new horse trouble

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cindydog

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ok, now had horse a week and have rode only few mins in arena that is still all mushy wet, anyway decided to lunge her yesterday and I was holding her whilst friend put roller on and she bit me, my fingers got it, ouch! Carried on and she kept stopping facing me I moved she moved face on, had to keep starting from scratch every few mins, we gave her a check over and I could see she had foal sometime in past my friend said no as milk was still there so foal taken off not long ago and she has gone into season, she was sold to me as suitable for novice a great safe hack, quiet to work with, I feel her nature is good however this is a mare returning to work and I dont think I am up reschooling a horse and now I feel I might have to sell her on to someone experianced. will have her a few weeks yet as waiting on passport change over, so will be working with her every day, should I be just walking her everywhere to take things easy? and how long for?
 
Jeez you have had her only a week, give the girl time to settle in, for god sake , she doesn't know you or your friend from Adam, she's in a place she most probably doesn't know, routine she doesn't know etc:- It's like picking you up and dumping you down in the middle of London and saying find yourself a place to live + job in a week.
 
Ditto Echo Bravo

She definately needs time to settle in, for her it will all be strange, new place, new horses & new people! You need to get to know eachother, grooming session, walking out in hand, hand-grazing all should help :)
 
She could have been mis-sold to you, or it could just be that she is testing you out - they all do it! You certainly should have been told that she has recently had a foal but if she was an easy horse before she most likely will be again. Take things slowly with her, do a lot of 'groundwork' (walking in-hand) with and make it clear that you expect her to behave. If she doesn't do as you want, tell her off in no uncertain terms. If she bites you again, slap her hard, this mimics what another horse would do and will put her back in her place. Spend as much time as you can with her every day until you get to know each other. Bear in mind that she may not have done much lunging before and genuinely didn't know what you wanted her to do. Get a very experienced friend or an instructor who you trust to help you when you are both ready for her to be ridden and you should be fine.
Good luck!
 
You need to give her more time to settle, she is learning to trust you and you to trust her. We've got a new horse and we've had him two and a half weeks, he has settled in very well but he has tested us on a couple of occasions but this isn't his fault it's just things that he has been allowed to do in his own home that we don't want him to do in ours. We've been very consistent with him and also just spent time with him grooming him, handling him on the ground and hanging out with him. We've also done things with him in pairs just in case and it keeps everyone calmer.

If she's in season or coming into season she could be being mareish but I think it's also alot that you're both prob very unsure of each other at the moment. You need to confident but calm with her and don't be frightened to ask for help from someone more experienced. I've had horses for 10yrs but I'm still going to get my riding instructor to walk on foot with me for our first few solo hacks just as a extra pair of hands if needed.

I hope this helps, it is hard getting to know each other but it's worth it. Just remember she's come from a different home with a totally different set of rules and it must be very confusing for her. Could you also perhaps ask her previous owners for help/advice.
 
Please give her a chance she is in a new place doesnt know you may feel wary, i have just bought another two one i was told you coudnt catch in the field must leave headcollar on i wouldnt do this for safety she hasnt been a problem at all, other has been a bit nippy trying to kick but as she has realised we are nice and she has been given lots of praise she is getting more relaxed and starting to trust us.

Be firm but give lots of praise try and look confident give the horse time to get used to you groom and handle and do nice things togethor, if you treat them the right way they soon come round.:)
 
Give her time to settle, it can take a while but use the time tobuild the trust,
grooming is good,teach stable manners, make it clear what you expect and
won't tolerate,our mare was very bargy, it takes time and lots of patience but well worth it.
Using join up is a quick method of building trust but imo slowly does it better
 
Doing grooming and plan to start walking her out tomorrow as the gelding that's been mounting her is loosing interest and she I hope should be more focused on me.
I do have plan and I am keeping in mind settling in time..people are happy to help..I am scared of her being a biter as children involved, time will tell. I have put a calmer in feed (feel good 30) to help relax her a bit, when she bit me I never gave her in to trouble as feeling sorry for myself..I will keep you updated and with luck and help from my friends I hope to be on here in a few weeks saying that I was worried for nothing..
 
did you ride her before you bought her?

If no, why not?!

and if yes, then she must have been alright so wont need reschooling.

Its only a week, if your worried she'll start biting dont tit-bit (feed carrots etc from a bucket if you have to)
 
I feel really sorry for your poor horse. Bless her, she's just had a foal taken off her and has been dumped in a home with someone who isn't willing to understand her at all.

1. She bit you when she was having her roller done up. Lots of horses do this especially mares in season as it can hurt! You should do her roller up gently and slowly and stand out of the way in case she does try to nip.

2. She will turn into you on the lunge if your standing in front of her. You are inviting her in. You should slowly move untill your shoulders are facing her tail and then get her to move on, you need to be driving her forwards making a triangle with your lunge line and whip.

I'm sorry if I sound a little harsh but give the horse a chance and some understanding. All horses will have their moments no matter how safe.

If you do pass her on, sell her to someone who knows what they are doing so the poor love can have a hope.
 
