Someone please help, I'm at my wits end!

[mandi]

I have a 10 year old class b mini that was given to us almost 2 years ago. I worked with her a lot and broke her out to ride. She was a dream come true! She could be riden anywhere and do anything you asked of her without hesitation. She never bucked, reared, or did anything at all nasty or mean in anyway. My daughter used to ride her all the time until my son was born almost a year ago. I didnt have the time to deal with two little kids and work our mini. Well, I finally have had some time to go out there and do things with the animals and she is acting like a totally different animal. It's like she has totally changed and I will not let my daughter by her because I feel like she is dangerous. She will pin her ears back and try to bite you while haltering and grooming. If you try to put a saddle or saddle pad on her she acts like she never seen it before and literally jumps through the roof. She will rear up if you try to get a bit in her mouth and if you just walk her she will aim her butt at you and try to kick you. I know that I havent worked with her in awhile but this is a bit exreme! I have been going out and working her when the kids are sleeping everyday and she just keeps acting like this is all new. My husband was leading her around with my daughter on her back and she started to buck and rear like crazy. Thank god, we were wise enough for me to be walking beside my daughter and holding onto her waist just in case. I am just so frustrated and dont know what to do. Any advise would be soo appreciated. I know how great of a mini she could be and has been in the past and I hate to have to think about giving her to someone more skilled at training, but she is not safe for my daughter and to be honest, with how she acts I am started to become afraid of her too. Please help me!!

 

[ruffian]

It sounds like someone has been messing with her. Is she on your farm? Is she at a stable where others could be messing with her.

 

[Reble]

To change that badly, I think you should have a vet check her over.

 

[mandi]

No, no one has or could have been messing with her. She is at our house and there are no kids, or people who even come around to mess with her. My daughter is not allowed to go to the barn without my husband or I so that is out. I told my husband that something is wrong and I just dont get what is going on. He keeps saying that she must have had a bad experience once when I took her out, but I cant even think of anything that could or did happen. The last time I took her out she was ridden with just a halter on. that is how docile she was.

 

[Joanne]

Mandi have you had farriers trim her feet, been worming her regularily, and veterinarian checks once a year ?

If you have done nothing with her for a year I think she is just acting up.

These are herd animals and need contact. If not from a herd member, than from a family member.

I could see my dog doing the same thing if I kept him outside and just fed and watered him without using his social skills.

I do not think it is fair to blame this all on her. You two will have to be reintroduced to each other again. If you do not forsee spending enough time with her, get her to a location where someone will have the time. I certainly understand how busy it is with a family of four (especially with young children).

 

[mandi]

We have had her vet checked each year and she will be going back this spring. She is wormed and has her feet trimmed regularly. I dont want to sound like I am blaming this all on her, because I havent worked with her in a long time and I really feel like something is going with her to make her act this badly. I feel like it is more than not being worked with in a while. I'm going to keep trying to work with her and see if she changes, but something is telling me that something is just not right. I dont know....

 

[coopermini]

Sounds like she has gotten used to being on her own and doing her own thing. Does she act up for the farrier?

You could always have Bonnie Fogg do a reading. Who knows what she might find out?

Mark

 

[Genie]

Sounds bad to me. The change is too drastic to attribute it to simply "less handling"

Either she is sore, or in some kind of pain, or there has been some kind of bad experience with someone that you are obviously not aware of.

I wouldn't have my children around her. She does not sound safe to me.

Wishing you luck.

 

[jleonard]

I trained a pony (10 hh) last summer who gets VERY ornery when out of shape. When he first came, he would stop and refuse to move, pin his ears, and buck when asked to do anything physical. He was very overweight, when you patted his crest it was like hiting a brick wall. I did not take any funny business from him. He was used to getting his way and would test you like crazy. I started him out on a lunge until he was a bit fitter, then began rding him (I'm pretty small, not too big for him)It is too bad that your guy is too little for a small adult to ride, it is so much easier if you can get on them yourself! After two or three weeks of consistant handling and exercise, he began to slim down and his temperment changed completely. He became very docile, would do anything I asked with the lightest of cues. His owner (4 year old) began coming over for lessons, and she was able to ride in our large, grass surrounded ring, by herself. The pony was great. He went home in the summer. They were able to keep him on a regular routine and he did very well. Once the little girl started back to school, they were not able to work him as much. I started going over to give her lessons and he had turned back into the chubby, ornery little pony who had come to me in the beginning. It IS possible for a horse to go through personality changes w/o something traumatic having happened (though it is something to consider).

Anyway, my point it, I think that consistancy is key. I would give your pony a couple of weeks of consistant handling and work, and see if she comes around. You know there is a good pony in there, but if she has not been asked to work lately, or if she has been allowed to slack off in her manners, she may need a reminder of what her job is. These little ones are so smart, and they remember if they get their way even once and will try it again!

I hope it all works out.

 

[mandi]

Thanks, with how she acts I just cant see it being lack of handling. Horses dont just forget what they learn. I expected a little brushing up, but this is a little out of control to me. I was thinking that she might be in some sort of pain, but I dont know where or what is bothering her. All I know is that she is not at all safe for my kids to be around. The sad part is that my daughter lovessss to ride. We have been putting her on our horse instead of the mini for obvious reasons and she will not get off for anything. I told my husband that I am really beginning to regret taking her and that I should have known better and got her a dead broke pony or mini that was already trained. I feel like I am in over my head. I have trained and broke out countless horses but I have never had one regress like this before and dont know what to do.

