Have you contacted the people you bought her from? Was she fine when you tried her there? It's possible she could have been drugged.

How old is she and do you have the sales ad so you could post a little more info on her? Also, what is your experience level?

I'll let others make suggestions for you as I haven't had to deal with too many crazy horses in the last 20 years .

 

You need to either work with a trainer or someone with good experience who will help you. By your post, I take it that you don't know how to teach ground manners to a horse, or at least to one as problematic as this one. She is simply being a horse and testing the boundries. It is important to a horse to know who the leader is, and if you're not it, then she thinks she has to be , whether she wants to be or not. This can be stressful for some horses, who really would rather the human be the leader, and it increases their 'testing' of the human..it becomes a vicous cycle and can end up with a dangerous situation.
Get some in person help asap. is my best advice.

Fay

 

Your other posts basically say the same thing as this one.

Your horse has some serious behavior issues that are becoming more dangerous. Her frame of mind is not even in the realm of being able to learn when she is acting like a basket case.

I suggested in another post to find someone to help you, I will repeat it find someone to help you. You need hands on, eyes on experience here not advice from the internet.

I hate to sound harsh but you really need to get some in person help, or sell her and find something more appropriate for your level of experience.

Please get someone to help you before you get hurt.

 

I agree. If OP need help, that's nothing to be ashamed of, and if she truly doesn't click with her, as a last resort she may have to sell her.

 

Ouch,that's a tough situation. Really, the correct answer to it depends on how bad you want to make it work.
The horse may have been drugged when you went to look at her, or she might be homesick and mad. My horse was a little homesick when we first got him and he responded by standing in one corner of the pasture most of the day, where he could see a barn that greatly resembled his.
If you think she may be homesick, try just walking up to her, giving her a pat, and walking off whenever you come near her. Then do it again when you walk back by her. When you feed her, make her stand still and be good before she gets her food. Also, do anything to make her bond with you, and avoid anything that might make her mad at you, other than behavior correction. Go out with her on a quiet day where she has a choice to let you come up or not- don't make it a time you truly have to catch her. If she starts walking off,just act like it was part of your route and keep walking. Then, walk back to the barn or wherever you need to be, tary a few minutes, and come back. When/if she comes up to you, or at least lets you come up to her, give her a treat of some sort, and put her halter on. Don't move yet. Just stand there. Rub her ears, or whatever. When she seems calm, ask her to take a step, then stop. If she is good, give her a pat. If she isn't, just be calm, and try again.
If you think she's just naturally spirited and was drugged when you got her, it's going to be harder. You may have to have a trainer come and help you. But one thing you have to be sure of- Don't be scared of her. Don't let her boss you. If she turns her butt to you, slap it (not too hard, but enough to correct her). The ground pawing is likely a sign of impatience or annoyance. So is tossing her head. And my horse also turns his butt at me when he's annoyed or mad. My guess is she is a little annoyed or mad. She will take time and patience. Just focus on building a bond for now. Maybe she is mad because she left home. Who knows? Don't you just wish you could ask her! XD
Do all of the above things if you really and truly want to make it work. Do them if you love her.
If you are overly scared of her or just don't click with her, and you don't think you can make it work,you may just need to sell her and move on. I know that sounds cruel and sad, but there is no shame in selling a horse you don't click with.
Best of luck,
Lily

 

She may have been drugged. I agree with Lily, you have to do the same thing she is doing to you. She thinks humans are toys. You have to prove to her that you aren't afraid of her and if she acts like that, she's going to get hurt. If she actually tries to hurt (kick or bite) you then you need to make her thing she's gonna die for a couple seconds. When she pins you, push her away from you as hard as you can, not just little soft pushes, aggressive, determined pushes. Push her back to where you wanted her in the first place. The second she looks as if she's going to do it, grab her lead, jerk down (not too hard) and either growl or say whoa really mean. You have to make her know a distinct difference between your nice loving voice and when she's screwed up. Best of luck!

 

Get help ASAP.

 

She may have been drugged but not necessarily. I really doubt that she was -- although it is possible.

How old is she?

Do you know if she had been at the previous place a long time?

Some horses just go bonkers when they are taken out of their herd and their familiar surroundings and dropped into a brand new home, new horses, new housing and new people. Some just have a complete 'come-apart'. She could be one of them and this could be her reaction to the new digs and people.

I would not even get any help for a few days. No one can train or teach anything to a reactive horse. That is why she is ignoring you and stomping all over you. Horses have two different and distinct mode of being. One is being 'reactive' and the other is being 'responsive'. A reactive horse is not thinking or listening or learning. She is in a reactive mode and she is going to stomp all over you if you get in her way. Horses think of one thing at a time and when they are in a reactive mode, it sure is not you. This mode includes horses that are mad, on the fight, truly scared and in a panic like yours is.

Horses that are in a responsive mode are able to listen and learn and respond. Don't try to work with her until she gets into a responsive mode. You'll be able to tell the difference.

There are two ways to handle a reactive horse. You can get someone to beat on her until she forgets her problems and starts listening to them or work her until she is crippled or hope she stops being reactive before she cripples herself.

