Problematic mare

[anacristina17]

Hi. I recently purchased a thoroughbred mare off the race track. She has been with me for 6 weeks and we are working on just bonding, which primarily consists of walks and grooming. She is turned out 24/7 with a pony. Recently, the person who feeds her says that she has been pinning her ears back, attempting to bite and kick her when she goes into the pasture. Essentially she says that she is dangerous. And she feels that my mare is a threat to her and from now own will enter the paddock with a whip on hand. Any advice is welcome. What could be going on with my mare? Thank you

 

[Auslander]

Hi. I recently purchased a thoroughbred mare off the race track. She has been with me for 6 weeks and we are working on just bonding, which primarily consists of walks and grooming. She is turned out 24/7 with a pony. Recently, the person who feeds her says that she has been pinning her ears back, attempting to bite and kick her when she goes into the pasture. Essentially she says that she is dangerous. And she feels that my mare is a threat to her and from now own will enter the paddock with a whip on hand. Any advice is welcome. What could be going on with my mare? Thank you

Did she come straight out of training? If she's gone from being in hard work, in a structured routine, to doing nothing, she's probably a bit confused, bored and tetchy. She may well also be trying to assert herself, make herself the boss lady, which needs to be nipped in the bud smartish.

 

[JillA]

As above, sounds to me as though she needs leadership. Are you dictating what happens on your walks and "bonding" (I so hate that word, really it is about trust and horses will trust someone who is a calm consistent leader) or letting her decide? She has been somewhere where she probably hasn't been able to have an opinion. In hand exercises would be better than just having a walk, there are lots of sources but Kelly Marks books are useful (and look on YouTube).
The last thing she needs is someone with a whip - sounds to me as though your friend is scared of her and giving off fear, so your mare also feels frightened because of it. A whip will confirm her fear and need to defend herself. Can you separate her with electric fencing for a few days while you get some in hand exercises under your belt? If not, suggest your friend learns to twirl a rope at her to keep her at a distance until she settles. No horse ever walked into the moving blades of an aircraft, twirl the rope fast in the same way.

 

[AmyMay]

Are they being fed hay in the field?