Out of character - any suggestions!

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Cherico

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I've had a bit of a nightmare over the last couple of days as my normally well mannered mare has turned into a bolsy handful who has terrified the 70 year old yard owner.

The only change to her routine is that her usual field is mud bound so we've had to turn her out in a new field that still has quite a bit of grass. Feed wise she's getting half a bale of hay over night, a large haynet in the morning and two handfuls of chaff with one scoop of non-heating pony nuts with carrots pm. She shares the yard with the owners 2 horses and my daughters pony. Things came to a head two nights a go when I went up to the field to bring her in - the owners left me closing the gate while they went on ahead and my mare started leaping around and took off. Unfortunately I couldn't hang on to her and galloped off to catch the others up. Granted she's a big 16.2 cob so it must have been quite intimidating to have her bearing down on you at speed but this is the first time she's ever exploded like this, although she has been quite bargey over the last couple of days and has forced her way through gates when the owners have been trying to bring their horses in/out.

I'm at a complete loss as to what has caused the change of character - I've cut out the hard feed as general consensus was that that may be the cause but last night we were given notice as the owners think she's too dangerous to have on the yard. We don't have another yard to move her too so I need to try and resolve the situation quickly so any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Personally I think they're being a bit OTT as this is the first time she's being naughty other than breaking the odd fence post, which we've always replaced.

Has anyone any suggestions?
 
Hi,

Why don't you contact Mickey Gavin, he will resolve your problem very quickly, he is excellent! Contact me if you would like his number.
 
Hi Kim, who is Mickey Gavin? I've had he for 4 years and normally she's a bit of a plod. The worry of trying to find a new yard has kept me up most of the night - the yard she's on is so convenient I really don't want to move her but I can appreciate the owners are in their 70's and are now nervous of her. She's on DIY but in the past they have turned her out or brought her in if needed.
 
If it only started since she went to the new field then that is obviously the problem. Has she the same companions etc or are they changed too?
 
Could you separate your two from the owners two, at least in the short term? That would at least give you time to solve the problem without them feeling threatened, while you trial & error what the cause is.
 
I think it's something in the air as we have had horses all over the place in the last two weeks. They're all being more of a handful such as you've described and I suspect they know something about weather changes that we don't notice.

I said to someone last night that their instincts are telling them to head for the summer valleys!!:D

Anyway, I wouldn't panic just yet. Watch the hard feed and up the hay and magnesium.
It always works for me;)
 
Hi,

Where are you in the country, Mickey Gavin is based in Nottinghamshire, he is a natural horsemanship trainer, I really would recommend him, call me if you want a chat on 07854 773539, I can then give you his number if you like. Or, you can go to his website: http://www.truehorsemanship.com/
Kim
 
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Could be the new grass, it's quite lethal this time even this late in the year!

Use a bridle with a longer lead rein (with gloves) to bring her in or out and don't give a fig about her mouth if she tries to barge off, give her a damn big yank back, it's pure bad manners and you need to get back on top of them.
 
Maesfen said:
Could be the new grass, it's quite lethal this time even this late in the year!

Use a bridle with a longer lead rein (with gloves) to bring her in or out and don't give a fig about her mouth if she tries to barge off, give her a damn big yank back, it's pure bad manners and you need to get back on top of them.
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This ^^ I have to do this with my big boy otherwise he gets bolshy and bargy. the first couple of times a good pull makes him dance around and arse around even more but then he realises it wont do any good. Saying that, i have just bought him a control halter and this morning he was even more of an arse in it! I think because when he did something he realised it was pressing him and so threw a strop because of that, making it worse! I also find, with him, that having the bit in his mouth gives him something to think about whilst leading so he spends the time playing with that as opposed to causing trouble. Its worth a try :)
 
Could be the weather - all mine were utter morons this morning.....!

Also a change in feld and increased level of grass may have unsettled her, so would cut out all hard feed, increase her turnout/excercise if possible, and maybe cut the hay down to 1/3 rd bale, so she goes out a little hungry. She may then use her energy to forage, rather than pratting about.

I have a Monty Roberts halter which really helps if any are being difficult to handle.

The other thing is could she be having an 'odd' season? All 3 mares on my yard have been in season over the last few weeks, which has made them harder to handle.

Good luck x
 
They are just being horses, they do not deserve to be pulled around by their mouth! Look for the real reason this is happening, not bullying them!
Also, if there is a problem with your horse being in season or hormonal, try Agnus Cactus Berry - it really works well. Pegasus Health sell it: http://www.pegasushealth.com/product/vitex-agnus-castus
I have used this for my hormonal gelding - amazing!
 
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If you can move your horses straight back the old field .
Don't let the YOers handle her at all do it yourself for the forseeable future bring in and turn out in a bridle for a while .
And cut out the cubes.
But two seventy old should not be expected to be intimidated bu a bolsy naughty mare they break to easily if knocked over.
 
