7 Year old Mare. Gentle, BUT...Showing signs of disrespect?

Question

We Bought a 7 year old QH Mare approx. 5 months ago. Came from a guy who trains horses. She's been raised with his little kids up until she came home with us. We let our little girls ride around the corral with us watching. She does really good. But, I've been noticing the last couple of times that they led her around that she reaches out toward their backs with her mouth like she's thinking about nipping them and she's getting more stubborn about wanting to go her way. She never does that with me. How would I teach her respect for children?

Answer 1

Unfortunately a horse's training unravels pretty quickly when a horse goes to owners who allow them to do certain things.  You can't teach her to respect your children unless they are old enough/strong enough mentally and physically to interact with your mare in a way she'll understand as dominant.  Sometimes you just can't let certain people (kids, in this case) handle your horse.  I.E., YOU can't teach her to respect a third party.  It doesn't carry over.  I've seen this hundreds of times.  You may find a horse who's not so apt to be pushy, but they'll always find their place in the pecking order, and little kids and timid people always fall beneath them, it's just that some horses are nicer bosses to their underlings.

If your kids ARE old enough/strong enough to handle her, you have to teach them the body language that will clearly indicate to the mare that they're above her in the hierarchy.  You have to demonstrate this to the kids, and they can't have any fear or hesitancy about it or she'll pick that up and call their bluff, so to speak.

Answer 2

You are looking at it the wrong way.  She is a horse, she goes by horse rules.  You need to teach your children how to be more aware of those things and how to deal with her.  As far as the mare is concerned you are the alpha leader, she comes next, and the children come last.  You need to teach your children how to work with the horse or be attentive to what she is doing and try to avoid those situations.

Answer 3

all horses from time to time are going to push your buttons. They are like children. They see what they can get away with. You are like the parent. Children know what things that they can get away with but every once and a while they try. But with other people children will do it a lot more often. Same with horses. They think they can get away with it with other people. They are testing you. You need to tell your little girls what your horse is doing that is unacceptable and tell them what to do to discipline the horse.  

Answer 4

when she does this give her a short sharp tap with your crop/whip on her shoulder she will soon lean that she is not the boss !

Answer 5

Well you can listen to Christi but that will get the kids hurt or killed. The second answerer was actually correct. Your mare is trying to take charge with the kids but a quick slap on the quarters will stop her. It doesn't hurt her or frighten her it just sends the message that it won't be tolerated. The best way to deal with a horse is to treat them like a horse. In the wild a herd leader would react to that by nipping or kicking her. The equivalent is a slap.

Answer 6

Wow. None of the above answer are very good. You dont tell your kids to watch out because a horse is unrully. You teach the horse manners.

First.

Teach the horse to back out of your bubble and stay there.

Put a rope halter on your horse.

Standing in the pen, hold the lead in your right hand. Wiggle the rope. Keep wiggling till she backs up. If she refuses wiggle harder and harder till your really jerking. If she still doesnt back, keep wiggling and throw your other hand up and make loud sounds and run at her. When she even backs one step stop.

Repeat until you can barely wiggle that rope and she will back. At first only ask one step, then two, then five. When she backs, make her stay where she stopped. If she steps forward, wiggle again. Do this until she will stay standing as long you ask.

Then repeat with your kids. Teach them to do the same thing if she's being nippy. This will teach her to respect not only you, but them as well. This way they can always move her out of danger. Feel free to contact me if you have questions.

Good Luck  

Answer 7

I agree with Kicking Bear and Azeri...

Just because a horse respects YOU...that does not carry over to everyone else.  I owned one that was great for me...and knew not to test me and knew her place.  

Bring someone new on the scene...and it was the same EVERY single time.  She would see if she could crowd, nip, or in general try to boss them.  If they were not able to maintain 'their' place in the heirarchy...she would move ahead of them.  And it didn't matter HOW much I worked with her.  

She knew when I was standing right there or where she could see me...we had no trouble.  If I left...she would start her 'bossing.'  She knew I was the boss...but respect had to be earned from everyone else.

I encourage you to start teaching your children how to work with the horse.  With you right there watching and teaching...it should be fairly easy, being this horse has done this before.

Answer 8

Christi's got it

Answer 9

I actually agree with some of the conflicting answers.  I think she needs both more work on getting out of people's space in general, and I also think she's shown you that she will take advantage if someone isn't up to the task of keeping her in line.  The kids need to learn some skills to handle her better, she needs more training, and you all should work together until she respects everyone involved.