strange behavior need help

[OwnedByOurHorses]

Every time we try to ride in our pasture or just have a a saddle horse to close to my daughter Jessica's mustang Rein she will try and strike or mount that horse. We always make sure rein is either in her Stall or in a different pasture than we are in.While under saddle Rein has never tried that. Until Yesterday While Jessica was riding Rein in the arena with me riding my husbands gelding Gunner we were side by side talking while moving along the rail when all of a sudden out of the blue Jessica yelled look out mom and next thing I know Rein is rearing and turning her body so that her front legs landed across Gunners neck .

She can be pastured with other horses and is always well behaved, It's only if another horse is saddled or being ridden.

Anyone ever hear of a horse that acts that way. or what I could do to correct it.

[gaited07]

It sounds like Rein needs to be taught who is "herd" leader.

This horse is displaying her wild nature and it sounds like you might have to call in a pro to help with this one.
Striking is dangerous enough, but when you mention the horse rearing and mounting another horse, that is asking for someone to get KILLED!

[WashingtonBay]

I've seen babies do this playfully when riding their mother, but not this.

I'd say don't ride with her loose, certainly.... and if she's being ridden, the rider needs to take care to keep her clear of other horses. Enforce 'stallion rules' with her: correct her any time she shows undo interest in other horses, keep her a little further back and keep her attention at all times in groups.

[mare]

I agree with Gaited and WB. She was probably lead mare in a band. I think anticipation is key and following stallion guidelines will help.

[OwnedByOurHorses]

Rein was adopted as a 10month old.. She is 9 years old . 12.3 hh 598lb
We have had her for over a year this behavior has just begun with in the last for months

I've seen babies do this playfully when riding their mother, but not this.

I'd say don't ride with her loose, certainly.... and if she's being ridden, the rider needs to take care to keep her clear of other horses. Enforce 'stallion rules' with her: correct her any time she shows undo interest in other horses, keep her a little further back and keep her attention at all times in groups.


When she isn't being ridden she is either stalled or in a different pasture. away from horses being ridden.

yesterday was a first of this behavior under saddle. ... English showing in our area is so small that since we have what most would call a double arena (used for warming up) they usually have 2 different shows going at once in there while the western showing is done in the main show arena. . She is my daughter English pleasure horse. Is not easily distracted under saddle.HAS NEVER SHOWED THIS BEHAVIOR UNDER SADDLE

It sounds like Rein needs to be taught who is "herd" leader.

This horse is displaying her wild nature and it sounds like you might have to call in a pro to help with this one.
Striking is dangerous enough, but when you mention the horse rearing and mounting another horse, that is asking for someone to get KILLED!What is weird she is knows who is boss. In our herd she is 2nd in line to low man . On the ground she knows that we are in control. Jessica leads her from stall to pasture with out halter or rope. on the few time a gate has not be shut correctly and they have escaped she is the easiest to catch just walk up and put you arm under her jaw and start walking. As for enforcing stallion rules that won't be a problem from a riding point if I wasn't to heavy to ride her.. but for my 9 yr old daughter that could prove hard.

As for getting a pro in here.....Most pros that show up at the show barn want to know who trained her.They are amazed that Jessica did most of the training under our watchful eye

She didn't get her true training until we got her....From the time she was adopted until we got her, she has been a brood mare and rode by a 6'5' 300lb idiot She was between a 2 and 3 on the weight grade score and to weak to put up a fight at his training abilities

Is there anything that can explain a change in behavior other than what you have mentioned being her wild nature

[Suzi]

Odd that she only does it when there is a rider or saddle on the other horse.

[OwnedByOurHorses]

wanted to add that about 4 months ago she and Jessica where slammed into by another horse and rider..I've wondered if that could of been the trigger

[WashingtonBay]

I can't explain it, particularly without observing her, but I'd say your daughter just has to know and be taught to be vigilant about her under saddle from now on. Point her away from other horses, watch her ears, they point to where her attention is, and don't let her get an idea started. I know she hasn't done it before now, but now she has.

[OwnedByOurHorses]

I told Jessica that until we know that she is confident to handle her alittle more tougher than has been required we will post pone the next two shows that are coming up and wait and see for the main one in Apirl

[WashingtonBay]

Our mare (also Mustang but I think that part is coincidence) who is normally rock steady and bomb proof is a little nervous about being around strange horses. She gets tense and squirrelly if she feels crowded and doesn't like them on her tail. The one horse she's actually kicked at, I didn't blame her a bit. He was crowding her. But it's just one of her quirks that the rider needs to be aware of and ready to diffuse.

