Physical or naughty

[horse&pony1]

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I have a 15.1hh Connemara mare I’ve owned since she was 4; she’s now 6½. She’s on a quiet yard with my other horse.

For the first year I had her, she was foot-perfect — lovely to ride and great on the ground. Around this time last year she started to misbehave. We pushed through, as it can be typical with young ones, however it’s now been going on for a while and recently things have been getting worse quite quickly.

Her saddle was checked not long ago and her routine is the same. She is a forward horse who likes her job; she can be sharp, but it was never a problem before. She has a regular farrier, physio, and dentist.

We’re considering sending her to a professional — someone who specialises in naughty horses, maybe Jodie Amos or Lily Chandler. Any recommendations for the Oxfordshire area would be appreciated, but we are willing to travel.

Before we do that, we’re thinking about getting the vet to do a full check-up to make sure she’s completely okay. She’s always been handled correctly, has lots of turnout, and receives proper care. She is the most lovely horse on the ground but turns psycho in the saddle.

Please, any recommendations and help — I would like my lovely mare back!

 

[rhino]

Definitely worth investigating as fully as you can. Personally I’d be paying very close attention to the hind legs, pretty much every overheight Connie I’ve met in the last few years has either had hock issues or psd at a young age.

 

[horse&pony1]

She definatley still has some growing to do still shes got massive hooves ans shoulders lol
never had a horse of my own with hock issues can that be a cause of napping rearing just general unhappiness?

 

[foxy1]

Agree with rhino, in recent years I've seen an awful lot of connies with very poor hindlimb conformation, leading to soundness issues

 

[foxy1]

Yes, will definitely cause behavioural issues, napping, rearing, as a result of pain. You need the vet to investigate

 

[TheMule]

I don’t believe that horses are ever deliberately 'naughty', I don’t think they have the capacity for that kind of thought. They are a reactive prey animal- designed to protect themselves from harm, so most behaviours will have a specific cause (fear of danger, pain, or fear of pain)
I agree that you need a proper loss of performance work up from a decent vet

 

[SEL]

I'd start with a performance work up from a specialist. If nothing comes to light then I'd have a behaviour assessment from Michael Peace.

But I'd put money on pain somewhere sadly.

 

[rhino]

She definatley still has some growing to do still shes got massive hooves ans shoulders lol
never had a horse of my own with hock issues can that be a cause of napping rearing just general unhappiness?

Yes, absolutely those can be caused by pain. Your chronology sounds just like my friend’s little horse, easy to back and a ‘nice person’ but became unhappy and explosive at times as a 5yo. Bilateral psd was the cause.

 

[Midlifecrisis]

What specifically are the behaviours she is exhibiting which you feel are naughty?

 

[horse&pony1]

What specifically are the behaviours she is exhibiting which you feel are naughty?

napping rearing bucking spining pretty much everything and anything shes got quite a cheeky attitude which is why i thought it could be cheekiness never though thought she was being very naughty just trying to test us everything like saddle dentist has been checked within the last month

 

[smolmaus]

napping rearing bucking spining pretty much everything and anything shes got quite a cheeky attitude which is why i thought it could be cheekiness never though thought she was being very naughty just trying to test us everything like saddle dentist has been checked within the last month

Behaviour is communication. She has no other way to tell you something is wrong than by saying no. Assuming "just naughty" is very very common, but honestly you waste less time if you just assume pain or discomfort first.

I would also start with the vet, follow up with a GOOD hands on practitioner, qualified physio, osteo, chiro based on findings. Saddle and teeth are just two small pieces of the wonderful, lifelong puzzle that is "if only they could point to what hurts"

 

[maya2008]

Kissing spine is a really typical ‘lovely on the ground and nuts under saddle’ kind of thing. I would want to x-ray as part of a full work up.

 

[Midlifecrisis]

Like many above I think a vet investigation is necessary.

 

[nettle]

Behaviour is communication. She has no other way to tell you something is wrong than by saying no. Assuming "just naughty" is very very common, but honestly you waste less time if you just assume pain or discomfort first.

I would also start with the vet, follow up with a GOOD hands on practitioner, qualified physio, osteo, chiro based on findings. Saddle and teeth are just two small pieces of the wonderful, lifelong puzzle that is "if only they could point to what hurts"

Yes, this exactly. ‘All behaviour is communication’
Acquaintance has a lovely young horse, behaviour has got gradually worse and worse until she decided to send him away for training. With a ‘strong’ rider the horse did go forward, then quite quickly became clearly lame behind. Vet investigated and found PSD.
The horse had been saying for months there was something wrong with a chorus of yard experts saying ‘oh he’s just trying it on’

 

[j1ffy]

napping rearing bucking spining pretty much everything and anything shes got quite a cheeky attitude which is why i thought it could be cheekiness never though thought she was being very naughty just trying to test us everything like saddle dentist has been checked within the last month

My PRE started out rushing, then stopping and going backwards, and occasionally spinning. He got worse from 6yo to 7yo so I went down the vet route and found early onset arthritis in both hocks I had the back x-rayed too and that was all clear.
Definitely worth a vet check before you throw money at schooling / behaviourists. A good re-training place would insist on a work-up anyway.

 

[fredflop]

It can be a very difficult to tell is it behevioural, or veterinary. It often helps if you know the horse.

I purchased a project horse a few years ago, knew he came with some undesirable behaviours. First thing was to get teeth and back done, and give him some time at grass.

Started ground work, trt type method. Improvements were made, leading me to believe his “badness” was basically a combination of him having a pretty bolshy temperament, and no-one had ever taught him how to behave. He wanted to be good, he just didn’t know how.

Had to move yards, behaviour got a lot worse. Suspected the yard was far from ideal for him. Moved him to a brilliant yard, and had a basic vet check. Nothing found. In a suitable environment, and a lot of groundwork, his behaviour totally transformed.