Youngster has turned into a maniac

Madali

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Not sure why I am posting this apart from could do with a bit of inspiration really. My rising four year old baby has turned from a sane and obliging sweetheart to a monster raving looney.
Today I managed one of my most impressive dismounts of all time, flying backwards over her arse as if I had been fired out of a cannon.
I feel sure the lack of turn out on livery yard is not helping things.
I think she is very pleased with herself at the moment having just learnt the art of grown up rearing. Add this to a bit of rodeoing it all equals hilarious consequences.

I took her to a dressage comp on Sunday. The first comment on the judges sheet was" explosive entry" that about sums it all up.

Cheer me up. Tell me how you survived with the bolshy stage.

For the record. She is the fourth horse I have backed and I think I may have met my match.
 

YasandCrystal

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Gosh I had to laugh at you fab 'cannon' description. This reminds me of one of those 'Overheard in the crowd' comments on BD in HHO when a rider was heard to say that after her horse exploded rearing and bucking several times in the warm up arena at a show a spectator came over and asked her his breeding; only to say they wanted to ensure that they never bought anything with that parentage.
 

Kick On

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super glue xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx honest its a phase. You just now have to pick the battles and know you're going to win. The other option is can you either give her to trainer for boot camp or turn away for couple of weeks and bring back into work after a break
 

Lolo

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This sounds silly, but have you tried getting on and just letting her canter and canter in the school until she's regrouped her brains, with you in a 2-point clutching mane and neckstrap? Smokes is on one a bit this winter (clipped, fit, lots of feed and restricted turnout...) and Al gets on and canters him until he's not being a complete tool.

She says asking him to focus when he's so full of himself just makes him worse, and then he starts his gymnastics routine because he's frustrated and she's frustrated. Since she's started doing this he's been much more relaxed when working, and is settling a lot quicker- recently there have been times he's come out and been ready to knuckle down straight away...
 

fuzzle

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Em what can i say!! i feel that im reading about my youngster!! i had a sweetheart of a horse she was amazing for her age and willing all untill last year we started been stroppy not wanting go forward , moody, the rearing started and the massive leaping and bucking, she hurt me twisted my pelvis and put my back out in 3places trying to gt me off everyone said she is turning naughty, before i sent her away to get sorted i was told to eliminate all my problems which could be causing this problem, so i booked in the vets had back man check her passed!! overies scanned and internal examination passed!! tack checked passed!! the last resort was a gastroscope FAILED!!! she had glandular ulcers, gave her time out had them treated and wow got my fab horse back!!! so glad i didnt listen to those whom said it was a age thing and she was turning naughty!! xxxxx
 

AdorableAlice

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My theory is to put a crash test dummy on until the horse has morphed into a polite safe conveyance suitable for an old lady like me.

I have a pair of rising 3 year olds. All applications to be in large print as I have lost my glasses.
 

Madali

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I'm willing to try anything. Ideally I would give her some time off but feel guilty if I don't do something with her she is standing in all day. I don't want to lunge her as I don't like them going round in circles at this stage. I might just find something interesting to do on the ground with her. Maybe a bit of loading therapy. I could take her for a spin in the lorry!
Not sure I'm brave enough to pop her straight into canter Lolo as she is quite a brute.
My trainer won't ride my 9 year old, so she certainly won't get on crazy girl.
Will update you tomorrow when I have cleaned all the sand out of my orifices
 

fuzzle

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What about long reining her?? this will teach her manners and get her a mouth,i do this with my young horse i make her weave in and out of cones walk over poles too, maybe loose schooling her to let of steam!! its awful when you feel like there time bombs when you know whats coming!! xxx
 

AdorableAlice

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I'm willing to try anything. Ideally I would give her some time off but feel guilty if I don't do something with her she is standing in all day. I don't want to lunge her as I don't like them going round in circles at this stage. I might just find something interesting to do on the ground with her. Maybe a bit of loading therapy. I could take her for a spin in the lorry!
Not sure I'm brave enough to pop her straight into canter Lolo as she is quite a brute.
My trainer won't ride my 9 year old, so she certainly won't get on crazy girl.
Will update you tomorrow when I have cleaned all the sand out of my orifices

Ah, sand in the pants, been there after a spectacular fall in a river crossing, amazing where sand gets.

