Whats wrong with this young horse????

Question

ok, Chase is a 2 year old, palomino, QH. When we got her she was the sweetest little yearling and remained that way till just this spring. Lately shes been acting weird, rearing, charging, bucking, and being very high strung. I was thinking- Shes just young.- but idk. mabey its the changes lately like her pasture buddie leaving, to much protein from lush grass and vaitamins, and being alone... any suggestions???

Answer 1

Sometimes when energy is going into growth, a young horse will be sweet and placid.  Then they go into a phase where growth has slowed down and all that energy changes them into the horse you describe.....which means she is feeling really good.  Whatever the cause (feed might not need to be what it is when growth is happening), some of the behavior is dangerous and needs to be addressed  in some serious ground training.

Answer 2

She could well have started coming into season and is being a very moody mare so it's worth trying her on a moody mare suppliment (check with feed suppliers about using in a youngster) and see if she improves.

It may have a lot to do with her being a 2 year old and basically throwing a strope now she's the equivilant of a teenager but you need to be quite firm with her as if she gets away with this now, it will be much harder to handle her in the future as she will think this is acceptable.

Our 2 year old gelding is normally very chilled out and we were at the first show of this year (he did some last year) and he decided he didn't like the bit (he has to have one for showing and has been bitted since he was a yearling and is quite happy in it normally) and he protested by standing on his hindlegs, boxing the air - very impressive - and scary - given he is about 16hh already. It's completly out of character for him and is simply he's a 'teenager' who is feeling the joys of spring and summer. Despite this we do not accept this sort of behaviour and he learnt this at the show and has been fine since. I don't mean you need to be rough with her but be firm and consistant.

It would also be worth lowering her hard feed a little as thats something I've noticed with our youngster is if he has too much feed he gets very difficult to handle, we lower his hard feed and within a week or two he is easier to do.

It is likely that being alone is a lot to do with it as well. Horses are herd animals and need to have companions - this is especially important for youngsters as they will feel especially vulnerable on their own. If at all possible she needs another equine of some sort for company - preferablly a couple as this prevents them from forming pair bonds which can be akward. If thats not possible then she needs some sort of company, maybe goats or sheep, something to keep her company so she doesn't feel alone.

I think it's likely to be a combination of all these things and so it is worth tackling them one or two at a time as horses thrive on routine and don't always do well with lots of changes. I think the most important ones are probably the company and feed and if these get resolved I suspect you will see a big difference. You should also consider starting ground work with her as she is getting to an age where she needs her mind worked, but her body is too young, so working her from the ground, ie long reining etc, will give her something to think about as well as making it easier when it comes time to back her.

Answer 3

Dont worry.. my two year was a handfull he didn't really calm down to about 31/2 yrs of age.Just think the terrible twos. You could also try to keep her away from hot grass that might make her more of a handful. But just work through it do ALOT of ground work amd manners. Also look into another pasture buddy cause horses are very social animals and need that interaction expecially when they are young.

Answer 4

she's probably just at that age where they act like that. just handle her more.

Answer 5

She could be having some severe hormonal issues with her heat cycle.  You might want to have a vet test her and see what's wrong.

Answer 6

Are you feeding her too many treats?  Or are you letting her push you around?  She may think that she is the boss.  It could also be that she's starting to go into season.

Answer 7

All young horses go through this stage when they are babies. They like to challange you to see what she can get away with. You just need to displine her when she act up like this. Working with her at least twice a week just on her manners will help this behavior decress. Doing lots of lunging exercies will help also. If she does anything wrong displine her by either making her go foward and relizing she cannot do that or make her halt and back her up.

Also what type of feed do you feed her? The feed might have too much protein in it. I do not think the extra protein comes from the grass and also too many vaitamins should not make her crazy.

Answer 8

hey guys. im her owner. mollys my bestfriend and she posted this. anyways. i understand all of what you guys are saying. i try my hardest to be with her as much as possible but its always so hot and i dont always have transportation. we were going to send her to a really good trainer but then financial problems came up...so were still waiting. but what i dont get is why shell come up to me when i go to get her and be great for a while but as soon as shes let loose like to be lunged she starts acting up...could it be her diet? i think shes on sweet feed and just regular hay...maybe electrolytes. im not sure if she still has the horses at the barn on them. i understand her changing attitude and becoming a mare but she was even charging and this baby cow that she used to get along great with and ran over the poor thing...and i dont let her get away with anything...pushing, rearing, biting, refusing to go...etc. i dont give her treats AT ALL.

Answer 9

If she's on good pasture, she doesn't need grain, esp sweet feed! She's at an age where she is trying to establish her place among the humans & horses and if she's getting too much protein, starch or carbs, she's got an excess of energy to burn off which means she's going to act like a crazy horse! I had a 3 yr old mare that was almost unhandlable on even the tiniest bit of sweet feed & she constantly tried to test me until she was 4 1/2, pushing the limits of what she could get away with & refusing to give in to me. Once she matured a little & started to respect me (it was a year long battle!), she was the sweetest mare & behaved herself.  You need to take a look at her food, get her into some type of program of regular handling & training (even if it's just ground work) to burn off some energy, make sure she has plenty of things to stimulate her  mentally too...the babies need to work off a lot of steam & have things to stimulate them physically, mentally & visually as it challenges them & gives them something to think about & work out.

Answer 10

Your young horse needs someone to work consistently with her every day....the behavior you're seeing is highly disrespectful of you...put that little lady in a training regimen.  It will not get better if you ignore it or treat her like an errent child.   She's too big for that and outweighs you by how much????   She needs routine and a little discipline.

Edit:  She still has to respect your space whether or not you're lunging her or leading her...she can't run over you, drag you on the lunge line, hang back on the lead line....or, rush to be turned out.

Answer 11

she might be in heat or just seeing what she can get away with. my yearling i got her as a weanling and she was sweet up until now she has tried biting and being pushy for grain and i law down the law so she is a little bitter to me at the moment i have seen lots of young horses do this after you do the initial handling they go through a phase where they want to see what they can get away with. it does not last long as long as you can repremand them for it

good luck

Answer 12

She is becoming a mare and mares more than gelding will become bossy if they can get away with it. She is just trying to place her self in her herd which includes you. There is always a boss mare in a herd. You just have to make sure she doesn't become your boss mare. Don't tolerate this behavior. Start lunging her and work her. Use a lunging whip and don't let her charge you. Use the whip if you have to. She has to learn that you are her boss mare.

Answer 13

Hello,

I agree with the other answers that she doesn't respect you and is pushing you around.  She needs to know that humans are in charge and she is not the boss.

Unfortunately I do see this a lot in "pretty horses" that are owned by women.  YOU shouldn't spoil and let them push you around just because they are pretty.  I have seen too many of these horses end up at auction!  Because they are so spoiled they don't amount to a good horse for riding!

TEACH her with lots of ground work!

Answer 14

she's probably in heat