Sorry Rant - I dont like my horse very much at the moment!

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madginger

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Sorry to rant but I just need to let off a bit of steam!!!

My horse seems to be getting worse lately, yesterday I went down to the field to catch her, well I tried, after 10 minutes and lots of running around (her not me) she eventually gave up.

Lead her up to the stables like a little lamb so thought "this is nice, should have a nice calm relaxing ride!" this was short lived.

Tied her up to groom and tack up and she kept twisting and turning to look at the other horses left in the field, they were just out of sight, so lots of neighing etc, she pulled back a couple of times and broke the string so I decided to try her in the stable as its easier to tack up and less room to move around.

Well she didn’t like that, kept pacing round and round the stable and pushing at the door to get out, as I tried to get her rug off she purposely pushed me against the wall winding me and bruising my ribs.

I gave up at this point and loose schooled her and then lunged, ribs were too sore to ride.

I was so upset as she seems to be like this only when she is separated from the others and I was at my wits end, I know that some of you have worse horses and I should be grateful but I was so cross and upset, I'm tempted to send her to boot camp to learn some manners or Tesco's!!

Sorry for letting off steam but know you guys will understand.

Wine and choccies for getting this far!
 
To be honest is just sounds as though she has got a little too much in control and is not respecting you or your space, I'd do some rope work with her on a pressure halter. I don't think it's anything you can't sort out with a bit of work. If she pushes you back her up and ask her to stand, if she won't repeat and repeat until she does.

None of this stuff is planned or done on purpose, she's just got a bit bossy, good luck with her!
 
You have said it yourself - when she is separated from the others. Horses are herd animals, their safety lies in numbers, so for a horse to be away from the rest of the herd is very stressful. They can learn to do it though - you have to do it in very small increments.
Start with a few minutes, and BEFORE she gets wound up put her back with the others. Gradually bit by bit extend the time but try and put her back before she starts stressing - she will be learning 2 things that way. One is that she will go back to the others in time, the separation isn't permanent, and the other that she CAN cope on her own for a while. Feed her, give her her hay, reward her for standing quietly, do some reinforcement training, exercise her brain and give her something else to focus on.
Turn your title around and ask yourself - what does your horse think of YOU???
 
Oh dear I am not a big fan of mine at the moment either!

I have been finding all the horses quite clingy at the moment, when I took mine out on Sunday she was barging me around while all the others were galloping about neighing their heads off. We were waiting for our friend and horse coming down the road and she didn't settle much when they arrived, I decided to walk in hand instead although she did calm down mostly apart from a few dragging incidents!

So I think it is just the windy weather or time of year or something. I won't force myself to get on when she's being like that.

Hope they all settle down soon and you are not too bruised!
 
Mine is being a major pita atm too! Have just spent all afternoon creating him a 'naughty' paddock, as he is pushing the other horses around, and generally being a thug.

With mine I think it is weather related, with all this nasty cold wind, and also that he is very fit (hunting twice a week), so just looking for ways to use up his energy.

Is it possible your mare is coming in to season which may be making her clingy?
 
jumbyjack said:
To be honest is just sounds as though she has got a little too much in control and is not respecting you or your space, I'd do some rope work with her on a pressure halter. I don't think it's anything you can't sort out with a bit of work. If she pushes you back her up and ask her to stand, if she won't repeat and repeat until she does.

None of this stuff is planned or done on purpose, she's just got a bit bossy, good luck with her!
Click to expand...

This and I'd do the work in a school or paddock. Contained area away from friends but not where you can be trapped.

I don't think being in a stable with a bloshy horse is a good idea. It's a very small area without a great escape route and solid walls.

In terms of tying up without pulling I'd be inclined to pop leadrope through metal tie ring and hold the end. This way when she pulls it won't snap but if she gets into a situation where it needs to 'break' you can give some slack.
 
You have my sympathies I have similar issues with my mare too (probably a mare thing) In my case partly my fault as I have allowed the bolshyness to build up over time.

I have put her on magnesium to help with the anxiety (as our forage was short in it) and she is barefoot so will help with that too. We have also been working on manners on the ground and not being bargy. It has only been 6 weeks but we are getting there

Hope you can find something that helps you
 
Loads of sympathy here too. My mare would do pretty much the same and I felt like selling her Saturday (if there was a market for horses at the moment, but there isn't, humph!). Yes, they sometimes get above their station and I know groundwork works, but sometimes they just catch you by surprise, like my mare did the other day. She heard a mini-digger or something but couldn't see it and went to panic without passing go. I tried to in-hand her, but couldn't get her far enough away to apply the whip (I wasn't going to beat her, don't worry, it was applied in a classical way) and ask for shoulders in, then got her sort of turning on forehand, well more spinning on forehand and threatening to boot me, so walked on a little way, with her trying to wipe me out of the way with the help of the trees, at which point I decided my safety was more important and turned for home. She had lost the plot. I let her into field again, she ran off the steam that I was creating a pressure boiler with, and when she calmed down a couple of hours later I lunged her and she gave me some very obedient work. It's not just you! Perhaps the wind coming from Cananda atm smells different or something!!
 
I feel for you, they can be frustrating beasties at times!

If she is feeling this much separation anxiety it doesn't sound like she rates you very highly. When she is with you she should be focused on you and what you are asking her to do, not preoccupied with getting back to her mates as fast as poss! I would think about doing some ground work or work in the round pen with her to establish yourself as leader in her mind. I did this with my little mare when she was two years old and we've never looked back. It now doesn't matter what the other horses are doing in the field, they can be galloping or calling for her as I'm working her but she doesn't bat an eyelid as she knows when she's with me she needs to focus on what I'm asking her to do. It's made her very easy to deal with in all respects. I just moved her around in the round pen and put myself in the place of leader. She's super easy to lead, comes when I call her, I can tack her up in the middle of a windy field no problem. You'll find if you lay this ground work it carries over to all areas of your relationship.

Sorry about your bruised ribs, hope your feeling better.
 
I was also wondering why you hadn't tied her up in the stable. Not a good idea to be in a small space with a stressed horse that isn't tied up!

I think the suggestion to get her used to seperation bit by bit is the best idea.
 
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