Should I be concerned?

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Tayto

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Hello,

So, I have had my new horse (my first horse) for 5 weeks now. She is an 8yr old clydesdale x cob called Tash.

For the first 4 weeks she was an absolute star. She hacked out alone and in company, passed some pretty scary stuff (a drama group filiming in our local woods with sheets hanging from trees, music playing etc). She has been fab to handle, comes up to the gate to get caught and if very affectionate and loves a wee snooze while I am grooming her.

Over the past week or so she has started to object to hacking alone - napping when we leave the yard etc. She will go out alone but offers to spin at every chance and spooking at things that are not there. She gets really stressed and raises her head and snorts etc. Last night we went out on the road and she was really silly - jumping about all over the road and generlly just being an idiot! She has recently had her back, teeth etc all checked over so I think I can rule out anything being wrong with her.

Should I be concerend that she has started this or is this all part of her settling in and testing the boundries with me?

We have hacked out in company and she is fine but I prefer to hack alone so really want to work on this. We are going out tonight with my partner on foot so will see how she behaves.

As well as hacking, we have been doing a little bit of lunging and in hand work.

The only things that I can see that have changed recently are;
1. There have been 2 new mares introduced to the herd
2. The grass has started to sprout though

I am a paranoid mess at the moment - worrying about her all the time haha!

Any words of wisdom/comfort?
 
Lisa_Reid said:
is this all part of her settling in and testing the boundries with me?
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Welcome to the world of horse ownership. I think if you have done all the physical checks, then she is doing exactly what you say above. It is perfectly normal for horses to do this to some extent. I don't know how experienced a rider you are, but if you are worried about it, have a chat with your instructor, and don't be afraid to even let your instructor ride your horse during this period so that she knows she has to behave. Good luck, hopefully you will look back on this in a few months time and it will seem insignificant then. :)

ETA and yes the spring grass will have an effect.
 
I think I will book a lesson with my instructor just to get some advice from someone more experienced. I know that horses are not perfect all the time and do have off days so hopefully she is just feeling the effects of some spring grass and is being cheeky. Its so difficult to tell when I dont really know her - I suppose it will take time to get to know her and then I will know when she is being cheeky and when there is acutally something wrong!

Like I said - I am being really paranoid about EVERYTHING just now haha! :o
 
Lisa_Reid said:
I think I will book a lesson with my instructor just to get some advice from someone more experienced. I know that horses are not perfect all the time and do have off days so hopefully she is just feeling the effects of some spring grass and is being cheeky. Its so difficult to tell when I dont really know her - I suppose it will take time to get to know her and then I will know when she is being cheeky and when there is acutally something wrong!

Like I said - I am being really paranoid about EVERYTHING just now haha! :o
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Sounds like a good plan. :) By the way, you do know that your paranoia will never go away, don't you - it will just be about different things - too fat, too thin, too warm, too cold, too fast, too slow, is she sound, is she eating properly....... the list is endless. :rolleyes::p
 
nikicb said:
By the way, you do know that your paranoia will never go away, don't you - it will just be about different things - too fat, too thin, too warm, too cold, too fast, too slow, is she sound, is she eating properly....... the list is endless. :rolleyes::p
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^^^This! :D

You're right though, there's a fine line between listening to your horse and feeling like you're being paranoid and I definitely fall into the paranoid camps :) If I were a horse I'd far rather have a paranoid owner, though, that's for sure, but you'll feel better if you tell yourself you're 'listening to her' :)

It's perfect timing for her to be testing the boundaries IME so I'd make sure you nip it in the bud. It will probably be exacerbated by the bountifulness of spring, but even if it is largely caused by this, you are in a very formative moment in your relationship so it's important not to let it slide from that point of view. It may be worth asking your instructor to watch you ride her away from the yard from a distance and to give you any advice if she plays up.
 
:D HAHA! I am starting to realise this! She is worth it though - such a gentle girl. I am sure we will get over this little hiccup, just needed some reassurance!
 
I currently have a 14-something gelding on loan who thinks he is a 17hh Grand National winning stallion. The first few times I hacked him out, he was brilliant, pretty bombproof. Then he started doing this shooting backwards thing. He'll stop suddenly, and just start running backwards (he is very fast forwards, and has speed in reverse gear too!). I've got my instructor on him when he does it, she simply puts the reins in one hand, gives him a crack on the arse with the whip, he shoots forwards and behaves. I, sadly, don't have the balls to do that. I avoid it by hacking out with someone else now :p

It sounds as if you are being thoroughly tested, sadly! :p I hope you have a better ability to "grow a pair" (I was really confused when I was first told to "grow a pear" :D) than I do...good luck! :)
 
Just another suggestion in addition to the above - is she unshod ? I mention it only because I know a cob that is as sound as a pound to hack out alone but when the spring grass comes in, he feels footy and is silly/ naps leaving the yard. In company he's still generally ok unless he's very uncomfortable as he doesn't want to left behind.
 
