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Author
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Topic: How do i handle this?
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Horsebrat20
Member
Member # 796
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posted May 14, 2004 11:35 AM
Ok, my mare used to tie well, then there was an incident and now she hates being cross tied. She'll stand good, but if anything out of the ordinary happens, she's gonna "get out of there" as fast as she can, because she's learned that she can break the ties. I got her a rope halter, because it's not only with tieing, it's when people are holding her too. Like the other day, my mom was holding her, and i went to put her martingale on (i wrap my arms around her neck with the martingale, and latch it, which i've always done) and she got f.reaked out and reared up and back. Well, since my mom wasn't expecting that, she didn't do anything, so i went to latch it again, and my mare went to rear again, but my mom held her down (halter pressure points) and she didn't do anything else. I guess she's improved since then because the next time i put the martingale on, she just backed up really fast with my mom holding her. Now i'm assuming she just started this, just because she feels like it, cuz i know young horses will do weird things like that. So anyway, we have this halter to put the right pressure on her poll when she pulls back or rears.
I've tryed single tieing her, and she's fine with that. Should i start sacking her out while tied to scare her (not anything bad) so it's something out of the ordinary and she learns how to handle it while tied? Or should i just say she's good on the single tie, but the cross tie needs work?
If i can say that she's good on the single tie, how do i go about retraining her to accept the cross ties? I can't clip her to the cross ties with a rope halter. So do i clip it to the rope? Or use her old halter? But if i use her old halter, it won't teach her not to pull.
I'm just very confused with how to address this, it's not a big issue, i'm just telling you the instances where she's bad. i can groom her and saddle her just fine when she ground ties. She also is ear shy on one ear. And it's just a recent prob, like she flinches a whole lot more then she ever used to when you go to touch her ear. I can touch it if i'm scratching her whole head, but if i purposly touch it to try to get her over her fear, she hates it. I also had a problem haltering, but i fixed that. I don't know why all of a sudden this fear of her ear was triggered, i don't know if it's hurting her (which i doubt, but we do have a vet scheduled to come look at it), or if it's some kind of fear that something triggered. Like maybe at one point in her life soeone used an ear twitch, and something i did triggered that memory. I don't know what i could have done though. I went to put her halter on the other day, and i usually put on ear in, then take the other and put it through, and she pulled back and i was still hanging onto her ear (but not for long) could that have made her afraid? If so, how do i approach this prob?
I'm sorry this is so long, i don't want any of these things to get worse. Thanks!
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http://community.webshots.com/user/sarasbluegroove
"All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes to make it possible.
T.E. Lawrence
"There is no better feeling in the world then having your animal surrender it's trust into your hands."
Sara
Posts: 788 | From: RI | Registered: Oct 2003
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Idrivetrotters
Member
Member # 1490
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posted May 14, 2004 12:10 PM
First, if this is all new behavior have a vet or competant person check the horse over for any pain or ill fitting tack. If the horse checks out clean, I would NOT sack her out. Sacking out never really seems to help and it can really scare a horse with a fragile temperment. First, I do not cross tie in the aisle ways since what you just described is a major reason. I put them in their stall and use the cross ties in there. If for some reason they have a mental meltdown they are confined and cannot do much. Next, start back at square one and work with the horse one step at a time. If the horse is still rearing or trying to bolt, I would invest in a trainer to come out to your farm and work with the both of you to sort this problem out.
Posts: 479 | From: Florida | Registered: Jan 2004
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Horsebrat20
Member
Member # 796
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posted May 14, 2004 05:57 PM
She doesn't bolt, she just gets spooked by something minor, then thinks she has to get free. But i like the idea of cross ties in your stall. But the prob with that is if i have to cross tie her anywhere other then my place, it's not going to be in a stall, because most people around here have their cross ties in the aisle. What do i do about the rearing? I worked with her today, i tied her in the aisle with a single tie, and i tacked her up (which she behaved very well for, she started spooking at the saddle a couple weeks ago, but we got over that) i wasn't going to use the martingale that day but i put it on anyway. She tenses up and flinches from it, everytime i come from the tack room with it. I put it on over and over and over again, so i got to the point where she didn't flinch, she just tensed up, i stopped. Other then that she was great. But anyway, for the rearing, should i just hold her with the halter, or is there something else i can do to reprimand her, without fr.eaking her out? She gets scared when i reprimand her. I've tryed walking towards her in a threatning way and making her come down from the rear and back up, but she doesn't ever stop backing when i do that, she just backs up scared for her life. Should i keep doing that? Like i said, this isn't a regular thing, she's done it about 4 times, but thats enough to get me worried. Thanks for the tips, i appreciate them! ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif) ![[Wink]](wink.gif) ![[Bow]](graemlins/bow.gif)
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http://community.webshots.com/user/sarasbluegroove
"All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes to make it possible.
T.E. Lawrence
"There is no better feeling in the world then having your animal surrender it's trust into your hands."
Sara
Posts: 788 | From: RI | Registered: Oct 2003
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Idrivetrotters
Member
Member # 1490
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posted May 15, 2004 09:04 PM
If she is not correcting her behavior with what you are doing with the backing etc, then stop doing it since its not working and could be making her worse. If her tempement is that fragile taking her any where new no matter where the cross ties are is a invitation for problems. She should not leave her farm until she is 100%. Now before she starts to rear, find a way if distracting her or at least trying to soothe her. I think the rearing is a confidence/fear response and doing too much to her or towards her could frighen her more.
I would work on her confidence, take trotting poles and set them up in various patterns, L's for walking, through and over, set them up in a star patter with them flat and than later raised a bit so she can start feeling like she has accomplished something. Take her with a chain over her nose for added control and let her go on long walks, maybe ground drive her for awhile to help her learn and engage her mind into something new. Keep her learning new things (and not just saddles and riding, try tricks also) and by keeping things new and different she has to look to you for her guideance and support. This also helps to build trust so that she knows that you won't let her have bad things happen. Start with these things, than eventually start doing under saddle things until she is 100% safe.
Posts: 479 | From: Florida | Registered: Jan 2004
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Horsebrat20
Member
Member # 796
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posted May 16, 2004 04:43 AM
Ok thank you! I will try some of the things you said. Thanks again!
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http://community.webshots.com/user/sarasbluegroove
"All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes to make it possible.
T.E. Lawrence
"There is no better feeling in the world then having your animal surrender it's trust into your hands."
Sara
Posts: 788 | From: RI | Registered: Oct 2003
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