Mare with issues? Vets only please or informed mare owners?

Question

The mare in question is 9 & has, over the last 2 weeks become very aggressive when asked to round up. She had her teeth,back,tack checked & all ok.

She has always been hard to get going but once warmed up she used to be happy to exercises. She will hack out/lunge without any arguments but as soon as I put my legs on she comes back at me with avengence.

and WILL NOT move forward. She can be lunged with a person on-board with out any trouble at all. Anyone help?

Answer 1

If you are absolutely certain that there is no physical problem with her kidneys, ovaries and ribs, then it is a problem of how you apply your legs. Of course you are now expecting this reaction and are most likely very tense when on her back. She on the other hand knows that if she puts up a resistance then eventually you will give up and get off.

Mares are funny things (!) and when my 5 yo is due in season she is a real (think of the name for a female dog!!) when not in season a real lamb.

Try getting your instructor to sit on and school her.

Apart from actually seeing the reaction from a different view point he/she may be able to see the problem.

Good luck.

Answer 2

I don't know that a vet can help you at this point, especailly if you've already had her checked out.  Is your mare in Heat???  The little black mare I had would always get really bitchy when she was in heat.  She got sore over her back above her kidneys and just hated being ridden.  She wasn't as bad as you describe your mare being, but she wasn't pleasant either.  This is the time of year when a mare's reproductive organs start going dormant for the winter. Many times heat cycles will be extended before dormancy in the fall and coming out of dormancy in the spring.  

If it's just your leg she's reacting to, try just sitting on her and just gently flapping your legs around her sides, or gently rubbing her with your legs or even reaching down and rubbing her sides with your hands.  If it really is your leg that's bothering her, this will hopefully desensitize her enough that she won't overreact.

Check your leg position as well.  It may be different than she's used to or you may be suconcsiously doing something different that is causing her discomfort.  

Answer 3

I'm not a vet, but after having gone through this same issue with my mare for over TWO YEARS, I can tell you one thing for sure- the vet can't help you.  She was 8 when I bought her... she was fine for 6 months.  Then my mare became a little worse than yours- I couldn't even  sit on her, not even with a person leading her. She was completely aggressive - biting, striking, rearing.  I went to vet after vet (9 in total), and had thousands of dollars of "treatments" done and tried different therapies & medications.  For TWO YEARS I thought it was a physical problem that could be treated.  Finally, in an effort to fix this problem, I took her on a last ditch effort, to a different barn, for professional training.  She was there 2 days.  On the second day, they rode her. She was perfect.  After two weeks of watching other people ride her with no trouble, I gave her to the barn.  That was 3 months ago. She's now jumping small courses and has never been a problem.

It was bitter, soured, brutal attitude and complete lack of respect.  

Sad thing is, I have a second horse, a much older quarter horse that does the same thing.  He hasn't been sat on since Jan '07.  And he wasn't ridden from April '06 to June '06 and again from Aug '06 through Jan' 07.  So basically, he has not been privvy to me (or anyone) riding him in nearly 3 years.  I have not taken him for "training" A) because I know he doesn't need it. He hates me and he would be fine for anyone else to ride him, just like the mare B) he is 24 C) he has navicular and is now retired.

Good luck with your mare. I hope you can work the kinks out of her like I didn't.

Answer 4

Do you realise she has the right to refuse especially if she doesn't know what your true intentions are? DRUGING HER WON'T HELP TOO.