Stubborn Mare

[Winters100]

BC have got back to me and informed me she had been stabled previously to coming to them, and while with her foster home over the winter months. I’ve started bringing her into the stable just for a feed and then taking her back out after half an hour and seeing how she comes on

This is good, but really I would start planning now for winter, because no turnout for months will be terrible for her. It will also likely be terrible for you, when my mare could not go to the paddock because of a hoof infection it was a massive stress for me to get there before 5am to turn her out in the arena for a couple of hours before it was needed, and then hand walk her 4 times a day. There is no way I could keep that up for the whole winter.

 

[Ownedby4horses]

OP, please as above think and plan now for winter, give her a chance for some freedom and either get her daily winter turnout where you are or move her.

 

[Melandmary]

It seems very odd that the blue Cross would rehome a horse that had no basic handling. I have 1 mare that originally came from the rspca, then went on to a Foster home and I got her as a well handled, ridden away 4 year old. But I have also got an ex rescue from another charity who had no basic handling. She is 12 and my advice is to be patient and consistent. She needs time to trust you and want to be with you. My pony wouldn't leave my other mare, didn't pick her feet up. She is now ready to be backed, goes out in hand by herself in traffic and loves to come in for attention. BUT she doesn't like being stabled, she was stabled overnight through winter but kept jumping out. I have tried since to put her back in for short periods but she finds it stressful and so now she lives out 24/7. What I am saying is that some things can be trained in to a horse but we also have to listen to what they are telling us they can deal with. Just because your horse was stabled for a time doesn't mean it liked it. I would be looking to move if I were you. A happy horse will be more open to working with you. Good luck?

 

[Beccahope01]

Just an update on my mare, after lots of chasing of background information I have learnt that my mare has never done anything alone, and therefore becomes very stressed when away from other horses. This has made things a lot clearer to understand and work with, as now she is quite happy to come into the stable as long as there is a horse in next door to her. Since finding this information out, I have always made sure she is with another horse and have discovered she is a lot easier to work with and more willing to learn new things? however, she still isn’t 100% on coming out of the field, which I now think is because there is always at least one horse in there when she comes in to be groomed/fed and she doesn’t want to leave them, but she is coming on more and more everyday.

 

[DipseyDeb]

I think the charity are okay with it as her foster home where stabling her too. When she first came she had to be isolated for 2 weeks, and she stabled well then two weeks and we had no problems with her. Now she’s allowed turnout it’s understandable that she’s remembering everything she’s experienced and doesn’t want to come back in. I’m going to try only bringing her in for a feed and a brush as she enjoys being pampered for the remainder of the summer, and if she is still is unsure of it all I’ll start searching for a new yard

Long shot but are you talking about Petal? If so then she wasn't stabled at he foster home, she lived out in a herd in a 10 acre field. We did introduce to a stable but only when waiting for farrier or the day she was picked up. She spent very little time in a stable but would come on to the yard to be handled, my daughter would do this when other horses came on too so she had the security. She is definitely far happier and more relaxed living out. If it's not the same horse then apologies.

 

[Beccahope01]

Long shot but are you talking about Petal? If so then she wasn't stabled at he foster home, she lived out in a herd in a 10 acre field. We did introduce to a stable but only when waiting for farrier or the day she was picked up. She spent very little time in a stable but would come on to the yard to be handled, my daughter would do this when other horses came on too so she had the security. She is definitely far happier and more relaxed living out. If it's not the same horse then apologies.

Yes this is Petal, Blue Cross have told me she was stabled with the foster home and before she came to them??‍ She is a lot better coming in on her own now that she realises she’s coming out of the field for a feed, but the stable is still way out of our reach yet as you probably know she doesn’t like doing anything without the rest of the horses there? I’m searching high and low for a grass livery yard in my area because I feel like I’m just being cruel to her by asking her to come in when she is clearly more happy out in the field

 

[DipseyDeb]

Yes this is Petal, Blue Cross have told me she was stabled with the foster home and before she came to them??‍ She is a lot better coming in on her own now that she realises she’s coming out of the field for a feed, but the stable is still way out of our reach yet as you probably know she doesn’t like doing anything without the rest of the horses there? I’m searching high and low for a grass livery yard in my area because I feel like I’m just being cruel to her by asking her to come in when she is clearly more happy out in the field

She started off in the stable but just got so stressed we had to introduce it gradually, she definitely has some separation anxiety but she had been in the same home for 14 years so it's to be expected. She is lovely and with time and patience I'm sure will settle. Is there anywhere you can move to that has more Turnout in the winter? Even just during the day.

 

[DipseyDeb]

She started off in the stable but just got so stressed we had to introduce it gradually, she definitely has some separation anxiety but she had been in the same home for 14 years so it's to be expected. She is lovely and with time and patience I'm sure will settle. Is there anywhere you can move to that has more Turnout in the winter? Even just during the day.

She always settled better when there was another horse in with her, but that goes for a lot of horses. Good luck and just take things slow.

 

[Beccahope01]

She started off in the stable but just got so stressed we had to introduce it gradually, she definitely has some separation anxiety but she had been in the same home for 14 years so it's to be expected. She is lovely and with time and patience I'm sure will settle. Is there anywhere you can move to that has more Turnout in the winter? Even just during the day.

She is an absolute sweetheart and I do see a great potential in her. But yes I’m looking for a new yard for her at the moment with more turn out for her

 

[DipseyDeb]

That's good, I'm not a fan of no Turnout, I was on a yard that decided one year to ban winter Turnout and it's a nightmare really not fair to expect a horse to spend day and night in a box! Good luck with her she really is a sweetheart.