Stubborn Mare! Help!

[JJ1987]

Currently helping out with a friend's ex racehorse mare. Aged 9 years old, has had all the basic retraining etc. She has now, however, become very adept at deciding she's had enough and will stop and plant her feet when she decides she no longer wants to work - laziest ex racer ever!
She will stop, plant her feet and refuse to walk forwards - she will ignore any attempts to move her forward or even a pony club style kick and will kick out at a slap on the bum and still ignore you. Voice commands also do not seem to work - it's like she has decided to jack it all in and wants to have a battle of wills with you. The only thing that seems to work so far is turning in a tight circle and then showing her that going forwards is the much easier option which she will then do, work happily forwards until the next time she decides to have an argument.

As I know most will instantly say it, she's had back checked, saddle checked, physio been out, teeth checked etc - she is the most pampered, well looked after horse I know. She has responded well to some ulcer treatment that she has recently been on and has been better than she has been for a long time but these arguments are continuing (she hasn't yet been scoped for ulcers however but is on preventative supplement for this anyway)

Just looking for suggestions on how to keep her interested, what may be the issue and how to work through it. I have worked with a lot of green/inexperienced/problem horses but this is definitely getting the better of me at the moment!

Tack wise, she is ridden in a full cheek snaffle, flash bridle and running martingale.

 

[NZJenny]

Does it happen in every situation? Is she the same out hacking, jumping or schooling?

 

[JJ1987]

Usually schooling/jumping. Out hacking she's on the whole fine, just naps now and again if on her own and is reluctant to go in front with others

 

[epeters91]

I used to ride a pony that would get bored and stop concentrating and also liked to stop moving. With her we had to keep thinking forwards and basically be 5 steps ahead of the pony. Lots of transitions, circles, figures of eights, trotting poles, jumps, leg yeilding just constantly moving from one thing to the next so the horse doesn't get a chance to stop and think about disagreeing with you. For example we might start off walking around to warm up then start transitions, walk to trot, trot to halt, half to walk, walk to canter, canter to trot, etc. Then 10 meter circle at E, repeat but turn into a figure of 8, go off into a 3 loop serpentine with transitions at the loops. Might not work for your girl but hope you find something that does xx

 

[JJ1987]

Thanks epeters - I've started doing that with her which seems to be working. I'm also trying to get her hacking out a bit more too to keep her interested - the girl who owns her is still at school so can only ride in the arena after school

 

[MyDappledConnemara]

I've worked with some ponies like this - she has probably turned sour. Do some ground work, get her scoped for ulcers - if she is responding well to treatment that may mean she has an ulcer. I would try hacking out long reining, as this puts you in a safe position if things go right and even better if they go wrong! Good luck x

 

[NZJenny]

Sounds to me like she is just sour. Needs out of the arena lots more and there is a lot you can do out hacking. Mares are very good at letting you know exactly what they are thinking!

 

[JJ1987]

Thanks everyone, I think we'll stick at what we're doing with hacking out as much as possible and anything in the arena being kept busy and new. See how that goes glad to see I'm on the right wavelength