New horse being difficult to catch...

[Whizza]

Writing in behalf of a friend.

She had her new pony delivered on Thursday. Seemed perfectly settled almost straight away.
Didn't do too much with him Friday and today I hacked my mare and my friend walked her pony in hand as she has yet to get a saddle fitted. He didn't put a foot wrong! And hasn't done since he arrived to be fair.

After our hack, we turned them both back out and then a friend arrived with a saddle to just try on him, well, we couldn't catch him at all. And the more we tried the more aggressive he was. He started trying to kick out and charge at us.
Her question is, do you think he was just annoyed at being asked to be taken out the field again after he had just been put back in or do you think this could be general aggression?

My friend is a first time horse owner and is quite worried that she's bought the wrong horse!

Personally I think he was annoyed at having been worked and then turned back out to graze, then being expected to go back out again. I'm slightly concerned at how aggressive he got
He's also in with my mare so not on his own.

Tia

 

[WandaMare]

I think it was because he had just been put out and didn't want to come straight back in, perfectly normal behaviour. He may have been aggressive because he was hungry if you had just got back from a hack, lots of animals get cross if you try to take them away from food. Also if he only arrived on Thursday then he probably just wants a few minutes peace to settle in.

I don't think she needs to start worrying yet, the fact he was so good on the hack is the thing I would focus on for now.

 

[Whizza]

Thank you! That's what my initial thought was. I've just got back from giving them hay nets for the night and he seems about back to normal.

Hopefully your reply will put my friends mind at rest.

Thanks again

 

[Equestrienne]

Yup I think if you get this situation again, to bribe them as much as poss! I wouldn't like being disturbed multiple times - so maybe a bucket of feed next time will be acceptable bribery.

 

[Whizza]

Thank you.

Going to take them both out again today as the weather is lovely, but have learnt from this and won't disturb him too much after!

 

[Princess16]

Writing in behalf of a friend.

She had her new pony delivered on Thursday. Seemed perfectly settled almost straight away.
Didn't do too much with him Friday and today I hacked my mare and my friend walked her pony in hand as she has yet to get a saddle fitted. He didn't put a foot wrong! And hasn't done since he arrived to be fair.

After our hack, we turned them both back out and then a friend arrived with a saddle to just try on him, well, we couldn't catch him at all. And the more we tried the more aggressive he was. He started trying to kick out and charge at us.
Her question is, do you think he was just annoyed at being asked to be taken out the field again after he had just been put back in or do you think this could be general aggression?

My friend is a first time horse owner and is quite worried that she's bought the wrong horse!

Personally I think he was annoyed at having been worked and then turned back out to graze, then being expected to go back out again. I'm slightly concerned at how aggressive he got
He's also in with my mare so not on his own.

Tia

Yes Deffo peed off I would say. Imagine having finished your shift at work and then your boss asks you to come back in

I have always lived by the rule 'think like a horse' helps a lot in analysing their behaviour !

I'm sure he will be fine today ! Let us know how it goes .

 

[oldie48]

Is he in with just a mare? TBH although I know he's settling in I'd be a bit careful that he's not getting his own way. I'd have got the mare in and gone out to catch him, he may have behaved differently in the field on his own. It is totally unacceptable for any horse to show aggression towards an owner in the field, it is dangerous behaviour and frankly I don't care if he's just been turned out, worked or not. Every time you handle a horse you are training him, so if he charges in the field and gets to stay out you are teaching him that if he doesn't want to come in, all he has to do is charge you. I also don't believe in bribing, by all means give him a slice of carrot when he's caught as a reward, I sometimes give a polo when I turn out so the horse waits patiently whilst I take off the head collar before he gallops off but buckets of food! Please be careful that he doesn't become too attached to the mare, when I was a first horse owner I had this happen and it became a serious problem.

 

[Whizza]

Is he in with just a mare? TBH although I know he's settling in I'd be a bit careful that he's not getting his own way. I'd have got the mare in and gone out to catch him, he may have behaved differently in the field on his own. It is totally unacceptable for any horse to show aggression towards an owner in the field, it is dangerous behaviour and frankly I don't care if he's just been turned out, worked or not. Every time you handle a horse you are training him, so if he charges in the field and gets to stay out you are teaching him that if he doesn't want to come in, all he has to do is charge you. I also don't believe in bribing, by all means give him a slice of carrot when he's caught as a reward, I sometimes give a polo when I turn out so the horse waits patiently whilst I take off the head collar before he gallops off but buckets of food! Please be careful that he doesn't become too attached to the mare, when I was a first horse owner I had this happen and it became a serious problem.

Thank you for your reply.

He's been with us 2 weeks now. He's in with my mare but we have separated the paddock into two with electric fence as he was chasing her off at feed time as he was finishing first. He's a bit better at being caught but I think it's because he's getting to know us and we him. He does try his luck every so often and doesn't want to be caught but we persevere and usually win now. He's a grumpy ol boy in the paddock, but once out of the field he doesn't put a foot wrong. We took them both out with another lady who showed us a new track today and he wasn't fazed by anything new at all. My mare had a hissy fit at a scarecrow, cows and an underpass that she hadn't seen before but he just wasn't fazed at all. He just looks at my mare as if to say pull yourself together woman! He's brilliant in every situation he really is. He's just a grumpy old man in his paddock!

He can be nappy in the school, but that's a whole different story!! Haha x