Stubborn mare not obeying my rein cues

[HorseLovin' Girl]

Hello everyone! I hope I can get some tips on my mare. She is about 20 years old and sat in a pasture I believe for years ( said the seller we got her from ) so when I started riding her, she was a bit stubborn. After a few days of riding at a walk, I tried to get her to trot ( a higher speed ) and she tried bucking me off. I don't think she was used to trotting with added weight. I may need some answers on why she acted like that. Anyway, when I started to do turns through the pasture, she would ignore my rein cues and would always want to go back to the gate where she came out from. She also doesn't stop when I cue her to. She just seems to not have manners, probably from lack of riding before. She has a branding on her left hip, so I'm thinking she was either a cow horse or something. I have thought about trying join up to get her to respect me, and maybe some groundwork exercises. But I don't know what to do! Any answers would be much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[ycbm]

Welcome to the forum.

Your horse sounds as if she needs sending to a professional to be restarted from the beginning, but that's not something I would personally do to a 20 year old who hasn't been ridden for years, if ever.

 

[ycbm]

Please stop calling her stubborn. She just doesn't have a clue what you are asking her to do.

 

[Pinkvboots]

Sounds like she should have just been left in a field to enjoy her retirement

YCBM is right horses don't just think I'm gonna be stubborn today.

 

[nagblagger]

Can i ask why did you buy a 20 year old from the field, why was she retired to the field?. Did you ride her and get her vetted as a genuine 20 year old or could she be older and stiffer?

 

[AmyMay]

Guessing you’re not in the UK.

 

[Peglo]

When I took my 8 yr old back into work it took weeks of hacking in walk, slowly increasing the time I rode before I considered trot and she’d only had the winter off, not years. If you must take this old horse back into work please do it slowly and kindly. She won’t have the muscle or fitness to do the things a ridden horse would. (Although personally I wouldn’t try to bring a 20yr old back into work after years off)

YCBM is right. Horses aren’t stubborn. They are confused, sore, insecure etc.

 

[ycbm]

I thought you were new to the forum but you aren't. What happened to this horse you got a year ago, HLG?

Is it possible to ride my stud??

I've got a BIG question. My Red bay stud horse who i just got is super sweet and follows me around most places. He doesn't act up when i'm leading him, and doesn't act studsy, although we don't have mares with us and neighbors don't either. I've been told that stallions are aggressive creatures...

forums.horseandhound.co.uk

 

[Pinkvboots]

Must be a troll

 

[Rowreach]

There’s three new posters asking rather bizarre and inflammatory questions atm.

 

[Tiddlypom]

'Another' troll.

Bored with one account so revives another?

 

[Pinkvboots]

There’s three new posters asking rather bizarre and inflammatory questions atm.

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