Spring fever affecting my paint horses behaviour

Question
QUESTION: I have a 10.5 year old female bredding stock paint, she's 14.3hh, had one foal. I purchased her from the trail riding ranch I work at in Dec 2005, they had purchased her in 2003 because she was in foal to a registered paint and was sold at a bargain price. (The owners sold all their horses, the ranch purchased 3 all in all). She came to the ranch green broke but petrified - we think she was mis treated. Every time a saddle was put on her she'd sweat. She couldn't stand still or walk quietly. She was always anxious and I think has the record for getting most people off. They sold her to me because she seemed to calm down a little when I rode her. I have been working and training dillignetly with her for the past 18 months to the point where she is calm - we can now do a nice collected lope, she'll frame for me, bend around my leg, we can do side passing etc., I also barrel race her as well as use her as a lead and back up horse for trail riding. Her temperament is very different now than what it was - she's calm. She'll follow me around the rena with no promoting. No sweating unless we work hard. I use her on walking, trotting and loping trails and she is very well behaved. Except for spring time! Last March and this March she has exhibited very excitable behaviour on the trail - she'd want to gallop and buck if I ask her for anything more than a walk. I could lead the walkers but nothing else. She also has thrown a hissy fit if we didn't go back to the barn when she wanted. Normally this is not an issue. In the arena she'd be a bit spunkier than usual but would comply with my requests. Lunging her doesn't appear to help get the energy out - she was scared of lunging at first but now is OK with it. She is fed year round 2x daily with grain which I have cut in half for March. She of course gets hay 3x day. She is kept outdoors with a select band of other mares in a large field with plenty of room to run. She is blanketed for the winter. I live in Ontario Canada and we have cold winters but it doesn't seem to make any difference until March! Some of the other horses at the ranch also suffer from this syndrome, but by no means all of them. Any insight at all would be appreciated!
ANSWER: Hi Sharon!

From what you described to me, you know this mare intimately, having pretty much trained her yourself.  It sounds like she is not being dangerous as much as pissy...especially in the Spring.  Well, that is a very common issue for horses that are in the north and experience a real temp change in the Spring.  They just feel their oats!  LOL!

First, try longeing again but, with a plan.  Not just running in circles to get her tired.  There are many books available that have specific exercises in them.  They are probably on the Internet too.  What you want to establish with her on the longe is obedience to the gaits you want.  With a special emphasis on "WHOA!" While you are furthering her education, you are also taking off the edge of energy and lastly, establishing in her mind her borders with you.  This will transfer to when you ride her if you use the same signals and aids.

Also, consider a tack change.  Don't automatically go to a stronger or harsher bit.  Think about a "smarter" bit.  I assume you are in a curb.  It just may be she has outgrown it and you are not getting your message through to her clearly anymore.  I can highly recommend the Myler bit system and they do Western as well as English.  Just Google them and you can see what they have and they also explain what they do.  The different levels and styles available are ingenious and very kind to the horse.  I love them and own many.

You cannot make her immune to Springtime.  But, you can grab and hold her attention even when she may not want to give it to you.  It sounds like you did a good job with her so far and you just have a little farther to go to make her even better!  Don't think about forcing her.  Think about out-smarting her....through educating her on the longe and refining her tack to better tell her what you want.  She has many more years of riding left in her, so it's all worth it!

Good Luck and remember to always wear an ASTM/SEI approved helmet!

Solange

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

QUESTION: Thank you Solange very much for your thoughtful response - I really appreciate it. I actually use a snaffle bit with her, if I use a curb bit it makes her very mad! Even when she's trying to be a Lipizana in the field she won't run off with me so that's why I can continue with the snaffle. I also use a running martingale so I can get her head lower - the lower the head the less likely she'll lose her marbles. When she's lost them I can at least pull her head lower in the running martingale and she doesn't completely calm down but she won't run off with me either. Today I did in fact lunge her, I tied her reins behind the saddle and will do that more so she gets used to being held in frame when we're out. She is learning that if she frames the pressure is off. She is already very good at whoa - we worked on that from the get-go! She will also 'easy' and go down a gait - when she has a calm mind. It's not when she's pissy that bothers me, there's another level of explosive energy that I can feel in her back end when I can't seem to get her attention and keep it - as I say she won't run off but she's chomping at the bit and trying her hardest to run off, dancing on the spot. When I say whoa she stands still for a milli second then prances again. I will definitely try some more lungeing exercises as you suggest but based on the additional information I have given you, do you have any additional suggestions? Thank you very much in advance for your time and thoughtful consideration.

Answer
Hi Sharon!

You're welcome :-)

I am glad you are longeing her again with a plan but, I am not sure I like the reins tied behind her saddle.  Putting a frame on her might not be the solution to your problem.  Ask yourself this...."Is she inverting to escape the bit pressure when I am trying to control her on the trail?"  If so, you want to avoid framing her up on the longe.  She will only invert more and defeat the purpose of your attempt to control her.

If she is not inverting and you do want to have a headset on her, I suggest donut reins as a more reliable aid.  If you have never used them, ask for help from a knowledgable person.  They are not impossible but, one should never attempt to feel their way around a new training technique.
You can do more damage than good by just "winging it"!

Lastly, after you elaborated, I feel you may not need a new bit.  She does stop and turn for you...she is just jiggy and impatient.  Obviously, having her tired before riding out is where longeing comes in.  But, if she is still all coiled up underneath you on the trail DO NOT back her up!  This can easily lead to rearing.  And you don't want to let her surge forward so, attempt to nonchalantly tun her in circles while pointing out to the riders in your care some lovely trees or flowers!  LOL!

You don't want to look like you have no control of your mount or worse, get the other horses riled up.  She will expend her energy in the constant flow of forward, circle, forward, circle and so on.  I hate to just say to people, "Turn'em in circles!"  It's so overdone and rarely exposes and solves the real root of the problem.  But, in your case, you have a responsibility to the riders in your care.  You cannot take the time to "train" your horse on the ride....you must be professional and lead them safely and enjoyably, right?

Keep her tired body and soul, keep a calm outlook and try to borrow another mount every March!  :-)

Solange