What next?

H

HideandSeek

Member
Joined
3 June 2015
Messages
15
Location
Yorkshire
Visit site
Hi everyone, I posted a week or so ago about my new horse and my confidence riding her, had some great advice so I'm hoping to get some more now.
After my last thread, I realised I shouldn't put any pressure on myself or my horse to rush any ridden work so I've been working with her on the ground. I've been lunging her and doing some in hand work and other days I've just bought her in for a groom and to just spend time with her.
She has still been very tense and seems a bit worried at time but nothing I would put down to, new owner, new yard etc.
I got some rescue remedy, which is amazing stuff, really chills me out so I've been really confident even when she hasn't, which has been really good for my confidence in general.
However, yesterday I brought her in, she was a bit tense, as usual but she normally calms down when on the yard but she didn't at all.
She was jogging on the spot and throwing her head around all the way to the yard. When tied up she was pulling her head up and stomping around.
I got my lunge line and hat on and she snapped the bailer twine, luckily I was right near her so I managed to get her head collar. We just stood for a while, I tried to calm her down just talking to her softly. I tied her back up and she seemed to relax a bit.
When I walked back over to her she reared and snapped the twine again and took off back to the field. I caught up with her at the gate and I have to say I was a little shaken so I just took her back into her field. Once her head collar was off she went tanking round the field and any horse that came near her she was kicking out at them and pinning her ears back.
She then came and stood by the gate next to me as if she wanted to come in.
I thought it was best for both of us to just leave her but she was still waiting by the gate when I went home.
Everyone on the yard thinks it's hormonal as she's so tense and nervous at times.
I thought perhaps she doesn't like leaving her field mates but even when they are on the yard with her she's still the same, although no way near as bad as yesterday.
I don't know what the next step is? My plan was to go down and just bring her in for a groom and see what happens.

Sorry for the long post, not even sure what I'm asking for really but any words of wisdom would be good.
 
I do not have any definite ideas for the next plan. Have her checked by a vet? Phone her last owners to see if she was getting less grass or feed or more work whilst with them? The one thing i would not do is put her back in the field when she has broken free and run back there. It is reinforcing the bad behaviour. If you are scared to be somewhere that is not confined in case for example she got loose on the road, then you could lead her about a bit in the field stopping and starting, backing up and turning, working her until she behaves and then depending on whether she is truly calm or it still feels like she is wired, take her back to the tie up point and maybe just stand with her a minute before leading quietly back to the field. To clarify I mean do not push your luck if she still seems wired, end the session in the field. She must learn that breaking free and running back to the field does not get her turned out there any quicker or it can fast become an established bad habit. For safetys sake horses must learn to behave in all circumstances, no matter how they feel or what they are thinking.
 
Last edited:
Have you had her checked over physically ? She could be in pain which is causing erratic behaviour. Is she in season ??? Try her again tonight and see what happens. My boy has been jittery the last two nights, but it's quite windy so I'm just putting it down to that and I hope to draw a line under it. Could that be a factor for your girl too ? It's just a shame it's happened at this moment in time when you're trying to build your confidence.
 
Get some professional help before things go down hill further.

The longer the horse is unridden the worse it's going to get. The more you lunge her the fitter she will be, the worse she will get. And the more she gets away with bad behaviour, the worse it will get.

I've just bought a horse just like that from someone just like you.

Time is not going to improve this, tackle it head on with the right help, right now.
 
Maybe ask someone more confident on the yard to ride her and see how she is? It sounds like she might be getting restless, is she used to being ridden regularly? As others have said it could also be hormonal or physical but I would like to see how she is when ridden before calling a vet.

I would say as well if she does it again not to put her in the field as she may learn that if she wants to go back out that is how to get her way. Can you get one of the quick release saftey ties instead of bailing twine?
 
Firstly I would have her checked over by a vet to make sure that she is cycling normally - if she has cysts or something like that it could be causing pain at certain times in her cycle.

If everything is normal then she may be a hormonal type - again your vet should be able to give you some advice on what is available to help with that. You might get away with a supplement but equally she may need regumate or a marble.

If all is well and your vet doesn't think it's hormonal then get someone out to help you work through the issues.
 
I have to echo the view of getting some help, be that a professional or a confident, knowledgeable friend, getting help is not a bad thing which means that you have failed, it just means that you will have help in an area where you are having problems. I am an experienced horse person having owned horses for nearly 35 years, I still employ experts when needed. With my youngster I had a RA in to do the first halter breaking session, I was a bit rusty having not done it for years. With him now i have a professional rider. I am a work a lot so she rides during the week and is able to ride him through his Kevin moments, I'm too old for that lark!! I choose to pay a professional because it is more reliable then a volunteer and I call the shots so to speak. I must say as well yesterday my horses were really unsettled and one lad was snorting at me like he had never seen me before. It was very windy in Kent.
 
