To sell or not to sell?

Question
QUESTION: Lyn,

I bought a 3 1/2 yo double reg QH/Paint mare 6 months ago.  She has incredible breeding, and is a Western Pleasure dream!  I rode/spent time with her 5 days a week for about 3 months just getting to know her, and bonding with her.  She has the sweetest disposition.  Beautiful ground manners, follows you around like a dog without evne a lead.  It was the first month having owned her when I noticed her ugly behavior when she went into heat.  It wasn't the worse I had seen, but still bad enough that I put her on an herbal supplement first, to try to calm her down that time of the month.  She then went to training with a reputable trainer.  She has been there 3 months, and her behavior became so inconsistant with the trainer (and downright mean) that he suggested Regu-mate.  She has now been on it for 3 weeks, with little improvement.  She takes 2 steps forward, and 10 back it seems.  She doesn't want to extend her trot when asked (it's like she's bicycling in the front), hates to bend to the right, and when she becomes nervous, backs up to the point that it's dangerous.  She's fine with her left side, bending, flexing, but when you turn her head around to bend to the right, she swings her rear around with such speed, that if you aren't expecting it, it will unseat you.  She has a BEAUTIFUL lope, and she's very sensitive to leg pressure. She is not ridden with spurs, as it would put her over the edge.  
The trainer, who I trust, has suggested one more month of training.  If she doesn't become more consistant or progress as most horses would with 4 months training (being ridden 4-5 days a week, 2-3 hours at a time), he suggested I sell her.  The thing is, I love her and don't want to give up on her. The trainer just doesn't want me to continue to put a lot of money into her training and not get the show horse I was told I'd have.  
My way of thinking is that maybe she's just bored with the ring.  Maybe it would be beneficial for her to get out and go trail riding and enjoy being a horse.  I took her prior to going to training out in the pasture with 2 other horses along the fence line, and she did great.  I also used to do endurance racing with my Arabian, and preferred it to showing.  I was thinking that maybe she's just not meant to be a show horse, but maybe I could enjoy some limited distant races...she has the mind, the body type (she's slight boned, and 15.1 hh)and certainly has the energy.  

Please offer some objective advice.  My trainer is worried that because she is so inconsistant, she is dangerous (raring and backing).  I love her, but also, want to have peace of mind and be safe.  

Thank you.

Aimee in Va

ANSWER: Aimee,

She's very young and suffering from raging hormones - a wildly horny teen-aged girl!!  I am truly astounded that the Regu-Mate hasn't improved her disposition but I suspect she has more going on than just being in season.

As far as herbal supplements, they can be very tricky.  You have to first get top-quality herbs and find the right combination for your horse.  Plus, they take several months to really kick in and have to be fed daily to work.  The effect is a real change in the body chemistry that happens very slowly.  

First off I would get her checked out for hormone levels and a general blood panel, probably a series over maybe 2 mos. would work best.  You need to see what's going on at that level.  Secondly I would get her worked on by an equine chiropractor and if you can find one an acupunturist.  I think that would help her enormously.

You may well have hit the nail on the head with her simply being bored with ring work.  You used to ride endurance.  Don't underestimate her capability to do that.  You don't have to race, just ride it at a slower pace and enjoy doing the ride.  Here in the NE there are a number of QH and QH crosses, even some warmbloods and draft crosses that do both competitive and endurance.  Not 100's, but 50's and 2-day hundreds.  

But just taking her out on the trail some and letting her be a horse is something I advocate for all the horses I work on.  Especially the dressage horses I massage.  And the reverse is true also.  I send the distance riders into the ring for lessons for both themselves and the horses doing basic dressage work to teach them to use themselves properly.  Steve and Dinah Rojek do dressage work with all their endurance horses.  I ride a Standardbred mare (ex-racehorse) in endurance and also take her over regularly to a friend's barn for lessons where someone else watches me ride and picks up things I'm doing wrong and has us do exercises to build balance and control.  Sailor was very fractious when she was young and extremely difficult to ride because she would tolerate no horses riding with her.  I rode a lot of miles by myself with my friends at least 1/8 mi. behind me.  The dressage work helped her enormousely.  

But she's too young to just confine to ring work.  Do a day of trail riding, or maybe a week of it.  Then go into the ring for a lesson day.  Don't push it, just review what she already knows.  Then, if you're doing this every day give her a day off to let her think about things.  Then go ou t on trail followed by a day of ring work.  I would alternate them until she's able to realize that she isn't going to just do either one but both.  Don't start this until after you get her gone over by the chiropractor.  Your description of how she's turning makes me suspect she's got some spinal issues going on here too.  For heaven's sake don't give up on her!  She sounds like a lovely horse.  I have to admit, I'm a mare rider.  Mares can be difficult to ride until they really bond with you.  Time and miles help a lot in that category.  I have a friend whose Arab mare is a positive bitch when she's in season, and a real trampy, whorey one too.  She sqats and pee's all over the place, refuses to move forward, kicks at people, is just awful. Her owner adores her and I love her too.  That's just the way she is and we all accept that Valour is a bitch.  She's a mare.  But they won't quit on you.  I've had both stallions and geldings quit on me on rides.  I've never had a mare quit.  They were the war horses of choice for many primitive people.  

Good luck and let me know how this comes out.  If you want to go the herbal route I can give you the name and contact of my friend Loryhl Davis who is Herbs of the World.  Loryhl will work with you and can make a lot of really helpful suggestions.  I've known her for a long time and she really helped me with Sailor.  Sailor had been on Regu-Mate at the track when she raced and I got her in Oct. so I didn't get to see how much she needed help until the following spring.  Loryhl worked out a specific blend for Sailor that helped a lot.  

Sorry I've babbled on but I do love my mares and think that if the 2 of you can click she could be awesome both in the show ring and on the trail.  Just remember her age and don't be unreasonable with your expectations.  She's got a lot of growing to do, both physically and mentally.  Give her some time, she deserves that.  

Lyn

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Lyn,  

Thanks so much for your words of encouragement.  I have the names and #s
of 2 chiropractors in the area, and will certainly have one of them look her
over.  

Also, do you know of a trail riding group that rides together in the Northern/
Central Va area?  I've Googled it, and can't seem to find any.  My trainer and
other horse friends either don't have the time or the interest to trail ride.  

Thanks so much!  You're suggestions have not fallen on deaf ears.  

Aimee

Answer
Aimee,

I don't know directly of any groups in your area but check both the AERC and ECTRA websites since they are the sanctioning organizations for the NE region distance rides.  Try contacting them, I'm sure there are links on the ECTRA website and AERC has a mentoring page.  I would also as at the local tack supply stores, feed stores, any place that deals with horse people.  Lord, the Old Dominion 100 is held at Front Royal, VA. I cannot imagine that there aren't people around there to ride with.  

Try contacting Greg Senseny through the ECTRA website.  He handles all the points/mileage data on ECTRA, has ridden all up and down the East coast for years, and has all the names of the ECTRA members.  He should be able to help you if there isn't a direct link on the website.  Tell him I suggested it.  We're old friends.

Good luck and happy trails!

Lyn