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Mrs Hoo
New Member
27 Posts |
 Posted - 06 Nov 2016 : 4:27:41 PM
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Hello, I've recently purchased a beautiful pure bred Arab mare that I wanted as a companion to my old rescue pony that had lost her best friend of 13 years a few months ago. I've previously owned an Old English mare and wanted another Arab so found one locally that had been backed a few years ago but done nothing since. I now realise that my new horse is not settling in to the role of a companion and really needs more to do as she is becoming a bit of a handful when she's stabled and prefers to live out. I haven't got any facilities school etc to re-start her also I'm in my mid fifties so a bit rickety! To be fair to her and to give her a chance of possibly moving on to a more suitable environment I was hoping someone could recommend a trainer/yard that uses kind methods for re schooling in the Midlands area or any other suggestions? Thank You
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Edited by - Mrs Hoo on 16 Mar 2017 09:20:37 AM
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Pasch
Platinum Member
2277 Posts |
Posted - 06 Nov 2016 : 6:34:05 PM
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Hello and welcome!
I have one arab that I don't ride anymore due to fetlock problems.However,he's still young (16 this year) and like your girl can become a bit of a handful if he's not moving enough.Most of it is being a scenographic arab as one vet I know would put it...but I used to take him for in hand walks and he's getting difficult to handle on the way back (pulling and trotting on spot with the occasional bolt).A little ground work helped and I have just this week put the saddle back and got a very lightweight girl to gently ride him at walk.I feel this will give him something to do and maybe help him lose some weight :D
Why do you keep her stabled?She would probably be happier and calmer if she could live out 24/7 with a shelter.How old is she?There is no point retraining her if you don't mean to ride her, unless you have already decided to sell her.Look into groundwork and establishing a routine (grooming, feet picking, etc) so that you handle her daily.Arabs (especially mares) can take some time to form a relationship with a new owner.Also it could be she picks on your nervousness!
Best of luck and tell us more about her (picture always appreciated
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Edited to say:don't overfeed her, only grass and ad lib hay will do if she's healthy |
Edited by - Pasch on 06 Nov 2016 6:35:53 PM |
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Mrs Hoo
New Member
27 Posts |
Posted - 07 Nov 2016 : 1:57:32 PM
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| Hello and thank you for the reply. She is Chestnut 14.2/3 two white socks and 9 years old. Her Sire has Padron lines(don't know anything about him?) Her Dam has Lalique in her lines so I'm not sure what type of Arab she is? I keep both her and my other pony mare out 24/7 in adjoining paddocks not in together as pony needs restricted grazing! She is settled outside and gets on well with my pony but hates my pet goat and sheep and will charge at them so I have to keep them separate from her. The problems start when I bring them into the stables to do their feet etc as she gets very stressed and paces around tossing her head and banging the door with her foot. It's difficult to do anything with her and I probably don't help by letting her back out as i worry she might hurt herself. This has resulted in her expecting this to happen now so I've made it worse! It's not really a problem for her to live out(will need to buy a shelter) but my concerns are that she is unhappy here and I don't want to encourage bad habits. She had been living on her own for a couple of years out 24/7 so that must suit her. My heart completely ruled my head when I went to buy her as it was love at first sight and she came over to myself and my husband and gave both of us a mutual groom so that did it I was smitten!! I had her vetted and all was fine even the vet was quite taken with her and said she was a lovely stamp of a horse, nice and substantial for an Arab! I thought she would settle in well but it doesn't seem so and having read some of the horrific stories on here I'm very worried about selling/loaning her in case she gets into the wrong hands but I am aware that I need to find a solution for her asap. Her welfare is of the utmost importance to me and if I could find the right home/person for her then I would consider letting her go. If not then I will adapt things here to try and suit her. Sorry about rambling on! Will put some pics on soon. |
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Goldenmane
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4964 Posts |
Posted - 07 Nov 2016 : 3:06:39 PM
