Tips on training my green horse

[sophiegrace]

Hi all,

i have been loaning a 5yo mare for about 6 weeks now she was only broken in last year and has had next to nothing done with her, before i started riding her she had only been ridden about 12 times. she is good 70% of the time but has bolted, bucked attempted to roll with me on her a few times. when i lunge her i can sense her mood from this, whether she bucks or acts a bit crazy on the lunge.

what would be the best advice to get her up to scratch? i understand shes very young and green so its not going to happen over night, i work full time so weekends is my only time to ride her but i can lunge during the week. i just want to get the naughtiness out of her as her unpredictable behavior can be dangerous!

i'm looking to put her on a moody mare supplement also.

*disclaimer* please be kind i have had quite a few years out and when i did have a horse before she was fully established and wasnt green so this is very new to me.

 

[Sail_away]

I have to say I don’t think this horse is the right one for you. I don’t know many horses who would progress well only being ridden on weekends with a lunge session or two during the week, and from the sound of it she is very babyish and is going to need a lot of time and consistency. Having said she sounds babyish - bolting and trying to roll with you on would worry me, that’s not normal behaviour for a green horse. When you say bolt, do you mean tanking off with you or could you really not stop her at all? There’s always the possibility of pain to consider but it’s impossible to say knowing so little about the horse in question.
Also - you’re loaning this horse. The owners are expecting you to effectively re-back a seemingly dangerous horse, whilst paying for all of her costs. Is there any guarantee they won’t take her back if she starts going nicely? I’d honestly ask her owners to take her back, and start looking for a share horse or a very chilled established sort who wouldn’t mind the irregular exercise.

 

[be positive]

I agree with the post above, she is barely backed, has possibly been left for months and the owner is expecting you to restart her, you really need some professional help and to go back to basics treating her as if she is starting from scratch, I am not sure it is what you want from a loan but without getting the basics properly established now things are likely to get worse.

Just to add you will need to get her saddle checked, find out if and when the owner had her teeth done before doing any more, if they have hardly done anything with her it is highly likely these have not been done either.

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

agree with above. If however, you do decide to keep the mare I would get physio, saddle, teeth and feet looked at. And a good look over by a vet. You don't know this horse well enough yet to say that what she is doing is naughty rather than a reaction to pain.

I also personally would not lunge a very green unbalanced 5 year old. Circles are just too difficult for a horse that green. I also wouldn't have a 5 year old if I couldn't ride consistently.

For a green 5 year old I would be doing loads of groundwork, long reining and hacking.