Nasty Mare

Question
We recently bought a 12 year Old Tennessee Walker mare, she is a beautiful horse!  We think she has spent the last 15 months alone in a field...her previous owner's daughter lost interest in her.The owner did not really have much horse experience and could tell us little about her back ground.  She is a registered TW! She seemed friendly when we went to check her out and she loaded relatively easily.  We have four other horses  two mares  and two geldings all very well mannered and calm and easy to be around.  This mare came into "heat" almost immediately after we got her and became a different horse...she tries to bite and will kick if given the chance.  We allowed for the "heat" behavior for several days, now she appears to be out of "heat" but is still trying to bite and this morning managed to kick me hard when I went to halter her.
She seems to have become the dominant horse and can be nasty with the others, so we have separated her from them, she can still see them and visit over the fence though.  Shortly after the kicking and separation my husband was able to approach her and she behaved...get a halter and she will not let you near her.  All our other horses go halter free and we can go up to them any time, now matter where they are!
We would like to gain this mares' trust as well as teach her manners...but what we need to do is the trouble.  Would a calming supplement help? What kind of round pen work would be best for her?  We always reward for good behavior with all our horses and talk sternly if they act up...this has worked well with all four of them.

This mare has us puzzled so any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Ann

Answer

Ricky Quinn Clinic Hi Ann!

I LOVE this question, it is a great one!  People never seem to worry about the quality of their horsemanship until they bump into a horse that will not fill in for them.  This mare is your "Learning Horse"!  She is going to teach you about good horsemanship, and you already have your first "smart bump" to prove it!

I am SO glad you have this mare!  She will not fill in for you.  She will not be taken for granted.  SHE is a real horse.  Your other horses, bless them, do a lot of filling in for you.  They cooperate and in many respects accept whatever is thrown at them.  That is comfortable for the human in many respects, but it never makes the human really understand the horse or really work at quality horsemanship.  All I can say is, let the games begin!  You, Ann and your husband just went back to school.  What a wonderful gift!

First, never take this mare for granted.  If you are in the wrong spot, she will kick you.  If you are not a leader she can trust, she will bite you.  If you do not prove to her that you are the boss, and teacher, she will run over you.  YOU will have to change first and then YOU will have to prove to her that you are the leaders, and teachers she can believe in.  Don't expect this mare to just drop her head and allow you to halter, lead, and ride her.  You got her home based on the life she had with her old owner.  It has not taken her long to figure out that you are missing a lot in the leadership and respect department.  She is simply saying "I don't think so"! to you.  

Do NOT leave a halter on her, it won't make any difference any way.  She will still run away from you because you don't know how to become important enough to her to get her to hook on to you.  Go back and read  my answers about hooking on and catching your horse.  Start TODAY going through the resource list on my website especially the ground work DVD by Buck Brannaman.  This will show you hooking on very clearly as well as ALL of the ground work you will need to make the changes in yourselves and in this mare.  When you really get the respect going on with this mare, everything will change.  The ground work is your first step in doing this.  Really, I want you to find a Foundation Horsemanship Class with Buck Brannaman or Ricky Quinn.  You will take your TW mare and learn with her.  The classes are four days long and every second will change your life.   It will keep you safe and really make this mare beautiful on both the inside and the outside!

So, get going on your homework.  Do the reading, watch the DVD and then write me back.  There is just so much information when you get started at this that you must invest the time in reading and watching, then I'll be able to walk you through specifics.  Check the schedules for Ricky and Buck and cross your fingers for a clinic near you and then GO!  Oh, and thank this mare every day for what she is teaching you and the changes she will bring into your life.  You are on a wonderful journey now!  

Smiles!  Denise