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| She sounds gorgeous, I'm not an expert but have seen Lalique and Padron lines. I think you do need the help, as you said, and everything Pasch said was correct. Give her time to settle in and look for a natural horse trainer. By the way, mine never use a field shelter unless it's really hot and prefer to stand out in the rain! |
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Mrs Hoo
New Member
27 Posts |
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Mrs Hoo
New Member
27 Posts |
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FireLight
Gold Member
620 Posts |
Posted - 07 Nov 2016 : 7:07:43 PM
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| Hello and welcome. Roxy is lovely, love a chestnut. She sounds as if she is struggling to settle into her new life. As Pasch says arabs really do take time to settle and then they are usually pretty chilled. They love routine and calmness. I would try to enjoy her company and hopefully, in time, things will just click. |
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Mrs Hoo
New Member
27 Posts |
Posted - 07 Nov 2016 : 7:45:10 PM
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| Thanks everyone for your sound advice. I think I might change her food, she only has fast fibre and lite chaff the same as my little pony as she was rather fat when I bought her and had been on 4 acres and on half a bucket of coarse mix per day! Maybe I've upset her by putting her on a diet although she does also have ad lib hay. Mid life crisis ... I bought a horse and hubby bought a motorbike which is in the garage being repaired after he fell off doing 25mph !! Only his pride damaged Will keep you posted |
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Pasch
Platinum Member
2277 Posts |
Posted - 07 Nov 2016 : 9:21:43 PM
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She's beautiful! And sounds like she has some very good lineage.You can try and see if she is on Allbreed. I don't think she's upset because you put her on a diet! A horse is happy as long as he can eat most of the day so ad lib hay and pasture is the best solution especially since she's young and not in work.Mine only have hay and some spring grass and I struggle to keep their weight down.Have you never thought to ride her?How long have you had her?Maybe try a haynet when she's in the stable so it will be a pleasant experience for her?
Like Firelight says, just enjoy her company,I would add don't stress and see what happens  |
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Goldenmane
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4964 Posts |
Posted - 08 Nov 2016 : 07:14:10 AM
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She is a beauty, as is your little pony!
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debs
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3218 Posts |
Posted - 08 Nov 2016 : 08:55:09 AM
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She's lovely! Both at e :) l
Love the fact so many people comment 'substantial for an Arab' :) |
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Mrs Hoo
New Member
27 Posts |
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Pasch
Platinum Member
2277 Posts |
Posted - 08 Nov 2016 : 8:13:37 PM
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If you had her for hardly 3 months it's very much possible she hasn't settled yet, could be she's not much used to stables at all,my guess is she doesn't like it inside as there is little visibility of the surroundings and feels safer outside where she can see any horse eating dragon before it's too late
Anyway just give her time and work on your bond and let us know how it's going |
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cmj
Silver Member
France
383 Posts |
Posted - 09 Nov 2016 : 09:26:20 AM
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| Hi, she is lovely and sounds well-bred. I had a mare who simply would not settle in a stable even for short periods. Head tossing, pawing. This was even when the other 4 were in too. She was fine to ride and load into a single trailer, kind, gentle, well brought up, so the stabling thing was strange. Luckily all mine lived out full time with shelters/rugs unless needing to be kept in for farrier, vet etc so it didn´t matter. When she absolutely had to come in she just had to get on with the fretting. It never improved. Try not to stress about yours. They were creatures never meant to be inside and sometimes I think their wildness just comes through! |
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AnnaMaisy25
Gold Member
England
794 Posts |
Posted - 09 Nov 2016 : 09:38:35 AM
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Welcome - She's stunning!! 
My girly - Freya - took 6 months before she'd really settled with the idea of stables.
I bought her in May 2012, and by December [when they had to come in at night] she'd finally dropped the drama and would lead me into the stable without any thrashing about or cr*p like that.
