Please Help - Moody Unpredictable Mare

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EJ87

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Ok so heres how the story goes I bought my 14.2 mare in May, my first horse and she is proving to be quite the handful. One minute she will be grand will come to you no bucket required to be caught follow you around like a dog and stand to be groomed, tacked you can do anything with her. The next minute she can be high as a kite just wants to gallop and buck around seems like she doesn’t even see you in front of her.

So on Wed night I caught her no problem groomed, tacked and ride like a dream she can be quite strong to ride just wants to be keep busy type and as I’m a novice in all forms she probably is a bit much for me but on wed she was working with me at my speed which she can do sometimes but on the other hand sometimes she can be extremely strong even on the lunge line just wants to gallop and buck!

We thought these moods were just cause of her seasons so we put her on Frisky Mare supplements to see if they help keep her level but last night I went to catch her to ride and she wouldn’t come near me, bucket nothing just galloped around the field like a crazy thing. Her head collar was lying at the gate so somehow it had came off and there was no hope of getting it on her so after two hours of chasing and 4 people later we managed to coach her to follow a bucket of treacle out of the field up the lane and into her stable with a barrier of bodies to keep her on her track pretty much like herding a cow!!
I just want to know what’s wrong with her and why she did that was it that she just had so much grass to the point she was fit to burst (reason why we needed her out of the field) that she didn’t want the meal in bucket just wanted to be in the field with the grass and the cows??

My confidence is zero with her I have to rely on ppl to help me work with her and ride her and I know these ppls patience is wearing thin and they have their own horses to look after. I’m at the stage now that I think it is maybe best to sell her on to a more capable owner but the thing is I love her when she is calm and controllable and enjoy her company and if she stayed like that I would be able to get onto her and ride her myself. I just don’t know what to do sell her or work with her???

P.S she is 11yrs old and is on grass most of the time as she hates being stabled walks circles and kicks door! She gets the odd carrot and handful of cool and calm meal to be caught. She is not due on her next season until 29th Aug.

Please help I just don’t know what to do. Thanks
 
How horrible for you!
You have my sympathy, my sister and i shared our first horse, a gelding and he was incredibly easy but when we got our second horse, she was a nightmare to do anything with, although always good to catch. We had an advantage in that there were 2 of us but the best thing we did after 6 weeks was to move to a different livery yard, where her behaviour changed for the better.
i would say that she is really trying you out, although there may be underlying issues as well.
IMO the best thing you can do is to find a good sympathetic RI who will help you to work with her on all aspects, not just ridden work. Ask around your local area for recommendations, or someone on here may be able to suggest someone.
Good luck! And don't give upon her just yet (we kept ours for the next 23 yrs).
 
Just a thought but it sounds to me as if she thinks she has to be in charge! If she were mine I would go right back to basics with ground work- leading around from both sides- when you stop she stops or you back her up and start again. You need to stay really calm but firm. I have to do this with my 3 yr old every now and again when she tests the boundaries and it does work. Have a look at some of the Kelly Marks groundwork stuff or Richard Maxwell also has some really down to earth advice which I have found very useful. Good luck!
 
You could try out a grazing muzzle and let her out with the cows overnight. Is she just hard to catch or is she is also spooky and sharp when ridden?

Do you ride her everyday? If not, she might settle with a good work out everyday and being in a routine (like come from field, feed, groom, work, groom, back to field).
 
Welcome to the wonderful world of horses! And believe me, this is common behaviour in mares. They are predictably unpredictable :) I'm lucky as my girl was always pretty good, but even she had the odd lapse when it came to being caught, and yes, every time it was because she was in season. Is your mare Welsh by any chance, as they are a bit notorious and not everyone's cup of tea as a result? They are also too intelligent for their own good and know how to wind you up. Don't give up with her. You haven't had her long and being unsettled can aggravate this sort of behaviour. The trick is to make not being caught far more unpleasant than coming when she is called. It can take hours of walking them down (and once you've started you MUST NOT stop until you've got her) but it does work. I once spent 2 hours pursuing a friend's pony around a field and it was nearly dark when she finally gave in (she was knackered!). The following night it took 1 hour and the night after that she came straight away. Make it worth her while when she is caught by giving her a treat instantly and don't always ride her when she is caught.

