Am I being unreasonable ?

[Sonia]

Those of you who have been members here for a while may remember my story, those who haven't or can't remember I'll do a quick recap.

I bought Ellie as a first time owner last August. Our first problem was standing still to get on and also occassional bucking in the first 30 seconds after mounting. During the winter months I found an experienced rider to help exercise her (this lady had moved to my area and didn't have work - she has some of the BHS exams and was well thought of on my yard). After 4 or 5 times of riding Ellie, she developed a new "trick" of semi-rearing - something she'd never done before. I consulted my riding teacher who, after seeing this lady ride, said it was how she was riding Ellie. So we went back to me alone riding her.

Not long after this I came off (bucked off and hit the fence) it was pretty nasty and shattered my confidence, I decided she was too much for me to handle and decided to sell her. In the middle of selling her she was badly kicked and laid up for 4 weeks. Which brings us just about up to date. I would like to try and sort out our problems, which if anything have progressively got worse.

My teacher has now let me down several times (just not turned up when he said he would) which leaves me on my own. I think many of our problems are because she wasn't properly broken in and I've returned to ground work (lunging and long-reining) to get the discipline and build the foundations again. Incidently she has this funny rearing do on the long-reins too - it usually happens when ask her to slow or halt (very gentle squeezes) and she still carries on even though there is no tension in the reins at all. Her teeth were rasped by a trained Equine dentist about 3 weeks ago. A horse physio has checked her back and neck and her saddle fit is due to be checked again tomorrow.
I rode her last Friday and she started this rearing business with me too....

Am I being unreasonable to try and sort her out? And who can I turn to to help me? I think she's a bit Cheeky - not bad natured as such.

Cheers
Sonia

 

[Maci]

Sonia

Sorry to see you and Ellie are having troubles, but if you've made it this far together, and if you think there might be a chance of her "seeing the light" then go for it! It will, without a doubt, take time if you do go about this, but love and trust from you both will help direct you/Ellie in the right path! You're not being unreasonable, you are only displaying that you love this horse and is willing to work things out with her!

Try asking around for another good trainer/experienced horseperson (who uses kind methods) to come out and work with you both.

Best Of Luck Whatever Your Choice!
Maci

 

[angel]

if i was you i would do a lot of ground work with your horse, so she realises you are the leader. get help if you can but at the moment keep to you riding. dont get on until she stands still i have mounted dismounted heaps of times until they stand. also try to keep a contact but dont hold her tight if someone is there you can always get them to stand nr and help to stand her. teach her to behave when ever around you, also i would go back to basics as if she had been broken recently good luck.

 

[Mossy]

What is she like on the ground? How are her manners and general attitude. amd how does she relate to you? What is your gut feeling and do you like her as a 'person'?
If you like her and think that she likes you, check and double check that everything fits. Does she rear and act up without a saddle or is it just when she is saddled? Sorry to ask so many questions. Lastly how did the saddle check go? Bucking and fidgetting shouts saddle problem to me.

I would be tempted to go right back to the beginning, forget about riding for a while. Take her for walks, play games with her, long line and lunge. Just make life fun and take the pressure off - whilst keeping her respect and trust.

Connie is my friend and I love her dearly. Riding is not an option at the moment. It has been and one day it will be again. We are working towards it but gentley, gentley. Sensitive mares don't do undue pressure. Some horses switch off from it others react against it and it sounds as though Ellie is the latter.

Courage mon brave you'll get there
PS Try a Mary Wanless instructor, they tend to be cerebral but are kind by definition.

 

[Sonia]

Ellies saddle check showed that her leather one fit slightly better than the synthetic - but neither were a screamingly bad fit - in the fitters opinion were not enough to really cause the problems we've been having.

I like Ellie - though she is a split personality - some times she's better than others and the trouble is you never know which side of her personality you're going to get. She's great in the stable, to groom, tack up etc. She hasn't been know to barge and even when I go to fetch her from the field she'll stand if the other horses are charging about!

Once I get tack on her though her whole personality alters. She becomes excitable, fidgety and inattentive. I've been long lining with just a lunge roller on and she still rears. As soon as we apply a slight amount of pressure to ask her to stand she starts and even when the pressure is released it takes 20-30 seconds for her to stop.

