New horse-mounting problems/napping :(

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SarahRicoh

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Hi all,

Well Iv recently got a new horse, 15.3hh, bay, tb mare. Shes very calm for a tb and actually quite lazy but has been out of work for over a year. My plan was to kind of reback her but as people pointed out on here, I didnt really need to so after a bit of groundwork I hopped on.

She is quite backwards and lazy in general so working on getting her more forward in the school but she has been a good girl, considering shes had so long off. Shes been out round the block hacking with a friend and her horse and was a good girl, barely looked at anything! Shes brill in the school and to lunge etc so I'm really pleased with that. Loose jumped her today and shes got a good jump so really looking forward to future.

Back lady has been and she has quite sore withers and a misaligned pelvis but wasn't awful and saddle fits well for now (til she muscles out and gets wider), her teeth are next on list of things to do(in a happy mouth snaffle as very soft mouth) and shes slowly putting on some condition.

Anyway, she is a pain in the a** to mount... She wont mount from the outdoor block at the moment but will from in the school so I can lead her up to it and get on but as soon as I'm on I need to do up girth and that's where problems start.
I don't know if shes still in pain/remembers the pain/is being marey or just naughty so I haven't wanted to be too harsh on her but the other day I got off and my friend got on and she didn't mess around then when I did up girth so possibly thinking its not pain and I've had her checked out so although she was in pain with her back it should be better now and back lady okayed me to hack out and school (only walk atm).

When I get on she tries to go backwards and will cow kick/kick out at who ever is doing my girth up, she has recently started to hump and has done a little buck. I cant do the girth up myself as shes quite bad and its a dressage saddle so don't fancy leaning right down if shes going to play up. I say 'no' firmly and kick her forwards when she backs up but I really need to sort it as I cant get on unaided :( Once on and going shes fine. I do wonder whether shes used to walking whilst doing her girth up and this is the problem so may try that-although not that easy when someone else is doing up the girth.
Any ideas of how to get her to behave/why she's doing it etc..?

ALSO,
in company she hacks well and is a good girl (again just walk and tiny bit of trot) but only as long as shes following and I mean literally head to tail (Shes been in a riding school in her past). As soon as I ask her to go alongside/in front she bends so her head is turning but shes still behind and she ignores my legs/seat to push her on. If I put it up a notch and give her a little tap she bucks and becomes worse. If I just let her follow shes perfect but I cant have that. I'm trying to do it in baby steps (eg. just get her head next to other horse) but wondering what everyone else would do?
I have also tried to hack out alone (with my friend walking) and she was a nightmare! Lazy, backwards, bucking, trying to turn round and backing me into a ditch! So yesterday my friend cycled with me to try again and she was good as gold but AGAIN only when following the bike literally head to wheel..
I'm going to use the bike and company and try and gradually get her alongside then in front but I can't always rely on having people around to help and I cant even get on alone :( I plan to move her to my new job in a few weeks and Il have no help so feel like I'm screwed.

Any suggestions would be great :D Sorry for the essay
 
Could you walk her a little then come back to try and do her girth? That is, if you're sure it's not pain? My mare started being naughty when her saddle wasn't right.

When I first rode my mare out, I was terrified, she was so naughty! I thought "what have I done?!" But I didn't give up, because I'm an arsey madam myself. Lo and behold she's foot perfect, her naughtness lasted maybe, two-three rides, don't give up - keep on keeping on at her, sounds like she's trying you out!

Thinking back, every horse bar one has tried me out - you have to stake your claim and stick to it :)
 
What kind of happy mouth bit are you using? Personally I hate them, they get raggy quickly. Secondly what kind of girth have you got? Have you had her checked for stomach ulcers?
 
My horse has a pelvis problem and I know as soon as it is going out as he become fidgety at the mounting block. He also becomes more sensitive in his mouth and doesn't like rugs being thrown over him.

It may take 2 or 3 treatments to get the pelvis in and then you need to muscle it in correctly. I would suggest that only walk straight lines (ridden or I hand) for a few weeks. If you do too much too early then it will probably become misaligned again and you will have problems.

Get the back lady to show you how to judge for yourself whether the pelvis is missligned - there are some simple ways of doing this.

Finally, whenever my horse has been through a sore pelvis, I have to regain his confidence with mounting. I do this by getting on very calmly, however long it takes, and when I am on board he gets a pat and a treat - they soon work that one out!!
 
I just re-read and saw you've had her checked out. Remembered pain can be very real to a horse, so maybe patience and perserverence will help? Be firm and fair.
 
I wont give up as im determined she'll behave lol!
Its just a loose ring, single jointed snaffle. She's had a thick metal one(She came With) which she hated so I put a thin, metal snaffle in and she was better but she actually prefers her happy mouth although I'm going to try get her a sweet iron bit soon.

She's in a synthetic, dressage girth that's shaped like this...
wintec_chafeless_elastic_dressage_girth.jpg


and ulcers is the only other thing I've thought about so for now I'm feeding her a handful of chaff before riding and going to put her on something to treat the ulcers to see if it makes any difference
 
Thanks Canteron good point! She said it may take a while for her to seem happy (if its remembered pain) but shes coming out again soon to check her over again but I'l ask about checking if her pelvis is out myself.

Thanks all :)
 
Fair enough think I defo agree about remembering pain. The ulcers it might be worth looking into and see what the dentist says. X
 
My youngster started getting girthy more and more and I have a similar girth to that, just not a dressage girth. Am trying to ensure saddle is fitting right and he had been ok in it. It's just his objection to the girth seems to have got worse. Tried the saddle without any cloth/pad on the other day to see how it actually fit. I tightened the girth and asked for him to move and he flipped completely! Bronced and reared, actually landing on me as he went up over my head. Something clearly hurt. Therefore I am going to try a 'normal' girth again as I suspect the girth is maybe too wide. As for the hacking alone? My sister's horse was the same as he'd never seen anything other than another horse's bottom out hacking. We gradually started by inching him forwards, beside the other horse and them to have his nose in front. It did take a while bit we got there and he hacks out fine alone now
 
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