Galloping off in the school!

[squidsin]

I've had Angel for 10 weeks now and she was really good initially but the last three weeks or so have been quite testing. She's taken to spinning and galloping off - did it twice the full length of the school today! I can sit to it without a problem and pull her up, but it's not fun! She's done it out hacking too. I'm putting today down to the fact the yard's foal - a really hyper colt - was turned out in the field next to the school when we were riding and went nuts. I think he set Angel off. But she's testing me, right? Any advice on how to get through this stage with a new horse? It feels like ages since I went through it all with Roxy.

I'm not sure her and Rox being stabled/turned out next to a colt is ideal for either of them hormonally, mind you. I had similar problems with Roxy before when we were on a yard with colts.

 

[MrC]

Has the colt been there every time she has buggered off??? If not I would say she's looking for reasons. How often is she doing it? Once a session? Multiple times? How easy is she to stop?

If a horse is doing it multiple times a session and I'm finding I'm having to pull them out of it constantly I end up going down the line of fine you want to go well keep going and I'll canter round and round until they get the message. No nastiness no yanking or pulling just keep cantering in a light seat until they get sick of it.

Take it no physical issues? Tack, teeth, pain etc? If not then beat her at her own game and once she's sick of it make her do what you want be it a quick schooling session or whatever and usually they decided doing what you want is easier in the long run.

 

[squidsin]

I don't think physical issues but I have the physio coming out next weekend to check. I'll get her teeth looked at too. Tack has been checked and is fine.

Yes, the colt has been there every time she's buggered off. It's quite a spooky school anyway - wide open on one side, and often very foggy, so it looks like you could fall off the edge of the world! BUT I think she was looking for reasons. She's been generally spooky the last three weeks - head up and snorty and looky. I'm going to put her on a calmer anyway. Lots of horses are magnesium deficient.

Today was the first time she did it twice in one session. I stuck her in a (rather strong) outline and carried on but don't really want to have to ride like that!

My instinct is that she's just settling/testing me. But god, I hate the settling in/testing period!

 

[squidsin]

I like the cantering idea. I'll try that next time.

 

[MrC]

She probably is, they all do it, cheeky beggars lol.

Sounds as though you have it all sorted out and getting her checked is a good idea and will put your mind at ease if you have to do the 'tough love' and work her through it

 

[orbvalley]

Yep I think she's just testing you.
When mine gets "tanky" I give her lots to do and keep her mind busy busy busy - frequently change gait (every 4 to 8 strides), circles, poles, shoulder in, leg yield, counter bend - anything I can think of just to keep her occupied doing the change of gaits at same time. Obviously I have to accept that the precision of the moves isn't as good as when she's not wanting to tank off somewhere but its just about wearing her out both mentally and physically

 

[CharliesAngel]

agree with the others that she’s testing you and looking for reasons, i hate it too one thing ive learned over the years is to stop looking for excuses/reasons for such things and take the attitude that they have a job to do they have to knuckle down no matter what else is going on (within reason of course ) I have colts around the place all the time and the last 2 years we’ve had 2 stallions on the covering mares. At one point they were in the field adjacent to my arena ! A couple of people actually said to me that I was off my head, looking for trouble etc but tbh the colts/stallions are something that have never caused any issue. I started and rode Brook in there as well as Briea and they never reacted to the boys. When I hack out we go out past the boys and again, I dont have an issue. the boys flirt up and down the fence sometimes but Brook knows she has to ignore it and walk on. I know many people now who run studs and have entires around with yards where both the stallions and mares are in ridden work, if managed properly, they just get on with it.

 

[squidsin]

agree with the others that she’s testing you and looking for reasons, i hate it too one thing ive learned over the years is to stop looking for excuses/reasons for such things and take the attitude that they have a job to do they have to knuckle down no matter what else is going on (within reason of course ) I have colts around the place all the time and the last 2 years we’ve had 2 stallions on the covering mares. At one point they were in the field adjacent to my arena ! A couple of people actually said to me that I was off my head, looking for trouble etc but tbh the colts/stallions are something that have never caused any issue. I started and rode Brook in there as well as Briea and they never reacted to the boys. When I hack out we go out past the boys and again, I dont have an issue. the boys flirt up and down the fence sometimes but Brook knows she has to ignore it and walk on. I know many people now who run studs and have entires around with yards where both the stallions and mares are in ridden work, if managed properly, they just get on with it.

You are right, no yard is perfect and they need to deal with stuff! That said, my other mare Roxy can get really hormonal and silly round colts and stallions and is much easier to deal with if she's not being a spooky, silly flirt! Oh well, bring on the Rescue Remedy (OK, wine) and I'll ride her through it!

 

[CharliesAngel]

oh yes some mares are a lot more difficult to cope with around boys than others, i am probably very lucky that mine arent in that category. Good luck!

