Ginn
Well-Known Member
A while back I posted that we now have a little chestnut mare on permenant loan (well my YO does and has told us that she is as much ours as hers as she doesn't ride).
Now psycho beast background is interesting - she was very much a pet to the age of 8 (last year) when she was sent away to be broken. Owner then had her back for a few months and turned her away for the winter. In about April she was brought back into work and put out on loan late may to a 12 year old who found her nappiness too much so left her in a field for the final 11 weeks of the 12 they had her for. Owner took her back and got on her twice the week we went to try her (mid sept). She was clearly very green but also seemed genuine and a nice sort to have and my YO decided that she'd really like her so now has her on permenant loan (so its not like we can send her back as she's not ours to send back!).
Her manners have been appauling and make Tilly look like the best mannered show pony in the country. She is rude, bulshy, won't tie up without swingging, pawing, stamping and squealing. To ride she has really good moments but also some awful ones. All we have asked of her is to behave for short periods in the school and have been trying to teach her to work off the leg (as she thinks that leg = speed!) However, she will not lunge and when you finally get her out she gets faster and won't stop! and this seems to wind her up so we have been getting straight on her which is better than faffing first.
BUT she will not walk the 100m to the school without either spinning, napping and putting in very small rears unless someone leads her from the ground. Once in the school she can be perfect on minute and in the last 2 weeks has become increasingly nappy to the point of going up - not a lot, only about 1ft off the ground in front and its usually in an attempt to spin. We were warned of her nappiness before she arrived and when we tried her she did is a little but nothing like this. I choose to get on her back and that is my choice, my decision and if I damage myself then it is my fault so please no comments on shooting her/sending her back etc. Kiri atm is not allowed to ride or handle her! If we catch the rearing/napping in time and are quick to send her on then she doesn't do it, however we have had some interesting canter transitions from walk!
This in itself I can just about manage - my instructor is comming up and is going to try and work her through it together. Plan B is to turn her away for the winter and re-start her from the beginning after xmas, with just some inhand work similar to what I do with Tilly in the mean time.
I will also say at this point that she HAS HAD EVERYTHING CHECKED - TACK, BACK, TEETH, MY POSITION ON HER BACK. She is ridden in a french link toose ring with a caverson noseband.
The bigger problem I have however is her increasing lack of respect for people and my horse! Last night was the final straw when she was very agressive toward Tilly by chasing her round the field with her ears flat back and teeth out for 20 mins and whenever tilly tried to stop she double barrelled her. When it seemed that she had finally stopped I went over to check Tilly who was very sore and in a state only for her to double barrel me 3 times in sucession only to miss by a few cm and only to be stopped when Tilly stood between the two of us and provided a way for me to get out the field. Yes I was waering a hat. I have never seen a horse this agressive before and in the month we have had her we have not seen this side to her character. I'll also add that it was tea time and due to work they got fed 45mins later than the rest of the week.
This morning I go up to find my horse waiting for me with a nasty kick just below her R hock on the inside with a little heat and swelling surrounding it and as I brough her in (Whilest shooing the evil one away with a lunge whip - the only way I could get her away from my horse!) I noticed that she is sore and stiff all round and she was clearly happy to be tucked up in bed for the day. She has about 8 other kicks and lots of little swollen bruises on her. YO came up as I was sorting her out and I explained what had happened last night and showed her Tilly's injuries. She thinks that chels (aka evil psycho one) is feeling insecure and is being over confident and over dominent as a result of this. She was better this morning as was getting herself in a state through being left on her own but thats tough! YO and I have agreed to keep Tilly in for the next day or so and possibly put them in separate paddocks for a few days. However, she did remind me that Tilly was a handfull when she first arrived and the first few months were not easy with her either. Very kindly she also said how having seen the progress T has made with pateince and firm handling that she wants to give chels a chance (fair enough). But does anyone have any thoughts on this? I really am at my wits end with this and am fast loosing patience!
