Panicky horse help!

Blondie_2008

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23 July 2018
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Morning! Im looking for some tips & advice on how to help a horse that panics easily. I have had my new mare 2 1/2 weeks now (not long i know so i understand she is still settling!) She is such a sweet little mare, will walk to me in the field when i get there, follow me around while im poo picking etc.... and will let me ride her in the school (admittedly i havent done much ridden work as shes settling) as well as being really good on the lunge, listening to my voice.

However in some situations, she will panic. For instance her feet.... i was told she wasnt good at picking her feet up, so have tried to persevere with her. She now lets me do the fronts after lots of praise & treats, but as soon as you ask for either of the backs she panics & will move & kick until youve dropped it. I asked my vet what he thought and he tried & she did the same, he said shes not being nasty shes panicking. The same when shes tied up. If ypi groom her while holding the head collar she is fine, tie her up to the hitching post (we have only shetler no stables) she will stand and eat her hay for 5 minutes, then suddenly panic and pull back until the bailing twine is broken & shes free. Once shes free she just puts her head down & eats the grass and relaxes. When it comes to tack up time, shes fine for the bridle, but when we get to the saddle she will move & fidgit. She is now 7, but wasnt broken until 5 1/2 so she is very green. She really has not got a nasty bone in her body & has never bitten, kicked etc to be nasty.....just panics & then calms down.
Is it still because shes settling? Does anyone have any tips on how to get her to calm & relax? Any informations would be greatly appreciated!
 

angrybird1

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Did you have her vetted?
Could it be pain related?
Otherwise I would go back to basics and teach her to pick her feet up slowly and gently by getting her to except you touching her legs first then allowing you to pick up her feet.
I'd rule out pain first though.
 

Blondie_2008

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Yes she was vetted and she passed, when i spoke to the vet about her he thought it wasnt to do with pain, although possibly in regards to the saddle he thinks previously the girth may have pinched/rubbed as she only fidgets if you try to put it on on the left side, same with doing up the girth. We dont know her first 4 years of her life and he feels maybe that has something to do with her panicking now?
 

Shay

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If you didn't have her vetted initially you need to now. The pulling back is most likely to be a training issue and actually quite easy to address. We've had several horses over the years we just didn't tie up. Normally the simple answer is just to work in the stable - but I see you don't have one. So you might want to try an Idolo tie and long line. The problem with pulling back to break away is that it is self rewarding. You pull back - you break away. Job done. With an Idolo tie the horse can pull back - and will eventually release itself. But hopefully with enough time for a human to reach them and interne. Don't tie up this way and leave unattended though!

The difficulty picking up back feet and fidgeting to saddle are very likely to be pain related. You need to get a vet to check her over properly but the usual suspects for this are kissing spines, SI problems or neurological problems. (Actually come to think of it KS and Neurological problems might possibly have an impact on the pull back?) The failure to lift hind feet and saddle issues might not be linked - which of course makes diagnosis more difficult. But it really sounds like she is in pain and screaming at you to help her.

Cross posted.....with your reply.

Unless the vet has done a full vetting its a bit difficult to know what is pain and what isn't. Quite genuinely i would be looking for a second opinion.

But if not - then go back to basics. Treat her as if she has not been backed or handled at all and work upward from there.
 
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