 

[Cortrasna]

I used to get this silly mare stuff in the early days with Dolly. Not in the school, we don't 'do' schooling, both far too old for all that faffing around. But she did do it a fair few times out hacking - I did eventually learn what worked best with her was to actually release the contact immediately (still works to this day too) and just sink and relax down into the saddle. does take a leap of faith though the first couple of times you try it. I sort of think she was trying it on, but also after spending her first few years purely hunting, being asked to hack alone was very stressful for her initially. And I guess stress is stress, whatever we are asking them to do.

She is also a tart and I can't for one minute imagine her schooling nicely with a colt shrieking and strutting about within hearing distance - but also agree you have to live with what you have got in your immediate area. Sit tight!

 

[squidsin]

I used to get this silly mare stuff in the early days with Dolly. Not in the school, we don't 'do' schooling, both far too old for all that faffing around. But she did do it a fair few times out hacking - I did eventually learn what worked best with her was to actually release the contact immediately (still works to this day too) and just sink and relax down into the saddle. does take a leap of faith though the first couple of times you try it. I sort of think she was trying it on, but also after spending her first few years purely hunting, being asked to hack alone was very stressful for her initially. And I guess stress is stress, whatever we are asking them to do.

She is also a tart and I can't for one minute imagine her schooling nicely with a colt shrieking and strutting about within hearing distance - but also agree you have to live with what you have got in your immediate area. Sit tight!

I guess I am putting stress on her - she's starting to work really nicely in an outline. I'm really pleased with that - I just don't think she is!

 

[carthorse]

Do you think she may be doing it when the muscles used to work in an outline are starting to tire? I'd try working in an outline for a very short period then letting her have the rein to stretch & work in her normal outline for a while, then another short period in the outline you want followed by a stretch period & so on & so on. Only when she's finding it easy to maintain the outline you want do you increase the period of time she works in it. Using different muscle groups can be hard, I think we sometimes forget that.

 

[Hailz22]

It sounds like you have moved off wanting to add a supplment and going with more schooling but I just thought I'd add:
I wouldn't jump to putting her on mag or other supplements straight away either - can your vet do a blood test and see if she is lacking in something? As the symptoms for being too low and being too high in amg are the same, you wouldn't want to OD and then just keep putting more in her making it worse!

 

[KP nut]

She spent over a year more or less giving pony rides to novice kids. So she probably doesn't quite know what's hit her!! Hope she settles soon. Does not sound like much fun when she spins and runs.

 

[squidsin]

She spent over a year more or less giving pony rides to novice kids. So she probably doesn't quite know what's hit her!! Hope she settles soon. Does not sound like much fun when she spins and runs.

I think that's pretty much it tbf! She doesn't want to work! Not surprising but now I'm going to have to up the work ante - sorry Angel!

 

[squidsin]

Do you think she may be doing it when the muscles used to work in an outline are starting to tire? I'd try working in an outline for a very short period then letting her have the rein to stretch & work in her normal outline for a while, then another short period in the outline you want followed by a stretch period & so on & so on. Only when she's finding it easy to maintain the outline you want do you increase the period of time she works in it. Using different muscle groups can be hard, I think we sometimes forget that.

She typically does it quite early on in the session so I think it's an evasion tactic. I do mix working her in an outline with letting her stretch - the problem is that if she's a silly bugger like that, then I am disinclined to give her the opportunity to stick her head in the air and gallop off so she has to work even more correctly.

 

[orbvalley]

She typically does it quite early on in the session so I think it's an evasion tactic. I do mix working her in an outline with letting her stretch - the problem is that if she's a silly bugger like that, then I am disinclined to give her the opportunity to stick her head in the air and gallop off so she has to work even more correctly.

Mine does this and then i feel mean for drawing the reins in and making her work hard. My instructor says if she wants to cause her own problems let her!
I guess its better to look at it as a case of self preservation

 

[Jessey]

Jess used to pull this, she'd cart me round, and round, and round the school. She's a big old girl and trying to fight with her didn't get me very far so I also switched to the tactic that if she has that much energy to burn, I would ask her to stop once and if she didn't respond I would get her on a controlled circle and then make the little sod keep going until I was ready to stop (normally a good few laps after she was trying to stop herself), she pretty soon figured she was better off taking that one chance she got to stop and very quickly after decided the whole carting off thing really didn't get her very far and wasn't worth the effort!
I also never ever rode to and got off by the gate (as generally that was the direction she would tank in and the laps came out of fighting the request to stop ) if she slowed or tried to stop at the gate I would work her on for a few more minutes, she was only allowed to rest at the opposite end of the arena and I only got off up there and hand walked to the gate, she did get over it pretty quickly

 

[KP nut]

Echo the suggestion of @Jessey - if you want to run.... RUN!

I wonder whether she is also getting fitter and therefore more challenging. She was in work but all sloooooow and I remember you saying she puffed a lot when you first got her.

 

[newforest]

oh yes some mares are a lot more difficult to cope with around boys than others, i am probably very lucky that mine arent in that category. Good luck!

Mine brings herself into season if a gelding arrives on the yard. She has that waddle if she really wants to be friends.