Unfortunately, it isn't impossible that you are now finding out why the mare was put up for sale.
 
Well we put her onto a laneway to graze at the where there isnt as much grass and she can be caught no bother. We moved her to a field as we thought she was hungry and did not want to ride in da field just wanted to eat da grass so would buck when u tried to canter her. i cant ride her everyday due to work and the fact we only have a field to ride in. she dosnt always get brought into ride i bring her in to be groomed. shes not really a spooky ride just forward goin.
 
Have you spoken to her previous owners? they may have had ways to deal with her and it would be helpful to know if this is new behaviour or not.
She sounds full of energy can she go out with other horses so that she can exercise while turned out,cows are not much fun.
I would try and find an instructor to help you ,they could also get you working her well so that you can keep her interested and hopefully more under control.
 
Unfortunately da previous owners are a bit slippery as when i saw her she was a lanb and when i got her she was highly strong they said it was cause they had been feeding her meal and she hadnt been ridden in 4 weeks so i would say i wouldt get da truth. i cant turn her out with other horses as there is only one other very dominant mare who wont share her field hinch why shes in with cows. iv been trying to find an instructor but so far have had no luck on finding someone who wants to come to me. my sister is trying to help me but i believe her patience is wearing thin ans as she has another horse and work commitments so dosnt really have da time. im kinda on my own.
 
women are moody and unpredictable - mares are just the same!
you cant tell a mare to do something - but you can ask her, the same as you can ask me to do something but dont try to tell me to do something.

It sounds like she needs company other than cows, and you need to be a little stronger with her. If she doesnt want to come in, dont chase her round and waste time. Turn your back on her, pay attention to something in the field or a cow, and because women are nosey, so are mares, she will come over (eventually) to see what you are doing. at that point you turn away from her, she will prob follow, give her a treat. If you make coming in and being caught a nice experience then she will come in easily. Dont catch her to ride her, catch her to brush her off, catch her to feed her, then turn her back out. you need to get the upper hand, but without chasing her round; she is playing games with you.
 
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As above, not uncommon behaviour for mares - naughty little madams! When (note WHEN, not if) you both reach the understanding that you are the one in charge you will have a horse that will do anything for you. Confidence is key to this, I echo the suggestion about getting an IH consultation http://www.intelligenthorsemanship.co.uk/content/view/47/97/ They're not fluffy, they do know what they're doing and above all they will help you develop confidence in handling your mare. She really wants to know she can trust you even when she is feeling insecure.

Hope it helps to know that you're not the only one who has felt like this with a new(ish) mare. They're worth it in the end honest :)
 
Ah,so they dont want to know,she was sold as "a quiet ride ideal for novice".
Keep trying to find an instructor,maybe post on here and see if anyone is in your area.
Could you find another yard where she could have company,you could have more help and facilities ,you may find it easier if you could ride in a school.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
How horrible for you!
You have my sympathy, my sister and i shared our first horse, a gelding and he was incredibly easy but when we got our second horse, she was a nightmare to do anything with, although always good to catch. We had an advantage in that there were 2 of us but the best thing we did after 6 weeks was to move to a different livery yard, where her behaviour changed for the better.
i would say that she is really trying you out, although there may be underlying issues as well.
IMO the best thing you can do is to find a good sympathetic RI who will help you to work with her on all aspects, not just ridden work. Ask around your local area for recommendations, or someone on here may be able to suggest someone.
Good luck! And don't give upon her just yet (we kept ours for the next 23 yrs).
Click to expand...

Its funny you say this pearlsasinger as my mare was a complete nutter when i first bought her and then i moved yards and she totally changed into the horse i wanted. I can only say horses can obviously dislike places and people as well;)
 
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