Tips for bringing in a stubborn mare please

[Hutchlou]

It's just taken me over 40 minutes to walk the half mile back from the field with my mare.

She will come straight upto me from the field, have her head collar put on & be led out of the field, but that is where the good behaviour stops.

She will then plant her feet and not budge!! I have tried patience & let her graze for a while. I can tempt her into couple of steps with a handful of hay/treat/carrot and I praise her as she starts to walk with me but then she'll stop again.

I also try being very firm with her and move her along from behind & at the shoulder (and take a crop too to encourage) but this is still a real battle at the moment. I'm sure she understands what I am asking of her!

I have had her since May and she never used to be like this. Just something that has steadily got worse over the last few weeks.
Any suggestions would be most gratefully received!

 

[Theresa_F]

Use a dually head collar for extra control, don't pull at her but push and gently pull at her left and right to "sway" her and she will start to move - lots of praise for even a small step.

I would suggest you put a lot of work into your leading routine so she gets to know where she should be, and to move with you so she goes when you go, stops when you stop, turns as you turn, keeping a set distance.

Farra would on occasion do this (and a planted Clyde brings on a whole new meaning to plant) and my OH had a few lessons with a NH trainer who really did help him with her groundwork and was excellent education for both of them.

Might be worth getting someone in to get you sorted as she does sound like you could do with some help to get you started.

 

[Kenzo]

Sounds like she is taking the ....well you know.

Stopping and letting her graze and then giving her titbits won't of helped, she's well and truely got you wrapped round her finger...or hoof should we say.

Get a schooling whip or a lunge whip and carry this in your other hand, soon as she plants, give her a flick behind the legs with the lunge line (if you not sure how to do this correctly get someone to show you) or use a schooling whip and give her a sharp smack and tell her to WALK ON, then praise her with your voice and walk briskly on.

She'll learn, sounds like she's just got into a bad habit and your being too soft.

 

[Goya]

Where in Northants are you. I could possibly come and help if you need it.

 

[Bosworth]

Turn her round and reverser her in!!!! Seriously though I would simpy turn her in circles and back her up and stop being so patient. My 2 year old was really slow - not stubborn but just enjoyed his views. I started taking a schooling whip out with me I hols the lead role in my right hand and my schooling whip in my left. And if he gets behind my shoulder I simply smack him on his back end with my left arm bahind me. making sure I verbally reward when he comes back into position alongside my shoulder. I would probably use something like a dually headcollar so every time she stops still you back her up hard. THen ask her to walk forward. Unless she walks forward at your pace it is not good enough.

 

[Hutchlou]

Thanks. I do give her a sharp smack on her rear with the crop but am guessing with a rug on that this isn't having quite so much effect! Hadn't thought about hitting her on her legs though. Will try!

She is still quite stubborn with others when they bring her in, but not as bad as she is with me.

 

[Hutchlou]

Thanks for the offer! There are lots of others that will help on the yard though - I just need to admit that this has now become an issue for me rather than it just being a bit of annoying behaviour!

I am on the border between Cambs, Lincs, Northants, Leics, Rutland!!! Stables are near Wansford.

 

[Kenzo]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks. I do give her a sharp smack on her rear with the crop but am guessing with a rug on that this isn't having quite so much effect! Hadn't thought about hitting her on her legs though. Will try!

She is still quite stubborn with others when they bring her in, but not as bad as she is with me.

[/ QUOTE ]

Its more of a flick than a hit, it just that with a lunge line you have an extended arm so to speak, but if your not sure how to do this then don't do it. She won't feel a thing with a rug on, get someone to take it off then you lead her and then just use a schooling whip, will only take a few times and the penny will drop.

 

[bugbee717]

she sounds just like my haffy, he can be a real pain. I now use a dually with him and he is no problem at all.

 

[TicTac]

As others have said, you need to make her understand that the consequence of her not going forward with you will be hard work. ie backing her up, turning her in circles, ( certainly not letting her graze!) or simply rocking her from side to side untill she moves forward. Once she walks on, have her on a fairly loose rope and walk in front of her as the leader.

 

[cobface]

Sounds familiar! my mare does this
I did have a few parelli lessons and i sometimes use my parelli halter, she responds well to this

 

[squirrelc17]

i second the reversing idea. we had a mare who was a nightmare to lead. she would stop, nap, mini rear etc. so one day i lost my temper (not on outside just internally) and backed her up the whole way to the field. for the next few days she was better but still tried it occasionally. when she threatened to do it again i reined her back a few steps then she would walk forwards.
give it a go. it might work!!!

 

[cellie]

Try plastic bottle filled with stones and ask someone to shake it behind you everytime she stops.Stop the noise as soon as she goes forward.You could try this yourself she wont know where its coming from and hopefully the effect will drive her on.

 

[Morgan123]

She sounds like she's being cheeky, but also do consider why it's happening. She obviously doesn't want to go into the yard... Is that cos u only bring her in to ride? She is bored of schooling? She hates her saddle? Something there scares her? She is anxious about leaving her friends? It may be none of these things of course but make sure you think about it before just smacking her and using pressure halters etc.

 

[ChesnutsRoasting]

Why is she objecting to coming in? Is it the same old every time you bring her in? Do you work her every time you bring her in? Is she left in a stable on her own whilst her herdmates are still in the field? Get her thinking. The next time you bring her in, give her a small feed and turn her straight back out again. Bring her in and groom her, then turn her out again. if shes anticipating what is going to happen everytime shes brought in and shes bored with what normally happens, then keep her guessing, try different things.

 

[trundle]

My little mare went through a phase of doing this back in the summer. I could walk up to her, give her a scratch, put the headcollar on, no problem. She would even walk about halfway to the gate...but then she would plant and refuse to move at all. Even flicking her with a schooling whip didn't work, having someone else "encourage" her from behind witha whip didn't work. She was just a thoroughly stubborn mare.

I eventually got fed up with it, and would just turn her round and reverse her out of the field and up the track to the yard. I gave her one chance at walking forward, and if she jibbed at that, she got spun round and reversed, no messing about. Eventually she realised that yes, I was in fact going to make her do the uncomfortable walking backwards thing every time she messed around, so now she walks beautifully for me.