Now she is standing up!

[Switchthehorse]

My mare has just turned 6, she is IDxWB and to say a slow developer is an understatement, its forward one pace back 57! For the past two years we have struggled with going forward - unless we are out in open space when we have no probs at all! I have had everything checked over and over again and been told it is basically laziness and boredom really - she isnt a great fan of flatwork schooling, unfortunate as i want to do dressage one her.

We had issues with broncing, which hopefully we might be growing out of as it is getting less frequent.

I have had some lessons recently with some really good trainers and she has been going better - i was optimistic for a good prelim dressage test a couple of weeks ago... how wrong i was!!!

Ok it was a sunny spring morning, and there was lots going on BUT she went up to this place last year about 8 times and i never had a problem. She has never been nappy or difficult (apart from the broncs when overexcited!). Well sunday she started standing up for absolutely no reason, she kept trying to nap back to the box, refused to go past X and backed up for miles everytime she got excited. She stood up in the collecting ring several times and then several times in the test. I had to abandon both tests i was doing! the second one i only just made it down the centre line!

I am going to try taking her up again this weekend and thought i would pump her full of calmers and maybe lunge her before i got on - last time i rode her for over an hour and a half and it was still happening. Some people told me it was just the spring air and excitement about being out, others said I should have walloped her one when she did it the first time but to be honest she doesnt know her own body too well yet and has nearly gone over backwards before. I assumed it was just at the show but she did it again on tuesday riding in our outdoor school refusing to turn left and eventually standing up!

As i say EVERYTHING has been checked, back, teeth, full vet check, saddle etc. Sorry for the essay, I was just wondering if anyone had any advice? Is this just a teenage tantrum new trick kind of thing? Will she grow out of it? Should I have walloped her?!! Any ideas for next time out on sunday?

Thanks so much and sorry for the essay

 

[4faults]

As she is not very old I would say that yes it is teenage tanturms and she has gone form broncing to learning a new trick of rearing up she will probably eventually grow out of both when she learns that you wont let her get away with it.

I had one similar a few years ago and he became a problem in that he would do it as soon as you got on and you would find yourself sliding out the back door!! He was only 4 and our turnout had just been restricted so not totally his fault. It got so bad that he got a good crack between the ears which stopped it for awhile but whenever you asked him to do something you didnt want to he would go full height. In the end i asked my very brave instructor to help who put an old saddle on him and when he went up he slid one foot out of the stirrup and pulled the horse over backwards whilst jumping out of the way! Safe to say the poor boy never reared up again.

If you do not want to go that extreme route try pulling her down into a tight circle and then kicking her forward and repeat everytime she does it. Best of luck.

 

[Sleepeeze_dad]

In the end i asked my very brave instructor to help who put an old saddle on him and when he went up he slid one foot out of the stirrup and pulled the horse over backwards whilst jumping out of the way! Safe to say the poor boy never reared up again.

Not that i can help here but I bet that stopped him. Must have looked spectacular too and worrying

 

[4faults]

Very scary and I definetely wasnt brave enough to do it myself!!!! However when you have over half a ton of horse testing you everyday sometimes extreme measures are needed.

 

[Liesel]

I have just been trolling through HHO to find a solution to a similar problem.

We have a 6 next month 16.1hh warmblood mare who my 14 year old daughter rides. She is 5ft 10 so not much choice in getting a horse. When we got her she was fab. Came from a great home where she was bred. Hacked out perfectly, hunted and jumped small courses and generally a lot of fun. Won trophies for local jumping and dressage comps.

About a year ago she started napping. Nothing too serious just refusing to go forward if out alone on hack so I started to walk on foot with her and she was fine.

She then got wise and started to bounce on the spot. Not to get you off but definitely chucking her dummy. Three weeks ago she started to go up vertically. Needless to say not a great experience for a 14 year old. She is a very competent rider but not having had to deal with a horse who prefers to do meerkat impressions needless to say her confidence has taken a beating.

Everything culminated today with Pony Club teaming training with William Blane who was fantastic. Showjumping went great, we were waiting for her to misbehave but she didnt put a hoof wrong so we felt positive for the cross country bit. She started to nap as soon as she was asked to leave the others and went vertical. She got a lead around with a friends pony and again all went well. They were stood for a few minutes and daughter asked her to leave the others and up she went ! Vertical up and down about 5 times until daughter managed to jump off. I really did think she was going to go over.

I am at my wits end. We live on an Island where there is very limited help. Lots of instructors but no one willing to get on and sought it out other than one 22 yr old with experience of her own rearing horses in the past. She offered to help Ruby and our first lesson was last week and she got the better of the mare and things went well but she wasnt going vertical then. I know its early days with her and we are seeing her again next week and will do so as often as she can fit us in BUT I just dont know if we will get over this problem.

The mare is stunning with good breeding and a lovely horse on the ground and when hacking out with others but daughter has aspirations of heading to England to start intro eventing which the mare is more than capable of doing. Its just her attitude at the moment stinks!

I dont know whether to turn her away for a couple of months and she if she is more positive on her return to work and if so its great but if not take it from there and make some tough decisions.

I just wanted to share our story so you dont feel alone with your issues. If you get anywhere with your problems and manage to overcome them please let me know.

Sorry for rambling but it has been an emotional day and the wine it out !