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Barn sour mare......need help!

814 views 1 reply 2 participants last post by  WyldBlu 
#1 ·
Hi
I recently rescued a mare and she is the sweetest thing to ride with other horses but when she is alone I am constantly fighting her to keep going ahead instead of heading back to the barn in a jog. Even when I am saddling her she just can't stand being alone and wont stand still. Help??????
 
#2 ·
My mare used to have this same problem. I used her impatience. Whenever she wouldn't sit still, I made her work...and work...and work...until standing still was the only thing she WANTED to do. For example, at one point we were going off my property to the horse trail...she decided she would go any way but forward, so she started side stepping.....So, I went with that..I made her side step all the way down the road. After she learned that side stepping wasn't working...she started to back up...so, we backed up....for awhile. Every time she offered a refusal...I just made her continue doing that activity. When she wouldn't stand still, I would make her do circles, back up, side step...go forward, back up and do it again...over and over. It took some consistency to get her over being barn sour..but she DID get over it. Also..and VERY importantly, when we got home from a ride, she didn't get brushed and put away or fed. We lunged, or worked on ground manners or did more saddle work. This way she didn't equate racing home with rest and doing nothing. Hope this helps!
 
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