Attacking, biting, rearing - HELP
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LOL, I bet a couple more times of that, she will quit it. Does she have any toys in her stall? A ball or something she can play with- even something out in pasture while she is out there so she is not bored? That helps too
Yep,she has a ball in her stall and plenty to do in the pasture, her boyfriend doesn't leave her side when she's in or out. They got body contact and give frequent "kisses", he adores her. But her no. 1 toy is still any human that comes near her LOL. oh and tying her up - I'm still looking for ways to do that without her putting her legs in a knot or strangling herself... I think I may have to set a pole in the middle of the pasture similar to Clinton Anderson's "patience pole" to keep her from attempting to kill herself (WITH supervision...)
lucky seven
Well-Known Member
They are cute together, just like mine. My standardbred thinks the world of his little friend. Believe me, she knew you were around and that's why she got herself all tangled up. "MOM" will feel sorry for me and let me go. My boy did the same thing yesterday. Head tangled in lead line, foot almost over the fence. They know how to get us to dance to their tune. lol
If this were my horse I would give her a playmate her size right away, look for a gelding mini, and cut back that alfalfa to a grass hay. Her attitude is more important than her belly at this time.
BTW, I have 26 years experience with minis, she is most likely not mean, but needs to understand that you are the alpha mare and not her playmate, I also would give her the outraged mare scream when she attacks and use a dressage whip on her chest.
Good luck on curing this, I know you are trying and giving her training in hand.
BTW, I have 26 years experience with minis, she is most likely not mean, but needs to understand that you are the alpha mare and not her playmate, I also would give her the outraged mare scream when she attacks and use a dressage whip on her chest.
Good luck on curing this, I know you are trying and giving her training in hand.
MountainWoman
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I think the others are giving you great advice about your biting and rearing problems but looking towards the future I'd also like to add you have a very intelligent, curious horse who is the ideal candidate for clicker training to keep her mind occupied. I think the best clicker horses are those who tend to get into what we call trouble. They really seem to thrive under clicker training and the sky is the limit.
I got tons of suggestions here when I asked about the potbelly issue and most said to put her on alfalfa. I had her on good quality coastal before, she gets fed through a nibblenet which slows down her intake and ensures that she gets the same amount everyday.
If she would have gotten pregnant it would have had to happen before she was 10 months old, she was with a herd of minis but I don't know if any stallions or colts were with her. When I got her she hadn't been wormed in at least 6 months, or seen a vet, was underweight with a skinny neck, you could feel her spine and ribs but she had a potbelly, that and the wintercoat made her look fat.
With a mare showing this kind of daily attitude how do you know when she's in heat?
I would love to just put her on coastal, I don't like having to deal with different types of hay and the price for alfalfa will go back up for the winter I'm sure.
Here are some pictures of her belly wise
Top left at 10 months when I got her, top right at 11 months, bottom two at 13 months. I need to take some updated belly pics
My avatar is from when she was 14/15months, taken about a months after her accident.
If she would have gotten pregnant it would have had to happen before she was 10 months old, she was with a herd of minis but I don't know if any stallions or colts were with her. When I got her she hadn't been wormed in at least 6 months, or seen a vet, was underweight with a skinny neck, you could feel her spine and ribs but she had a potbelly, that and the wintercoat made her look fat.
With a mare showing this kind of daily attitude how do you know when she's in heat?
I would love to just put her on coastal, I don't like having to deal with different types of hay and the price for alfalfa will go back up for the winter I'm sure.
Here are some pictures of her belly wise
Top left at 10 months when I got her, top right at 11 months, bottom two at 13 months. I need to take some updated belly pics
My avatar is from when she was 14/15months, taken about a months after her accident.
I think trick training is great to keep them busy. I don't believe in clicker/positive reinforcement when it comes to training dogs or horses, I think a good balance between correction and lots of praise does a much better job, BUT I do think treats work great for trick training. My gelding pics up the whip on command or jolly balls etc. I think she's a smart cookie, eh, cupcake that would do well, once she knows how to behave
I also plan on eventually getting a cart for her once she's old enough, a friend of mine owns a carriage company and offered her help
Also, all of your responses have caused an AHA moment for me today, I've allowed my gelding too long to save up all his energy and then let it out on the lunge line. He's had a few days break and of course just walked around in the pasture like an old 20something year old horse but wanted to play racehorse and bronco again when I put him on the lunge. So something CA always says popped in my mind "make the wrong thing difficult and the right thing easy". I never knew how to implement this when he goes nuts like this because he turns blind and deaf to any command,no matter if I make him work harder, try to slow him down, stop him, change direction (he rears then)... Nothing ever worked so I always just let him run it out on his own. Today I had enough. I started wiggling the lunge line as soon as he started racing and bucking. Kept wiggling it (like the backing up method) so the buckle in combination with he stiff rope halter made all his racing "uncomfortable" and he slowed down. As soon as he was in a normal canter I stopped wiggling. Did that a few times and it worked like a charm
New rules in this barn!
