9 going on 2...

Question
O.k here I go... I have a part-bred arab mare who is 9 going back to the mental age when she was 2 except worse. She's in pasture 24/7 with around 6 other horses, only gets hay and grass (super easy keeper). She was also an orphan horse at 3 months and spent about 4 months in a barn getting spoiled (thankfully basically gone now). I ride her hunter/jumper with a bit of cross-country when the opportunity presents in a slow twist eggbutt snaffle.
Here is the list of problems. Sorry about the length.
1) she has broken about 2 halters and 3 lead ropes from being tied and then deciding to not be there anymore, she's fine if she's not tied though on the rare occasions decides to take a little trip when I'm searching through the locker (max. 2 secs before I notice)
2) For the past 2 years she's slowly decided that she no longer likes cantering at a normal, sane speed and when half-halted she lifts her back end off the ground until she get's a smack on the butt with a crop, and that can either escalates it or make it stop. Not once has anyone ever come off when she does this (feet off the ground max 1ft.)
3) In the past 6 months she has decided that she no longer likes getting her saddle on when it comes with the girth, this is out done with patience when she's tied up and when she isn't it doesn't exist. Besides repeating the process which has failed I can't think of anything else.
4) Last summer we had her half-lease to a former trainer's student who let her get away with bloody murder. She decided to take her to a show a short drive away (with my permission of course) and the day before the show one of the other parents decided to load her horse and mine into a trailer to see if they'd fit. She didn't do up the butt bar and tied up my horse in the trailer, then she went and got hers and proceeded to load, my horse went to look what was going on, back foot slipped off, she pulled, smacked her face and knee (lame for 3-4 days), and finally someone smart untied her. The next day she was loaded (apparently little problem...) taken to the show and ridden all day (jumping and flat) then taken home and let loose (I know, I know beat the shit out of them for doing so, my mom wouldn't let me... :( but that wasn't even the worse, didn't get a call informing us of what had happened (2nd sources always good) and half assed apology when they found out we knew). The next time I took her on a trailer she had a bit of issues but nothing more than what she did before, the times after that involved rope behind her butt and 3 people pushing and pulling with even then a bit of a struggle. No hesitance to go near it, front feet up with a bit of thought but no way fully on the trailer.

Be assured the first chance I get I will be poking in to my saddle padding (wool) to make sure of no pokeyness or anything uncomfortable.
Any advice is greatly appreciated and thank you for your time.

Answer
Hi Jen!

1) Issues with being tied are very common. Some feel that Arabians are naturally head-shy due to the breed and this leads to problems leading and tying. I don't quite agree with that as I have seen this behavior in various breeds.

Horses naturally hate feeling confined. If they feel threatened and then find themselves unable to move away form the source, they panic. This is why I always recommend that when you are teaching a horse to bathe, clip or be saddled the first time you NEVER tie them.

I strongly suggest that in the future when you tie her to always use a " baby " tie. These are made out of thick yellowish surgical tubing which allows a good deal of strech in them. This way when she pulls back you have a few moments to settle her down. Also, it will eventually teach her that pulling will not work. My guess is one time when you tied her she upset herself and broke free....and realised she can now get loose on a whim. You did not say she is agitated each and every time so, therefore this is a behavior she has learned yields a positive result.

Tie her only in a relaxed, controlled and enclosed space and then rewared her remaining tied with a food treat. Whatever she likes best.

2) Your cantering issue is either a training problem or an attitude problem. You said this started 2 years ago. That leads me to believe that before now she was cantering correctly. If so, she knows and understands how to behave and is choosing not to. Any problem that can be fixed with a swat on the rump is behavioral, not training related.  You may need a change of tack. Perhaps a stronger bit to aid in her collection or spurs to send her hindend under herself. Either way I cannot diagnois it over the internet and recommend a trainer in your area who deals with Arabians and has encountered and fixed pissy buckers in the past.

3) Her reluctance to be saddled while tied is a symptom of problem number one. When she is comfortable being tied, this should dissapate. Food rewards once again can solve this. In fact I have an Arab mare who nips, squeals and kickes when you cinch her. But, if you feed her carrot bits while you tighten the girth she turns into Mother Teresa. Don't be too proud to bribe the horse.

In the 3 previous questions you have used the word
" Decided". This is telling me that you mare has decided to become dominant.

Horses in the wild are divided into 2 groups... a band of mares with a dominant mare who picks a Stallion to lead the band and groups of bachelor stallions who group together and attempt to steal the mare band from the afore mentioned Stallion. These territorial fights between the males can last days. Therefore the Dominant Mare is the true leader. She decides ( there is that word again ) everything about the herd's activites.

The average lifespan of a wild horse is 6 years of age. All female horses have a switch in their heads which at somewhere between the ages of 8 and 11 goes off. " Hey " it says " You're are the oldest and wisest mare around. You are offically in charge now of everyone and everything".

This behavior is strongest in a mare who lives 24/7 in a herd of 5 or more horses. Bingo. This would explain the root of all you problems. To solve this you need a roundpen and a series of exercises designed to put your mare back in her place below you in the herd. Once again I recommend a professional well versed in this common problem.

Trailer problems are by far the hardest to fix. Your mare needs to be re-aclimated to the trailer slowly and gently until she feels safe that she will not be hurt again. This will take as long as it takes. Rushing, pushing or forcing her will only frighten her further and give her an even more negative view of the whole thing. Always put her on a longe rope so she can back up if need be safely and bribe her with food. Horses have 2 slots in their head.

1. things I can eat = good
2. things that eat ME = bad

She needs time and patience to move the trailer from slot 2 back over into slot 1.

In the meantime if she needs transported call out your veternarian to have her sedated. It will be the safest way for the both of you.

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

Solange