I don't know how many times you've done join up with her but it certainly can't hurt as long as you haven't done it too many times. As far as pinning her ears when jogging, keep working her, eventually she'll get over her bad attitude and work more willingly. Just be consistent with her, I'm assuming you're using a dually halter so she can school herself, if not get one and use it, she'll come around quickly.

Thx! I do use the dually, faithfully! It has really helped with some other issues that she has had. She jogs along nicely its just that her ears are pinned! Once and awhile she will buck and rear but I think that is more out of play than aggression, like she shows with her ears. Her ears aren't pinned when she has reared and bucked and this why I think she want to play! So my question is this when she is jogging along, ears pinned, how will she use the dually to school herself? You feedback is greatly appreciated.

Hi Janice - my mare had an inclination to pin her ears back at times but rarely does it these days. As Klienne points out consistency is the key here and the dually will help you through. If my mare put her ears back at all at any time she was quickly corrected with the dually - trotting along if ears went back quick correction with the dually and growled "no' or guttural 'Aa Aa' which I find more effective. Keep her trotting at the same pace so that she is not rewarded by slowing down just make the sharp clear discipline correction on the dually and keep going. If she does then buck and rear I would take her straight to the ménage or round pen for a join up session. I know we shouldn't use join up too much but with spirited horses like this it is a wonderful for disciplining them and gaining their respect. I rarely need to do join up with my mare now but do sometimes I will lunge on a lose lunge rein attached to the dually or rope halter when she has been a bit cheeky as that seems to help. If I have the rope halter on instead of the dually I correct with the rope halter but if she persists in been disrespectful then I quickly slip the dually over the rope halter. She can be good for weeks now but can still revert when cycling or having a bad day. If she is at all disrespectful in the paddock and plants her ears back at me then I immediately send her away and only allow her to come back for a scratch or pat when she is submissive. My mare's mother was a very angry, previously brutalised horse with a very strong spirit so unfortunately some of these traits have been passed on to her daughter.

In schooling herself, I was talking about if she bucks or rears she will school herself when the dually tightens up on her. Make sure you use a long line so that she can't pull you off of your feet and can maintain control...I'm sure you're probably already doing this. I agree with Maggie that you can use the dually to school her when pinning her ears giving her a correction so that she understands that it's not acceptable behavior. It sounds like you're doing a good job, keep up the good work!

Thank you ladies! This is exactly what I was looking for! :-) I school her when she bucks and rears but wasn't sure what I should do when she was trotting beside me. I thought of correcting her with dually but then thought that possibly this wouldn't be an effective way. Maggie, I will certainly be giving this a go in the morning! My girl use to pin her ears at when I fed her grain too, but I consistently send her away if she does, now she rarely pins them, if she does she gets sent away and I don't let her come in until ears are up. It is interesting how she will relax then she can come in for grain. You can see her thinking about the situation. Then she makes a good choice. :-)

Yes - well done Janice. Your feeding scenario was similar to mine too. Like you I sent her away immediately if she put her ears back as she approached her bowl and feed -often just waving the bucket at her and telling her to "back off". I have had success and now she just goes to bowl and stands there for me to put her feed in and to give her a rub on the head before leaving her alone. I didn't need to use a longer lead on the dually when disciplining her as she didn't rare or buck so Klienne's suggestion sounds sensible for your mare so that you stay safe. Here I would use a long lead rope not a lunge line - about 3 times as long as the normal lead. I would keep her at the sweet spot as you trot with her until she needs correction. Here I missed a bit above. Give her a tug on the dually and keep on trotting if possible but if she resists then you will have to stop trotting and go immediately into full scale discipline mode and this is where the longer lead will be beneficial - strong correction and back her up. If she decides to rare and buck then that is fine as the dually will then do the discipline for you and the long lead will help - try to stand your ground so that she gets the full effect of the dually but move with her if necessary. Remember sharp quick jerks on the dually are more effective a constant pressure. Once she has responded and comes back to you then proceed again at trot. I tended to back up my mare and then circle her once in each direction before I proceeded again.

Hi Janice - I was just watching Monty's latest lessons on Trailer loading - Lesson 4 and 5 - and couldn't help thinking of you. Although you probably do not have a trailer loading problem these lessons are great in demonstrating the correct use of the dually. The black horse is not difficult in terms of bucking and raring like your mare but it is resistant to the dually and you can see how Monty uses the long line to overcome the resistance. Monty is using a lunge line but as I indicated above my preference is for a long lead rope as I find it easier to manage and it is less likely to tangle - probably a reflection of my incompetence! Hope you enjoy these lessons as much as I did.

Thanks so much! I did take her to round pen and proceeded to school her like you have suggested. I noticed she relaxed her ears a bit, they were still back but not "pinned" if that makes sense. I am going to watch the video tonight! :-)

Great Janice - keep us up to date with your progress! I think it is OK if she has her ears back - correct only if they become pinned back as that is her warning to you that she is cross and feeling disrespectful.

Just a quick update! Well what a difference a week will make! Thanks again for your insight, she has certainly changed her attitude and continues to improve so that now if she starts out pinned she quickly changes her tune!:-) When we finish off our jog her ears are either relaxed or forward! So thanks again we are on the road to recovery! LOL

So glad to hear everything is going well, it is amazing how quickly bad behavior can be changed with the right approach.
Keep up the good work!

Well done, Janice. Great to read this.. So pleased it is working for you! Cosistency, patience and of course the aid o the dually correctly used tend to produce the sort after results. So rewarding and exciting to witness the responses in our horses! Keep up the great progress you are making.

Well I thought I would update you... I did attend my first official show in late August. She was amazing! Not once did she pin her ears and came away with a second in halter and she won the In-hand Trail class! :-) I was so proud of her! Thanks for all your guidance she has come so far!! Thanks again!!

Congrats to both of you!!! Well done! :)

Congrats Janice!

Fantastic news Janice!

Well done Janice that is just great news. How proud you must be - both take a bow!