Hi Smithers,

I couldn't say why your filly behaves the way she does, but I think it is important that *you* don't focus on your "weakness", or assume that your filly is, or that might become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
I doubt she holds leaving her against you. I don't think their minds work in that way. If anything, she has missed you and is happy you are back. (Possibly, she thinks you smell strangely.) ;)
Ask yourself if you have behaved differently since you came back. Are you cautious and/or back away from her - perhaps in order to protect your hand?
If you are going around acting insecure, that in itself might make your filly uneasy - esp. if the weather is wild as you say.
Try to put it out of your mind, keep the adrenaline low and be your regular self and her "safe place".
I hope your hand will get better soon.

Thanks Kicki i probably have been acting a little guarded with Lucy. But i would really love to know what the vigorous head nodding is about, she is really trying to tell us something but i just don't understand!

Hi Smithers,
Apart from your own health and caution, I would suggest you have her teeth checked.
From your story I gather, that you think it is some psychological issue, could be, but head -nodding makes me think of teeth in the first place.
Get well and hope the weather gets better as well, soon.
Miriam

Smithers,

Does she nod her head when you do something in particular or is it just all the time? Also was she being worked more often before you got hurt than after? Was she flighty before you got hurt or did this just come about? Did she see you get hurt? If so how did it happen?

Kit

Hi Kit she is not constantly nodding it is only some of the time, we think she does it when she is looking for a scratch. But sometimes she twists her neck back at the same time. She was being worked more before i went into hospital (she is unbroken although generally very easy going). She was occasionally flighty but we put this down to seasons and windy weather, she was never as bad as she is now. She did not see me get hurt. Thanks for your interest any advice would be much appreciated. Smithers.

Hi again, Smithers,

Just wanted to chime in with Miriam here. If your filly is round 2 years old, she would be changing her teeth and I know some horses have more problems than others with that.
Bits could be painful - even a halter could give raise to problems, and she would be more flighty as a result, trying to escape being uncomfortable.

Hi Kicki and Miriam,
Lucy is nearly five years old so her teeth should be ok. Thanks to youself and Miriam for your imput. Any further ideas would be greatly appreciated. She was mistreated when she very young and has taken a great deal of handling as originally she would not let a human near her. Wedon't know exactly her history but she always responded to us in a positive way. Could it just be she is coming into season for the first time this year and her hormones are unbalanced (she is not reacting as badly with my wife. Although she has not got this upset before when coming into season. Smithers

Hi Smithers,
Could be that she originally was mistreated by a man.
Hormones may play a role, but you seem to know her longer, so this is not a new item.
Most of all I would like to ask you to gain and maybe re-gain her trust. This you could do with a Join-up etc. Further by being consistent and fair, above all yourself. She let you into her world before so, whatever the reason may be, show her she can trust you 100%.
Take your time.
Miriam

Hi Miriam,
Thanks for your input, i will take my time, hopefully i will regain the use of my hand soon. In the mean time i will go back to basics.

I don't know If this is the problem, but it could be that she is to smart and not being mentally stimulated enough.I've known 4 or 5 horses that were exceedingly smart and when they got bored or were not being stimulated enough they would entertain them selfes by nodding their head or playing with the bit. It may be she just has alot of mental energy and needs a challange. The spookyness may have something to do with this as well. Kinda like when you get lost in a game then something moves and you jump. Again I haven't seen the behaior so I can't be sure but you can try asking her to do something mentally challenging and see if it goes away.

Hello all,

I just had a comment about the teeth. Horses need to have their teeth checked and worked on at least every 12-18 months. I didn't know this for the first 6 years of owning horses and was having trouble with one of my Polo Cross horses. Someone suggested an Equine Dentist and I was very surprised at the condition of my horse's teeth. She was 6 at the time.
I religiously get my horse's teeth done every 12-18 months now and it is a very rare occasion where the Dentist comes and doesn't have to do something. He always shows me too and lets me feel the teeth before and after which is really good as I know he is not trying to pull the wool over my eyes.
See you later,
Gen

Hi Kit and Gen
I have had her teeth checked and they are fine. It is a possibility that she has got bored whilst i was away as much less time was spent with her, and the neifgbours horses were moved as well although Lucy never used to pay them much attention apart to show off to them. Thanks again for everyones input. Any other ideas greatly welcomed. Smithers.

Hi

My 5yr old has been playing up the past 2 weeks, been really spooky and on her toes, it has put me off riding. But i do know they need reassurance from their owners and a calm manner around them, go back to basics, build the bond again, sometimes there is no answers. Good luck.

Hi Frances 1, Thanks for your input, we kinda decided going back to basics is the only answer. However any body with ideas please let me knnow. Smithers.

Thanks to everybody who responded to my request for ideas with Lucy my flighty filly, she has now calmed down and is responding to her basic training again. We had the farrier to her today to trim her feet, and she was very well behaved.

Glad to hear that she has settled back, Smithers. Slow is fast and sometimes going back is the only thing that takes you forward.
Good luck with her future training! :)