Overwhelmed

[Nads75]

Hi
New to this but could do with some advice. I bought a lovely mare as my first horse 3 months ago. When I went to try her she was great but I knew she wasn’t a plod. Since she has come to my yard she has bucked me off and it was bloody sore. She’s a big horse and now I’m intimidated by her and she knows it. On the ground she is as sweet mare. Just doesn’t want to work I reckon. I’ve been lunging her daily for around 15 mins then I’ll walk out with her around the village on foot as I think I’ll get done groundwork in. She’s perfect. She’s nosey but isn’t fazed by any traffic. Now she started to bolt on the lunge and buck and generally resist any work. The more this is happening the more my confidence is dropping as I’m thinking holy crap I’ve to try and get on her again at one point ! So feeling overwhelmed a bit now. I want this to work with her but it’s going to take a lorry load of confidence to get me on her and be assertive enough to not let her take the mick out of me. Help

 

[SpeedyPony]

Has she seen the vet? It might be that she's resistant to work/lunging because of pain. Otherwise, it could be that she's become bored being lunged every day, particularly if she's better out on her walks. If so, I'd recommend getting someone in to give you both a helping hand getting your confidence back.
It would be worth seeing how she goes hacking out with someone else on a calm and reliable horse, if you're worried about riding yourself you could find someone you trust to ride her out the first couple of times? If the behaviour is due to her being bored/sour in the school then taking a few weeks or months off schooling might sort things out.
It would definitely be worth getting her checked over by the vet if you haven't though, just in case there's a physical cause for the behaviour.

 

[AmyMay]

Who have you got to help you? Have you got a good instructor? Or can you send her off for some professional assessment?

It may simply be that you’ve overhorsed yourself (and many of us have been there).

What’s her history?

 

[ycbm]

This must be very upsetting. Did you have her vetted when you bought her?
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[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Horses rarely decide that they just don' t want to work, especially if they are good to deal with on the ground. I suggest you start with a vet check to ensure that she is fit to ride.

 

[Arzada]

Is she stabled? Living out? Turn out? Equine company?

 

[Red-1]

You say you knew she wasn't a plod, how did you know that? Was she fresh when you tried her? A history of being fresh? Is she athletic in type? Has she changed feed, saddlery, turnout arrangements? My 4yo got a burst of vavavoom when changed from hay to haylage. A badly fitting saddle can cause mayhem. A lack of turnout (or a change to individual from heard) with one who is used to it can also cause mayhem.

What did the vetting say? Have you contacted the previous owner? Was it a person known to you? If not, have you asked for the blood sample to be tested to make sure there were no pain killers or sedatives used?

Do you have insurance to have a vet performance work up? Has a trainer helped you? Was the bucking associated with seasons? Was she in harder work before?

So many questions as there isn't much information. It isn't that unusual for a new horse to buck off a less experienced person, but it needs working on and a reason identifying, obviously. Could the previous owner come and take a look? I certainly would if one of mine was misbehaving shorty after sale. In fact, one did and I offered to buy back for the same money as I wanted him happy. He did have a cheeky buck, it was his sense of humour, fully disclosed on sale. The very fact that I offered to buy him back straight away gave the new owner confidence that nothing was wrong, and they had a long and fruitful competitive relationship.

 

[Spotherisk]

Do you know her history? How old is she?

 

[TillyF]

I’m in a similar position. I have an instructor helping, but it’s still going to take a long time! Difficult to decide whether I have the time and experience to work with her. I would suggest you get some help now before struggling on anymore.

 

[stangs]

For starters, I’d stop lunging - it’s a) exceptionally boring for them and b) very intense on the joints.

Then, post 7 has a bucketload of important questions to be asking. One more I’d be wondering is if her reaction to the saddle at all negative (would suggest either her expecting pain from it, back problems, saddle fitting problems, or ulcers). Is there anyone experienced on your yard, have you asked them what they think caused the behaviour?

Presuming her saddle fits well enough, I’d want an experienced rider whose sensitive enough to not push a horse past their threshold in case the behaviour is from pain. Once you’ve got a rider on her, you’ll be able to see if it’s just a freshness thing, or get a saddle fitter in, or, in the worst case scenario, if a vet needs to be called in.

 

[Birker2020]

Get the vet involved, its the best thing to do.

 

[ihatework]

This is a very common new horse owner situation.

Get yourself onto training livery for a bit with someone who can both work the horse and give you some lessons whilst assessing the overall situation of suitability of the horse for you.

In the interim, stop lunging! All you are doing is getting the horse fitter and more frustrated.

 

[Birker2020]

Y
What did the vetting say? Have you contacted the previous owner? Was it a person known to you? If not, have you asked for the blood sample to be tested to make sure there were no pain killers or sedatives used?

D .

Do you think it wise to consult the previous owner in a situation like this, doesn't it mean forewarned is forearmed? Not a criticism just wondered whether maybe getting a vet assessment would be the right thing to do first? Then approach the previous owner.

If it is a pre existing condition how do you prove that the sellers knew that was the case?

Agree totally with getting the bloods tested for illicit substances.

 

[Red-1]

Do you think it wise to consult the previous owner in a situation like this, doesn't it mean forewarned is forearmed? Not a criticism just wondered whether maybe getting a vet assessment would be the right thing to do first? Then approach the previous owner.

If it is a pre existing condition how do you prove that the sellers knew that was the case?

Agree totally with getting the bloods tested for illicit substances.

OP has had the horse for 3 months, I don't see anything that would make me conclude that the old owner is anything but genuine.

I sold one with a buck in him. The new owner was overwhelmed, she explained the situation. I immediately offered to buy him back, and that gave her the confidence to discuss in more depth what she was doing to offend him. She was doing a thing that he hated, that wound him up. I helped her identify that and they made a secure partnership. She did not then want to sell him back to me.

If he had been closer, I would have volunteered to go out and ride to see what had gone wrong.

You only quoted a small part of my reply, I would do some of the other suggestions, such as check saddle fit first.

 

[ycbm]

OP appears to have posted and done a runner. They haven't been on the forum under that user name since the first post was answered with questions about vets.

Sadly I suspect this might be another hasty unvetted purchase that hasn't been right since very shortly after arriving in the new home.
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[I'm Dun]

Do you think it wise to consult the previous owner in a situation like this, doesn't it mean forewarned is forearmed? Not a criticism just wondered whether maybe getting a vet assessment would be the right thing to do first? Then approach the previous owner.

If it is a pre existing condition how do you prove that the sellers knew that was the case?

Agree totally with getting the bloods tested for illicit substances.

Forewarned about what? What are you forewarning the previous owner about? The OP bought something that she knew had a bit about it and its gone wrong. First step is the vet, then if its all clear intensive training might sort it, if not then the horse needs to be sold to a more suitable home. I'd drop everything and go immediately if mine I sold was having issues, I'm sure any old owner would.