[OwnedByOurHorses]

Rein has never offer to kick out except the one time when she and Jessica were slammed. I've been wondering if that could be the start of all of this.. Rein is alittle tiny framed horse she 12.3 hh isn't very tall but that isn't unusal for a mustang. The part where she is very fine structures is not mustang typical...picture a TB being only 12 to 13 hh build like they are and add a mustang face and you have Rein

The Slamming that she and Jessica took was from a 15.3 soild built QH that spooked at a banner on the arena rail that was moving due to the wind... Rein took the brunt of the impact..
Not having any horses smaller or of the same size as her I don't have anyway to test this ..I just wonder if the bigger horses being all saddled just reminder her of that impact.
ANd if that is the case how do we work through this

[Miracle Whip]

How much do you weigh? If she is a true mustang she should be able to handle a smaller adult, up to 200 pounds maybe. Depends. My mare is about 800 pounds dripping wet and I used to ride her when I weighed 230 pounds but now I am down to 195. A teenager could not ride this mare.

[OwnedByOurHorses]

on the vets scales she only weight s 598 lb. so say 600 I'm 180 in the past she has suffered from tendinitis of lat digital extensor , joint problems .I'd be afraid my weight would cause her problems..

[Miracle Whip]

I was just curious. My Dad used to ride our POA and she was probably closer to 800 also. This must be one skinny pony! I'll bet its hard to find a girth short enough?

[OwnedByOurHorses]

I was just curious. My Dad used to ride our POA and she was probably closer to 800 also. This must be one skinny pony! I'll bet its hard to find a girth short enough?


With my daughters tiny english saddle for her 65 lb butt she is using a 48 girth.. I just know that as Jessie moves up in saddle size for her growth finding girths will get fun..Yet we have a good friend whose daughter lives in England and she gets us alot of things we need for Rein that is hard to find here

[mare]

Was isolated when young and didn't learn horse manners? Abnormally high testosterone level? Glandular imbalance? Can't tell without seeing the behavior, and maybe not then.

[luvs2ride1979]

Sounds quite frightening!

I would try a couple of things.

First, I would ride a calm horse out with her and carry a driving whip (make sure the horse you're on is fine with the whip being stuck on a fence or other object while you're mounted). Have a buddy with you on foot, also carrying a driving whip or lunge whip (don't use a lunge whip while riding, as it can snap back and hit the horse you're on). Whenever Rein comes within 10 feet of you, have your buddy chase her off with the lunge whip. If she's insistent, POP her with it on her rear or chest. If she somehow bypasses your on-foot helper, strike her wherever you can with the driving whip, being careful not to accidentally strike the horse you're riding ;).

If this is a little too up-close and personal for you, then I'd use a training shock collar. Get a dog one (you can find them used on eBay or even "rent" them from some pet shops). Not the bark collar, but the remote training collar. Get an extra 12"x1" leather collar to make an extension. Install the "long hair" prongs on the collar and set it to a medium setting. Put the collar on as high on the neck as you can get it, making sure it's snug so it doesn't slip down. Have someone on the ground handle the controller, set on a medium setting. Ride your calmest horse out there with her, with your helper at the fence or at least 25 ft away (so Rein doesn't associate your helper with the correction). When she starts just coming toward you in a threatening manner, use the collar correction. You want to stop the behavior BEFORE it escalates. Adjust the level of correction depending on her reaction, or lack of. Correct every time she starts toward you and the other horse. She can stand off to the side and watch, but she is not allowed to come toward you.

Some may criticize a shock collar, but I have used it in the past and it works. It works in these kinds of situations where you can't correct the behavior with normal means. Clinton Anderson used to highly recommend and endorse the "Vice Breaker" horse shock collar, that is, until some of his newer followers condemned him for it. His endorsement is still on the Vice Breaker web site (http://www.tthorse.com/ae_clinton.asp), but he took down his own training articles on his web site on how to use it properly. I don't know if it's mentioned in any of his books or DVDs.

