Problem mare

8

825kk

New User
Joined
30 May 2008
Messages
8
Visit site
Hi all..

Just hoping that you may be able to help or give me some ideas.

I have owned my 15.2hh 14yr old chestnut mare (trakehner x PBA- arab x cleaveland bay) for 2 1/2 years but am finding her increasingly difficult.

She is a saint on the ground and you could do anything with her but when it comes to riding her she can be a nightmare. She will do either one of two things.. not stop cantering or not move forward, so much so that we will be piaffing on the spot. She is the ultimate hot headed mare and will go and go, its not whether she has energy, she just seems to run on adrenaline.

However she is different to jump.. if i have a fence to push her into she is fab.

She is very sensitive and likes her way of having things done, but she doesnt get away with being rude etc.

I have tried pretty much all the calmers out there and nothing touches her, its not linked to her seasons and makes no difference if she has had a day or a week off. I have the chiropracter coming out but i feel the problem originates in her head.

Any ideas would be greatly apprieciated

Thanks
 
i would start by getting everything checked, chiro will check her back, which is good, but may be worth considering someone who will check all over (speak to your vet, they'll probably have recommended physio's etc), get saddle and teeth checked too. do you have a good instructor who can help you? i went through a difficult period with my old girl (another chestnut mare - one in sig) and wasnt having lessons, but, found a good instructor and slowly but surely i did start to see improvements, it took a long time, but in the end we could do a very credible prelim dressage test, and occasionally win! but it took almost a year of regular lessons, and pretty much going right back to basics before we were in the ribbons. I did start going down the route of supplements (Steady-up) but didnt find they made much difference other than to my bank account!
What is she being fed? i changed my old girls diet and that helped too... i feel your pain, i got to the point of writing the advert out to sell mine at one point, but with lots of hard work, and perserverance she came good, my horse of a lifetime in the end.
 
Teeth saddle etc are fine, am looking in to having her ovaries scanned if no good comes from the next month or so.

Do have a great instructor who does help and was having weekly lessons but as she feels tight dont want to work her hard if she is in pain, so have just been lungeing until the chiro comes out..

Fingers crossed.. Thanks for your help
 
Could her diet be contributing to the problem? How much turnout does she get? What bit/other tackdo you use? Sounds like more than one issue to me but i would start with a vet looking at her, including when ridden and then if pain is ruled out progress by going back to basics and re-training. At 14yo this will be hard but can still be done if taken slowly enough. Really does sound like pain though.
 
this might not make any difference to your girl .... but my mare (another chestnut!) was stroppy on the ground and being ridden... I was feeding her applechaff but changed to mollifchaff calmer.. and omg the difference in her in just a week or 2 is amazing she is so chilled out.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top