Threatening behaviour

Question
Hi,
I bought a 12 year old Thoroughbred mare just before Christmas. We have
had a unfortunate run of bad luck with regards her poor feet and she has
been on and off lame for the past few months. On her second hack she took
off with me down a field and as a result (my confidence already being paper
thin due to a previous accident) i have very little confidence. I bought her
because she was lovely to handle, in the stable, field, anywhere,  we put her
through her paces and her temperament was lovely. I was concerned that she
might be too much for me but bit the bullet and bought her. I have been
having a trainer to give me lessons but with one thing or another have only
had about four. I am very nervous but she is lovely in the school very happy
to work and totally relaxed whilst we work on my confidence and getting to
know her.
However, lately she has been difficult to catch. All through winter she was
fine as long as it was near to dinner, if you went in the afternoon to catch her
she would often make a move to walk away with her ears back. An arm out to
the side would be enough for her to give in. I started to leave a head collar on
as this became more and more common she would put her ears back and go
to move past you but as soon as you put a hand on her head collar she would
stop.  However lately her behaviour in the field has been... well scary to say
the least. I am very unconfident especially on the floor and she is my first
horse. Now she is turning and back barreling, flying off bucking and today
walked up to me, i was stood stationary about six feet away, ears back and
threatened to rear. I had to call another friend to challenge her she was
extremely threatening towards her and was only able to be caught after we
removed the other horse from the field and two other geldings having just
returned from a hack appeared and she came to nosey.

I know her previous owners kept her with another mare as do i, but whereas
before she was not the alpha, now she is.

Also i think there may be a stallion being kept a few fields away.
I really need some advice on what to do, i know the grass is through and she
is in season but i can't keep a horse that is dangerous.
Thanks
Lucy

Answer
Hi Lucy!

Your mare is still lovely.  All of those good things are still in there.  She is just behaving like a horse.  At the root of all of these things you do not like is an issue of RESPECT.

Your horse has no respect for you or trust in you.  She is just doing what she thinks she needs to do to survive.  You are not a leader she can believe in, so she has to take over.  You nailed the problem on the head, it is your lack of confidence and nervousness that is creating all of this.  It is NOT the horses fault!  This would happen no matter what horse you owned.  Your mare was confident, obedient and lovely with her last owner because the owner was the trusted leader, with a plan and the knowledge of what to do next.  The horse had faith and trust in her last owner that things would be okay and she would survive.  The mare could "fill in" for you for a while and take care of you because she could feel the confidence of her first owner.  It is the same when you are in a lesson.  The horse feels the confidence of your trainer and can fill in where you fall short.  You have taken on the posture of a subordinate in the herd and your mare is a survivor.  She has come up with a plan in which she knows she will survive and by putting you in your place, she is making sure you survive too.  I am so worried for this mare.  Please do not sell her.  Please do not label her as a bad horse.  You just need to learn about horses and what makes a horse a horse, why they do what they do, and how to communicate in a way that is supportive, constructive and makes since to the horse.

If your horse does not respect you and trust you, why should she come to you?  The process of hooking your horse on is just an exercise in leadership, trust and respect.  I am going to give you some homework...BTW where is your trainer in all of this?  She should have the answers to these issues because these are kindergarten problems.  This stuff is basic horsemanship.  I'm really wondering why she is having you saddle up and trot around when your issues are very different.  Trotting around in circles in an arena does nothing to solve the problems that you are having.  I'm disgusted with people that call themselves "trainer" and yet have no understanding of how to address these fundamental issues of good horsemanship!  These are issues of feel, timing, balance and relationship.  These basic issues need to be solved and solid way before you hop on and trot around.  A lesson needs to address where the horse and rider are TODAY.  A good coach and horseman will check out all aspects and skills  of their student/horse partnership and make sure all of the core skills are covered.  When your horse pins her ears at you, that is a big deal and needs to be addressed.  Your coach should be able to get you in the round pen, show you how to hook your horse on, how to send your horse away, draw her in, yield hind quarters, change direction, back up all at liberty in the round pen.  This is the first step in building a solid trusting relationship with a new horse.  You have to begin at the beginning. If you are paying for instruction,  find someone really good.  A good coach should listen to your concerns and have answers that address the issues with grace, relaxation, and confidence.  You and your horse should both feel good about what is going on.  If a "trainer"  pulls out stud chains, whips, lunge lines...find someone else.  The homework I'm going to give you will expose you to MY teachers.  It is world class coaching.  The DVD's I'm suggesting show the basics of good horsemanship and the skills that every horse and rider should have.  This is the grade school stuff that needs to be in place prior to any advanced training, whatever that may be.  Before jumping any fence, riding any dressage test, cutting a cow, navigating a trail obstacle THIS basic ground work must be second nature to any horse and rider.  If you have missed this, you have missed it all.  

HOMEWORK:

"Ground Work" DVD by Buck Brannaman
"Ground Work" Book by Buck Brannaman
"Back to the Beginning" DVD by Ray Hunt
"True Horsemanship through Feel"  Book by Bill Dorrence

This is a start!  Watch/read Buck's stuff first.  It is very clear.  I am also trying to finish my resource list and get it posted on my website...ugh...so many other things to do, this is getting pushed off!  I'd rather be riding!  

Horses will be horses.  Your mare MUST establish her place in the pecking order or she will not have what she needs to live.  This is the way GOD made them.  It is who they are.  So, when you move her to a new barn and toss her out in a pasture, she is going to act like a horse!!!  Don't expect her to follow Roberts Rules or Order or Miss Manner the human edition, SHE is reading the EQUINE editions and her behavior in the pasture is just fine, thank you very much!  Pasture time is horse time.  Let them sort it out for themselves.  If her pasture mates mom doesn't want her horse "hurt" and end up with a few scuff marks, find another pasture.  Really, horses have a pretty good way of figuring things out if the human just leaves them to it.  

Okay, this is enough for today.  While your "trainer" may be quite fine at teaching you how to sit a horse, it seems to me that many other things are missing.  Ask her who her teachers are and if you can look them up on the web.  Ask her what her plan is for continuing her education  and what clinics/competitions she will be attending this year.  Be a good consumer!  Make sure your teachers are investing in their education in order to offer you and your horse the most quality.  A good coach will not be shy is answering these questions for you.  Check out my teachers.  Do your homework and then give me a holler and let me know if I can clarify, or add to what we have discussed.  Most important Lucy, enjoy the journey and enjoy your horse.  With good help, this will get better and you will find the joy!

Smiles!  Denise