Picking up bad habits when fresh! Help!

Charlie_F_K

Charlie_F_K

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Hi!

Right, I have a 4y.o tb mare. She is honestly the steadiest, sweetest girl who really tries and loves her work. She goes out alone and will give you a great ride.. Until the snow! I obviously haven't had much chance to ride and although I have cut her food down she is really getting upset and fresh. Evrything now spooks her, under saddle or in hand, and whilst normally she is unflappable, ANYTHING now has her trying to tank off and broncing. And her bucks are pretty vertical! I kind of know what people are going to say so I will tell you what I would say myself but have already covered..
1) Feed: She is on a small scoop of cool mix, oil free chaff and a little pink powder. Twice daily.
2) Back/ teeth/ saddle, all checked and fine.
3) Lunge to take the edge off (makes nil difference)
4) Can she feel I am nervous? I genuinely aren't, and don't anticipate anything!
5) Trust issues? I have been doing a lot of work free- scholling and getting to know her and when she is on the yard or feeling safe she is my best pal and doesn't take her eyes and ears off me. She isn't aggressive or dominant either.
6) Napping? No, she heads out happily and will walk out for so long until she has had enough. Then she will wait til a blade of grass moves and do one!
The only thing I can think of is that just before the bad weather I hacked with two friends and whilst walking along the drain bank with one, the other came galloping past us with no warning. She obviously being an ex racer got into a racing situation with it and I had nil brakes! I tried taking her out a few days later and she behaved v oddly, not so much her bolting at this stage but say being fine about traffic til it got level then attempting to run in front of it. Needless to say I haven't taken her on the rodes under saddle alone since til all of this is sorted. I kind of know where to go from here but a big chunk of advice or any tips wouldnt go amiss as I know underneath this new behaviour I have a bloody good horse! Sorry for lengthiness!

Charlie
x
 
I would swap the mix for a nut, pref a hi fibre one. I know cool mix is meant to be non heating but she may get a bit hyper on cereal, esp if not doing any work. You dont say whether she is in, out or half and half but assuming she is getting plenty of turnout I would also be feeding ad lib hay, not haylage (too sugary for my TB). Sorry if you are already doing so, you didnt mention it.
 
The very cold weather can just really hype some horses up! Not very helpful I know, but at least you'vr got spring to look forward to! Also how long has she been backed & was she in consistant work before? Could it be she's just gone back a little due to the lack of work? I went to view an ex racehorse once who had been off the track about 6 months I think, but had been ridden 6 out of 7 days a week since! He was amazing & very well behaved, but I was concerned how he'd be as more of a "happy hacker"! With a young child, a job & a household to run I couldnt have put the work in that I suspect he would have needed! I'd also change the feed from a mix as a lot have barley in them & I have several friends with horses who's minds are blown by it. I hope you find a solution, she sounds lovely :)
 
Well she is (well, was supposed to be but was quite slow!!) an exceptionally bred flat horse, so since being v young she has had a lot of work put into her everyday, and now she can't bear a day off I guess. She isn't fizzy usually but just likes to think she is doing something.. Since I got her she has really rounded onto her bit and 'gets' being a riding horse, until recently you could have put a child on her! Thanks a lot for your advice and comments : ) She really is lovely but I just hope theres some coming back from these new habits.
 
My pony is suffering from not being ridden too. He's on adlib hay (was on a bit of haylage but have cut that out now) and just a small scoop of happy hoof. I may stick some fibre beet back in once he is back in work properly.

I haven't actually managed to ride for a month, so not sure what he'll be like, but he has become bolshy and rude when I'm turning him out (he's always fine being brought back in once he's burned some energy off!). He's also spooking at everything (The other day he spooked and ran off when he saw the geese - that he has walked past every day for the past 2 years!!)

I just plan to get him back into a normal routine as soon as possible. Also I'll take him in the school before hacking out and do lots of things to keep his mind very busy (loads of transitions / turns / going round obstacles and poles etc) as I find the more he has to pay attention to what we are doing, the less chance he has to be silly and spooky!

Good luck - hope she calms down soon. :)
 
Could she have a magnesium deficiency? This can cause a lot of hypernes which is why most calmers are magnesium based. Perhaps try adding a calmer to her feed to see if it takes the edge off, or salt licks with magnesium in them also help.
 
What bit is she in? Turbobred that have been in training can sometimes just have that knack of grabbing hold of the bit and running through it rendering it as much use as a chocolate teapot when trying to slow a horse that is running free. A dexter ring bit can be the quick solution short term in that they can't grab a hold of it. Long term when she has been so good up to now it is most likely just a weather related freshness build up and she needs worked out of it. Though she is no longer in training if there was a nice uphill gallop nearby that you could go for a good canter up it would prob help as you could get the freshness cantered out but as she is going uphill its is much harder for her to buck etc
 
Both really good ideas, thankyou. I am looking at changing her feed (hence other thread), and shall look into calmers : ) Or atleast definitely a lick. Even if it's not a lack of magnesium atleast then I could def rule that out. R.e bitting, she is in a loose ring snaffle and a flash noseband. She is really respectful mouth wise and not so much strong usually, but it may be an idea to have a seperate bridle for hacking for now. I am gagging to get her to the gallops, but can't even get horsebox on or off the yard at the min. But def a good idea to pick a hill, I defy anybody to sit her bucks!!
 
Charlie_F_K said:
Hi!

Right, I have a 4y.o tb mare. She is honestly the steadiest, sweetest girl who really tries and loves her work. She goes out alone and will give you a great ride.. Until the snow! I obviously haven't had much chance to ride and although I have cut her food down she is really getting upset and fresh. Evrything now spooks her, under saddle or in hand, and whilst normally she is unflappable, ANYTHING now has her trying to tank off and broncing. And her bucks are pretty vertical! I kind of know what people are going to say so I will tell you what I would say myself but have already covered..
1) Feed: She is on a small scoop of cool mix, oil free chaff and a little pink powder. Twice daily.
2) Back/ teeth/ saddle, all checked and fine.
3) Lunge to take the edge off (makes nil difference)
4) Can she feel I am nervous? I genuinely aren't, and don't anticipate anything!
5) Trust issues? I have been doing a lot of work free- scholling and getting to know her and when she is on the yard or feeling safe she is my best pal and doesn't take her eyes and ears off me. She isn't aggressive or dominant either.
6) Napping? No, she heads out happily and will walk out for so long until she has had enough. Then she will wait til a blade of grass moves and do one!
The only thing I can think of is that just before the bad weather I hacked with two friends and whilst walking along the drain bank with one, the other came galloping past us with no warning. She obviously being an ex racer got into a racing situation with it and I had nil brakes! I tried taking her out a few days later and she behaved v oddly, not so much her bolting at this stage but say being fine about traffic til it got level then attempting to run in front of it. Needless to say I haven't taken her on the rodes under saddle alone since til all of this is sorted. I kind of know where to go from here but a big chunk of advice or any tips wouldnt go amiss as I know underneath this new behaviour I have a bloody good horse! Sorry for lengthiness!

Charlie
x
Click to expand...

It is possible that she could be in season wich would result in her quirky behavior.Get advice maby sometimes in the year she might need a calmer supplement.She also might just be bored has she got any feild companions/does she have any bordem breakers in her stable? Emily x
 
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