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Filly Aggression

1K views 16 replies 10 participants last post by  Yogiwick 
#1 ·
I am a 64 yr old women that has ridden since I was 8 yrs old. Was a student of horsemanship till 18 yrs when I bought my first two horses, young filly and colt. I have owned and trained horses on our farm until my last horse died of heart failer (30 yrs old) 3 yrs. ago. Thought I was done, however, my daughter, who got her first pony at 4 yrs old and trained in horse management through Guelph University, has brought over an 11 month old quarter horse filly with a nanny pony to pasture. She has had the filly since it was 6 months old and seems very well mannered, until now. My daughter and her family don't live with me so they only see the filly once a week. Knowing that is not right, I have taken to work with the filly everyday for about 15-20 minutes. Walk, trot, stand, pick up feet, touch all over. She seemed too good to be true even for the blacksmith.
Now the question. I was moving a block of salt the other day in the pen and out of nowhere, this filly charged me, knocking me to the ground, stepping on my ankle a pulling my shoulder. I got up, waved my arms and thew my shoe, which was knocked off, hitting her as she ran away. She trotted up again so I raised my arms and threw my shoe again. The third time I did this she decided to stay back and let me continue to move the salt and feeder. Since then we have had a few exercises in "who owns the feeder". She is no longer allowed to come to the feeder until I say so. Did I do the right thing chasing her off in defense and throwing my shoe. Can't trust to turn my back, although she has not shown aggression since, in case I get more seriously injured next time.
 
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#2 ·
I think you did the right thing in getting her to move away from you, using whatever you had to hand to do the job. A shoe would work for me if that's all I had.
I think she was just trying to find out who is the assertive one here and it was important for you to let her know it wasn't her.
I would go out in the pen again but carry a whip, or lunge whip with me and make sure she remembers her lesson.
It's good that you are handling her frequently as she could get used to doing things her own way. I have found that almost every horse I have had will in some way try to challenge me for authority and it's important to settle this issue immediately so they understand it isn't them.
Correct the smaller things and you may not have any big ones.
 
#4 ·
A lunge whip would be much safer for you since before a dressage whip can connect with her hide, she'll be in kicking range. Personally, I prefer to work yearlings only once a week except for the routine handling at feeding times (telling horse to step back from the feed pan until I give him the ok, leading with no jigging and jagging, respect my space except if invited in, etc) and let the youngster out in a herd when he can play, learn how to be a horse, and learn horsey manners. Those horsey manners transfer over to humans if we establish and enforce that we are alpha. Let her be a baby for now with lessons from her nanny pony to teach her manners. She'll get enough handling for now just by enforcing your position at feeding times. Please stay safe!
 
#5 ·
Excellent advice. The 14 hand Halflinger pony does an excellent job in teaching her to keep her distance. Don't know what got into her. I will lessen the lessons for now and just work on manners at feeding time. Just don't want to discourage her. She really is a sweetheart.
 
#7 ·
Herd manners are great but you will notice even colts with herd manners won't always have human manners, because you are new, and you have to teach her you are in charge.

Agreed about going in with a whip. From a young age and the minute I start working with horses, they have to learn to move away from me. I always pick my cue to move, usually I just raise my hand and cluck. If they don't move away, I will give them a light tap, and if that doesn't work, a bigger whack. They have to learn. This applies to both pasture and stall. The proof is in the results, as I can walk into a stall at any given point, cluck to my horses, and they will move away from me promptly and without hesitation while I set out feed.

You did the right thing, now just continue to set those boundaries with her.
 
#8 ·
A lunge whip is great, a straw broom is better. A straw broom got me a free ton of hay. We were picking up a truckload of hay from a guy who was caretaking a farm that had some horse boarded out on winter pasture. The pasture was located right where the haybarn was. The guy was all freaked out when the horses started to come up close, he tells us to watch out, these horses attack. Oh really, I had a strawbroom in the cab left over from sweeping snow out of the truck bed, however the horses didn't come near. After we loaded up the hay, he asks if he can ride with us to the gate as the horses usually chase him. I struck him a deal, if I can teach him to make the horses respect his space, no chasing of humans, I wanted a free ton of hay, he said sure. Okay, will be back in an hour after I unloaded this hay and I will teach you. Came back, took the broom out the cab, caretaker guy and I walked out to where the horses were and they sort of trot towards us. I told the guy, play it cool until they get aggressive. No sooner did I say that when two nags snake their way around the other horses and come with bared teeth. Big mistake, I used that broom like spear on both horses' faces and body. Within five minutes, we were walking through the herd like Jesus parting the Red Sea.
 
