Protective mare?

[Hormonal Filly]

I have my first mare I’ve owned since a 3yo and she is really bonded to me. She always comes to call summer or winter, although in huge fields with several other horses. Grooms me, wickers if I leave her. A few people have said they’ve never seen a horse so bonded to a person. It’s very sweet.

She’s out with several other mares which she gets on well with, until I go in looking for an over reach boot and she will stand by and guard me. She isn’t nasty, will pin her ears and tell others to stay away. Last week she circled me twice pinning her ears when another mare tried to canter towards me. As soon as I go, back to grazing with her friends.

Ridden she doesn’t like any horse coming near us or looking at her. She will pin her ears back flat against her head. Definitely the ‘mare face’ yet if I get off, she’s ok with other horses and sometimes groom them.

There isn’t any physical reason for it, vet is happy with her.

Does anyone else have a mare like it?

I’m not sure if it’s because she doesn’t want horses near me while I’m on her same as in the field, it’s all a protective type of thing? It can be a bit embarrassing when riding with others because the faces she pulls are extreme and they say ‘what a mare’

 

[planete]

I had an arab gelding who was the same. As a result it was totally impossible to ride and lead from him as he would attack even his field mate if I tried.

 

[mavandkaz]

I haven't noticed if my mare is protective of me....she's only out with my gelding for company. But she is very protective of him - when another gelding joined their field briefly she would not let it near my gelding at all.
She also pulls faces at others when hacking but she is very picky, there are some horses she gets quite aggressive towards, whereas others she adores.
I wouldn't have her any other way

 

[Cortez]

I had an arab gelding who was the same. As a result it was totally impossible to ride and lead from him as he would attack even his field mate if I tried.

Which is why this sort of behaviour should be nipped in the bud immediately. It's not cute or charming, it's rude and is not to be encouraged.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Oh yes, my cob will accompany either me or my sister if we walk across the field and she thinks her companion is in a silly mood and might play too close to us. A few weeks ago the Appy had a hoof abscess and cob took sister to collect her from the other field. She isn't attacking anyone, there is nothing to 'nip in the bud', she is just looking out for everyone.
The Draft mare would have taken on all comers to protect her people/other equines, as the local 'hardman' found when he got out of his car shouting the odds. She was doing a fabulous 'passage' with her front feet, striking sparks from her shoes with her mane standing up like I'd never seen it before.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Which is why this sort of behaviour should be nipped in the bud immediately. It's not cute or charming, it's rude and is not to be encouraged.

I’m not sure if you’re referring to the comment you quoted or my original post, not sure what part of her behaviour I can ‘nip in the bud’.

 

[Cortez]

I’m not sure if you’re referring to the comment you quoted or my original post, not sure what part of her behaviour I can ‘nip in the bud’.

If any horse makes aggressive, evil faces towards another horse, person, ears pinned, or a hoof is raised or tail switched, squeals or snakes, then that should not be allowed. Would you let your horse kick or bite? I hope not, and you won’t be very popular if you do. It’s not a sign of affection, it’s bad temper.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

If any horse makes aggressive, evil faces towards another horse, person, ears pinned, or a hoof is raised or tail switched, squeals or snakes, then that should not be allowed. Would you let your horse kick or bite?

She would not kick or bite, she has extremely good ground manners. You should not tell a dog off for growling, is it not similar for horses?
She is warning, sometimes others get too close or touch her ass and I don’t blame her for pulling a face. Better than a kick.

I’ve never encouraged her behaviour. She gets extremely upset being smacked, I can give it a go when she face pulls but I don’t want her to start kicking out without any warning.

 

[gallopingby]

I would most definitely tell a dog, that l knew, off for growling and a horse for consistently pulling faces at others. Its not ‘cute’ behaviour once it escalates!

 

[Asha]

My old girl Asha and now her daughter Aria make sure the youngsters behave , but especially when im in the field with them. So yes some mares can be like that. I had to refill the hay feeders ( i normally do this when they are in stables etc, but couldnt on this occasion) Aria walked by the quad and stood by me while i topped them up. The youngsters kept there distance and waited until Aria and i had gone to the next feeder before eating. Just one look from her and they all stood still. Under saddle no, shes not like that at all, and wouldnt dream of kicking another horse. Im not sure how you go about changing that behaviour though.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I would most definitely tell a dog, that l knew, off for growling and a horse for consistently pulling faces at others. Its not ‘cute’ behaviour once it escalates!

I think it depends very much on the circumstances. Presumably OP knows her horse and can judge whether anyone/horse is in danger. If my dog was growling at me, I would certainly tell it off ( none ever have in all my years of keeping dogs) but if there was a stranger fiddling with the lock on the yard gate and a dog was griwling at them, it would be the stranger I told off, not the dog.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

I have my first mare I’ve owned since a 3yo and she is really bonded to me. She always comes to call summer or winter, although in huge fields with several other horses. Grooms me, wickers if I leave her. A few people have said they’ve never seen a horse so bonded to a person. It’s very sweet.