Decades ago, I figured out it was futile to fight a reactive horse that is in a panic or scared. One that is mad or mean, I will restrain with 4-way hobbles and let them teach themselves.

One like yours -- I just find a safe place away from all other horses and people and tie them up until they decide they are going to live and they settle down. Just like I do with herd-bound horses, I take horses in panic mode and just tie them up till they give it up. It is much better than fighting one, beating one or working one until it drops. They will all give it up at some point.

If you do this, you will find that in 2 or 3 days of being tied up all day and put in a pen or stall at night, that she will settle down. She will figure out that she can live without her old herd and with new surroundings. THEN, start working with her. Until then, handle her only enough to get her to and from a good tying place. Keep an eye on her but do not try to sooth her or interact with her in any way. You can try to water her during the day once or twice, but I doubt she will want to drink. That is OK. She will drink when she is back in her house eating.

Make sure she is in a closed in stall or a high pen. Horses like this are real prone to bail out of a pretty good pen.

She just wants her old home back. She'll get used to her new one and settle down.

 

would it help to just leave the horse alone for a few days? or would the OP have to tie it up?

 

Ground work, I would be doing some ground work and getting her respect for you, she's not respecting you and telling you to get lost..........

 

@Cherie : I'm curious about tinyliny's question too:

"Would it help to just leave the horse alone for a few days? Or would the OP have to tie it up?"

I'm guessing the answer is that the horse should be tied, not just left out in a pasture or paddock. I'm seeing the tying as a form of control/submission thing, like a gentler version of laying a horse down. But just in case I'm wrong about that, I'd love to hear from you Cherie!

 

The thing I am seeing from op's other posts is this horses behaviors are escalating. I get the impression that op is inexperienced so saying to do ground work, tie all day, back the horse up, ect while all good advice, I think this new horse owner is in over their head. The knowledge on how to do these things is not there, the mechanics and timing of these exercises is crucial.

The behaviors are easily remedied and would be non issues to those with more experience dealing with horses who have behavior problems, or with horses who are just wanting to test boundaries.

I really do hope there is hands on help for this new owner/horse combination. Or sell the horse and find something that is more suitable to the riders level of experience.

 

It is much better to tie up a frantic horse. If you leave them alone, they can turn into weavers, stall walkers or start fighting a stall. If you leave them in a new pasture with other horses, they get so attached to the other horses that you still go through this when you take them out and try to do anything with them.

I used to get in a lot of many horses from so many places to train and some just took it so hard to move and lose their old homes and herd that I tried everything you could think of to get them to settle down. A lot of them had owners that said they were completely calm and happy before they sent them to be trained. They just totally 'lost it' when they were moved.

After trying about everything, I figured out they settled down better if I just tied them up until they got over it. The last thing you want is a weaver or stall walker or a horse that jumps or crashes fences. Just like other buddy sour horses, they seem real prone to get really stupid about their new herd and you just have to go through it all over again when you try to bring them in and work with them.

We start bringing 2 year olds in during the summer of their 2 year old year. We usually bring them in 2 at a time tok keep them from jumping out of corrals. They have all been running together on a big pasture before being brought in. I don't start doing ground work with them or even try to brush them or anything until they have been tied up all day for about a week. We just ignore them when they paw and whinny and have a melt-down. I tie them up in two different places where they cannot see each other. I do not even start working with them at all until they are calm and quiet and in a responsive mode. I figured out years ago that it was a waste of my time and theirs to try to fight a frantic horse.

 

From your description, it sounds more as though this horse is displaying anxiety reaction rather than simply testing you. I would deal with this horse in different ways depending on how I observed her overall behavior, not just the ones you described. Horses, like people, have different personalities and react differently in the same situation and with similar handling. To best help a horse, someone handling the horse in a stressful situation must remain calm and be able to discern the horse’s reaction to various stimuli.

For example, if a horse was acting anxious in a stall, I might simply try to calm it. I might offer it food to distract it from what might be causing it anxiety. If the wind was making it sound like the roof was going to be blown off the barn, I might simply open the stall door and let the horse “escape” if this would not endanger anyone. My response would depend on my knowledge of the horse and how I read the situation. I would continue to read the situation and adjust my response according to how things changed or didn’t change.

While curious, horses are also wary of anything new. Some horses do quite well in new environments, especially if kept busy doing things they are accustomed to doing. Others need time to settle in and just get used to the new environment.

It would be helpful if you could provide more information.

What was this horse’s previous situation? Was it kept in a stall? Was it in a paddock by itself? Was it in a paddock or field with other horses? How does this compare to the new situation?

How long has the horse been in the new surroundings? How does the horse behave when you are not trying to lead it, tie it, or groom it?

Does this horse have access to hay on demand or is it simply fed a couple of times each day? What is it fed? How does the horse react when feeding is being done? Does it wait anxiously to be fed? Does it gobble the food quickly looking around to see if another horse might be trying to steal the food from it? Or, does it simply eat calmly?

How does the horse react when it sees you approaching without food? Does it come to you readily? Does it approach warily? Does it walk away? Does it run away?

Is this horse at your place or is it at a commercial facility? Are their other more experienced people around who might help you evaluate this horse?