#10 ·
Absolutely did the right thing. She's trying to be the alpha and you made her back off. Sounds like you did the best you could in that situation. I'd carry a bully stick, whip, or lead rope with me for a while so that if she pulls that garbage again you can back her off quickly.

I have a horse that did that to me for a couple years, he never actually knocked me down but he would charge me and scare the daylights out of me. I took Clinton Anderson lessons and I tried Parelli and I just couldn't figure out how to make myself big. And I couldn't figure out how to stand my ground when that beast was charging me. I've had horses for 30 years and he was my first butthead! He caught me on a short tempered day. I grabbed the chain off the fence and I spun it around and charged him. I never touched him with the chain, I didn't have to. I charged him and I charged him, and I charged him. That was probably 6 years ago. He has never given me a problem since.....
 
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#11 ·
I'm wondering why you are questioning that?

Agree it was right and agree with being proactive. Yes a lunge whip will give you more reach but it is cumbersome at times.

I'm thinking it was simply her testing her boundaries, as young ones like to do. You said ABSOLUTELY not and she has said "ok". Keep in mind she can and likely will (hopefully not without warning!) try again but she has learned her lesson and as long as you are consistent and really crack down on manners (crowding at the feeder? don't just make her back up a step, chase her out! very firm) she will continue to and do so less forcefully.

Agree, a companion is great, but she should really have a herd at this point in her life. Too bad you got stranded with her!

My mother is your age and I feel very guilty and worried at times as she is stuck with all my animals, esp as some can be difficult. I would be horrified if something happened. If you find this filly is too much tell your daughter it's not going to be your problem.
 
#12 ·
No other horses. Asked a couple of local breeders if she could run with their herd but they declined. Did not want to get into a situation with another owners filly in the mix. That is why we bought the pony. To make sure she wasn't alone and the pony, having been a brood mare at one time herself, is quick with her corrections but patient as well. Its interesting to watch.
 
#13 ·
I usually dumped the feed in the grain bin over the fence. We used a second grain bin to hold the salt. I went into the pen to move the salt bin. She just decided that was her bin and she did not want me near it. I made it clear, after she boled me over, that I own the bin. I now go into the pen every feeding with a whip and guard the bin against her making sure she knows its mine and she has to stay away until I leave it. I play with the grain, move the bin around, etc. It hasn't happened again...yet. I think she is getting the message.
 
#14 ·
Rather than having her stay away from the bin until you leave, I suggest making her wait until you invite her in and then give a scratching in her favorite itchy spot so she recognizes that you control the bin but it is fine to eat with you there when she has permission. I tell our horses "OK" when they are permitted to step forward to their grain pans. Since ours are on 24/7 pasture with free access to their stalls, this gives me time to check each horse over and reinforce their manners.
 
#15 ·
Wow you were kind to her with that sort of behavior. I would have lost my ever loving mind on her (to drive her away, not to be cruel).

I am glad that you are okay and now are using a lunge whip when you go in the pen. I think by dumping the feed over the fence, it created too much excitement and she was being territorial over HER grain and HER space. So when you went in, she was claiming that as HERS and was trying to drive you away from it. You don't want to do the same for her, as in don't "guard" the feed but do have her respect you around it and your personal bubble. There should be MUTUAL respect as in neither of you need to guard the grain but comfortably be able to share the same space without rudeness (for your safety mostly).

What I do for my horse (older and trained but he was BAD with feed) is I come in with the grain, he is to give me my space. He can follow but he is NOT allowed to make a grab for it, dance like a goofball, or push me around. He is to calmly wait. I then dump the grain, he is to wait. If he tries something I drive him off and resume my neutral "hanging by the grain" stance. Then he may respectfully enter my space when he is invited (for me, I either call him or softly cluck at him or gesture to him) and if he tries to push me he is driven back. Watch your toes. I do not leave if he makes ugly faces, tries to barge into me, or anything rude (my horse doesn't do any of those things, but these are things that you should NOT allow to go uncorrected). If he is rude, he gets driven away. If he is good and if he is calm, I leave him to it and pat him before I leave.

In time you won't need to micro-manage. But in the beginning, you need to correct ANY false move because as you found it it can escalate VERY quickly.
 
#16 ·
Excellent advice. I don't want her to shy of being around me. As I stated before, other than that mishap, she is a real sweetheart, very soft. I still let her come up to me for scratches. I just meant she is no longer allowed within my circle until a gesture that I am done with the feed bin. Thank you for sharing. We have since worked on bending and personal space. She is a very quick learner. As our blacksmith says, "she's smart. Just hope she's not too smart."
 
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