She’s out with several other mares which she gets on well with, until I go in looking for an over reach boot and she will stand by and guard me. She isn’t nasty, will pin her ears and tell others to stay away. Last week she circled me twice pinning her ears when another mare tried to canter towards me. As soon as I go, back to grazing with her friends.

Ridden she doesn’t like any horse coming near us or looking at her. She will pin her ears back flat against her head. Definitely the ‘mare face’ yet if I get off, she’s ok with other horses and sometimes groom them.

There isn’t any physical reason for it, vet is happy with her.

Does anyone else have a mare like it?

I’m not sure if it’s because she doesn’t want horses near me while I’m on her same as in the field, it’s all a protective type of thing? It can be a bit embarrassing when riding with others because the faces she pulls are extreme and they say ‘what a mare’

Could be just a hormonal thing, my mares get witch like when in season, try a hormonal supplement of vet one as first point call..

 

[meleeka]

I think it depends very much on the circumstances. Presumably OP knows her horse and can judge whether anyone/horse is in danger. If my dog was growling at me, I would certainly tell it off ( none ever have in all my years of keeping dogs) but if there was a stranger fiddling with the lock on the yard gate and a dog was griwling at them, it would be the stranger I told off, not the dog.

Having had a neurotic rescue dog that never growled, just snapped, I wouldn’t ever tell off a growl. Someone once said it’s a warning, not an action and It would sensible of me to take the warning and do things differently. I have a mare that will pin her ears back and make faces. I don’t need to tell her off, but if it’s something i’m doing which is necessary, I might say “Don’t be stroppy, I won’t be long”. That’s enough to bring her ears forward. She’s nipped me once in 20 years and yes, she did get told off for that, because it didn’t come after a warning and was unreasonable.

I do find mares are less aggressive on the whole, although they are excellent at demonstrative body language. My mare manages to keep everyone in line, but she’s never actually made contact with any of them.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Having had a neurotic rescue dog that never growled, just snapped, I wouldn’t ever tell off a growl. Someone once said it’s a warning, not an action and It would sensible of me to take the warning and do things differently.

I was just writing this. I was told growling is an emotional behaviour and not disobedience.

do find mares are less aggressive on the whole, although they are excellent at demonstrative body language. My mare manages to keep everyone in line, but she’s never actually made contact with any of them.

Same as the field ‘boss’ everyone is kept in line but no contact made. I wouldn’t say she is aggressive, it’s purely faces she pulls. I’ve never seen her make contact with any horses or people that I’m aware of. A friends mare will just kick from no where, no warning at all, so I kind of feel at least she shows she’s unhappy rather than kicking out.

Could be just a hormonal thing, my mares get witch like when in season, try a hormonal supplement of vet one as first point call..

She was on regumate all summer, if anything that’s when the behaviour started. She’s been off regumate for 2 months now, don’t believe she’s had a seasons since but the pulling faces behaviour hasn’t changed. My vet isn’t concerned and thinks it’s her way of saying give me space.

If she’s up ahead from the other horses she is fine, it’s when they are to close side by side or up her arse she gets grumpy.

 

[marmalade76]

I've had a couple that weren't particularly possessive/protective over me but were over their companions, eg if we took them to a show or out hunting, the mares felt the need to protect their companions from other horses. One was a sec B, the other a TB x hunter type.

 

[Sarah-P]

I was just writing this. I was told growling is an emotional behaviour and not disobedience.



Same as the field ‘boss’ everyone is kept in line but no contact made. I wouldn’t say she is aggressive, it’s purely faces she pulls. I’ve never seen her make contact with any horses or people that I’m aware of. A friends mare will just kick from no where, no warning at all, so I kind of feel at least she shows she’s unhappy rather than kicking out.



She was on regumate all summer, if anything that’s when the behaviour started. She’s been off regumate for 2 months now, don’t believe she’s had a seasons since but the pulling faces behaviour hasn’t changed. My vet isn’t concerned and thinks it’s her way of saying give me space.

If she’s up ahead from the other horses she is fine, it’s when they are to close side by side or up her arse she gets grumpy.

My mare is very like this, she loves her field buddy when no human is round, I often spot them laying down together and standing close together. She won’t let another horse groom her. If I am there she will chase off her field buddy mouth wide open to bite and ears pinned, she’s never made contact with them but just telling them who’s boss. When we’re riding she’s fine, if a horse is too close behind her she will give a few warnings, if a horse gets too close to her head at any stage under saddle or in passing she will squeal at them. Iv never seen her groom another horse or let one close enough to groom her, however, when she is getting the physio/massage she does “groom” me the way she would another horse. I do find it confusing because she obviously likes being groomed and knows how to groom another horse but she just won’t let them