New horse testing me or just lack of trust?

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KalaJ

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Ive had my new mare just over 2 weeks now, before i bought her she hadnt been ridden for a year and was only being brought in from field a couple of times a month!

Since Ive had her she has been brought in every day so i can start sorting her fitness out and to feed her properly. For the first week everything was fine but last week a couple of times she did not want to be caught, i had to follow her around the field until she have up! Today my friend at the yard had to get her in for me as was at work but again she wouldnt be caught, this time she was trotting and cantering off, so she has been out all day!

Also yesterday after i had finished lunging her and took her back to stable she turned her back on me and stood with her head in the corner of the stable for a good 5 mins, i cant understand why as she had done really well and we only did 15 mins! I feel like she doesnt like me very much at the moment. Is this just a phase or something else? Sorry its such a long post im just worried.
 
Ive ridden her twice for 15 mins and lunged her twice again for 15 mins in the 17 days Ive had her so not excessively. Im taking it slowly, so i thought? Maybe its too much for her?
 
Our new one was like this a couple of weeks after we got him. He was very friendly initially, coming to us every time we appeared. When he felt a little happier in the new herd he decided that he didn't want to be caught and would turn his backside on me!

I had to use the "chase away / join up" method to catch him after having first removed his buddies from the field. He gave up relatively quickly.

I think it's a bit of both, ie testing the boundaries and a lack of trust. I think ours didn't like us much to start with and wanted to go back to his old owners of five years.

I was quite down about it, but having come through it, I think it's just a phase. Ours is testing us in different ways now, but hopefully he'll be fine in the end.
 
Mine is still at the yard she has been at for years so no real upheaval. I dont want to use the word neglect but the guy that had her before me didnt look after her properly and certainly never fed her properly! She is lovely in all other ways and so gentle with my daughter who prior to me getting her "hated" horses (typical 15 year old lol).
 
Sounds as though she's testing you out a bit, similar experience with my horse who was very reluctant to be caught and worked when we first got him. I think they just have to get used to a new routine and then start to bond
 
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