risking a double barrelling

Fairynuff

Fairynuff

Well-Known Member
Joined
31 March 2004
Messages
4,993
Location
italy
Visit site
my 2 year old quarter has always been a saint until now. She has been stabled since I bought her with unlimited turn out every day in company of my old boy.She is/was well handled and up till now has accepted everything. In the last few days she has threatened my groom every time he has entered her stable space. when I go to sort out the problem she is a bit 'iffy' but with a growl or 2 she sorts herself out.As its been so long since Ive had youngsters and probably because Ive always been blessed with 'easy going' ones, what am I doing wrong? Our winter hasnt been anything like yours so its got nowt to do with being box bound.Help, I dont want a spoiled bolshy cow on my hands
ooo.gif
 
I would say she's testing the boundaries. You need to get your groom to put her in her place, as I hate horses that can only be done by one person.
 
She's at that spoilt brat age.

Does she live with a horse who puts her in her place? The worse bulshy young brats I've met have lived in small herds where they are near or at the top of the pecking order.

If she behaved nicely for you then the groom just needs to start doing whatever you're doing. Work out what he's doing differently and change it.

She may also be coming into season. It's rather early but my old loan mare (went to visit her today) has just come into season.
 
She is just feeling her feet about the right age testing you out. Nothing to do with the way she is handled. You need to deal with it in your own way. I personally bash them up the backside with a broom but I suppose that's not politically correct these days!
 
Do they still want their job? Sounds harsh but you need a groom who can do every horse safely.

I got a 2 yr old, it was 16hh and now it's 18hh some 3yrs later. I would never dream of letting her know her own strength as it's too dangerous. We've always nipped anything like this in the bud and I am happy for her to be handled by anyone who's experienced. I have never beaten her, but I would throw a bucket at her if she did something like invade my space and try to knock me over.
 
just talk to him, see what he does, then tell him how you deal with her. if he works for you - he does it your way!

that was always my attitude as a groom anyway....
smile.gif


good luck!
 
[ QUOTE ]
She is just feeling her feet about the right age testing you out. Nothing to do with the way she is handled. You need to deal with it in your own way. I personally bash them up the backside with a broom but I suppose that's not politically correct these days!

[/ QUOTE ]
It is from where I come from
laugh.gif
Problem is, she climbs up the wall when I raise my voice at her
ooo.gif
She's a sensitive litle cow
confused.gif
 
That's great it means you never need to beat her into submission. If a raised voice works, you're lucky.

Having said that, sensitive horses sometimes throw their toys out the pram more often
 
testing her boundaries, tke a bucket in with you or a headcollar or lead rope and if she turns her bum on you then throw whatever you have at her bum. she will soon shoot round and stop doing it. dont worry they all do it. just be firm but fair. everyone must treat her the same or she will learn she cn do it with others and not you.
 
My biggest problem is in the 'grooms'. I live in Italy and grooms dont groom because they 'love' horses. They work with horses as they would work in a factory producing nuts and bolts-its a job
crazy.gif
Im already lucky in that the bloke who works for me is Hindu and treats animals incredibly well-too well in fact
frown.gif
I can see myself doing my youngster on my own-not very educational
frown.gif
 
W B why dont you do your youngster yourself for a few days and just set the boundaries again.... growling, yelling or a smack (till youngster learns!) and show your 'groom' how its done then everyone will be happy incl horse! and safer too. lead by example!
 
I know it goes against the grain for your groom, but he needs to toughen up a bit. I had a similar sort of thing with my friends dog. She was incredibly obedient for me but a cheeky wee sod with her. It was her tone of her voice. everything she said to her was in the same sort of tone. i had to 'teach' her to do the growly thing and the higher pitch nice voice etc. They don't have a problem now. sometimes it is the education of the person as well as the animal.
I would say that he needs to watch your body language with her too, i reckon that will have a lot to do with it.

and can you please empty your pm box
tongue.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
She is just feeling her feet about the right age testing you out. Nothing to do with the way she is handled. You need to deal with it in your own way. I personally bash them up the backside with a broom but I suppose that's not politically correct these days!

[/ QUOTE ]


lol - the tricks of days gone by..............
 
I have had a similar problem with 2 y.o arab. She keeps spinning her bum on me and even following me around with it (has a maaaasive stable) I have usually been mucking out at the time, so just bang the brush/ fork etc on floor and shout. If it is scaring your girl, then good, that's what she needs in this situation (as long as it doesn't send her so loopy she's a danger to herself or others) She has had a brush up the bum this week. I don't agree with it usually but she's not kicking me. She got one of the girls around christmas because she backed off when she did it. Usually with 5 mins she quits with me and goes back to her haynet and then when i'm done and she's behaved she gets a nice scratch and cuddle.

I won't have it, and i think backing off is the worst thing you can do. If they did that to anyone in the field they would get a damn good telling off, cheeky sods. I love baby to bits and we have a nice bond usually, i think she is wanting a bottom scratch to be honest, but it's not on to stick it in my face. I have also given her a couple of damn good shoves which have knocked her balance a bit and made her reconsider. I might get kicked, but i'm more likely to if i ignore it.

Your groom needs to be confident and competent enough to handle youngsters if they expect to work with them.
 
Oh yes, that's the way to go. Blame the horse right from the start and give it a doing. Why do so many people take this line?

W-B, It sounds to me as if your horse doesn't like your groom for some reason. If he's nervous of her it will just make her afraid, and she'll want him out of the stable.

If she's afraid of him for other reasons, she won't want him there. Not being able to get away from him, she'll be obliged to threaten him in such a small area.

It may just be that your horse needs a bit of peace, and doesn't get it.

Horses which develop stable vices such as trying to put people out of the box, or threatening behaviour over the door, or tail swishing and making faces, need thoughtful and patient handling, not a beating.

You will be risking a double barreling if you go in with a 'blame the horse with no thought for the handlers/management/environment' attitude.

I'm often asked to deal with horses which are aggressive in the stable, and the first thing I do is take them into a bigger area and teach them to face up to the handler, and to keep their hindquarters away.

This is easily done with a bit of pressure and release, using a training halter to help the hotrse learn to follow closely, and to pay attention to the handler.

Some horses need a bit more than just the halter work, especially if they have learned that they can threaten humans with their hind ends and have the humans yield to them. These horses usually respond very well to being persuaded to yield to pressure toward their quarters as their head is brought round by the halter.

Don't be tempted to try to deal aggressively with the horse's presentation of its rear end, such as by 'starjumping' or poking/slapping, as this is dangerous with the horse in the confines of the stable. Rather quietly work away till you get a halter on the horse and then use its head to train the correct response to people entering the stable.

A horse should meet visitors with a nice friendly attitude, and should allow anyone to enter its stable safely.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top