Help for mare that gets mad when showing

[scr]

I need help. My yearling filly has become a little ill mare when showing. I thought it was me - kinda like the spoiled kid phenominum. She pins her ears back while walking into the arena up to the judges and then keeps them pinned while trotting to the lineup. I can *sometimes* get her to put them up when lined up but many times she keeps them pinned then as well. I've even had more than one judge ask me what's up with her attitude as I'm leaving the ring.

So, I sent her to a professional for a couple of months leading up to Nationals. She appeared to be improving at the farm. At Nationals (and with the trainer showing her) she even walked into the ring with ears up and trotted past the judge with ears up but in the lineup got crabby and even kicked out at one judge and the ears were pinned back.

So, do I have a mare that just HATES showing halter? Or could there be an underlying problem? Does anyone think that herbal supplements could help? I was told to try something like raspberry leaves.

I'll continue the positive reinforcement training, too, but that hasn't been really successful so are

And I think I'm going to start working with her on halter obstacle to see if she just hates the standing around looking pretty for halter and wants to try her hand at negotiating obstacles.

Polly

 

[Frankie]

I think she may not like to show, but, you know your horse best and would have to make that decision.

I had a horse last year, hated to show. Everyone talked about how full of himself he was, and was nasty. I just knew he hated being out there. No more showing for him and since he relized that, about 2 months after of no showing, he has been a little angel.

How is she away from the ring?

 

[justjinx]

I think she just does not like showing. some horses are hams and some are not. couldn't Bonnie talk to her and tell you for sure?

jennifer

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I have a mare like that- I shall be showing her daughter next year- that's the beauty of mares

Just a maybe- I have one mare I tried out once as a yearling- she did OK but, her mother HATED showing and I did not feel she had any great aptitude for it so I put her back in the field. I actually tried to get her in-foal as a two- she did not take not then nor the next year either. This year I bred her once at the beginning of the year then never tried her with the stallion, just took her off showing. She LOVED it and she won quite a lot, too, never came home out of the top two/three. Of course the little witch is in foal, so I shall not be showing her next year!!

 

[Miniv]

I'd also suspect that she just doesn't like showing! She's trying to tell you the only way she knows how, I'm sure.

MA

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

I have a mare who loved halter at first and did well - now she is quite done and this year at Nationals was her last time she managed to walk out with some ribbons but was a pig the whole time ears back, biting my butt, twisting her head.. she let me know loud and clear no more halter for her

 

[Ashley]

Yep I agree she dont like it.

I have a mare that I would love to show, she does the same thing. She was shown as a yearling at 2 shows, thats it as she hates it.

 

[Fred]

I have a very good mare who runs hot or cold when you show her in hand. You

never know up until you go in the ring whether it will be a good mare day or a bad

one. I have been told it is much harder to show mares than colts or stallions

because they can be so moody. Becky is the epitiome of this. I have had prof-

essional trainers laugh at her bad mare days. This horse is a national champion

in halter to boot. She is only like this in halter, in driving I swear you can see

the smile on her face. She is a such a totally different horse when driving she

absolutely LOVES it. Linda B

 

[Getitia]

You know Polly from what you have described, it sounds like she does not like showing in Halter. Like Linda B mentioned, she may be happier showing in some performance division. You mentioned obstacle - that would be a great start.

We have found that some horses just do not like to show in halter -while some love halter - yet dislike driving - while others live to Jump!

.

Then you have those rare horses that love the show ring regardless of the class or division.

I would experiment and see what her passion may be.

 

[mizbeth]

Gosh I have one like that this year too. I'm thinking it is growing up thing. Perhaps some time to mature? A confidence thing? I hope anyway, as she is stunnig filly.

I just started working with her again and she seems to be doing fine. But she did that before too. Sometimes good and sometimes not. So we will see.

Perhaps next year, for yours and mine?

B