Moody T.B MARE!!!!!!! PLEASE HELP I'M CLOSE TO GIVING UP!?

Question

I have a 4year old T.B mare, she lives alongside my friends 6 year old gelding. Yesterday, my horse was tied up as i was grooming her, my friend took her gelding out on the cart for an hour, as soon as they left, she started going mad and pushing me out of the way, i told her off but she was not listening, in the end i decided to put her back in the field. She pushed and pulled me all the way to the field. Ive been working on her for ages now to get her out of pushing me around and ive done great, she started to walk really well next to me. But yesterday it was just ridicolous. What do i do in this situation if it happens again, its when the other horse has gone!!

Answer 1

Hi there. I have a weird answer for you, but it really should help your horse, even if the changes are gradual.

I have a list of Bach Flower Remedies that will help your horse to deal with her "seperation anxiety"

Here it is:

Star of Bethlehem - Weaning, moving, loss of companion, bad history, accident (this will help your horse to "wean" from its companion)

Vine - For horses who try to dominate and can be bargy

Vervain - Horses who get hyper, also good for bargy animals

(these two will help to keep your horse from being so pushy with you on the way back to the field)

Larch - For confidence (will help your horse with being confident when alone, and to not be scared to be alone)

White Chestnut - For the horse that tends to worry (will help your horse to relax while away from its companion and STOP WORRYING sbout where he is)

And finally:

Lavender: For the nervous or anxious horse. (Massage this into your horses coat every day, especially when she is going to be away from her companion and do it while her companion is gone)

If you are into alternative theories, this should help you.

I really hope you are willing to try this! I will really help your horse over time!

And remember, let the horse choose her own remedies, put them by her nose so she can smell them. You will be able to tell if she likes it or not. The ones she likes, use for her treatment.

Answer 2

Force is going to do absolutley NOTHING but make this situation more challenging. Do your research on some ground work techniques to help her deal with her "heard boundess" issue.  But whatever you do, dont give up.

EDIT**

It truly amazes me that some people think that they can win a fight with a horse.....

EDIT**

Radiant S - Iam sorry but I must comment on your "advice".  Has is ever occured to you the size difference between you and that horse you mentioned?  You think that if there was a real fight at hand you would win?  I am just going to take a flying leap and guess that no, you wouldnt.  What's happening in that horses head when you're leading it out with the intent to be forceful upon disobedient behavior, is simply limited submission.  Your making that horse SUBMIT into being limitedly behaved.  AWFUL concept, Iam sorry but its not getting you anywhere.  Wouldnt it just be nice to have a horse who wanted to obey and wanted to walk beside you?  Whom you could 100% trust NOT to land on top of you when leading him/her out to his/her pasture?  Again, flying leap to guess that YES anyone would want a horse who was just all around well behaved.  This takes ground work, time and consistency.  The horse acts up now more than ever I bet because he/she knows that there is going to be a fight.  There is a sense or nervousness to get AWAY and flee from the situation.  Rather than teaching that horse to obey you by gaining an understanding of its behavior and working WITH it instead of fighting it - instead YOU let the horse get away with totally disobeying your space.  Unreal.  You keep doing what your doing, and I'll continue with my lovely yearlings, 2 yr olds and 3 yr olds + who quielty walk along side me, all eyes and ears on me in total trust.  

If you want to help your mare, please, forcing her into doing anything is going to make her explode.  Absolutley letting her go wasnt the right thing BUT if you were unable to handle her, you dont want to put yourself in danger either.  If you have access to  round pen, or know a more experienced person who has one, I highly suggest working with her in the round pen.  I would love to help you, but typing all the techniques would take hours.  Easy to do and accomplish, but ultimatley you want to create a real trust between you and your horse.  A real partnership.  So when she is away from her pasture buddies, she knows she is safe with you.  This behavior (wanting to be with her buddies) is only her instict.  She is only doing what she knows best and thats, if everyones out her sight she isnt safe.  She needs to be confident in you.  So I urge you to do your research on some naturalk horsemanship training methods to help you with this problem.  IT really isnt complicated and it doesnt take long for horses to catch on.  They want to be understood, and when you put the effort into understanding them life with your ill mannered horse becomes MUCH MUCH easier.

Good Luck! :)

And please, if this interest you, email me! Iam happy to help with some further tips.

Answer 3

NEVER smack a horse when they are acting up. Their first instinct is to flee and it would only make the situation worse. Sounds like she has separation anxiety. Some horses will get over it eventually and some never do.

Get a lead rope with a chain and put it over her nose or get a natural horsemanship halter(rope with knots at pressure points). If you have a more experienced horse person have them work with her. Take the gelding away and when she starts acting up give a little jerk with the lead rope to get her attention back. Dont hold it tight that will only cause her to back up.

If this doesnt help after about a week try getting a trainer or experienced horse person involved

Try this sit  www.horseforum.com

Answer 4

get in her face. snarl, growl, use a chain lead. she has no right to do that. make her walk NEXT to you. at my barn there is a horse like this and we use a lunge whip when taking him out, so if he gets ahead, we just put it out infront of him and he backs down.

people might say that force wont help, but if thats what needed, it will.

Answer 5

Your horse may have a female problem.  Check out this medication.  It works well.

http://www.allivet.com/Reg

Answer 6

You need to get a trainer for yourself. You can't train a horse if you aren't in control of yourself.

1 - cross-tie her when you groom her to keep her head under control, and maybe even put soft hobbles on her hind feet.

2 - Don't yell at her, tell her off or anything like that. She will react better to you if you are calm and talk calmly.

3 - Spend a lot more time with her getting her to lead properly, longe her and lead her some more.

Answer 7

The one thing about tb's is that you CAN bully them. Do not let her get away with stuff like that. When she miss behaves, putting her out in the feild is a reward. Get a lead with a chain and hook it around her alter over her nose (be sure to loop it around the noseband so that there is no way of it cutting into her nose). When she wants to take off snap the leead rope and turn her in circles. if she wants to be a brat shes gonna have to work. The more you give into her, the worse shes gonna get and she'll (literaly) be walking all over you.

Give me thumbs down w/e.....im not being abusive.....Thoroubreds are very strong and unpredictable compared to other breeds and if your not asurtive with them they can turn dangerous. I just bought a thoroughbred mare and believe me, if i let her get away with things she would eventualy turn into a very big problem. You cant be mean, just asurtive. The ways your saying shes acting up is unacceptable and shold be stopped immediatly

Answer 8

if it happens again. put your elbow into her shulder or put your thumb into where her shoulder.... (this is a pressure point) this will make her move away. if she continues to do if after that a smack on the barrell and tell he rno.

She needs to understand its wrong

Answer 9

weel this happen to my friend but it was about her horse a horse a had a huge cruch on her horse and ever time he left she would be like her but not as bad um why dont you see if you can move one of them for a while and she might be in heat

Answer 10

This is normal behavior, nothing unusual about it.  I know you have worked hard, but it seems you have not been successful with your horse.  She doesn't trust or respect you or she would not behave this way.  I don't know what you mean by "told her off" but obviously, it IS NOT WORKING.  You need to develop good communication, trust, and respect with your horse.  It takes time, patience and ability and you have to be willing to make the commitment.  Your horse is young so this is a good time to help her.  Be patient.  Never react to your horse in anger or with impatience and frustration.  If your emotions are out of control, put your horse in the pasture and come back when you can be calm.  She needs basic ground work so she can understand that you are her safe place, no matter what else goes on around you.  Rest if you need  to.  Good Luck.

Answer 11

Don't give up!