Halo, can sure be a sweetie...love her to death! There will several days, in a row, that she is super sweet, with a soft eye, everytime we are with her,. She listens well, responds well. Then all the sudden, nothing would of changed, that we can tell, but she gets cranky, grumpy, and no soft eye, doesn't want to do anything, but we make her anyway. LOL. And I'm not talking about when she is in heat. This is during the inbetween time. Is this because she is young...turned two in June? Or is this just because she is a mare?
Age or Mare?
- Thread starter MyMiniGal
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chandab
Well-Known Member
Might be a bit of both, or it might just be her personality.
Just in case, on those days she is cranky, check for changes in her surroundings; different horses in different places, different people around, etc. Just in case those outside things are bothering her.
Just in case, on those days she is cranky, check for changes in her surroundings; different horses in different places, different people around, etc. Just in case those outside things are bothering her.
I look around, all the time, to see if anything changes, and nothing I can pinpoint, at all. Usually, when she is in one of those moods, and I work with her, she does eventually get a soft eye, and we never stop on a bad note...I always end things on a good note, even if we hadn't worked as long as I would of liked or had time for.
A trainer told me recently that it is typical of mares that they may try to boss, but as soon as one lets them know a behavior is unacceptable, the mare retreats.
But a two year old does not have a brain yet. Just be patient. These are formative years.
But a two year old does not have a brain yet. Just be patient. These are formative years.
LOL I was told one time, that they don't get brains until they are about 5, so I guess we have a few more years to go. I love her anyway. When she is sweet...oh, my word... is she sweet. At least, when she is cranky, it is just a bit of head tossing, and being a little defiant, nothing aggressive. I just have to back her up more, and make her move her feet, even if she doesn't want to, then she gets a bit better by the minute.
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Just think of her as a 'young child' -- just like those human ones trying out different things as they grow and head for Kindergarten. Think of all the personality changes they go through as the 'test' the boundaries, mimic what they see and hear from those around them, and 'test' the waters of the adults around them trying to assert themselves as they 'come into their own'.
Eventually, with good and consistent adults who respond to their good behaviors and show no acceptance of their bad behaviors, they mature into those wonderful little children that start off at age 5 with poise, a sense of self-awareness of who they are and how they fit into their surroundings. Those children who have 'found their way' in their world, with anticipation and a sense of 'self'.
Your little girl will mature just fine as long as you remain consistent in her correction, and surround her with love, teaching her what it means to be a 'horse' in your world. ENJOY!! They are each one precious and really depend on us to show them the way to success.
Eventually, with good and consistent adults who respond to their good behaviors and show no acceptance of their bad behaviors, they mature into those wonderful little children that start off at age 5 with poise, a sense of self-awareness of who they are and how they fit into their surroundings. Those children who have 'found their way' in their world, with anticipation and a sense of 'self'.
Your little girl will mature just fine as long as you remain consistent in her correction, and surround her with love, teaching her what it means to be a 'horse' in your world. ENJOY!! They are each one precious and really depend on us to show them the way to success.
You hit my life, perfectly, Castle! I am a preschool teacher's aide and also do the daycare part, when school isn't in. I use a lot of what I have learned, with children, with Halo. We had a rocky start, then this summer, with someone to guide me, her and I connected more than ever. I've been on my own with her, for almost 2 mons. now, and we are doing great. She tests me, yes, and I do think like you, she is seeing the other horses, in their paddocks doing things, and that may be where some of it comes from. We've been told, that we are the only people there, that board, that goes and pays attention to their horse everyday, or even every week. We don't let her get away with anything we don't want her to do. Took me awhile to get my husband doing that, but he finally is and is doing great too. So, this sounds like, it is her age more, than that she is a mare. Of course, she would be just like a child, with no direction or discipline, if we would allow that, but we won't, so this gives me hope that we will some day, have the sweet girl, all the time.
No, she doesn't have a playmate. It is hard to find a place, that has a lot of mini's. When I did, she didn't get along with them much at all. She seems to like to be a loner, I guess. She isn't one to play either. I've always looked at her as the big sister, that looks at her younger brother/sister, as..."Really? Could you act anymore immature?" LOL If I could, I would get a gelding, and have in there with her. But I can't afford to pay two boarding fees, at the price I am paying, and the chances of her getting along with one would be very slim. There is no place to put them side by side, I don't think either, to get them use to eachother. I would worry, I would get one, and have her just kick the "you know what" out of him, then I would be stuck, trying to either board in separate paddocks, or having to choose between the two. If I had my own place, I would go ahead, and give it a try, and if it didn't work, just make sure I have room for two paddocks and two stalls.