Do you have anywhere you could chuck her out for the rest of the winter 24/7 and start again when the clocks change and the weather improves to let you ride her off the field.
 

AdorableAlice

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AdorableAlice, you have made me laugh!!! love that quote about sand in the pants!! you made my night xxx


My mate who was behind me when I came off has never stopped laughing, she tells me I did a double backward pike with several tucks. Tom Daley eat your heart out.
 

GlamourDol

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Gosh I had to laugh at you fab 'cannon' description. This reminds me of one of those 'Overheard in the crowd' comments on BD in HHO when a rider was heard to say that after her horse exploded rearing and bucking several times in the warm up arena at a show a spectator came over and asked her his breeding; only to say they wanted to ensure that they never bought anything with that parentage.

That comment was my boss!!
 

cundlegreen

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I've had exactly the same thing happen to me with two different horses! One a youngster, the other usually a sane and sensible type. After a process of elimination, I've found that it was my hay. As we have no grass, all the horses have had much more hay. I'm certain that a high sugar content has sent them all batty. Now I've put them on grass stalks, all is peace and calm again. I'm not the only one that's had this problem. Somebody else got a new load of haylage with the same results.
 

nic85

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Hmm...Im looking forward to this when I get back on my horse!! She will be 5 in May this year and has ahad a few weeks off over Christmas, starting to bring her back in to work when she threw a shoe then cut her hind leg so had a puffy leg. Saddlers coming on Monday to check saddles then its all go!! Im sure we will be a little, um, explosive too :) I loose school in the round pen at my livery yard, its very handy :)
 

Oscar

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I know this may not be practical or possible but you need to get her turned out. I would find some grass livery & give her a few months off. Before she does you in properly.

Another thing to try if time & daylight allows is to lead her off your other horse, hack preferably but in the school if too dark, get her moving walk trot canter for half an hour before you hop on, then crack on with trot & canter.

Mine was also a lamb to ride in summer, out all night ridden first thing off the field!
 

ironhorse

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Lack of turnout is your problem. My sweet and laid back 5yo was a complete arse today, luckily I did manage to stay on but thought we were going through the arena fence at one point! Ours are going out a maximum of twice a week for just a couple of hours when the fields poke their heads out of the floods for 24 hours :(
If she absolutely can't go out, try to keep her entertained at least - I've been grazing mine in hand, lunging and loose schooling as well as riding. Our hacking is down to a quick circuit round an increasingly busy road IF I can get down the boggy track so that's not helping either and my boy is as fed up as I am!
Also with any youngster that is fresh I would always lunge or loose school them first so they can let off steam before riding. Don't feel guilty about lungeing - doesn't do any harm if you keep them on a big circle and walk with them - our indoor is 30x30 so I use all of that. Your safety is paramount.
 

Deseado

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Energy in MUST equal energy out, otherwise you are going to have tense, explosive horses no matter what their age. Exercise is key, so if you don't like lunging then at least free school for a while before you get on, and I would suggest cutting the feed too.

The poster who advocated cantering until the horse was ready to work is essentially exercising before working, which is always a good plan.
 

Madali

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Today she was a completely different horse. Went for a hack in company. We met a high speed train, articulated lorries in convoy and she didn't even flinch. She was probably knackered after her gymnastic display and 30 laps of the school in gallop yesterday.
Plan of action for the coming weeks. Try to get some turn out each day. Give her a bit of time off. Try some long reining.
I need to keep my eye on the ball as I'm aiming for Burleigh young horse with her. Will give you all an update when I have news.
 

castella

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Definitely lack of turnout is your problem, my angel 4 year old turned nutty when in over christmas and I had to work him hard to keep him in check, now he is back going out even for only a couple of hours a day my angel is back !
 

rachyblue

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It's always nice to know you're not alone!

