HORSES WITH BEHAVORIAL PROBLEMS

Question
QUESTION: I HAVE A MARE THAT I HAVE NOT RIDDEN OUTSIDE OF THE PEN BECAUSE EVERY TIME I TAKE HER OUT SHE ACTS UP THE OTHER DAY SHE REARED UP ON ME AND THEN BUCKED AND TROUGH ME OFF. SHE MAKES ME NERVOUSE CAUSE I DONT KNOW WHAT SHE WILL DO NEXT. HOW CAN I STOP HER BAD BEHAVIOR WHEN IM ON HER.

ANSWER: Christine,
You need to do quite a bit of ground work with your mare before you ride her again.She is simply not ready, even if you have ridden her a bit.

I really need much more information from you before I give you more definte answers. How old is she? How long have you owned her? What experiences has she had before you? Is she in any physical pain? Horses have reasons for everything that they do.She at least needs to learn to be  lunged correctly. If you are not familiar with correct lungeing techniques you need to learn them. It is really a skill and an art. It is designed not to tire the horse. but to teach the horse a basic discipline in all three gaits, to learn what yur body language and voice mean, and to lower the animal's energy...NOT by chasing it around and making it tired, but by establishing "submission" in a good sense.

Then once lungeing is easy and almost boring to her, you will have an experienced ground person lunge you on the mare. Then she has two people telling her the same thing. You need to go back several steps. In the end, it will save you time and trouble and you need to be safe and fair to the horse.

I could give you more definite help....summersdressage@aol.com, www.MitziSummers.com

 

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

QUESTION: THE MARE I ASKED YOU ABOUT IS 8 YEARS OLD WE HAVE HAD HER ABOUT 5 MONTHS THE GUY WE BOUGHT HER FROM SAID ANYONE CAN RIDE HER HIM AND HIS WIFE USE TO RIDE HER ALL THE TIME. BUT WHEN WE GOT HER HE SAID SHE HADNT BEEN RIDEN IN ABOUT 6 MONTHS. THEN WINTER HIT AND NOW THERES AN EXTRA 4 MONTHS ON THAT. SO WITH THIS EXTRA INFORMATION CAN YOU GIVE ME ANY IDEA ON WHAT TO DO. SHE BRIDLES UP NO PROBLEM AND YOU CAN PUT A SADDLE ON HER WITH NO PROBLEM SO SHE IS TRAINED. IM WOUNDERING IF SHE JUST GETS TO EXCITED. CAN YOU HELP ME.

Answer
Christine,
Pretty much my same answer is still valid. On my web site www.Mitzisummers.com there is an article on lungeing techniques, and there are excellent books. The TTouch methods of Linda Tellington Jones are very valid.

I personally would not trust whatever the sellers are telling you because you already found then out in a lie. So you do not know the mare's history. Horses have such a great memory, which can work against you if they have had bad experiences.

Without seeing her there is a possibility that she is just not suitable. Maybe that is why they sold her. First of all you have to make sure she is not in any pain. If she has pain in her body and /or mouth, horses will react to the pain sometimes by exhibiting the behavior you are describing.

Her behavior is indeed "bad" but it was caused by humans and you have to try to find out the cause. I think you need to get a professional trainer to come and see her, but be CAREFUL! There are so many abusive trainer out there who would be confrontational with the mare and maybe make her worse. You have to get someone who is really an equine behaviorist. Please keep me informed about this.