Saying that, she still plants on occasion, but I tend to feed her in the stable, groom her, faff about and that chills her. She really can be stubborn. Shuts her eyes, rests a leg and her ears and lip droop like she's ridiculously relaxed. Even in the dark, rain pelting down, hurricane style winds. Nope. Doesn't care.
She never fretted once she was in and realised there was an abundance of hay waiting for her, and now she's absolutely fine.
We moved yards 2 months ago, and these new stables are huuuge!!
I will say she would not go in when we first brought them up to the yard for them to see the stables... But we have a goat that lives there, and poor Freya had a breakdown when she spotted him staring at her. So that could have played a part lol
Once we got the mats in and a bed down, she walks in calm as any lamb and not a care in the world [until the goat pops his head out]
Patience, food, happy times when she goes in... Make it light and cosy [sounds silly, but Freya will not walk into a bare stable]
3 months isn't long, I know I was still stood at the stable door with Freya [snoozing] at the end of the leadrope at the 3 month stage... God, the hours I spent waiting for her to give up before I did. Didn't help she wasn't interested in food back then either!!
Good luck, and keep us updated!! xx |
 
Splash&Freya. |
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Mrs Hoo
New Member
27 Posts |
Posted - 09 Nov 2016 : 11:12:26 AM
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| Hi Thank you all so much for your kind words and support! I was fretting about the heavy rain/sleet forecast for last night so decided to put my pony in overnight and my goat in the adjoining stable(the one that I had been trying to use for Roxy) so that the field shelter was available for Roxy to use if she wanted. It's at right angles to my stables so right next to them but open fronted so that she could go inside without being shut in. Looked out of my bedroom window this morning and she was in the shelter with a huge mouthful of hay and quite relaxed!! All was going well until the cows appeared in the field across the road and started mooing, she grew into a 16.2, tail over her back, snorting and spectacularly strutted her stuff. Looked amazing!! Calmed down as soon as they moved out of sight and returned to a lovely chilled horse so might explain what she's been upset about? Scary cows, scary goat, bless her! Set my old pony off too and she turned into a mini Arab spinning around in the stable lol. Put her back out into the paddock and she came over for a fuss so feel like she is now coming to me for attention and maybe a bit of reassurance? I hope I'm getting there and starting to understand her. Will keep you all updated and Thanks again xx |
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heathermcbreen
Platinum Member
England
2132 Posts |
Posted - 07 Dec 2016 : 2:43:52 PM
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I think it takes a good 6 months before an arab really feels settled and decides you are lovely .... she is beautiful...just give her time. I have an arab that came to me with loads of quirky habits... would not let you get on .. would not let you tack up... used to have such stress that she frittered weight off when stabled... one year later and I could tack up without even tying up. get on without even holding the reins ... and she automatically goes in her stable without any problems.
If you really need some help these people are in the Midlands .. Towcester and are good... they use natural horsemanship methods... which i mostly like .. but am a bit selective about what i would do and not do. http://www.colemansavvycentre.co.uk/
Also many years ago i only had one hore .. a chestnut arab... i bought her as a yearling and she only had my goat for company.. she loved the goat... it lived in her stable with her and shared her paddock. It used to scare people because they would walk up to the stable door to say hi to the horse ... and then the goat would hurl itself at the door with its front legs hooked over the top... bleating to say hello.... the horse was not a bit upset by this. |
Edited by - heathermcbreen on 07 Dec 2016 2:48:50 PM |
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Mrs Hoo
New Member
27 Posts |
Posted - 07 Dec 2016 : 8:32:13 PM
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| Thank you so much for the info I'll have a look at their website but I'm also very cautious as it's such an important step. It's interesting that several other people have said it might take around 6 months for her to settle and she had come direct from the breeder where she had lived all of her 9 years except for the two occasions that she had been backed then sent away again for re starting a couple of years ago. Also she had been kept on her own for the last 2 years so it has been a massive change for her! I've taken the great advice I've been given on here and just spent lots of time in her company and not put her under any pressure and suddenly she has really settled and is loving the attention. A regular routine seems to have worked and today I took the step to put my little pony into the same paddock as her and they wandered off like they had been together for years, no drama, no squealing, sharing the same pile of hay, even the same mouthful!! The poor goat is still being treated like something inferior and gets chased along with the sheep... I think Roxy thinks it's a game so I have to be careful and keep them apart! Hopefully we've turned a corner and I'll stop fretting as much...I only want her to be happy and enjoy her life here so fingers crossed things will continue in the same way. |
