Hey y'all my wife and I are somewhere between novice and intermediate horseman/woman. My wife's Paso has never had issues being mounted before. We just moved her to her new home with us two weeks ago. My wife has been riding her since October. She is a rescue and hasn't had a lot done with her in the last year or two. She is a sweet sweet horse and has bonded quite well with us and trusts us. Yesterday my wife put her out in a pasture with no other horses and she galloped around for a half hour and whinnied and kept coming back to my wife for comfort. So we put her back in her paddock/stall. This morning when I came to feed her and muck she was acting pretty spooky. This afternoon my wife saddled her with no issue at all but she would not mount and would side step around and nuzzle my wife's arm pretty much asking her not to get on. Just wondering if maybe she pulled a muscle or how to check her out? Her feet and legs are fine and she's not favoring any of them so I'm just guessing she pulled a back muscle? Or maybe she just didn't want to be ridden, after all she's a good horse but she hasn't been asked to do very much in the last year or two? Any input would be awesome! We are very loving owners and only want the best for our sweet girl! Thank you and God bless!!
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Hi
Great you have taken the time to rescue a horse and that you want the best for her :-) I suggest you need to give her more time to settle in and understand her new surroundings. Was she with other horses before? Been in a new field on her own will be very tricky for her at first. If there are other horses with you can you put one out with her? If not, you will need ot acclimatise her to her surroundings and make the field a positive place to be over time. A field companion of another species that she knows can also help. Monty has talked about this being anything at all as long as the horse is happy with it. Sheep are good, goats (but they eat everything!!), even chickens! It is possible she has pulled a muscle while galloping around but it seems more likely that she is a little stressed by everything judging from the fact that she was spooky in the stable too. Don't underestimate just taking your horse for a walk in hand, strolling about and letting her see there is nothing to be afraid of :-) Slow everything down and don't worry about riding her yet, let her tell you when she is ready. She is lucky to have such caring owners. I'm sure you will get lots more ideas/thoughts, these are mine as a starter. Good luck, keep us posted.
Awesome thanks for the advice. Unfortunately the only other pasture mates she will have are other horses that are boarded at the facility we are using as well. I absolutely agree about more time. She trailered and hauled like a champ and the poor girl had to be in quarantine for a week. We have spent a lot of time with her throughout the ordeal so she has really learned to trust and rely on us! Thank you again for your thoughts
Hi jason,
After vicci has given you some very good advice, you mention the quarantine.
I guess this has been quite an ordeal for her, being a resque and nobody knows if she's been isolated before. So give her even more time to settle in her new surroundings and take her on even more relaxing walks, so that she refinds her trust. She'll show you when she's ready for it and until then: love her and try to find a companion for her.
You'll find a way!
Miriam
Dear rutherford.jason77, it is not easy for horses to move and just like children in a new school or us on a new job, we need time and might not be the "easy going person" as we normally are. Remember not to get worried around your horse, she need someone that calmly stands his/her ground, and be observant of how you use your eyes and breathing - this makes an easier transition in the relationship with you and your horse. Also remember not to stop things while your horse is hight on adrenaline - if we do, the horse will escalate in her behavior until she "finds" the high adrenaline state - this is were it is a difference between us and horses, we can rationalize and tell our selves to calm down before we get hysteric so to speak, always find those moments when she start to relax, and give the signs, and you will find it easier. And also, being a "new horse on the block" takes time if she does not have a horsey companion! See if you can´t find a good match to her, then her life gets easy to live. Be calm, give as much time as she needs, understand the psychology and do what you can to fill her, the horses, needs and you will see it will get better and better. Horses that have encountered high stress levels before needs even more attentions so you are doing a great job! Keep On Equus All Warmest CI Ann Lindberg/Sweden