Also, I am new to the forum so if someone could tell me who bonnie is I would really appreicate it. Thanks

 

[mandi]

Also, she is a registered mini but is on the very tall side she is around 10 hh. When I broke her out I was the first to get on her. I am small and very petite and she did not have any problems with me on her. I rode her all over the place before my daughter was allowed to even try. I wanted to make sure she was safe first. I will keep working with her and see if it helps and keep you all posted. If her attitude doesnt change in a few weeks though, I dont know what I'm going to do.

 

[muffntuf]

Well I am going to chime in here on the lack of attention.

I had a miniature that was 2, I worked with her daily, taught her to drive. We spent a lot of time together. But then I got others, ponies, and I don't spend all that much time with her anymore. So her attitude towards me right now is not the loving relationship, can do anything with her that it used to be. It is reserved, we don't do much together anymore (she is a broodmare), and she definitely doesn't drive anymore. The last time I took her out - last summer, she was jittery, non committal and seemed like I had not touched her before. She sees the vet once a year, teeth checked, feet trimmed every 6 weeks, etc.

So I beg to differ, I think they can gather distance from less handling. And they can pick up on our sensations - anxiousness, lack of interest, inpatience, etc. She picks up on that.

Do we still get along, oh yes! I plan to put her back on the harness and in training this summer, but I consider this a do-over.

 

[MindyLee]

Dont know about many of your folks situations & not all minis are the same but I have had all but 1 mini here tht was'nt handled everyday for years of their lives if not at all but fed and watered. And each of them had little things about them where you could notice it too... like trust issues, scared of everything, nippy, and even 1 that came from a home where she was starved, wormy, rain rot, exct... Anyway all of them with-in a month of being with me, each and everyone of them (5 in total) are perfect in everyway you could ever expect (lucky me). I have some of the most well behaived minis anyone could ever ask for and I just think deep down they knew that when they came to live with me. They where finally home forever. I pet and love on all of them each and everyday and take time out for them for at least 20 miniutes to talk and play with them before I go to work. I have 2 studs and 3 broodmares who I live for. They have been my best friends and would'nt trade them for the world. Mandi, I hope you have some luck in getting your little one back to the way she was & hopefully she's just keeping a small gruge against you... She sounds like she is a sweety behind those teeth and pinned ears. And hopefully your daughter will be riding her again the spring. Good Luck!

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

The change sounds pretty extreme to me. I would start with a vet check then dental (that rearing during bitting sure sounds like pain avoidance to me) and finally have a chiropractor check her over. She really sounds like she is in paina nd wants to protect herself from being caused to hurt more to me. After all that tho I would start her slowly bringing her back into use. Ground work, them a refresher on her other training. Good luck.

 

[Reijel's Mom]

The change sounds pretty extreme to me. I would start with a vet check then dental (that rearing during bitting sure sounds like pain avoidance to me) and finally have a chiropractor check her over. She really sounds like she is in paina nd wants to protect herself from being caused to hurt more to me. After all that tho I would start her slowly bringing her back into use. Ground work, them a refresher on her other training. Good luck.

I would agree, the first thing I would suspect is this is pain related.

 

[mizbeth]

I don't find it unusual at all that this is happening. Depending on the age you first started her and how much training she had before you started her some horses simply can't remember what they have learned for that long a period of time. I am sure she will settle down again as soon as you put more time in with her.

They all have different personalities, the very personalities that we love so much about them. Some sweet and gentle always, some with attitudes and so on. A consistant and firm hand should work for her now.

Good luck....she will come around again I am sure.

Beth

 

[Leeana]

First thought was to have her back and neck checked to see if everything is lined up and in place, that could relate a ton to her attitude and moody attitude. Gary Fluhr does great work and have seen him work on a fix up several horses.

 

[mgranch]

I know I have 4 minis and if I get busy and don't spend any time with them for like a month they all act like a herd of wild mustangs!! These are all horses I have had a long time and all are driving horses. They will run from me like they have never seen me before!!! Its crazy!! So after a few days of spending time with them they all become my sweet babies again!! Maybe, your girl would get better in time with lots of attention but as the Granma of two babies I know you have little time!! Well, at least I know I have way less horse time now with my Grandbabies!! Good Luck and don't feel bad if maybe she just isn't the right horse for your family now. There are tons of great horses out there!!

 

[fowlersminis]

I'm definitely NO EXPERT or even close to that, but I just thought I'd share something I was watching last night on RFDTV. I was watching Clinton Anderson's show and he was talking about the "flight" portion of the brain and the "learning" portion of the brain. The "flight" portion of the brain is where the "bad" things come like disrespect, etc. and the "learning" portion is where the horse starts to understand what you're asking and starts to respect you, etc. He talked about how when horses are worked with consistently and they learn how to access the "learning" portion of the brain, that portion of the brain "grows" and the "flight" portion of the brain "shrinks." He went on to talk about the opposite...how if they're left primarily to their herd instincts and natural devices, then the "flight" portion of the brain "grows" again and the "learning" portion of the brain "shrinks." I thought the analogy was very interesting. Good luck with your mare!

 

[targetsmom]

My first thought was a pain issue. I dont know where you are, but in this area (New England) I would have her tested for Lyme Disease. I have heard of (and seen) really odd symptoms from Lyme. I sure hope you can find out what is causing the issue and can fix it!