Think mine was ahead of his time, I had all this last year when backing/starting him, even binned me off in front of the saddle fitter!

I've just started him off again and he is behaving suspiciously well so far. None of the usual exploding or squealing at me when he's decided he's had enough work for today (I've never worked him hard, he's just very lazy!).

He gets a couple of hours out each day, even just an hour is enough to keep him sane. If I keep him in for more than two days he goes off his rocker, literally dithering about which direction to explode in! He's been off since the summer, playing in the field with his pals (they are quite young and athletic so he's not totally unfit).

I'm still trying to decide if I'm brave enough to get back on myself in a couple of weeks, or whether to pay for a crash jockey ;)
 

Madali

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Since my last post we have hacked twice. Brilliant behaviour. Saturday we even came back and did a couple of tiny fences and I mean tiny. Which she took completely in her stride. A fairly irratic stride but a forward stride on all four feet all the same.
In between this I tried a little light lunging!
The five minutes of fun, introducing a little jump ended up being 1.20 minutes of pure hell. I ended up covered in more school than when I fell off. A dislocated finger and had to throw my sweatshirt away as even after washing it was covered in *****.
So what have I learnt. Baby doesn't like being in the school on her own. She is as strong as an ox. She has boundless energy and at the moment it is her way or no way.
Well you know what they say" god loves a trier" so we will continue with the battle.
 

j1ffy

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If you don't like to lunge, can you loose school if you'll be on your own anyway if your arena fences are high enough? I do this with my ex-racehorse if he's fresh as he can switch off on the lunge and end up just as fresh when I get on. My trainer in Spain loose schools youngsters as a matter of course (with tack on, but his arena has a smooth, high wall around it so he can!) if he thinks they're fresh and it really does get the bucks and silliness out.
 

Charmin

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My youngster's on 24/7 turnout but dislikes mud splashing on her belly, and so is an absolute PITA at the moment. Fresh as a daisy every time - and not due to lack of turnout!
 

TarrSteps

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Out of genuine curiosity, how is this young horse getting her - quite natural - energy out? If you are aiming her at YEH stuff then I am guessing she is highly bred, athletic and engergetic by nature (this has nothing to do with "temperament" btw). So she is standing in and, when you do work her, you do "slow" things like hacks and in hand groundwork, which emphasise obedience and don't give her any scope to get the bugs out. I can see your point about not wanting to longe but how else is a horse that young supposed to be "good tired" to the point where her training isn't in conflict with her natural pressure to play and stretch her body? If rearing was starting to enter into it I think I'd be pretty seriously looking to get a solution now.

Re your instructor not riding. Well, he/she has to do a better job for you. What does he/she suggest then? Can he/she not find someone to come and ride the horse in the short term while you are getting over this issue? I don't teach everyone whose horses I ride and vice versa, if there is someone around who can help more conveniently than I can.


I am not a fan of letting horses misbehave under saddle as I think it sets a bad precedent BUT then it is up to me to make sure they have an outlet for their energy either through work or play or, preferably, both.

I've had this conversation on a circular loop over the post Xmas season. I work mostly with young and "problem" horses and I think people underestimate the sort of program highly bred/young horses need to be on to stay sane, let alone ridable. Of course there will always be exceptions but they are just that exceptions. Luckily most of "mine" are back on the program now, with extra care and effort from their owners and, in some cases, me filing in the extra necessary "energy outlet" days but every one has had a bit of a reminder!

Btw, I don't think "turnout" necessarily solves the problem in the sort of weather we've been having. Horses are, quite rightly, leery of playing on slick deep footing and I don't think that is necessarily something we want to encourage anyway! I think it is mentally important for them to have "horse time" outside and away from people, but I don't think one can necessarily rely on that sort of thing to provide sufficient interest or energy output.
 
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Mahoganybay

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When our (not so young but still abit daft) lad gets like this i free school over some jumps, he can have all the cat leaps / bucking he wants not under saddle, and this seems to get it out of his system.

Once he is calm and working nicely, saddle goes on and i then get on.

We too are on very restricted turnout and i tend to have to do this every fortnight or so.
 
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