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Debbie Green
Member
Username: Green007
Post Number: 2
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, Jul 21, 2004 - 3:02 pm: |   |
I have been working with a 3 year old mare that was ok for the first 2 weeks under saddle (the honeymoon period, I suppose) but now when I ask her to move forward and trot, she starts kicking out to the left. She pins her ears back, comes to a screeching halt, and the kicks and nappiness begin. When I insist she moves forward she will buck and crowhop all the harder. This keeps happening over and over again, and is getting worse instead of better. I used to compete at mid levels of dressage and have broken in many young horses before and have never had this problem. My hands and legs are soft and I don't think I am asking too much of this mare.
Her teeth have been floated. She has a fat snaffle bit measured to her mouth, no draw reins or side reins to restrict her, she is healthy and going very well on the longe line. Her CBC is normal, she gets plenty of turnout (24/7) and she isn't overfed. In the stable she is a sweetheart. Uder saddle she is a monster.
We are having a saddle fitter out on Sunday to see if it is the saddle. If she keeps doing this, I am at a total loss. I have tried everything I know, including getting after her with a crop and placing assistants on the ground with longe whips to help get her "unstuck" when she balks. No matter what I do, she balks, cowkicks and bucks with ears pinned every time I ask for trot. Once she is already trotting, she will do it again at random intervals.
Her workouts consist of walking and trotting in a large arena with occasional large circles and cavaletti. The workouts are short and peppered with light hacking. She just hates going forward, is behind the leg and will expend much more energy resisting going forward than it takes for her to just go forward.
Is there something I am missing here? I am thinking of having her tested for EPSM. Anyone else run into this before and have suggestions? |
Imogen Bertin
Member
Username: Imogen
Post Number: 533
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, Jul 22, 2004 - 5:28 am: | |
What happens if there are other horses around? Does it get better or worse? Is it an "I want to go back to my friends not forward" or just a general thing?
What is she like out on a hack?
What happens if you use say three quick slaps of the dressage cane to get her attention/forward movement rather than a strong leg?
All the best
Imogen |
Debbie Green
Member
Username: Green007
Post Number: 6
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, Jul 22, 2004 - 9:25 am: | |
She is better with other horses around, so I do sense some herd bound tendencies. However, her reaction to trotting forward is so intense I can't help but think there must be soreness of some kind. When there are horses or "spooky" objects or events happening in or near the arena, she is so focused on these things that she ignores me entirely. No bucking, but no steering either! I do prefer this to the balking, but of course she needs to do some work, too. She is a very nice quality mare who will be competitive in the discipline of her choice if she only would, so I really want to see her get through this.
As far as discipline, I get after her gently at first, then harder and harder until I am really quite bold with the crop. The harder I get after her, the more she shuts down and higher her hind end goes in the air! She doesn't get me off, and I keep riding her until she has at least one lap around the arena at trot without doing it. Even when she does this successfully, she pins her ears back on occasion as an editorial comment.
The larger issue is, she is not even my horse so I am concerned that her owner may have difficulty down the road if we don't resolve this soon. Her owner is a true amateur, obviously over-horsed, but she loves this mare and says she will wait a lifetime to learn to ride her if that is what it takes. She isn't planning on riding this mare for another 9 months so at least we have time on our side. I just want to cover all bases, from pain to behavior issues, to make sure this doesn't become a long term habit. If it is stemming from pain, and I continue to "kill" her for her reaction, I am worried she will really show us her stripes with a full fledged blowup down the road complete with rearing and flipping. I don't want her to learn to do this for obvious reasons, and am trying to rule out pain first.
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Imogen Bertin
Member
Username: Imogen
Post Number: 539
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, Jul 22, 2004 - 3:45 pm: | |
Has this horse ever hunted or done any work which would give it much "forward" motion as far as you know?
If hunting's not an option what about charity rides/drag hunts etc.?
All the best
Imogen |
Christos Axis
Member
Username: Christos
Post Number: 432
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Friday, Jul 23, 2004 - 4:25 am: | |
Hi, Debbie,
How is she when turned out with other horses? Will she socialise, or will she stick to herself, acting all bitchy if another horse comes anywhere near her?
How are her ground manners?
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Debbie Green
Member
Username: Green007
Post Number: 9
Registered: 7-2004
| | Posted on Monday, Jul 26, 2004 - 9:01 am: | |
She is only 3, and only just greenbroke so hunting would be too much for her right now.
She is ok turned out with other horses, though she is more on the alpha side of the spectrum.
Her ground manners in the barn are very good, though she can be a bit pushy. Nothing overtly aggressive or mean, just a young 16.3 warmblood with a huge body that gets in her own way. She moves over when asked, and gives at the poll when asked.
I am going to try trail riding her with other horses to get past this "speedbump" and see what happens.
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Fran Cilella
Member
Username: Canter
Post Number: 70
Registered: 1-2000
| | Posted on Monday, Jul 26, 2004 - 1:10 pm: | |
Debbie,
Since you say this mare is on the alpha side of the spectrum, perhaps some round penning or lunge line work would get her used to the fact that you are, in fact, the "boss mare" and that you are in charge of where she goes and when she goes.
Fran
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