic mistakes - went to view on my own, no vet check. No trial. I assumed that as the mare I saw was from a local well known trekking center the woman could be trusted and I told her I was coming back after a long gap and hadn't had my own for so long and she assured me the pony would be low maintance, easy to keep and so quiet and safe.
So the mare was everything I was looking for - 14.2, 10 years old. Gorgeous looking haflinger. Been used for treks and lessons and lead rein so I thought perfect for my friends children to have a go on. She was described as slightly grumpy sometimes and didnt like a lot of fuss so they thought she would be better suited to a private home. Was also told she would sometimes buck in the school as she didn't like schooling but was very happy to hack out.
Anyway, rode her, loved her, mulled it over for the weekend and bought her.
Have got her in a field not far from my home which she shares with a 2 year old filly and my friends pony.
Let her settle in for a few days and then took her out with my friends pony as company a couple of times she was great. Rode her in the field and she stopped and bucked when asked to canter which i wasn't expecting but didn't come off.
Rode her out on my own - fine. Tried to take her out on my own again and She just stopped and refused to move. I tried everything to get her to move and in the end gave her a tap with the stick - she then had a few bucks in the road and kept trying to spin for home. Managed to get her to walk on a bit more and then took her back.
I then thought maybe she is in pain so have had her teeth done and her back done, tacked checked. all fine.
So tried to take her out again in company and she refused to leave the yard. I should add that by this time she has got good buddys with her field mate and when i do take her out the filly gallops about and screams for my pony which obvioulsy unsettles her to the point where i have difficulty just leading her away from the yard as she gets stressed, barging and jogging and snorting and trying to make me turn around. She has even bucked like this and I felt her legs go around me.
So i can't organise much company for her very often to hack out with and I can't get her to move unless she has someone to follow. Even if its someone on foot she is fine. Tried lunging her and she just bolts and goes crazy and comes at me and bucks inwards towards me so i can't even exercise her like that.
Have been leading her out in hand along the routes we will hack and she still naps but i just keep a steady pressure on her til she moves then release and she gives in and will try it on a few times and then walk lovely.
So today thought i would try taking her out again and it was a disaster. I led her down through the bottom field to the main road - the whole way she tried turning me round, pushing and barging into me but i didn't give in.
Finally got down and out the gate and mounted and then she just refused to move completely. there were 3 new road signs so it took me 20 minutes just to get her past the signs with lots of legs and verbal commands and flapping the rein ends on her neck. It took me between 30 - 40 minutes to get her what takes me 5 minutes to walk - then she just refused to move no matter what i did - so i got off and led her. Got back on after we went through another gate on a grass track she has been along 6 - 7 times now and i couldn't get her to move anywhere. I then spent another 30 - 40 minutes just trying to get her to go along the grass path while she did everything to spin for home.
I was totally exhausted by this point so we turned for home where she then barged through a half opened gate and got us both stuck. Resulting in £30 worth of brand new girth totally shredded and me with a very sore knee. the end result being once again i had to dismount and lead her home.
I just honestly don't know what to do - she is fine in company most of the time - but i wanted a horse that would be happy to go alone as if i always have to have someone with me then i am only going to be riding once a week maybe and the fact that i can't ride her in the field as she bucks and barges to the gate.
I have tried doing some natural horsemanship things with her and a few people said lead her in hand so she gets used to me and to build trust but i can't do that if she is barging and bucking and still refusing to move.
I contacted the woman who sold her to me and explained but the most i got was ' she was never like that here' and an offer to work with her for acouple of weeks if i arrange transport for her to go back.
Shes had 4 homes in 4 years according to her passport and i contacted her preivous owner and she said she was a lovely mare and too quiet for her but did buck sometimes if in the school too long. She advised me to give her some magnesuim oxide calming powder.
When shes not being like this she is lovely - very calm and relaxed and loves cuddles and comes to call.
I just dont know what to do - send her back or perserve
Heres a bit of back ground info...