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Pasch
Platinum Member
2277 Posts |
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Goldenmane
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
4964 Posts |
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FireLight
Gold Member
620 Posts |
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Quarabian
Platinum Member
Wales
4340 Posts |
Posted - 16 Dec 2016 : 8:25:51 PM
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| if you still need help contact Jamie Evans. he started my young arab and he is amazing. he uses natural horsemanship methods. Tel01920 318299 or message me. |
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Mrs Hoo
New Member
27 Posts |
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Mrs Hoo
New Member
27 Posts |
Posted - 17 Dec 2016 : 8:26:51 PM
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| Hi me again! Found him on Facebook. I'll see how things go over the winter but think Roxy would love the training as she's inquisitive and very receptive to learning new things. Sadly I haven't got the facilities here so she would have to go to him on livery. Thanks again for the info. |
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Mrs Hoo
New Member
27 Posts |
Posted - 22 Feb 2017 : 10:50:29 AM
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| Hi everyone, 6 months on and all was going fairly well until the farrier visit. I had brought Roxy in from a very muddy field and tied her up outside as normal with a haynet picked out her feet and wiped the mud off them (she doesn't like them being hosed) and groomed her which she really enjoyed. She was really quiet and chilled out so I thought the farrier would have an easy job to do. How wrong was I!! She does tend to snatch up her back feet but always holds them up nicely for me to pick them out. Since she has been with me, I've had her feet trimmed every 6/7 weeks the same as my other pony, and each time she has pulled a face at the farrier but nothing more. This time she started face pulling at him as soon as he walked through the yard gate! He managed to do her fronts ok and she was reasonably happy but as soon as he started her back feet(his head was touching her belly) she really threatened, swishing her tail , ears back etc He carried on even though I told him to stop and when he had finished her last foot she kicked out at him, luckily missed him then tried to bite him but I was nearer so she bit me on the arm!! She has never been that bad before and has never threatened me in any way so it was such a shock! She came into season a couple of days later and has been an angel since. I spoke to my vet and she thinks it might be connected to her first season of the year making her over sensitive? She has sent me some Sedalin for the next farrier visit but it has made me unsure about my capabilities and after a lot of thought I have decided that she needs to move on to someone/somewhere that can do more with her as I think she is getting really bored and needs more to focus on. I'm investigating the option of sending her away to be re-started as I've mentioned before but also will put an ad under Homes Wanted to offer her out on ltl/lwvtb in case anyone would like to do the work themselves and produce her for what they want? It's very upsetting as she will be my last horse but I haven't got any facilities to do anything with her here. Luckily a friend has offered to let me have her old mare as company for my little pony as I don't want to keep her on her own again. Thanks for listening x |
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Ziadomira
Platinum Member
England
1635 Posts |
Posted - 22 Feb 2017 : 4:12:56 PM
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| We have a group of mares and they are all different. Fern will let the farrier do all her feet, Silva also behaves, Izzy will let that farrier doe her front feet then back in the stable, 'Do NOT touch my back feet' We know from having had the vet in for another reason that she is frightened of having her back fee picked up (Something from before we had her). Scarlet will also let the farrier do her front feet but as she kicks farrier will only do her back feet if she is sedated. Rosie won't let the farrier touch any of her feet unless sedated. We work round each of their idiosyncrasies. Good luck but if you enjoy the mare in all other ways try sedating to get her feet done. |
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New Horse Advice/help please?
