stubborn mare - Help!

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littlemissm12

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Hi everyone, my mare is very stubborn and lazy when schooling/ and sometimes in general. She has no health problems and saddle is fine. She always naps in the beginning and then realises she cant get away with it but still sometimes after that tries it on. She's also been very stubborn to canter. I can get her in it but she won't keep it and will throw a small buck if I tap her with my schooling whip. Once she does get going she is very nice. She has a bit of a belly right now and lacks a bit of muscle tone so I am trying transitions more to build it up. Any tips for schooling and dealing with laziness/napping? Thanks
 
Hi, I am interested as to how you have come to the conclusion that she has no health issues and is fine? Has she been to a specialist lameness expert at an equine hospital for a full performance workup? This should take at least 4 days if nothing is forthcoming. Has she had her bloods run, her ovaries scanned? Scoped for ulcers?

As for the saddle, have you tried in a bareback pad to eliminate this as a cause (if safe enough)? How do you know it is OK? I do know that master saddlers have let down a lot of people.

I find that usually laziness / napping is caused by either a physical issue or a misunderstanding over schooling. If you have done all of the checks, then how have you tackled the issue so far? Is the horse focused when working with you? Good to stand and be mounted? Good to walk, halt, reverse?
 
Red-1 said:
Hi, I am interested as to how you have come to the conclusion that she has no health issues and is fine? Has she been to a specialist lameness expert at an equine hospital for a full performance workup? This should take at least 4 days if nothing is forthcoming. Has she had her bloods run, her ovaries scanned? Scoped for ulcers?

As for the saddle, have you tried in a bareback pad to eliminate this as a cause (if safe enough)? How do you know it is OK? I do know that master saddlers have let down a lot of people.

I find that usually laziness / napping is caused by either a physical issue or a misunderstanding over schooling. If you have done all of the checks, then how have you tackled the issue so far? Is the horse focused when working with you? Good to stand and be mounted? Good to walk, halt, reverse?
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All of this and is she fit enough for the work you are asking her to do? She doesn't sound very fit from your description.
 
Red-1 said:
Hi, I am interested as to how you have come to the conclusion that she has no health issues and is fine? Has she been to a specialist lameness expert at an equine hospital for a full performance workup? This should take at least 4 days if nothing is forthcoming. Has she had her bloods run, her ovaries scanned? Scoped for ulcers?

As for the saddle, have you tried in a bareback pad to eliminate this as a cause (if safe enough)? How do you know it is OK? I do know that master saddlers have let down a lot of people.

I find that usually laziness / napping is caused by either a physical issue or a misunderstanding over schooling. If you have done all of the checks, then how have you tackled the issue so far? Is the horse focused when working with you? Good to stand and be mounted? Good to walk, halt, reverse?
Click to expand...


Agree with this sounds like it could be a pain issue as most horses generally enjoy doing something, I would get a vet out to check her over.
 
i would suggest lots of hacking and hill work to build up her muscles before trying to school, it sounds like she isnt really fit enough to be cantering in the school...
 
My mare was at her nappiest (is that a word?) when her ulcers were at their worst. Ulcers treated, diet changed, and the napping stopped.

To me, napping is a sign of pain. Good luck in getting to the bottom of it all.
 
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