Help with Stable Manners please***!!

MistyGal

MistyGal

New Member
Jan 24, 2011
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Norfolk
Hi, This is my first post on here and i am looking for advice. I have just taken a horse on as a share who is 100% bomproof (apparently) hacks alone or in company, goes down beach everyweek and i have had other people tell me the same who know her.
However getting her out of the stable is causing me huge problems. I was warned she is funny with her head collar (due to possible beatings when she was young, shes now 11yrs old obviously different owner now). So god help me if she sees it, well she did today she turned her a** on me everytime i tried to enter, reared up.. ears pinned back etc etc every single time I tried to get to her. It was after 1/2 hour today being patient and calm.. nothing worked, so eventually I phoned owner was told to put a long whip just resting on her bum, enter slowly and put the head collar on slowly.. this worked and all was good she is fine once out of stable.
Anyone got any other ideas though as I dont want to be scared of her, I will be scared riding if I think she can be naughty. Do you think if shes like this in stable she could be like it if out and about with me on her?... Any ideas how i can gain her trust?
Shes 17 hh so 2 hoofs in your face first thing in the morning is not very appealing
Thanks guys!!
 
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Whats she like with just a leadrope being slipped round her neck initially, then
once thats done, slowly, slowly with the headcollar ?

Gaining her trust is going to take time, I would spend as much time as you can just talking to her etc., it will come but not
something that can be pushed.
 
To be honest she flinches even if I enter the stable I cant get near enough to even slip the lead-rope on her.. she's turned her big old butt on me...:-( I am not that scary
 
Initially then I would do what the owner has suggested, not that I
think its the 'best' method, but its difficult to judge or criticise without
seeing it for myself.

IF it worked carry on like that for a while but try to build up a relationship
with her. TBH if this is 'her' issue, the stable, I don't think she would
necessarily try it on whilst out Riding, I would hope if there were any issues
in that way the Owner would have been honest with you.:wink:

Spring is on its way, lol, maybe something to work on with her then, when you can hopefully build more of a relationship and work with her
in the stable:wink::smile:
 
I think the owner has given you a technique to work with, I would use it until you are confident with it and feel safe around her in the stable and then just slowly start trying to improve it - maybe a week of resting the whip by her side, a week of it on the floor etc etc it may take much longer for each step but your safety is paramount. A horse that turns its butt on you at close quarters or rears is no fun at all and potentially blooming dangerous. It is quite likely that she is defensive of or feels confined in her stable and thus the behaviour. It wont necessarily have anything to do with ridden behaviour but if you can gain her trust on the ground obviously it will be improved once ridden.
I also would have a long chat with the owner about any other little quirks and foibles you need to know about. Have you seen the owner handle/ride her? You might picks up some ways of doing things that the horse is familiar with and over time adapt to the way that suits you better (if you need to change them at all)
Best of luck but please dont put yourself at risk.
 
I have just started clicker training with my pony Ziggy and he loves it. You can clicker train practically anything but with this mare, if you wanted to give it a go, you would first teach her to touch a target (so she gets used to the idea) and then click and reward her when, for example:

  • she turns to face you
  • she stands for you to put your hand on her neck
  • she stands for you to put the rope around her neck
  • she allows you to hold up the headcollar while standing quietly
  • she allows you to put the headcollar on

.... and so on.

You need to know what motivates her (eg treats - Ziggy will work tirelessly for 1cm cubes of carrot - or scratches, or just being left alone!) and of course you would need her owner's agreement.

You would also have to be prepared for it to take time, as she is clearly scared and anxious and so will not necessarily try things out in a confident way.

There's a good introduction here - but you have to register before you can see it. She sends you emails afterwards but you can let your Spam filter grab them:

http://www.clickertraining.com/node/608

I suspect you may get excellent groundwork suggestions from other NR members also.

Good luck, and let us know how you get on!
 
Spend time with her - let her learn you want her to respect you but you are nt rushing her.

My silly madam is horrendous with having a heacollar on and off - she flinches and is generally a pain doing as you describe. However she is bombproof under saddle - I am calm and confident riding though - I know she doesnt like buses hissing, but otherwise she rarely looks twice at anything. So there is hope under saddle!

I would probably practice putting on treating, taking off, treating - over and over - even if you don't take her out the stable - make it routine - you put it on as soon as you get there - that way its not associated with riding, and its "normal" for you two. Even if your just popping in a hay net or skipping out etc - put it on when you get there and take it off when you go - lots of praise.
 
What about holding a small lickit through the nose band with the head collar hanging, try to lift the nose band onto her face and off again, untill she will allow you to get it on and done up. If she turns on you try getting her to turn her head towards you, if the neck comes towards you the rear goes the other way.

What is she like to touch in the stable on her face and body ?
 
Hi.:wavespin:

My daughters pony is very funny with his bridle, he doesn't like any thing going over his ears, so bridle is taken apart to be put on.

Tbh I would ask the owner to show you how she puts the head collar on and take it from there.

Good luck.
 
Agree with comments above, not that the owners current solution is the best but it's a start. Try spend lots of time sitting with her and just talking to her
 
TBH the owner has pretty much the same problem and has admitted she is more confident in the saddle than on the ground with horses. I know that her method works for her and she is just the same with her but I agree it needs sorting..
I think I will try the whenever I go in put head collar on scenario even if its just to fill up her water/feed her etc etc and treat her.
It is definately a 'stable issue' she has as once out she is good as gold, bridle on not a problem. I wish horses could talk!
I have ridden her and she's a lazy so n so no signs of naughtiness at all.... wish me luck with her head collar issue!! :)
 
The other thing is it may not be abuse - could be as simple as owner flicks strap over which clips ears or owner pulls down on headcollar when doing it up etc - sometimes day to day habits are the cause without realising - my little one hates having hid put on from the front, but it's so easy to try and put it on that way as his nose is always in my pockets and he is so small
 
My pony is like this in the stable. We manage by first I taught him some groundwork such as yielding the quarters (in the open) both sides.

So now when I go in his stable if he turns his butt on me I ask him to 'yield his quarters'. He still doesn't face me but is at a angle and is ok to get the headcollar on. One it's over his nose he is generally ok.

Anyway try the owners technique as well to start with but that may give you something else to try too.

oh and with the riding side, my boy is a lot nicer to ride then he is on the ground so no it doesn't always follow through that nasty on the ground is nasty when ridden.
 
Thanks guys... just had some bad news she has gone silly in the field today and is lame! So she may well be getting me in her personal stable space a lot more now, as will have to stay in... So good opportunity to get this bonding started..... :-( not ideal
 
Now I know lots of you will think I have gone absolutely mad but ..... for the last few days I have started to visualise what I am going to do. For example, Toby (who reacts first andthinks after) hates his foot going up on the stand for the farrier to clench and rasp. After a few NH lessons I have learned he has a problem coming off pressure. Last time the farrier came (his usual SP is to pull back followed by me slightly pulling and him mostly coming off the pressure (a bit of a see saw). Last time I actually stood beside his shoulder, visualised him coming forward when he went to pull back (as in a picture of him doing this) and not using the rope at all. And guess what - he did it. Put pig oil on him this morning which usually causes much stomping, backend toward me (and he kicks and doesn' t just threaten), imagined it with pictures in my mind, and no hassle. Am not saying it is a cure all, BUT, mapping it in your mind helps with them
 
Visualisation is really important!!!!!!!!!!!

I use it a lot - especially if I get wound up I have to take two mins to calm down as her panic escalates the more wound up i get.
 
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