Rude horse! manners in-hand help

MontyandZoom

MontyandZoom

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.....Not Zoomy!!!! She's a lovely gorgeous pony :D

A 14yo girl at my field has just bought her first horse. She is a stunning 6yo welshxarab. She is palomino and looks like a barbie pony - just gorgeous! She is good to ride and has done everything asked. However, she has now (after a month) started to be VERY bargy in hand.

She was leading her to the field last night and the mare started to barge and rear. She was spinning and diving and generally just being horrible. She got away from the girl and galloped around the paddock.

I caught the mare and led her back up to the top of the paddock (where we keep all our sheds, tie up to feed/groom etc) and then walked her back to the field. She was still going up on two legs but she was kind of diving into me with her head. She kept knocking into me in an effort to get away. She is very strong and was really jumping towards me, it was very rude and I found it difficult to hold on.

My reaction was to kind of stand off and force her out of my space. I wasn't really thinking about what I was doing, it was just a reaction - but was this the correct reaction? I did get her to walk calmly after a while.

I have given the girl my control headcollar that i used for Monty and we are going to start doing lots of groundwork. BUT - my question is: how should I react when she barges straight towards me? Should I continue to force her out of my space, or does this confuse her? I have offered to help since I am stronger and more confident than her owner but I don't want to make things worse.
 
I'd personally be getting a chifney or a leadrope round the nose along with a rather warning looking schooling whip....along with thenhelping kiddy out once she's behaved for you too as ultimately it's her pony who she has to deal with, and has got the point where she's realised very quickly to take the micheal....

just me though. Bardy ponies and kids, too much of a danger in the works :)
 
I have actually brought down a chifney in preparation!!! :D I am just worried my body language is wrong. I have advised her not to handle the mare when she is being like that, just to tie her up and wait for someone to help. Simply because the girl gets very upset and then it turns into a battle. Although that is just a temporary measure while we get to the bottom of the behaviour.
 
Yeah good advice....any battle with a horse, especially a young upset girl and a strongwilled pony won't end up in a win on her behalf lol!

Try the chifney, should do the world of good :)
 
Monty Roberts dually halters are great for bargy horses, they are expensive but if used correctly worth every penny. Also on horseandcountry.tv you can watch horsemanship essentials which is great at advising about groundwork/body language etc.

Good luck
 
Lots of ground work. Walk forwards and stop, mare has to stop. Turn left (and right), mare has to turn - do not tug on the rope, let it loose - mare should follow. Once you've done that for a few sessions (and it only has to be ten mins or so), start asking mare to back up, just a step at first.

When mare is in your space, push her out (a bony finger in the chest is good :)). If she manages to make you move your feet with her barging, you make her move hers more (sounds childish, but it works!).

If you want to get from point A to point B and mare is in the way, walk straight and push mare out of the way.

Wear a hat and gloves when you're doing the ground work outside the stable (and inside if nervous or if she is in the habit of waving her legs or head around).

Dizz gets bargy, but so long as I don't let her move me around then she's great and fine and easy to handle. She did occasionally whack me on the head with her head (ouch!), but a good whack on the chest stopped that :).
 
There is a great video on www.horsehero.com on how to lead horses who get bolshy, bargy and everything else. It's by Richard Maxwell. This pony obviously needs to learn what you can and cannot do whilst being handled, especially as the owner is a young girl. I would do some work on on this, i.e set aside some time to sort this out properly as opossed to attaching stronger equipment on.

Best of luck.x
 
I agree MrsMozart.
Most horse can change character completely when they move to a new home. There is no way I would even suggest that a young, inexperienced (which she is by age) girl should use a chifney with a new horse that she doesn't even know, who is confused & insecure in a new environment, people and horses = recipe for disaster!
She needs to spend time just bonding and getting to know the horse, grooming and spending time in the field/stable with him. She should set a strict routine and also consider some lessons to make sure she is on the right track with him. Some adult guidance on the ground would also be wise. Before using equiptment such as control headcollars (useful though they can be) should be used with great sensitivity and care, and can be disastrous in inexperienced or ignorant hands.
 
maybe, rather than a chifney (if you are capable of a chifney, and she wants your help, it might be ok!) why doesn't she try leading her out in a bridle (with headcollar underneath so she has it on when turned out.)

When she goes to turn the horse out she should have an experienced adult with her (like you or anyone else willing to help, but suitably!!) so that she has support but also someone to take over if it gets dangerous.

Its nice that you are helping her, rather than some people who would just leave her to get in a state, or just critise! :)

and we would NEVER have acused zoom of being naughty in hand! :)
 
Zoom is best ever pony :D

I agree there is NO way I would let her use a chifney!!! It is difficult since, i think a chifney is helpful in the right hands (ie not a 14 year old girl!!) but i don't want to have to resort to 'violence'.

On the other hand, her behaviour really is dangerous she is very agressive and really dives towards you. Every instinct in me is telling me this horse is being a b*tch rather than being upset or worried. Although I suppose I can't really say what is going on in her head for sure.

I have set aside some time on Saturday to start doing some ground work. She apparantly gallops off on the lunge so I am going to just start with MrsM's walk/halt/walk/halt. We don't have a school so it makes it slightly more risky. I may start by taking her and zoom for a walk in hand? Perhaps Zoom's chilled attitude may help?

I should also add that the horse has been here for 7 weeks so isn't new, new.
 
Sounds like it's the testing of the boundaries that most horses sem to go through when they move home.

In a school is good, but if you have the required gear on then you can do the walking and moving around anywhere.

I would say, for now, stick with doing the in-hand stuff with just the mare. Horses choose their leader every day - mare has to learn that humans are, on the whole, the ones in charge.
 
Thanks MrsM....plan in place. I'll let you know how I get on. I will have to do everything in my power to stay serene. I had a long chat with the girl about how losing your temper is the worse thing you can do......but bloody hell it's hard not to!
 
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