Thanks for all your advice. To answer some of the questions she's out with the same companions so no changes there. I've already suggested seperating the grazing but the YO isn't happy to do this as she's concerned that my mare may try to force her way through the fences to get to the other horses. She was pacing up and down the fence line yesterday but that was purely because they insisted she went out first. A lot of the fences are really old and rotten so they might have a point as she has broken a few by rubbing against them. (Thank heavens my husband is a fencing contractor!).

She was as good as gold this morning again this evening although we did turn them out in their normal paddocks today. To reassure the YO I made a point taking her out on the lead reign for a stroll up the lane and apart from the odd call to her friends she was fine. If they ask me to turn her out into the new field again I'll try the bridle and long lead reign. I'll also look into a control halter.

Personally I think their reaction was a little over dramatic - even the most docile mare can have a moment and it's only the last couple of days that she's been bolshy so I'm convinced its a combination of the change in field / new grass. This said I've cut down on her hard feed and hopefully they'll see that she's settled down and give her a reprieve. I really don't want to have to change yards as its so convenient but I don't want the owner to feel nervous around my mare either.

I'm going to be walking on egg shells for the next few weeks worrying that she'll put a hoof wrong and blow any chance of a reprive. I know its out of character but I guess all they saw is a 16.2 heavyweight throwing herself round and causing mayhem so given their age I can appreciate their concerns.

Thanks for all the advice - it's so easy to doubt yourself when other people criticise your horses behaviour. I have my fingers crossed that she has settled down and got whatever it was out of her system so the YO gives her the reprive I think she deserves.
 
Goldenstar said:
If you can move your horses straight back the old field .
Don't let the YOers handle her at all do it yourself for the forseeable future bring in and turn out in a bridle for a while .
And cut out the cubes.
But two seventy old should not be expected to be intimidated bu a bolsy naughty mare they break to easily if knocked over.
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I agree completely. Normally I do everything myself and often do their horses too but their has been a couple of times over the last couple of days where they've wanted to get their horses in / out but my mare's behaviour has complicated things. The YO is really petite and although she's very confident and capable around horses I would hate there to be an accident and she got hurt so I need to nip my mare's behaviour in the bud and get her back to her normal well behaved self. The added complication is that I underwent quite a bit of spinal surgery myself last year and have to think about what I do much more now so I'd rather not be handling a stroppy mare either - she's more than capable of pulling me off my feet as she proved the other day.

A friend has mentioned that she uses varous herbal supplements on her very bolshy thoroughbred - I've never had to use anything like that before so I'd be interested in any opnions as to whether they're worth trying or not?
 
Putting bridle on and being firm is not bullying her it's handling her safely and correctly. Horses in herds would not tolerate aggressive behaviour and lead horse would put her in line physically so it's about as 'natural' as you will get given our size ratio.
 
I have had sucess using valerian with a stressy horse not really the situation you are in.
I think the reason is likely to be digestive in origin.
The grass will has now been frozen and that combined with the new field may be what's affecting your mare.
Coming in it may be that's she's cold I had one that was rude if cold.
But firstly you need to manage the behaviour safely for the humans which is bridle and lunge line when leading.
I know my mum nearly eighty insists in "helping " my groom bringing in the horses when she house sitting it freaks everyone even though the one they give her is a lamb but it would break her heart for me to tell her not to so we try subterfuge to get round it so then she helps by skipping out all day !
But that's off subject .
Keep the mare on just hay soak it if necessary to get the sugar out of it might be worth trying magnesium if the behaviour linked to sugar it might help.
Is the horse in any work if not some walking exercise might settle her if possible.
Hope you find a way forward BTW bargy cobs about fences can often be cured with robust electric fencing so thats another thought .
 
She was an angel again today - I arrived at the yard and the YO was about to let her out so hopefully that means her confidence in my mare is returning. I stripped out the nuts the other day and the difference has been remarkable - they were suppossed to be non-heating nuts but it seems that my mare thought otherwise.

I'm going to lead her up the lane again later and go back to basics to refresh her manners. I doubt we'll be turning out in the new field again as its now waterlogged but if we do I'll diffuse any potential problems by popping her bridle on with a long lead reign as suggested. It might also be worth me walking her up there a few times so the novelty wears off.

I have discussed the possibility of replacing the fences that are rotten with my husband at our expense but I don't really want to go down that route to then be evicted a week later. As a short term fix electric fencing is an option and my mare does respect it. The YO owner did comment that she was really calm this morning and seemed back to her normal self so I've got everything crossed that a reprieve on her eviction is on the cards.

Thanks again for all your suggestions - they're all much appreciated.
 
Spotsrock said:
Putting bridle on and being firm is not bullying her it's handling her safely and correctly. Horses in herds would not tolerate aggressive behaviour and lead horse would put her in line physically so it's about as 'natural' as you will get given our size ratio.
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This. If i didnt put a bridle on i would be pulled everywhere. It does not mean I am bullying my horse or "pulling him around by his mouth". He behaves better in a bridle and if he does do anything then he pulls himself by the mouth and comes back to me anyway. The real reason he is doing it is because he is 4 years old, big and has realised his strength. Calmers etc would not work as he is not hyped up, just decides sometimes he wants to go in a different direction to me.
 
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