Well done if you made it too the end, cyber choccies are on their way!
Now psycho beast background is interesting - she was very much a pet to the age of 8 (last year) when she was sent away to be broken. Owner then had her back for a few months and turned her away for the winter. In about April she was brought back into work and put out on loan late may to a 12 year old who found her nappiness too much so left her in a field for the final 11 weeks of the 12 they had her for. Owner took her back and got on her twice the week we went to try her (mid sept). She was clearly very green but also seemed genuine and a nice sort to have and my YO decided that she'd really like her so now has her on permenant loan (so its not like we can send her back as she's not ours to send back!).
Her manners have been appauling and make Tilly look like the best mannered show pony in the country. She is rude, bulshy, won't tie up without swingging, pawing, stamping and squealing. To ride she has really good moments but also some awful ones. All we have asked of her is to behave for short periods in the school and have been trying to teach her to work off the leg (as she thinks that leg = speed!) However, she will not lunge and when you finally get her out she gets faster and won't stop! and this seems to wind her up so we have been getting straight on her which is better than faffing first.
BUT she will not walk the 100m to the school without either spinning, napping and putting in very small rears unless someone leads her from the ground. Once in the school she can be perfect on minute and in the last 2 weeks has become increasingly nappy to the point of going up - not a lot, only about 1ft off the ground in front and its usually in an attempt to spin. We were warned of her nappiness before she arrived and when we tried her she did is a little but nothing like this. I choose to get on her back and that is my choice, my decision and if I damage myself then it is my fault so please no comments on shooting her/sending her back etc. Kiri atm is not allowed to ride or handle her! If we catch the rearing/napping in time and are quick to send her on then she doesn't do it, however we have had some interesting canter transitions from walk!
This in itself I can just about manage - my instructor is comming up and is going to try and work her through it together. Plan B is to turn her away for the winter and re-start her from the beginning after xmas, with just some inhand work similar to what I do with Tilly in the mean time.
I will also say at this point that she HAS HAD EVERYTHING CHECKED - TACK, BACK, TEETH, MY POSITION ON HER BACK. She is ridden in a french link toose ring with a caverson noseband.
The bigger problem I have however is her increasing lack of respect for people and my horse! Last night was the final straw when she was very agressive toward Tilly by chasing her round the field with her ears flat back and teeth out for 20 mins and whenever tilly tried to stop she double barrelled her. When it seemed that she had finally stopped I went over to check Tilly who was very sore and in a state only for her to double barrel me 3 times in sucession only to miss by a few cm and only to be stopped when Tilly stood between the two of us and provided a way for me to get out the field. Yes I was waering a hat. I have never seen a horse this agressive before and in the month we have had her we have not seen this side to her character. I'll also add that it was tea time and due to work they got fed 45mins later than the rest of the week.
This morning I go up to find my horse waiting for me with a nasty kick just below her R hock on the inside with a little heat and swelling surrounding it and as I brough her in (Whilest shooing the evil one away with a lunge whip - the only way I could get her away from my horse!) I noticed that she is sore and stiff all round and she was clearly happy to be tucked up in bed for the day. She has about 8 other kicks and lots of little swollen bruises on her. YO came up as I was sorting her out and I explained what had happened last night and showed her Tilly's injuries. She thinks that chels (aka evil psycho one) is feeling insecure and is being over confident and over dominent as a result of this. She was better this morning as was getting herself in a state through being left on her own but thats tough! YO and I have agreed to keep Tilly in for the next day or so and possibly put them in separate paddocks for a few days. However, she did remind me that Tilly was a handfull when she first arrived and the first few months were not easy with her either. Very kindly she also said how having seen the progress T has made with pateince and firm handling that she wants to give chels a chance (fair enough). But does anyone have any thoughts on this? I really am at my wits end with this and am fast loosing patience!
Well done if you made it too the end, cyber choccies are on their way!
urple">Chestnut mares eh!!!
