HollyWoozle
Well-Known Member
The time has come to face up to things and either sort my tricky mare or give up and keep her as an ornament. I have limited facilities with no ménage but we have a small grass paddock, fenced off from the main field, so I think I need to use this space for groundwork to build trust. I have tried riding her in there once (she won't hack alone and I wanted to find a way I could ride on my own) and she promptly reared, I fell off, tried to get back on and she reared again when I had one foot in the stirrup. I gave up riding and lunged her so she didn't get out of work entirely.
I think our problems stem from her being somewhat nervy and unpredictable and my lack of consistency in riding her (and my lack of experience). I have let her down and she needs more work, but unless I can get us to a better place then riding her more will not be an option anyway. We have overcome many problems she first had (nowadays she is easy to catch, polite to handle, good to groom and tack up, stands still for you to get on, isn't nervous of people but is polite and never pushy and she is finally OK with the farrier now too). Hacking in company is good but I haven't ridden her for ages as I don't often have someone suitable to ride with and I have been putting it off. Plus I don't want to just get on and take her out with someone without taking a look at the underlying issues we have.
I would like to go back to basics and start some in hand work in the paddock to help us build a trusting relationship and improve her confidence but I need some advice please. I have ridden lots of horses and had horses throughout my life, but I have always been a happy hacker for the most part and do not have much experience of groundwork, lunging etc. Can anyone give me some suggestions for exercises we can do at home, given our limited facilities, to help with our situation?
I've had the mare for years and posted about her a lot in the past but I have always put off dealing with the problems. She is a nice-natured, quality mare and I don't want to sell her as she was very nervous in the beginning and is easily unsettled. I want to try and tackle these issues myself as my lack of commitment has undoubtedly been a large part of the problem!
Thanks for your thoughts.
I think our problems stem from her being somewhat nervy and unpredictable and my lack of consistency in riding her (and my lack of experience). I have let her down and she needs more work, but unless I can get us to a better place then riding her more will not be an option anyway. We have overcome many problems she first had (nowadays she is easy to catch, polite to handle, good to groom and tack up, stands still for you to get on, isn't nervous of people but is polite and never pushy and she is finally OK with the farrier now too). Hacking in company is good but I haven't ridden her for ages as I don't often have someone suitable to ride with and I have been putting it off. Plus I don't want to just get on and take her out with someone without taking a look at the underlying issues we have.
I would like to go back to basics and start some in hand work in the paddock to help us build a trusting relationship and improve her confidence but I need some advice please. I have ridden lots of horses and had horses throughout my life, but I have always been a happy hacker for the most part and do not have much experience of groundwork, lunging etc. Can anyone give me some suggestions for exercises we can do at home, given our limited facilities, to help with our situation?
I've had the mare for years and posted about her a lot in the past but I have always put off dealing with the problems. She is a nice-natured, quality mare and I don't want to sell her as she was very nervous in the beginning and is easily unsettled. I want to try and tackle these issues myself as my lack of commitment has undoubtedly been a large part of the problem!
Thanks for your thoughts.
