Mare faking a sore foot

Is there a way to fix it when a horse fakes being sore or lame? I was on a horseback ride in the badlands and had to trade one of the other riders horses because they couldnt handle the gelding I usually ride. The mare I was on was a kids horse, but on the way back to the house, she seemed to be sore/lame. After the rider got off, she stopped limping. My stepdad got on her and rode for a few minutes and she didnt do it at all. Do you just have to show that you are boss or is there a deeper cause?

Horses don't fake lameness, never. There was some other problem.
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^ agreed. I also thought that my mare was faking a limp a year or two ago when she started limping on and off any time that I tried to lunge her at a trot, but then she would go into her pen and trot/canter perfectly fine.

Turns out that she had a uterine infection that was causing swelling. That swelling then caused friction against her pelvis which was then causing her hip to be sure. Turning made it worse. Thus she began limping on her back legs, one at a time, alternating depending on which way she was turning. It was quite crazy.

Its very possible that the mare you were riding got something lodged in her foot, or she may have stepped wrong with her foot and made it sore for a few minute. She could also be sensative to a certain type of footing. The possibilities are endless.

I will have to be the one to disagree.. I have seen a horse fake a limp in a front foot. She was well over healing from her abcess (yes, she did have a problem before), but in front of the guy who owned her she would limp. The second he turned away from her she would be just fine.

Your mare though sounds like she does have something else going on. I doubt that she is faking it.

There are a few smart ones who are essentially "taught" to fake lameness by somehow being rewarded for showing a limp. Its very rare tho. Most times, if the horse shows a lameness, take it at face value because there is pain somewhere.

Horses don't fake a sore foot. She could have had a rock in her foot or just sensetive on the terrain. Or she could have tripped and made it hurt for a while, and then it went away.

I'm with Theroundpen - years ago we had a gelding who would randomly go lame while hacking... which resulted in somebody being made walk back. Without fail, as soon as we'd turn into the yard entrance he was as sound as anything. He was looked at by farriers and vets and nothing ever showed up.

If it was a one-off, she quite possibly had something annoying her. If it continues, have her looked at to elimate the possibility of a problem.

I think most horses are lame because they have something wrong.
Some are smart enough too fake lameness but most truely are lame.if my horse limps he's hurting some where.

She was looked over, and nothing was wrong. We were almost thinking that since she is a kids horse, when she would limp the kids would put her away, whereas when she started limping with us we didnt. Would you consider being put away/ turned out when she is limping a reward?

My trusty old arab mare that I had for years faked a limp a couple times...funny how it magically went away as soon as I turned her back towards the house...

Some horses have it figured out.. None of my current horses would do this, If they are limping something is wrong..