Hi, thanks everyone for your advice.
She's already on Regumate but I will speak to the vet about whether the current dose is suitable etc.
She's an older horse and for the last couple of years has only been hacked out at the weekend once, on occasion twice a week. Mostly in walk as they were on busy roads without much access to bridle ways. She was also schooled in their field sometimes.
Ive already booked the vet to come out and a saddler, next week.
Her previous owners have said its all totally out of character and they would have sold her to a child as she's so easy going. She was on more grass and feed with her previous owners but she's a bit big so I've reduced her feed.
You are right, I shouldn't have just turned her out. I was trying to get her back to the yard but when she reared I have to say I didn't want to continue.
I will try and find someone locally that can help but as I said I am getting the vet out to check her over.

Thanks again!
 
If she is fat and naughty cut out all food, really I mean all bar fibre. If you need to give her chaff make sure it is unmolassed, you have to really look to find it, most has some sugar. I would give some magnesium, magox or similar, if she is on decent grass.

ETA All horses when they go to someone new are worried about the situation and look to their new owner for security. If they suspect their new owner is as worried as they are it will escalate, she needs to feel you are totally confident about life.
 
Thanks, Clodagh. She has a small amount of chaff as she is on regumate. It is unmolassed and that's it apart from grass.
The grass isn't particularly great, it was much better in her previous home and she has lost a bit of weight since coming to me.
I totally understand that she need direction and security from me. Until yesterday, it was only when I tried to ride her for the first time that knocked my confidence. On the ground, we'd been fine.
General advice was not to worry too much about riding her and just build a bond which I'd been working on.
She does stress when she first comes in but once we get going, up until yesterday, she was always fine.
My last mare was very hormonal and took about 6 months to really settle and bond but I didn't experience anything like I am with my new horse.

Thanks for the advice.
 
Firefly9410 said:
I do not have any definite ideas for the next plan. Have her checked by a vet? Phone her last owners to see if she was getting less grass or feed or more work whilst with them? The one thing i would not do is put her back in the field when she has broken free and run back there. It is reinforcing the bad behaviour. If you are scared to be somewhere that is not confined in case for example she got loose on the road, then you could lead her about a bit in the field stopping and starting, backing up and turning, working her until she behaves and then depending on whether she is truly calm or it still feels like she is wired, take her back to the tie up point and maybe just stand with her a minute before leading quietly back to the field. To clarify I mean do not push your luck if she still seems wired, end the session in the field. She must learn that breaking free and running back to the field does not get her turned out there any quicker or it can fast become an established bad habit. For safetys sake horses must learn to behave in all circumstances, no matter how they feel or what they are thinking.
Click to expand...

^^^^ This, and also get her hormones checked out. I'm not hugely experienced with mares, but if they go through half the hormonal troubles we do, I don't blame them one bit for getting a bit shirty from time to time.
 
If she was calm and rational in her old home, I'm sure she will settle eventually, I echo get some help if u feel you need it, even if they say "yep your doing everything right, its just a matter of time"
I had never owned a mare up until now in 35yrs of owning horses & when I got her home, day 1 was lovely, then it was what have I bought !
She had became fixated with the other horses in her field, out 24/7, nappy, stressed, fidgety, nil concentration in her work, understandable new home, new owner, new BEST friends, but it was so frustrating.
Time really, stay confident, ignore as much of the behaviour as possible, stick to your routine, be fair but firm & I would say it took us 4/6 mnth's for her to be happy in just my company and tie up happily without a horsey friend & not obsess about being back in the field and now 8/9mnths it has gone from strength to strength, bring her in, tie up, leave her, she just dozes (belly full of grass LOL) we are now totally happy hacking alone, no calling or rushing home.
Winter was a big help, being stabled, routines.
I did have great help from friends in that I could borrow their horse/ponies to bring in while I groomed, or I would arrange to be there at the same time as other liveries so that she would stand and relax because all the other horses were stood relaxed, Helped me too :-) lots of in hand grazing on the way back to the field, so nice things happen outside the field too.
Hope it all settles down for you soon :-) Ps..I lost her more than once on her quest for her field mates! now she will stand at the gate for another 5 mins wanting her fuss & Scratches.
 
Horses sense the tiniest weakness and exploit it. Very small things can change how much respect she has for you. A good experienced horse person can help you sort it out but just don't leave it. Good luck.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top