It's just like any other training tool: bit, spurs, whip, "savvy string", as long as you use it appropriately and the timing is correct, it will be very effective and quite humane. It's only a small "jolt", a LOT less shocking than an electric fence that many of us use, and no more painful than a small horsefly (to the horse). If you're willing to try it, I think it's the perfect tool for this situation. It will keep you all a lot safer than using the whip method I mentioned first ;).

[luvs2ride1979]

Is there anything that can explain a change in behavior other than what you have mentioned being her wild nature

Possibly a hormone imbalance? You might have the vet draw some blood.

What about feed? Have you switched grains, supplements, or gotten a new supplier or cutting of hay shortly before this behavior began?

Any change in her stabling/buddy arrangement?

[luvs2ride1979]

wanted to add that about 4 months ago she and Jessica where slammed into by another horse and rider..I've wondered if that could of been the trigger

Hmm, that definitely could be it.

Okay, I change my mind, forget about the shock collar or "whip therapy" for now...

If you're brave enough, and you have a very calm/patient riding horse, you might try ponying her from your calm horse, keeping her on a short lead with a stud chain. Wear some full chaps or chinks, in case she decides to try and bite. That way you can pull her head into you, without worrying about her taking a chunk out of your thigh. Just keep riding until she calms down and submits. Keep her at the walk and trot, with her nose subbed up to your horn/pommel. Ignore any silliness, unless she gets overt, then give her a sharp tug with the lead and say "QUIT" or whatever work you normally use to reprimand her.

Pony her like this daily, or as often as you can, until she's worn out and submits. Once she'll be ponied without any fuss, pony her with your daughter riding (make sure she wears her helmet ;) ). Continue with the same until Rein is fine with Jessica up there and being ponied. Then try riding together again, then try riding with her turned out. If at any time she reverts to her aggressive behavior, go back to ponying her again.

She needs to learn that other ridden horses won't hurt her and she needs to behave when around them.

Good luck!

[OwnedByOurHorses]

Possibly a hormone imbalance? You might have the vet draw some blood.

What about feed? Have you switched grains, supplements, or gotten a new supplier or cutting of hay shortly before this behavior began?

Any change in her stabling/buddy arrangement?


Feed hasn't change and hay is from the same cut we have been getting since we got her.

What has changed was our new stalls were finished and we moved them into their new stalls. Yet behavior was like this before. Just had never gone after another horse when she was under saddle until yesterday.

You suggestion of either a driving whip or shock collar can be done. I have both.


Was isolated when young and didn't learn horse manners? Abnormally high testosterone level? Glandular imbalance? Can't tell without seeing the behavior, and maybe not then.

If isolated when young I believe she would have had this behavior longer.


Abnormally high testosterone level? wouldn't she be trying to attack and or mount all our horses? ..


I will get her some blood work done

[OwnedByOurHorses]

Ok read you new reply about the ponying and I like that Idea so much better. I would rather try that than a shock or whip. Yet I still plan on having some blood work done on the off chance this is a coincidence in timing of accident and it being a health issue

[AppyLover]

In my opinion I believe you are right in suspecting the "slamming" incedent to be a key point in all of this.

I would be focusing on her signs to see when the bigger horse starts to make her nervous. She very well could have been trying to tell her rider that "something" was wrong, but her warning went unheaded and she took matters into her own hands to protect herself. To me it sounds like she will need to be reasured that the bigger horse is not going to "attack" her like the other one did.

Once her signs are identified you will also be able to judge her better to and help guide her on getting through the issue she now has. I don't honestly think ponying her will do any good in this situation, it won't hurt, but I just don't think it will address what is going on.

If her issue stems from her run in with the other horse and rider, her issue is with a mounted bigger horse within her comfort bubble. She needs to be reasured that that horse and rider are not going to hurt her. Controlled rides. Set her up with a situation that could cause another out burst. Watch her. Her ears, eyes, tail, is she getting a quicker step heavier breathing, arching in her back, heavy on the bit...watch for her change. When it happens reasure her with a pat and some gentle words, move the bigger horse away until she "quiets" down again. Keep repeating until the bigger horse doesn't have to move away anymore.

Granted this behavior could stem from any number of things, but given her size and her tramatic experience with a bigger runaway horse and rider, I think she is just spooked.

Good luck, and stay safe. This is very dangous behavior.

[OwnedByOurHorses]

AppyLover thank you for your information. I do believe this was caused by the slamming she took. Being the dainty little thing she is even our yearling is a giant compared to her.