PLEASE HELP us before our horse really hurts or kills one of us.

Question
Hi Denise, We really need your help. We bought a 15 month old filly a month ago, because of her temperment. She is so sweet and calm for her age. She comes to us when we call her and seems so excited to see us. She follows us around and she lets us put a halter on her with no, or very little resistance. She did start nipping at our 5 year old daughter. We would scold her and I did smack her in the nose once, so far, she hasn't done it anymore.

Two weeks ago, my 11 year old, and 5 y.o. daughters went in the pasture with her, the next thing I knew, my 11 y.o. came out screaming. She said the horse reared up and came down, striking her in the head. I had asked her what she had done prior to her striking her, she said she had her ears pinned back and she yelled at her to stop it, then petted her. As she turned her back on her, she went up and my daughter remembers the horse knocking her to the ground.  Thankfully, she was fine other than a goose egg on the top of her head. I told the kids they were not allowed in with her until we do more ground work with her.
Then yesterday, I had her out of the pasture, the flies are really bad, and we had purchased a kool coat for her. So I figured since she was haltered,and after we brushed her down, I would introduce her to the kool coat. I let her smell it for awhile, and eventually just laid it on her back with all the buckles undone, and just laying them over her, she seemed fine with it and I would praise her and rub her while she was grazing with it on. After about 20 min. she just stopped grazing and just stared at me, so I reached up to adjust the coat since it was falling to the one side, and I petted her again. I figured she had enough and I would lead her back to the pasture and take the coat off. The second I turned my back on her, she was up rearing and came down striking me in the back of the head, knocking me to the ground.

We have been doing some type of ground work with her everyday. Even if it's just grooming her, or leading her around the yard while she grazes just to be with her and let her get to know us. We have started working with her to respect our space by weaving her through mazes, while her staying behind us and paying attention to where we are going. (She used to run us over when we walked her, but is doing better) We had planned on starting to work on longeing next. But first, we need help with her striking us before we really get hurt or worse. Please help us, we are so attached to her already, and she is a good horse otherwise, but we need to know why she is doing this, and how to stop it. It seems like a respect issue to me. Can you please help us?
Thanks,
Tina


Answer

Accepting the lass rop Hi Tina!

NO KIDS in the pasture!   Your filly is just being a horse!  She is doing what horses do.  She is just playing with your children but you kids are too small and do not know how to gain this filly's respect and she will learn that she is the dominate mare in the herd and dominate your children.  It is natural.  It is how a herd animal thinks and behaves.  You will need to make some very quick and serious changes in order to stay safe.  

If you have ever observed horses in a herd, you will see them track up on smaller animals, dogs, sheep, cows, a small child and drive them around.  It is that drive that makes a great working cow horse and is a very prized behavior.  It will also get dogs, and  small children killed.  Never, ever turn your back on a young horse.  It is a sign of submission that she is driving you away.  Unless you are hooking her on and want her to track up on you, Do NOT turn your back on her.  Because of your lack of experience you are teaching your horse how to control YOU!  Woops!!!  She is a quick learner!  She does not see you as a human that is more fragile than her.  She will do the same things to you that she would do to another herd mate of her size and status!  Rearing is just a game that will not cause any harm to another horse, but can be VERY dangerous to the human.  The same goes for nipping and kicking.  I want you to go back and read my answers on biting and kicking as well as colt starting and ground work.  You will need to educate yourself in order to educate your horse with quality.  Never hit your horse for biting you.  It is too late.  After the kick, bite, being run over you cannot punish the horse.  This will start a war that you will never win.  It creates a lack of respect and finally fear and all of the negative behavior that goes along with fear and disrespect.  YOU have to be aware of what happens BEFORE what happens, happens!

Don't use a fly sheet on your filly.  They trap flies and bees under it, they don't fit the young horse and she is not prepared to be saddled, which is what you are doing with the sheet.  You are heading for a huge wreck and it is just not worth it.  By the time you have prepared your horse to haul around a fly sheet, fly season will be over!  So, just do the quality ground work, use your flag/tarp/slicker and get her comfortable with all of these things in preparation for saddling, blanketing, driving or whatever you want to do with her.  You were trying to sneak the blanket on her, and she would have none of it.  I love this type of horse.  They will not allow the human to take advantage of them.  You will have to do your homework and get things right by this horse, or you will continue to be in real trouble.

I want you to learn what real ground work is.  I'm sure you have never been exposed to it.  It is very different that what you are currently doing.  My website has a resource list on the training page that I want you to start working your way through.  I want you to watch the ground work DVD and read the ground work book by Buck Brannaman first.  It is very clear and will show you all of what you have been missing.  I also want you to attend a clinic with Buck Brannaman, Ricky Quinn, or Ray Hunt.  This is the best professional training you will find.  They will also be teaching you how to teach your horse.  Knowing and mastering colt starting skills is what will keep all of you safe.  

No more leading her around to graze.  This just lets her know she can pull you around when she is on the halter and creates more disrespect.  No lunging.  I have written many past answers on this, please go back and read them.  I would also like for you to get a good rope halter with a 12' tree line lead.  Double Diamond makes a good one that has just the right weight and feel.  

Do your homework.  Watch the DVD's, and read Bucks very tiny ground work book.  When you have this information I can help you more with specific issues.  Right now you have to invest in your own education and get a good handle on some basic terms and concepts.  And, NEVER turn your back on this filly again.  No kids in the pasture.  Give me a shout when you have watched Buck's DVD and read the book.  I really want you to attend a clinic, to check the schedules for  Buck, Ricky and Ray.  All of the links are on my site.  Keep me posted and stay safe!  This could be the best horse of your life, but you have a lot of learning to do!

Smiles!  Denise