hnmisty said:
I currently have a 14-something gelding on loan who thinks he is a 17hh Grand National winning stallion. The first few times I hacked him out, he was brilliant, pretty bombproof. Then he started doing this shooting backwards thing. He'll stop suddenly, and just start running backwards (he is very fast forwards, and has speed in reverse gear too!). I've got my instructor on him when he does it, she simply puts the reins in one hand, gives him a crack on the arse with the whip, he shoots forwards and behaves. I, sadly, don't have the balls to do that. I avoid it by hacking out with someone else now :p

It sounds as if you are being thoroughly tested, sadly! :p I hope you have a better ability to "grow a pair" (I was really confused when I was first told to "grow a pear" :D) than I do...good luck! :)
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Well, thinking back to last night, maybe part of the problem was that when she started playing up, I tensed up and was scared to do anything to her incase it made her worse. Perhaps next time, I will try a smack on the bum with my stick. Will make sure I do this in the woods rather than on the main road just incase it doesnt go to plan! Good luck with your boy :)
 
I've only got him til the end of the month as I'm buying my own, but thanks! :D

I usually give some (probably fairly feeble) kicks, the one time I tried whacking him with a stick he reversed into a little ditch beside the road and I was on the floor before I knew it! Obviously did that far less effectively than my instructor!

Little b*gger is far too clever for his own good, but so cute on the ground!

Good luck!
 
You just need to act confidently - channel the nerves into a good deep growl and a hefty boot, then if you need to give them a feel of the tickle stick then one sharp one and FORWARD! I've had horses literally almost shrug and go 'oh, ok then!' and never bother again.
 
Thanks for all the replies. You are right about not letting things slide. I need to keep on top of it and will be hacking her out every night this week so she know that's naughty behaviour will not mean I won't get back on!
 
Go girl :) When my current girl was new, she tried biting me once during a bath. It was very funny: she stopped prancing about and went all still and quiet and you could literally see her thinking about doing it and then thinking 'yeh I'll give it a go' then sneakily duck in and nip me on the arm, then stand there waiting to see what happened. Needless to say she hasn't tried it again!
 
I did wonder about her coming into season - she hasn't shown any obvious signs. My old loan mare would show obvious signs like squirting (sorry that is a bit graphic). Do all mares show such obvious signs or are some more subtle?
 
Your girl has now realised where home is and is testing you. You seem to have a plan which is good and yes grass could be contributing. I'm sure you can get though this challenging phase ;)
 
Lisa_Reid said:
Hello,

So, I have had my new horse (my first horse) for 5 weeks now. She is an 8yr old clydesdale x cob called Tash.

For the first 4 weeks she was an absolute star. She hacked out alone and in company, passed some pretty scary stuff (a drama group filiming in our local woods with sheets hanging from trees, music playing etc). She has been fab to handle, comes up to the gate to get caught and if very affectionate and loves a wee snooze while I am grooming her.

Over the past week or so she has started to object to hacking alone - napping when we leave the yard etc. She will go out alone but offers to spin at every chance and spooking at things that are not there. She gets really stressed and raises her head and snorts etc. Last night we went out on the road and she was really silly - jumping about all over the road and generlly just being an idiot! She has recently had her back, teeth etc all checked over so I think I can rule out anything being wrong with her.

Should I be concerend that she has started this or is this all part of her settling in and testing the boundries with me?

We have hacked out in company and she is fine but I prefer to hack alone so really want to work on this. We are going out tonight with my partner on foot so will see how she behaves.

As well as hacking, we have been doing a little bit of lunging and in hand work.

The only things that I can see that have changed recently are;
1. There have been 2 new mares introduced to the herd
2. The grass has started to sprout though

I am a paranoid mess at the moment - worrying about her all the time haha!

Any words of wisdom/comfort?
Click to expand...

SPRING GRASS!!

has got her - if you can go to a farming store and buy a Magnesium Salt block and allow her free 24/7 access to it.

In the meantime you can feed her this mix preferably twice daily, if you can't then feed in a small feed around one hour before you ride.
1 Tablespoon each of
Epsom Salts
Baking Soda
Yeast
Dried Thyme

This mix was given to me by a very old horseman and works really well on horses affected by the spring grass.

For prevention feed once daily using 1 Dessertspoon of each ingredient.
 
Sorry if I'm just repeating something already asked, just had a quick scroll through as I'm a busy bee :D

Have you changed her feed at all since you got her? Spring grass/coming in to season can all be factors as well but I know many horses that have gone to new owners and even the slightest change can make them a totally different horse!

Stay confident with her though and don't let her take the P! That will stop any of this behaviour spiralling, nip it in the bud! As I always like to say :p

Good luck, hope you find the cause of it!
 
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