Signed
The ALpha mare
I also plan on eventually getting a cart for her once she's old enough, a friend of mine owns a carriage company and offered her help
Also, all of your responses have caused an AHA moment for me today, I've allowed my gelding too long to save up all his energy and then let it out on the lunge line. He's had a few days break and of course just walked around in the pasture like an old 20something year old horse but wanted to play racehorse and bronco again when I put him on the lunge. So something CA always says popped in my mind "make the wrong thing difficult and the right thing easy". I never knew how to implement this when he goes nuts like this because he turns blind and deaf to any command,no matter if I make him work harder, try to slow him down, stop him, change direction (he rears then)... Nothing ever worked so I always just let him run it out on his own. Today I had enough. I started wiggling the lunge line as soon as he started racing and bucking. Kept wiggling it (like the backing up method) so the buckle in combination with he stiff rope halter made all his racing "uncomfortable" and he slowed down. As soon as he was in a normal canter I stopped wiggling. Did that a few times and it worked like a charm
New rules in this barn!
Signed
The ALpha mare
Just wanted to add that you have a little girl with tons of personality and very cute, don't want to supress that, but to contain her 'over expression' of what is fun to her. I have a gelding I would send to you, but I am in Florida and don't think the distance would work out!
This gelding gave me a few troubles as a yearling ( he is now sweet as pie) but he went for the hands not the legs
as your horse is doing.I carried a pine cone in my hand when leading him, and let him 'hurt himself trick' without me having to hit him but curing the strike scenario you are having is a challenge using that method.
Is she one that does not like being stalled for any length of time and prefers more space?
+
This gelding gave me a few troubles as a yearling ( he is now sweet as pie) but he went for the hands not the legs
as your horse is doing.I carried a pine cone in my hand when leading him, and let him 'hurt himself trick' without me having to hit him but curing the strike scenario you are having is a challenge using that method.
Is she one that does not like being stalled for any length of time and prefers more space?
+
She always seems content and happy in her stall. She has a 12x12 to herself. She's an attention hog, my gelding fell in love with her from the minute she got her, he literally didn't move away from her stall for 24 hours straight. He LOVES his food, attempted to go eat a couple of times, she called im back and he immediately galloped back to her. He's a little easier going about her now but if I take her out of the pasture I have to stay in his sight or all heck will break lose. if he was her size they'd be a perfect couple but with him being a 7yr old teenager I'm afraid it wouldn't end well if I'd pasture them together.
I sat in her stall with her earlier, she came over, I reached out and she started licking my hand, then biting, I think great timing is key, I smacked her in the chest with the whip as soon as she bit and she backed up and had that confused look on her face again, she tried it again,everytime she just licked I praised her a lot. She finally got the hint that biting is not ok and definitely showed more respect for me. We'll see how the next few days gland of I can cure this little monster
I sat in her stall with her earlier, she came over, I reached out and she started licking my hand, then biting, I think great timing is key, I smacked her in the chest with the whip as soon as she bit and she backed up and had that confused look on her face again, she tried it again,everytime she just licked I praised her a lot. She finally got the hint that biting is not ok and definitely showed more respect for me. We'll see how the next few days gland of I can cure this little monster
wingnut
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You've gotten tons of great advice and it seems like you've already started the steps necessary to get her going in the right direction. I remember those before pictures and am thrilled by the after pictures. She's a lovely young lady!! Keep at it!
Young horses SHOULD be active and full of beans, and I have fed alfalfa for 40 years with no problems. Minis require more protein, especially when still growing and I dont think that is the issue at all. It's her behavior and what she has been allowed to do. You have already seen improvement in just one correction and her reaction to that. Dont cut her nutritional program just because she hasn't learned her manners yet.
Knottymare
Well-Known Member
This made me giggle...New rules in this barn!
Signed
The ALpha mare
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