To keep at it or not? opions gratefully recieved!

S

shadowboy

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 May 2006
Messages
4,754
Visit site
Some of you may know I took on a Mare from the Project Horses website. She came to me as unrideable- they had tried holding her down with 6 people but to no avail. I've had her for 4 months now - since then I have ridden her 3/4 times a week and shes never tried to get me off. She is now able to work in all paces in the correct outline, has started jumping (very small about 1'6) and can be hacked out alone or in company. she is easy to catch/shoe/clip (i clipped her for the first time in her life about 2 months ago) and very loving- so you may ask whats the problem? Well She's really spooky! I cant trust her completely. Today I had a lesson and she went really well, from leg to hand and really soft through the jaw etc. My instructor was just about to leave when I remembered I had to pay her- to took £20 out of my pocket and the crinckly noise upset her so much that she carrered round the arena until depositing me into the fence. I now am stuggling to type as sitting really hurts. I dont know what to do- persevere or send her back- our trial ends on 31st march so i dont know if i should give her back then- I dont want a plod- i neer have done, but i dont want to end up on the floorevery week. To put this into persective- I have had her what- close to five months and have fallen off her 5 times- each time due to her spooking. What do you think?
 
What are you feeding her, my horse can be very spooky and I have found it is reduced a lot by careful feeding. Also you can do a lot to desensitise them. Also I have one of the balance straps on the front of my saddles so I can hook a few fingers underneath if he is feeling spooky.
 
The spooking will be a trust thing. Sounds like you are making huge progress. My boy was very similar to anything happening above him when i first brought him, to the point he would take off if I moved my elbow out when taking up the reins!! They quickly get over it. I would stick with her.
 
She's on ss Dried Grass 1K per day
ss Lucie Bix 1K (lucerine) Per day
ss Blue Bag grass Pellets 1K per day
and SuperCalm calmer.
This is split into 2 feeds. Is there anything else I can add?
 
Sounds like you are truly getting there with her when all others have failed.

My horses spook occasionally, but nothing that extreme.

I would stick with her, surely if she was unrideable before you got her and now you can ride her then she may be able to get over her other issues as well...Good Luck with whatever decision you make
 
She needs a dose of Roger and Joanna Day!! They'll sort her spookiness out. Well, they'll put her through things that she THINKS are spooky. Have you read they're book or seen any articles on them?
 
Keep her!

My horse is really spooky - I've not come off due to it (gulp...yet!) but he's unseated me a couple of times! Do plenty of work without stirrups, even if it's on a different horse, to improve/deepen your seat. It sounds like you've done a really good job with her. Five months isn't a long time to turn a horse like that around, so magine what she could be like in another five months!
smile.gif
 
I agree - sounds like you have worked wonders, the turn out an feed seem fine too. I second brewers years =nd perhaps magnesium. other than that perhaps just working on trust and spook busting.

My daughters first pony had a thing about paper. She discovered this when her PC DC asked her to ride a list of dressage entrants down to the dresage arena at a mini event - she dropped the list but her pony was legging it so fast the paper stuck to her hand, then on her chest -we laugh about it now! We got him over it in the end.
 
Keep her! It is still very early days and you have obviously made a huge difference. I bet in another 6 months you will have a really fantastic horse. All horses take time to adjust to a new home, new rider etc & one that has been messed around with in the past will take longer than a 'normal' horse. Be patient & she'll come right. There are a couple of books out there on how the mounted police de-sensitise their horses to scary monsters - might be worth a read!
 
she sounds lovely, dispite the spooking. could you not extend the loan and see if you can "bomb proof" her. There are some helpful books around - the richard maxwell one springs to mind ( not that I have read it yet).
 
I get the feeling you know what you want to do - and that's keep her. If you've managed to turn an "unrideable" horse into one that will happily work 3-4 times a week in 5 months then I think the spooking will also improve greatly given time. Just build up the amount of spooky things she's exposed too gently and I'm sure the two of you will get along fine.
 
I'd keep her. She sounds like she has come on leaps and bounds since you have had her. You have obviously worked hard, as has she, and I think with a little more time desensitising her she will be a fantastic horse. Keep at it, is what I say.
cool.gif
 
Sounds like you are doing a wonderfull job. I would be tempted to take her off all the hard feed and the calmer for 4 weeks and just give her well soaked hay when in at night and see what happens.
 
Keep her!!! Sounds like you have done wonders with her already.
She needs to extend her confidence..and as you have done so well with her so far..you would be the best person for the job by the sounds of it!!!
However you have been working with her seems to have been brilliant for her already...keep at it and in the end you'll be an unseperable couple!
Good luck and BIG congratulations so far!!!
 
Thanks guys for all your opinions- appologies first off for the dodgy typing but in sitting so alkwardly my fingers dont seem to hit the keys correctly. I really do care about her, i guess I'm worried my confidence is being chipped away... If anyone can recommend any books or people who can help me out- I would really appreciate it- I dont really want to fall off like this again!
 
I would also keep her. Sounds like you've made huge progress so far. Maybe take her off the grass pellets and add magnesium to her her diet.

For people to help you out, I would recommend Ben Hart (search hart's horsemanship). He'll devise a shaping plan for her and help you both build confidence in each other.

p.s. There's no shame in taking her for walks if you want to build trust in each other. I've found that this helps anxious horses in the past.
 
To have that much change is such a short time is amazing - I would keep her and gently work on getting her used to anything and everything - it takes time but is achievable.

You may wish to reduce her feed - what breed is she? My cobs just have lucie stalks and green gold, with some speedibeet in winter but they are fairly good doers.

Sure all will turn out well, keep working on the relationship and getting her used to things.
 
It sounds like you have done an excellent job and it would be a shame to have to give her back. It's a decision that only you can make, because it's you that has ended up on the floor!
My friend has a horse that is difficult (and I'm sure he may well have ended up on project horses had he not landed in the right hands) he's 7 this year and has never been hacked before due to his unpredictable nature. She has just started him on Magnesium and has hacked him out twice in the last two weeks!! She backed him and he's doing well at novice BE, so she's no fool, it may well be worth you trying this instead of the calmer your mare is on.
I can find out the details and PM you if you'd like.
 
[ QUOTE ]


For people to help you out, I would recommend Ben Hart (search hart's horsemanship). He'll devise a shaping plan for her and help you both build confidence in each other.

[/ QUOTE ]

Just had alook his website Cor he is bit tasty isn't he...
 
I would cut ou the lucerne (alfalfa) did this with mine and wlthough she will always be a bit spooky she calmed down amazingly. She had gone from "amusingly" spooky to out and out mad in three months and went back again in two weeks when I stopped feeding her alfalfa and any molasses.
 
I have used Cool, Calm and Collected calmer and found it really works. Definately worth a try.

Ooo by the way i think you should keep her!! It sounds like you have done wonders for her and i think a move somewhere where she is not fully understood would completely undo all of the good work that you have done!!

Well done!!!
 
Def keep her for a few more months at least - it really sounds like you have come a long way with her. She might get over the spookiness in another few months as she mentally matures. Plus I'd worry she might revert to her old ways if u sold her...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top