charging, kicking mare

Question
Dear Lana
I do hope you can help.
I run a small yard. I have a 15.2hh welsh cob and an 11hh pony. The other 2 horses on the place are a 14.1hh Welsh cob mare and a 15.1hh Arab/ Welsh mare.
We have only been together a few  months. The horses live out all year round in about 6 acres spread over5 paddocks. My own animals are barefoot, the other two are shod only at the front.
The problem is with the araby mare. We do not know her history other than that which I will tell you.
My friend bought her from a livery yard/dealer. They had purchased her very recently from a market. She had no papers but her passport showed that she had changed hands quickly a couple of times.
I was suspiscious immediately especially as she was apparently bought at the market for peanuts. I wondered if she was really aged instead of 9 years old as supposed, but the vet estimated about 9 years.
At first my friend kept her in livery with restricted turnout and the mare coughed when ridden. This eased when she was put on permanent turnout. She also has lumps under the saddle which have eased with use of a thicker numnah.
She is pleasant to ride, hacks out with my horse extremely well and is traffic proof, appears sound on all limbs. She behaves well in the yard although she has pulled faces and threatened to bite.
The problem is her behaviour in the field. This wasn't apparent until she came to us. We poo pick twice a day and in the winter we put hay down every day. The hay was put in many piles of a section each all over the field (on the ground) to mimic grazing and prevent fighting. Honey started to charge at us and turn and show us her hind feet.She would even charge when she had several piles already down.She missed our faces by inches. She also started to turn on us if we wanted to catch her and she wasn't "ready" to come in.
She kicked me when we were out riding too. She cantered past Cameo and kicked me in the ankle as she passed.
My advice was to go armed with a carrot stick or schooling whip as an arm extention and use it to deter her and prevent her from harming us and to block her with the wheelbarrow. This worked to an extent but the other woman with a horse was not standing up to Honey very well.
My friend is considering sending Honey back to market but she wants to do everything first to help overcome the problem.
At the moment I have suggested just going into the field and petting Honey then coming away and also she is trying sitting on a chair in the field or just being in there. I am concerned in case Honey catches her and actually kicks her. We have put Honey in a field on her own while the therapytakes place so she is not distracted. Julie is worried in case anyone else gets kicked so she wants her isolated. I do not like to see horses kept alone but Honey exhibits no real seperation anxiety although the other horses are missing her. The herd all got on really well although Honey would often move the others around the hay. The horses are now on abundant grass.
Julie and I are both advocates of natural horsemanship methods. We love and care for Honey but this behaviour is frightening and off putting. We want to be able to spend time in the fields affectionately responding to Honey like we can with the others.
thank you for your time
Carolyn

Answer
Hi Carolyn;

This behaviour is not typical of horses in general especially since it seems unprovoked. I think that there is a pain issue involved as well possibly a pecking order/respect issue.

I agree completely with what you've done so far to put her in her own paddock, to go in 'armed' to protect yourselves and to consider just hanging out with her and following the natural horsemanship methods.

In addition I think you should have her checked over by a vet and chiropractor.  In particular check her reproductive system and hormone levels and then her poll, back and hips.  The bumps on her back are a clear indication the saddle does not fit so also check into that.  It's important to eliminate all physical issues and I'm sure that there are some.

It's also imparative that you and Julie are on the same page in terms of working with and training Honey.  If you both are not consistant with your approach, aids, and methods this won't work.

I suggest you start from scratch with her as if she's a weanling and never been taught a thing in her life.  Don't expect her to know anything, don't turn your back on her for a second, and expect her to respect your space and if she doesn't make her understand where the line is and that it's not to be crossed.

So carry on as you are (it's exactly what I'd do starting with hanging out with her in pasture), but also look for some physical issues to be causing her pain and discomfort.

And if in the end, it's just not working, don't feel guilty about giving up.  We can't save them all.

Take care, be safe and much luck and success.

Sincerely,

Lana Reinhardt