riding_to_the_stars
Active Member
i have a 7yr old mare who until recently has been doing really well with her training. In january, i got to the yard to find that she had somehow gotten her rug off, the belly and chest straps were still done up and the tail one was broken which means she mustve really struggled to get it off, it possibly spooked her a lot - she couldve been stuck with it over her head in the dark for ages 
i got her in and tied her up in her usual spot (she was on the yard on her own as she usually is - could see her friends though) and she seemed more spooky and on edge than normal. i carried on as usual when she settled a bit. as soon as i put on her numnah and saddle she started fidgeting and playing up and also started twitching from just on/above her withers. i tried my hardest to persevere and get her girth done up but she started going crazy, wouldn't stand still and started rearing up and spooking. i took off her saddle and tried to calm her but she was wired and starting becoming dangerous. i let her off the yard into the little grassy menage inbetween the yard and field and she calmed down and started eating. i got her rug back on and went to get her feed but a big tractor came down the lane and she decided that even though this happens on a daily basis, she was very scared of it and charged through the menage and jumped the gate into the field, but as she did this her back legs got stuck over the gate. she got over it and charged through the field ripping down the electric fence and winding up her friends. since this day, she hasnt been the same. with some desensitising and time, she will now stand happily on the yard and ive been doing trust exercises with her so she knows im in charge and that when something in scary, she doesnt need to run back to the herd etc. but she still has a twitchy bit on her wither. i think some of it is behavioural as she will only twitch while im tacking her up (not with untacking, rugging, sometimes with touching the area) but shes getting much better with it and it hardly affects her now. to ride, she is not the same at all. shes been way more spooky, she spooks - badly - at anything now, things she wouldnt give a second glance at a few months ago. shes also getting much more strong and fast, i rode her the other day in a field where we do usually go fast but when we got to the 'fast place' she went bonkers. head stuck up in the air, jig jogging (never done this before), scraping the ground with her foot, being really strong and acting as if she was gonna bolt at any second. she also kept spooking at nothing. i felt very nervous and scared (was on my own) so i decided to get off and walk her back, she was very strong even to walk and had that scared look in her eye. she also took off with me a few days before (completely different place). shes different now and becoming more unsafe and not fun to ride! my confidence is dropping and i dont know what to do! any ideas?
i got her in and tied her up in her usual spot (she was on the yard on her own as she usually is - could see her friends though) and she seemed more spooky and on edge than normal. i carried on as usual when she settled a bit. as soon as i put on her numnah and saddle she started fidgeting and playing up and also started twitching from just on/above her withers. i tried my hardest to persevere and get her girth done up but she started going crazy, wouldn't stand still and started rearing up and spooking. i took off her saddle and tried to calm her but she was wired and starting becoming dangerous. i let her off the yard into the little grassy menage inbetween the yard and field and she calmed down and started eating. i got her rug back on and went to get her feed but a big tractor came down the lane and she decided that even though this happens on a daily basis, she was very scared of it and charged through the menage and jumped the gate into the field, but as she did this her back legs got stuck over the gate. she got over it and charged through the field ripping down the electric fence and winding up her friends. since this day, she hasnt been the same. with some desensitising and time, she will now stand happily on the yard and ive been doing trust exercises with her so she knows im in charge and that when something in scary, she doesnt need to run back to the herd etc. but she still has a twitchy bit on her wither. i think some of it is behavioural as she will only twitch while im tacking her up (not with untacking, rugging, sometimes with touching the area) but shes getting much better with it and it hardly affects her now. to ride, she is not the same at all. shes been way more spooky, she spooks - badly - at anything now, things she wouldnt give a second glance at a few months ago. shes also getting much more strong and fast, i rode her the other day in a field where we do usually go fast but when we got to the 'fast place' she went bonkers. head stuck up in the air, jig jogging (never done this before), scraping the ground with her foot, being really strong and acting as if she was gonna bolt at any second. she also kept spooking at nothing. i felt very nervous and scared (was on my own) so i decided to get off and walk her back, she was very strong even to walk and had that scared look in her eye. she also took off with me a few days before (completely different place). shes different now and becoming more unsafe and not fun to ride! my confidence is dropping and i dont know what to do! any ideas?
