Help with my old skittish Mare

I purchased my 14 year old Mare over a year ago, she was suppose to be my riding horse. I bought her to ride since my gelding I purchased over a year before that was dangerous on the ground so there was really no sense in even trying to get on his back.

Anyway the Mare, was advertised as trained had even been in the Calgary light horse display, photos on the website showed a rider on her.

I remember asking over and over of the person I bought her from are you sure I can ride her while she is pregnant, I knew if I did it would only be light trail anyway, as I am not a big risky rider. I just want to trail ride. She reassured me that it was fine, just spend time with her and lunge her.

Well turns out I had surgury and could not ride her so I got to spend over 2 months with her before asking my husband to get on her for me. Saying we got to ride her otherwise she is just going to think that all she has to do is eat grass.

So he got on her back and he didn't even get a chance to put his foot in the 2nd sturip, that was over a year ago. She took off so fast and I was sure she killed him when he went flying and then she fell , got back up and took out a couple of electric fences. I was sure she lost her foal as she was only a couple months pregant at that point.

Since then we have just got close to her slowly, she does not like being caught and is the only one I have kept a halter on. When I catch her I do it by walking close to her but not like I am going towards her. I will stand close and then she comes to me. Walking up to her causes her to take off. And if that happens then I am in the postion of having to make her work. " So you don't want to come to me AY!!! And make her run, till she finally stops and lets me walk up to her.

I am starting to think this is a game with her, and there is no need for it.

Once I have her she is perfect, she backs she sides , all I have to do is look at her hips and she moves for me , so yes. It's obvious she has been trained.

Oh and she hates anything that looks like a whip, her ears go back her nostrils start puffing and she is out of this world scared to death.

But yesterday I took her out, lundged her a bit and walked her and spent some time getting her to do as I wished. She was perfect.

Then I took the lunge stick with long line" and rubbed her legs with it. You could tell she was scared to death. There was no relaxation at all with her as I rubbed her with this.

I then proceeded to put a big tarp on the ground and get her to walk on it. She was reluctant of course, but with a bit of time she did. I let her smell it first but could not rub her with it, so I just put it down.

Will she is always just be scared to death of everyting? Will she always be hard to catch.

The reason I think it's a game with her is because she will come to you if you do not go to her first. She will not come if called. But if I am sitting under a tree reading she will come and stiff my hair and look for scratches.

The thing is she is perfect once I catch her as far as doing as I want her to do other than a terrible fear.

My gelding who I could not even stand beside is my pussy cat now, and I can get up on him and even ride him now with just his halter. He is perfect.

Can't for one second even think of getting on her. I got my husband to hold her as I lifted my leg over last week and I told him to be prepared because I knew I would be jumping off. I had to almost immediately.

If this is going to take more time I can deal with that, but if there is something I am missing I sure could use your advice .

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Veronica Delagard on August 4, 2010 at 6:30pm

Fear and flight is exactly how my Mare is , don't know if she will ever be calm . So the last thing she needs is to end up anywhere but here with me where I will be patient with her and kind and not expect anymore than she is ready for.

This is her with her 3 month old colt grazing on my lawn, and yes we section off the drive way so they can have full run of where ever they want to go.

We had someone stop one day to ask for dirctions and he said" Boy I have seen people's dogs running loose but never horses" We get a kick of the people that stop.

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Permalink Reply by Jennifer Lamm on August 5, 2010 at 12:20pm

I might say that I would trade a run in for the lush green grass of your front yard...... ugh... my horses are city slickers I must admit..... on a dry lot with no greenery around this time of year... but lush grass outside of their fence when the springtime comes... here I am with beautiful run ins begging for more pasture.... lol.... I have 8 acres of a hill but maybe about 3 acres could be fenced.... I always want more room for them..... I never wanted to have horses if they had to be stalled so my guys have a pretty large area with the run ins..... this lady is coming to rent a house from me and she has horses so my husband gave her my arena and front runins for her horses and me and my horses will be in the back run in.... but my area is getting all fixed up and he has to build them a pasture in the back..... so I'm always pushing for what I want for my horses too girl... !!

The picture of the horses is so great..... I love that they just have free roam.. that is so nice.... :)

Permalink Reply by Veronica Delagard on August 4, 2010 at 6:23pm

Hi again Jennifer,

I am impressed your runs in's are wonderful, they serve a dual purpose they can go in or just relax without the sun beating on them. My horses go under the trees for their cover , I will not say anything about our run ins they are a sore spot with my husband and I. But I just handed him 5,000 at supper time that he didn't know I had and said if money is the issue, here.

That is what marriage is I think anyway. Men, if they can't do it all they keep it to themselves and you never know what is going on.

I was saving it for my hardwood floors and also I want to breed my girl again, but the Stallion can't come to me, so I need to save my pennies. Ah I have a bit of time so maybe that run in will get fixed. Maybe not , maybe my addition will get worked on. I just want to see some progress.

I know What a B!!! Just can't figure out how a woman was quite happy for so many years alone and then ended up with a man who is totally oppossite.

I just had to laugh, I thought of my Klipse, maybe that is what drew me to him and what is drawing me so close to my mare. They are both stubborn and have been hard to handle. I guess that means my attraction is to difficult situations!!!

The harder I have to work the more satisfied I feel. I am smileing !!! My 3 year old filly is a cupcake, very easy to work with , so I let my husband.

And doing without either of my mare or my gelding never!!! I love them both, and really your right. I may not have wanted her at first for more than a riding horse and a brood mare, but I am drawn to her as I am drawn to him and they are both 16 would never think of letting either one of them out of my site. They both have brought me to tears of joy.

That's another reason I will be doing AI with her. She is happy here and I think more relaxed than she has been for years I would not dare put her in a trailer and take her away from her family now. But like your older boy, she was for a very long time always off by herself. She is starting to be seen once in awhile around my gelding but that is usually just to push him around.

Permalink Reply by Jennifer Lamm on August 4, 2010 at 2:18pm

call me crazy but I explained to my oliver that I needed him calm and quiet because I have back issues and I'll be ding donged if he doesn't take care of me now due to the bonding that we've done... I literally see him go out of his way to be gentle..... my trainer is kind of a yawhoo and he really gets Oliver going.... (my bay horse, he's a baby mustang.... 5 now) but I do slow deliberate gentling with him and I think my way is just as good for him... I'm like Veronica.. I cannot let Oliver get away with anything but while my trainer is more experienced with my horse, I do think my low energy is very good for him.. I'm sure you can break him Donna... my trainer layed on my horse and stuff and did lots of gentle things with him too..... good luck!! This was a response to Donna but it didn't get put under her reply.. Hi Donna!!