I have spoken to my vet today who said it does sound like a behavioural problem and has given me a couple of numbers to phone where she can go for reschooling and shere I can also go for lessons - so I'll be investigating these options.

thanks for all the support

 

[Sonia]

Just an update
After speaking to my vet, I've arranged for Ellie to go to be reschooled for 1 to 2 weeks. If at the end of this time they don;t think that she's for me they will sell her on for me.

I would be sad to see her go, but I have to be sensible as I can't keep on. I have to remind myself that I have her for pleasure and it is a long time since I have felt any because of all the issue we've had.

At least in 2 weeks I should know one way or the other what is going to happen

 

[Maci]

Good Luck!

Good luck with Ellie! Let's hope that she gets better, to save you two from going through the awful process of selling!

Maci

 

[Outrider]

2 weeks?

I am not sure 2 weeks is enough time to truly evaluate Ellie. Horses learn or re-learn at their own pace, just like humans do. How often are they going to work her in two weeks? In only two weeks, I would say that at best, they will only be able to say whether or not with further training, she can be made into the horse you want. Don't expect them to solve anything in two weeks. I would give it at least 30 days to try and get her to actually learn or re-learn something. For example, her rearing. In 30 days, a good trainer should be able to get this out of her. Perhaps less time. The two week time should be used to evaluate just what problems she does have, and to formulate a strategy for dealing with them. If after knowing this, you either can't afford the extra training time or are not inclined to do it, then go ahead and sell her. Give her a good chance to show what she really can do in the proper hands. Just one old cowboy's opinion. Happy Trails!

 

[Aztec]

Hello,

I had exactly the same problems with my gelding Tb cross when i got him, he would buck half rear and rush backwards whenever he was tacked up but he was fine in the stable getting in from the field grooming etc...

I went throught all te vets visits the physiotherapists looking at his back, tack checks, vets and no one could find a reason.

I finally went and saw his old owners, it was there that i found the problem.

It turned out that after him being broken and schooled that was pretty much the last schooling he did. He was then out hunting and doing cross counrty but never any schooling! So of course as soon as he was tacked up he though he was off to the hunt and got very excitable.

After about 4 weeks of schooling every day intercepted by fun rides every now and then he has learnt that not every time i get his tack out are we going to go hunting etc...

It took hard work adn perseverance but he is now an angel!!

This proves that not all problems are medical although obviously you should eliminate that first.

Let me know how you get on


Aztec

 

[Sonia]

An update

An update
Ellie is now away being reschooled and guess what... she's not put a foot wrong. Unfortunately I'm not sure this helps me as I guess when she comes back to home ground she'll just start again. I'm going to ride her at the reschooling place so they can see if it's anything I'm doing/not doing (though she starts her troubles with other riders and with long lines too.

Sonia

 

[Maci]

Good Luck!

With hope, the re-schooling will help her (and help you!), so she can start behaving well! Let us know updates every so often on how she's getting along! I'm eager to know, because I hope she gets better!

Maci

 

[Sonia]

HI and thanks Maci for the concern!

I went to ride Ellie on monday and she was excellent - like a different horse. She seemed more laid back and I even mounted from the ground, without her moving off - this really is a first for us! The only thing is is that the reschooling place hasn't had to "cure" anything as such and I just wonder if she'll start up again when i get her back on home territory. Anyway, Peter (the reschooling chap) has said I must ring him if I have any trouble when I bring her home.

The plan is that I ride her today, Thursday, Saturday and then bring her home on Sunday.

The only other thing I can think to do is to change her livery stable. The atmosphere at her current place can be chaotic (people yelling, dogs barking and chasing each other and building work going on). As Ellie is quite sensitive it may be this that's upsetting her.

I'll keep you posted

Sonia

 

[Maci]

Try An Experiment!

Well, if she's being good when she's away from home and bad when she is at home, then maybe it is all the chaos that's upsetting her? Try an experiment with her:

Ride her at the re-schooling place one day, and if she's good (which she sounds like she is) BONUS! The next day, see if you can bring her to your yard for a few hours to ride her there to see how she behaves. If she is bad there and good away from the yard, you'll know that it's the yard that's bothering her!

Whatever You Do, Good Luck, And I'm Happy You Got A Good Ride On Her!
Maci