 

Watch Clinton Anderson's DVD "Lounging for Respect" (I think that's the title), it will work whether your horse is testing you or is anxious. If you are nervous to work your horse then I suggest working with an experienced fellow horsey friend or a trainer.

 

When my qh was introduced to my two other horses, altho his behaviour wasn't erratic, there were little things. At first he was on his best behaviour around the others, then he went thro an aggressive stage. It took 6 full weeks for him to settle in. There were no issues handling him as his manners were impeccable around people.

 

How was she housed at old place? How is it different now?
I had a friend who took a stabled show horse on trial.
Turned it into a pasture horse. It went crazy jumping fences and trying to get to the mares. He was in a pasture with other geldings.
He became dangerous when trying to handle. Seller took him back sold him to a show home that stabled him and he was fine.

 

I feel for you, and I had the same sort of situation with my mare. Hindsight is 20/20 and now I get where I went wrong and I will never make that mistake again.

Picture yourself, and one day a different species comes to your home, takes you away from your family, your life, and everything you know, and puts you in a different house. Would you be calm and happy? No, you'd probably be distressed, upset, mad, scared, and a nervous wreck.

Some horses can take changes better than others, just like us, some people embrace change and some fight it every bit of the way.

I would say hold off on the trainer right now. Let the horse do their own thing, start new relationships, get used to her new surroundings. Let her bond with you before trying to tie her up, because she doesn't trust you right now. Let the bonding happen, don't be in a hurry, it can take months. Let her come to you, take baby steps. Treats should not always be used as bribery, but you can start out with them by just getting her attention and rub/scratch her (do not pat) briefly, then walk away. Leave her wanting more positive attention.

People can fall "in love" with a horse instantly, but we do not realize that they probably do not feel the same way. Let her bond with you first before asking her to trust you, and take it in very small steps over weeks. Just halter her and let her on a lose lead rope, don't tie her. Rub her down, scratch her, breath in her nose (if she lets you do this, and she blows back this is a huge compliment). Let her smell you all over if she likes.

Spend time with her every day, even if it's just cleaning out her stall, feeding, hanging out in her area. Once she has started trusting and bonding with you, then it will be time to try working with her.

You will know it when it happens, and it will be the best feeling ever!! Good luck, and don't get discouraged, just take it slow and don't rush the process.

 

It sounds to me, from the OP that it may be purely a case of a horse brought into strange environment with strange people, who aren't confident & calm with her, putting her into stressful situations she isn't ready for. I'd suggest you turn her out in the herd, to settle in & get confident & relaxed about the place, and in the meantime, find a good trainer to help teach you how to *earn* her trust and respect.
Posted via Mobile Device

 

It sounds to me, one of the least experience people on here, that your horse is very reactive. Plus it sounds as if the OP doesn't have as much experience handling this type of horse as others on here.

So, I was thinking that the use of something like vita calm, or mare magic might chillax the horse a little bit so she is not so reactive, which hopefully will help relax the new owner enough to start some good basic handling with her.

 

Has the horse even been trained to tie correctly? It sounds like she used cross ties & if they aren't used to those some may jump around.

 

Your new people and she is most likely testing her limits with you. By allowing her to do these things, she's learned that she's the boss and is taking advantage of you. It's scary when these things happen, so I don't blame you. I would get help from a person who's dealt with horses like this before.
Good luck

 

If she is in a reactive mode -- as in a complete panic -- she isn't testing anyone. A reactive horse is not thinking -- they are just frantic and want you out of their way. If they're in a new place, they don't even know where they want to go, except back to their old place and herd. They are just upset and don't want to be where they are. They do not have a plan and they do not think things through at all. They are just in a panic. That is why tying one up and leaving it alone is far better than fighting with it. Tied up, they all settle down and start thinking.

 

If she is in a reactive mode -- as in a complete panic -- she isn't testing anyone. A reactive horse is not thinking -- they are just frantic and want you out of their way. If they're in a new place, they don't even know where they want to go, except back to their old place and herd. They are just upset and don't want to be where they are. They do not have a plan and they do not think things through at all. They are just in a panic. That is why tying one up and leaving it alone is far better than fighting with it. Tied up, they all settle down and start thinking.

I agree. Human attempts to console a horse who is truly in a reactive state don't work. What makes sense to us actually increases the horse's panic. We expect a response the horse isn't able to give. Sometimes people then try to demand that response, which also doesn't work. It seems unfair to the horse.

Better to let them sort it out in their brain before adding the pressure of handling them. That is the kindest thing to do, IME.

The horse will be more confident in itself if allowed to sort things out on its' own.

 

I don't have the experience with horses that I do with donkeys.

With donkeys, I found that after I brought them home they NEEDED to chill out in the pasture for a month+ before I did ANYTHING with them. If I worked them before that time I found they just weren't themselves and had a bunch of bad behaviors that just amped everything up, and it all turned out badly. After that month+ they where back to them normal selves and there where no issues.

So far with the horses/ponies we have, they have, all but one, known me and/or each other long before they came to my place so I haven't gotten to see if the same holds true for them.