What are you feeding her? there may not be a connection in her case but my arab is a whole different animal on mature grassy hay. If he gets any grain, or just a little more than a couple of hours pasture a day (too rich, too easy pickins), or alfalfa hay, he's jumping, bucking, and just being a pain in the you know where. If I change to plain old grassy hay, there's a difference in 48 hours, and he's a new man after a week. If she's a mustang, think about what her wild ancestors had for a diet,sometimes scrub grass, virtually no grain, carrots,apples, and miles and miles to the next watering hole. I would also get her health assessed, especially the feet. My guy gets pretty naughty when the rich  pasture or grains makes him footy. If you've been fairly consistent and progressive with training and she's climbing the walls, this doesn't sound like a respect problem, or a training problem. Also while getting her back check out, presumably you've had a really good assessment of her saddle fit. Again my guy had major saddle and girth anxiety, somewhat improved when I used a treeless saddle (indication of previous bad fits perhaps with previous owner), all much improved since I found a really good fit and finally a good treed saddle for him. i also find him more relaxed bitless, but you wouldn't want to try that with a bolter until you start in an enclosed situation, and have everything else ironed out.

-- Edited by Marlene on Thursday 3rd of November 2011 05:42:42 PM

I have had alot of experiences with young horses. I grew up riding and working at a farm that had 40 horses, of all different kinds, after some passed, we would get new ones in. In 2009 we got an arabian cross who was barely halter broke and I slowly got her to where she is now: ring, trails, with kids, walk trot, canter, gallop bareback. jumping small jumps with scope. I also have worked with all different types and breeds of horses.  Yet Gracie is alot different. I have had her teeth checked and floated. I am going to buy a hackamore or possibly get one for Christmas and try it on her. thanks for your advice :)

I agree with a previous post that you should take this horse off the grain.  I see that you are only giving her a small amount, but with the situation you are describing, the 'small amount' may contribute to the issues you are having.

In regards to stopping, not responding to the bit (s):  I am wondering if you are giving back (in terms of pressure on the bit) to the horse each time you ask the horse to stop.  By that, I mean, each time you pull back (and I would definitely use Both reins, even pressure), you should pull until you feel even the tiniest hesitation, THEN RELEASE. The pressure you are exerting could be anything from a light pull, to everything you've got...just do it until you feel the slightest dip of her nose, or hesitation in her forward moment. The release is the critical part of this.  Then immediately pull again.  Then Release.  Now, I understand, at this point, you may be thinking "She'll just run faster if I let go of her"...but I think if you were to follow the give and take and give method, you may find the opposite is true.  It is critical to give back to the horse, otherwise, they do not have any incentive to do what you want.  Also, the horse may well be 'winding-up in her brain' when she feels like she is in a situation where there is no way out.  Bear with me, and understand that this 'pull and give' may happen 5, 10,...50! times before you can stop her, or bring her back to the gait you were aiming for.  Also, make sure you are sitting back and tall, and that your legs and seat are calm.  Aim to ride the horse with as loose a rein as you can (very light contact).  This is the happy place horses look for.

This may take a while...but the more 'steps' you have between you and your goal, the better chance you have of getting there.  Good luck with your efforts!

If you want a healthier treat a carrot broken up a bit works as well as two cups of grain and is better for their digestion. It doesn't seem like much but it's still special if they are on a grass diet, you don't need a bucketfull. If she's pushy or likely to mug you for it, make sure you use a bucket rather than hand feed. It doesn't seem logical to us,but my guy will leave a whole field of lush pasture to get a bit of carrot, go figure. I use very small pieces to teach him little things too, but again, if she gets pushy with treats for training, don't use them except maybe for coming to you. If you want lots of info for natural hoof nutrition, look up safergrass.org. She might be fine this winter if the grass freezes out and she's on hay, but you may have to restrict pasture somewhat in the spring if it gets lush from spring rain. This again may affect her behavior. For now just eliminating grain may make enough of a difference, let us know in a week, I'm curious if you will see a change.

