Rugging up problem

S

SusieJane

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I've had my 6 yo mare for a over a year now, and you couldn't meet a more sweeter natured horse.

However, over the past couple of weeks, when I've gone to put a waffle sheet over at night, when I've bent down to get the surcingle straps, she puts her ears back and looks round at me.

But this evening, she had a definite lunge, with teeth!
I really told her off, and when I went to do the other strap, she was fine.

Having her back checked routinely on Wednesday, but just wondered if anyone else had any ideas, as other than that, she is fantastically calm, placid and kind.!
 
Pickle can be like that sometimes, think he just dislikes rugs! he is the most placid horse you could ever meet. Would just reccommend getting someone to hold her/tie her up
 
Has she worn this sheet all along? Even if she wore it last year but hasn't worn it since, at her age she would have almost certainly changed shape. I've seen horses act like this when the rug is making them uncomfortable, even when there are no rubs or obvious problems.

OR, she could be having you on a bit. There is NO other situation where she threatens you?

That said, she should NEVER threaten you, even if she does have a "good" reason. It's just not acceptable and she needs to be told in no uncertain terms that your space is your space. A mare higher up in the heirarchy would never take that sort of behaviour.

This is part of the reason I'm so convinced it's important to listen to horses when they are expressing discomfort/fear/annoyance etc. A good leader makes good decisions and in the horse/human hierarchy WE have to be the good leaders. And if we don't listen when they ask nicely we force them to yell - that's when horses get really bitter and bad things happen. But this does NOT mean you do whatever the horse wants and take any sort of behaviour, especially if it's unwanted or even worse, potentially dangerous. Horses live in a heirarchy. They don't moan about not being upwardly mobile, they accept the wisdom of their betters. I joke that horses get an opinion but they don't get a vote. The flip side is, like the original poster, we have to give some thought to the "why" and not just assume horses have nothing useful to say.
 
I agree with Cruiser - your mare's behaviour is unacceptable...but why would she be doing that unless she is sore or tickly?
Check all the potential problems - wither pressure, front straps digging in, belly straps so tight she's uncomfortable when she wants to lie down.
And check the inside of the rug as sometimes they can get prickles from thistles/hay or sharp bits of shaving stuck in them which will prick your girl.
Hope she smiles more soon
S
 
She was tied up, but loosely (well loose enough to turn her head round!)

After she did it, and I shouted at her (out of fright!), I then walked her round the yard, and she followed me, left, right, stop always leaving a polite space.

There isn't any other situation where she threatens EVER. She is never barges or pulls. Great to lead, load, catch, stand etc ~ it really is this one thing ~ and its come on so suddenly.

The rug is well fitting, with room, not tight, it's clean.
Cruiser, good points to think upon. Thanks
 
Agree with Cruiser & Shilasdair - I think your mare is really trying to tell you something here!
Is she getting too hot (I know it's only a waffle rug! lol), is it rubbing anywhere or as previously suggested could there be something stuck to the inside or something?
Or (unlikely as being a waffle cooler, it's presumably cotton?) could she be getting a static shock as it's being put on or removed?

MD's previous cob was very good with his rugs.......except on a few occasions when he became quite aggressive in the stable - after a bit of obsersavion & 'Sherlock Holmes' mental application, it became obvious he hated wearing a rug with an under-rug & couldn't or wouldn't tolerate the two separate fastenings! A change of rug to a thicker, single layer solved the problem instantly!
(Can be the stupidest, simplest thing so consider anything & everything!)
 
Fly does this so I get ready and growl at him just at the 'thinking about it' stage! He also lunges as me as I walk past his stable door. How rude! In fact he is a very rude horse, but it is all bravado, he has never ever 'got me'....YET!
 
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