Owned a few ponies when i was younger. Did 2 and a bit years of equine studies as a teenager. Had a 14 year gap due to child. Started helping out with a friends horses and spent 8 months caring for them on a daily basis before deciding to get my own as it would be less work plus my friend decided to sell all hers.
So I admit I made all the classic mistakes - went to view on my own, no vet check. No trial. I assumed that as the mare I saw was from a local well known trekking center the woman could be trusted and I told her I was coming back after a long gap and hadn't had my own for so long and she assured me the pony would be low maintance, easy to keep and so quiet and safe.
So the mare was everything I was looking for - 14.2, 10 years old. Gorgeous looking haflinger. Been used for treks and lessons and lead rein so I thought perfect for my friends children to have a go on. She was described as slightly grumpy sometimes and didnt like a lot of fuss so they thought she would be better suited to a private home. Was also told she would sometimes buck in the school as she didn't like schooling but was very happy to hack out.
Anyway, rode her, loved her, mulled it over for the weekend and bought her.
Have got her in a field not far from my home which she shares with a 2 year old filly and my friends pony.
Let her settle in for a few days and then took her out with my friends pony as company a couple of times she was great. Rode her in the field and she stopped and bucked when asked to canter which i wasn't expecting but didn't come off.
Rode her out on my own - fine. Tried to take her out on my own again and She just stopped and refused to move. I tried everything to get her to move and in the end gave her a tap with the stick - she then had a few bucks in the road and kept trying to spin for home. Managed to get her to walk on a bit more and then took her back.
I then thought maybe she is in pain so have had her teeth done and her back done, tacked checked. all fine.
So tried to take her out again in company and she refused to leave the yard. I should add that by this time she has got good buddys with her field mate and when i do take her out the filly gallops about and screams for my pony which obvioulsy unsettles her to the point where i have difficulty just leading her away from the yard as she gets stressed, barging and jogging and snorting and trying to make me turn around. She has even bucked like this and I felt her legs go around me.
So i can't organise much company for her very often to hack out with and I can't get her to move unless she has someone to follow. Even if its someone on foot she is fine. Tried lunging her and she just bolts and goes crazy and comes at me and bucks inwards towards me so i can't even exercise her like that.
Have been leading her out in hand along the routes we will hack and she still naps but i just keep a steady pressure on her til she moves then release and she gives in and will try it on a few times and then walk lovely.
So today thought i would try taking her out again and it was a disaster. I led her down through the bottom field to the main road - the whole way she tried turning me round, pushing and barging into me but i didn't give in.
Finally got down and out the gate and mounted and then she just refused to move completely. there were 3 new road signs so it took me 20 minutes just to get her past the signs with lots of legs and verbal commands and flapping the rein ends on her neck. It took me between 30 - 40 minutes to get her what takes me 5 minutes to walk - then she just refused to move no matter what i did - so i got off and led her. Got back on after we went through another gate on a grass track she has been along 6 - 7 times now and i couldn't get her to move anywhere. I then spent another 30 - 40 minutes just trying to get her to go along the grass path while she did everything to spin for home.
I was totally exhausted by this point so we turned for home where she then barged through a half opened gate and got us both stuck. Resulting in £30 worth of brand new girth totally shredded and me with a very sore knee. the end result being once again i had to dismount and lead her home.
I just honestly don't know what to do - she is fine in company most of the time - but i wanted a horse that would be happy to go alone as if i always have to have someone with me then i am only going to be riding once a week maybe and the fact that i can't ride her in the field as she bucks and barges to the gate.
I have tried doing some natural horsemanship things with her and a few people said lead her in hand so she gets used to me and to build trust but i can't do that if she is barging and bucking and still refusing to move.
I contacted the woman who sold her to me and explained but the most i got was ' she was never like that here' and an offer to work with her for acouple of weeks if i arrange transport for her to go back.
Shes had 4 homes in 4 years according to her passport and i contacted her preivous owner and she said she was a lovely mare and too quiet for her but did buck sometimes if in the school too long. She advised me to give her some magnesuim oxide calming powder.
When shes not being like this she is lovely - very calm and relaxed and loves cuddles and comes to call.
I just dont know what to do - send her back or perserve