There is a change in some of the advice about graining horses, some vets are up on this, some maybe less so. Do some research about the grass vs grain, and of course as with all horse related matters you will get 5 different opinions if you ask 4 different experts, so it can be confusing. Here's my experience: my guy was underweight and undermuscled when he arrived two years ago in the fall. My vet (actually a neighbor and my fave for my dogs), advised me to give him "a least a coffee can" of grain a day. In other words, fatten him up. Sharif's hoof trimmer had known him for three years and took him from slightly problematic feet with shoes, to barefoot and healthy. But he warned me that previous grain had been not good for his feet, and even to be careful about richer hay like alfalfa, that good quality grass hay was the best. It actually heats the body (but not the attitude), better than other feeds, so an excellent winter feed. Years ago my Dad used to grain his horses quite a lot, but they were working the farm every day, all day. Unless your horse is training for endurance, or they can't maintain condition, they just don't need grain, even in cold weather. My guy actually got fatter over winter (not just hay belly) with almost free access hay (and I couldn't resist a little alfalfa for good measure). He is out in the elements, rarely uses his shelter, in our Canadian winter (not as cold as the prairies). By feb I had to put him on a diet, and in spring he had to be restricted from pasture as it turned out he was a mowing machine. So limiting the grain is still a good practice in winter. If your girl was a hard keeper, or had poor condition, it might be different. But if you are trying to keep her weight normal (I don't like a horse to look too slim) and her feet healthy grain is not recommended. My guy's feet tell the story, when conditioned with daily trail rides, he was crushing rocks all summer. As soon as he got too much rich pasture, tiptoeing around the gravel on people's driveways. Horses who are "easykeepers" are not that easy to keep if they get too much good stuff. There is plenty of information on the internet.

I def. DO NOT need a "professional" last time i had one just look after her for a week she almost got killed. and that is why she has been having issues. She is better now. ok I rode her too soon after her accident. Im going to do more ground work with her. I have trained harder horses. She just is the one that is MINE. She is fine now. And it really wasnt her problem it was me. I was bring my problems with me when I walked down to her.

well the story is too long to tell. and it wasnt pertinent to what i was asking. 

Hi

I have a horse that is sugar intollerant, but loves food, so we give him 'fiber nuggets' instead of grain when the other horse gets fed, and hay the rest of the time.  They feel full on these, and they are good for them, and they will come for them (or products like them) just as quickly as grain, a bit of carrot or apple mixed in doesn't hurt either like someone else suggested :).

I would put this mare into a set of loose side reins to lunger her though, and a bit and some type of briddle without a noseband (with is okay, but this can add the problem of teeth into it), I have broken many 'bad actors' in my time from young rough horses out of the field with no handleling, to horses that were so abused that the horse organizations in the area have had to step in-- and then give them to me to help them out with them.  I found that often these horses would start out good, and learn quickly, then they would regress, from various reasons, most of the time when the newness wore off, and they would show me who they really were, and then the work would begin.  As to lunging, I start of in the stall make sure the horse will wear the side reins loose, then a bit tighter for a week or so, until they are holding their head for a good 15 minutes in a relaxed hunter type stance.  Then they go to the lunge area and start off with hardly any tension, then a bit more utnil they will go comfortably with this, this can take a half hour or even another lesson, but usually they get it pretty quick.  I also do what most people would not do for this kind of 'wall climber', I tighten the inside rein more than I normally would, but this takes an understanding of the amount of pressure required, a hole more on a line than what I would normally use is enough, two at most, then I also have to remember that I have to drive more to keep the horse from coming in, this takes skill, but the horse is now focused on me, and less on the want to climb the wall.  Once the horse has it figured out that I mean it, that it has to stay on the circle than the rein goes back to what is normal.  I am letting the rein do the work for me of keeping the horse bent, but I must keep the forward movement to have this work,  I also work smaller circles than I would normally to keep the horse from the wall, this takes practice as well.  Another option it to take the horse out of the ring, and go in the paddock, if you won't lose the horse all together, I am rather strong and have good sence of leverage, so for me this works, but not for everyone.  No walls, no climbing. 

As to stoping the horse from one rein, it sounds like you need to use two for a while yet, then after she forgets the bad behaviour try again, a good sensible trainer on site at that point would be helpful.

good luck

deb