Very willing to understand and thats whats good about being in forum, what I dont understand all I have to do is come on here and say whats going on and get the help for us both to bond and boost my confidence. she is a lovely horse, I sense that ( does that sound silly) its my inexperiance about re training a horse that worries me as I want to make it better for us not worse, as for lungeing was trying to keep the triangle, will make sure at all times where I am standing in relation to my horse, she comes to me in field and will follow me round arena so thats good.
 
cindydog said:
Doing grooming and plan to start walking her out tomorrow as the gelding that's been mounting her is loosing interest and she I hope should be more focused on me.I do have plan and I am keeping in mind settling in time..people are happy to help..I am scared of her being a biter as children involved, time will tell. I have put a calmer in feed (feel good 30) to help relax her a bit, when she bit me I never gave her in to trouble as feeling sorry for myself..I will keep you updated and with luck and help from my friends I hope to be on here in a few weeks saying that I was worried for nothing..
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What the heck are you doing?
 
I agree with Firewell that your horse has suddenly gone through a lot of change and her behaviour is not unreasonable, and she probably just needs to settle, and to understand and accept her place in her new life. You can ease this process by spending lots of unstressful time with her, handling her calmly and firmly and being consistent about what is allowed and what is not.
However I do think that FW was a little harsh saying you are not willing to understand. It seems to me that you would not have come looking for advice and reassurance if you were not willing to understand.
Persevere, everyone on here just wants you and your horse to build a mutually happy partnership which will last for many years. Get help from experienced friends and instructors, and get to know and enjoy your new lovely horse!
Good luck x
 
Hi, will try to give you a fuller picture, she is out at grass 32 open acres, mixed mares and geldings, I do part them when I bring horse down from top fields to spend time with her then he wanders down after her, he was gelded a few months ago, and mare just wants to be with him, have been told he wll lose interest in her after 2/3 days and this morning she was standing well away from him, there is going to be stables built and tack up areas in near future. so at moment nowhere to separate them.
Tomorrow we are going on hack together with friend walking with me, have got her a hi viz and leg straps and I have all my hi viz so we should clearly be seen only going out for short walk 15/20 mins and I am looking forward to it.
 
Are you being serious?

Are you actually saying that you are letting a newly gelding gelding mount your mare?

Are you not remotely concerned about injuries?

I really hope you are joking!!!

As for the turning in when lunging, classic signs of a horse that has NEVER lunged.

She doesnt understand what your asking her to do. And if she has been lunged before then you are not communicating what you want to her.

Still can get over that you are letting a gleding mount her...jeez
 
I think you have to think of your horse as going a way to a new school. She's got to cope with a totally new enviroment, new playmates, new peckimg order, a randy gelding and then there is this stupid humane who she desn't really know from adam pestering her. Whew.
Try and get into a routine. What ever you do, do it in a certain order. If you have been giving her a tibit to catch fine, but only when she's stood and let you put her head collar on and only one.
Establish your rules, and quietly make her stick to them. Nipping is not allowed, if you are not quick enough to catch across the nose for this a nasty growl and a no. Our old pony stiill tries to do this when you are girthing him up, so if someone less experienced is doing it we give him a carrot to give his mouth something to do.
Plan out what you are doing to do, how you are going to do it and think out what you will do if things do not turnout what you expected.
So much of riding and horsemanagement is being one step ahead of them all the time. And soon you will be doing it without thinking.
If possible and I know it hard on livery yards, get the yard owner to make a corral as a tacking up,grooming,having the farriar place. I
 
guido16 said:
Are you being serious?

Are you actually saying that you are letting a newly gelding gelding mount your mare?

Are you not remotely concerned about injuries?

I really hope you are joking!!!

As for the turning in when lunging, classic signs of a horse that has NEVER lunged.

She doesnt understand what your asking her to do. And if she has been lunged before then you are not communicating what you want to her.

Still can get over that you are letting a gleding mount her...jeez
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Poor mare, I dispair! There is nothing more I can add. I would sell her and quickly to someone who knows a little more. I know that sounds harsh but............. really!
 
For what it's worth I think you need to get an experienced instructor out ASAP to assess both you and your mare and advise you on what you should do. I don't mean this unkindly but you do come across as rather inexperienced and you could get yourself into a lot of trouble.

Try not to feed tit-bits for no good reason, you will just be encouraging her to bite. Use food as a reward but teach a 'leave it' exercise first of all to teach the animal not to search and grab for the food.
 
firewell said:
I feel really sorry for your poor horse. Bless her, she's just had a foal taken off her and has been dumped in a home with someone who isn't willing to understand her at all.

1. She bit you when she was having her roller done up. Lots of horses do this especially mares in season as it can hurt! You should do her roller up gently and slowly and stand out of the way in case she does try to nip.

2. She will turn into you on the lunge if your standing in front of her. You are inviting her in. You should slowly move untill your shoulders are facing her tail and then get her to move on, you need to be driving her forwards making a triangle with your lunge line and whip.

I'm sorry if I sound a little harsh but give the horse a chance and some understanding. All horses will have their moments no matter how safe.

If you do pass her on, sell her to someone who knows what they are doing so the poor love can have a hope.
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Totally Agree with you Firewall
 
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