You need to make that decision and take action ASAP. Your failed corrections in the past have trained this filly to believe she’s the boss of you already. If you wait until she actually hurts you that lesson will be even harder to eradicate, which puts her chances for a good life at risk.
The kindest thing anyone can do for any horse is train great ground and handling manners.
Yeah I know. There isn’t very much I can do rn because she’s from the BLM and my mom doesn’t have her title yet. I could call BLM to come pick her up but I’m scared she will end up in a kill pen because a ex friend of my mom’s got a mustang who was getting sent to a kill pen for “being too dangerous” but she was the gentlest mustang out of the ones everyone got. If I do call BLM to get her they will tell her about me telling them to and idek what would happen to me. She’s threatened to put me back in the psych ward just because I gave the horse that she was letting starve away when I had no money to get them food or basic care. I genuinely don’t know what to do but I’m trying to get her to listen to me so maybe the pony has a chance with someone more fitting for her
Find the BLM number, call them, and explain the entire situation. They should take this horse back. What happens after that is up to them. Your mother is about to ruin this mustang. Her name is on the contract, it’s her responsibility. Call them.
Okay I will
You can stop trying to interact with the mustang.
Can you ask another boarder to help you get your senior into a different pasture so you can care for him without dealing with the filly? If she likes her feed, can you drop it inside the fence away from the gate to distract her while you get your senior out? If she lets him share her feed that won’t work.
Check that it’s okay to put your senior somewhere else before you do it.
This article will give you some insight. But you have a problem that is bigger than you can solve by your 14 year old self. Stay safe and tell Mom to deal with HER horse.
One thing a young horse should NEVER learn:
That humans are moveable objects.
Do you catch yourself sometimes to move out of your horse’s way? Or to take a step back when you feel crowded by your horse? To choose the path of least resistance?
Did you ever get run over by a horse? This is a horse who has learnt that humans are moveable objects.
Of course, if it is a high danger emergency situation because the horse has a really bad spook, I will move too. But actually, a horse that has learnt that humans aren’t moveable objects, will avoid the person when they spook.
It’s a super common scenario: People moving out of their horse’s way.
When grooming, during groundwork when preparing for the next exercise, when their horse rubs on them, when feeding, when doing chores,…
We take a step back. Try to get more distance between ourselves and the horse. Because he is big.
Because we want to have a good relationship and not loose friendship.
And because we don’t want to be harsh and dominant towards the horse.
Because we don’t believe that dominance is the answer. And it’s true: Dominance isn’t the answer.
But this doesn’t mean that I have to allow my horses to walk all over me. It’s about safety.
Always keep in mind:
Horses do 3 things:
What nature programmed them to do
What we tell them to do
What we allow them to do.
Taking a step back invites the horse in your bubble. It provokes curiosity and draws the horse. As a result, the horse will behave even pushier.
If you consistently step out of your horse’s way, he will learn that it’s you who moves out of the way.
If you do both things, stepping back and moving out of the way, consistently, you teach your horse that you are a moveable object.
That it’s you who will move. Not him.
He will do what you allow him to do. You allowed him to move you by stepping back and out of his way.
This wasn’t dominance, this was you allowing and teaching something destructive.
What will be the longterm result?
The horse hasn’t learnt to pay attention to humans and will crowd them, push on them, walk over them, jump on top of them when spooked.
This is dangerous.
So the easiest is if you have a youngster, or a foal, from day 1 make sure to not step back or out of your foals/youngsters way.
They learn this very very quickly. Because the other older horses also don’t move out of the way. If the youngster gets too annoying, they will give a warning and if necessary bite or kick. But mostly they simply stand their ground.
Don’t take that step backwards. Behave like an older mare. clear, confident and not emotional.
If your horse has already learnt that humans are moveable, well, then it might take a little more to change your horse’s idea.
Because in his mind, he is doing the right thing! This is what he was taught and allowed to do for years!
Take a stick or a rope to help you defend your space. Usually, you only need to be firm 2-3 times. After this, a warning should be enough to change your horses mind. Or a poke with your thumb in his shoulder when he pushes.
No emotions, but be firm if necessary. Keep in mind: This isn’t dominance, this is learnt and human taught behaviour!!!
Actually, the one exercise which will almost fix this problem instantly is:
Insist on respect while feeding. Check out the video I posted a few days ago.
Pay attention to what you teach to your youngster! Every moment in daily interaction counts. Horses learn every second of the day.
Don’t take that step back.
I don’t have any boarders on my property anymore the last one got kicked off for stealing all my bits and tack and stuff. if I bribe him with treats he will come up to me but when he sees the halter he will walk away. He’s old grumpy and I don’t really have a bond with him so he doesn’t like being around me a lot and before I got him he was a pasture pet for 2 years and was unhandled for 2 years not even getting groomed or anything. Also the senior horse will be mean to her for food so that won’t work. He will do absolutely anything to get food. And he can’t have feed like that he’s fat and a halflinger and he’s at risk for Cushing’s and laminitis. And ik it’s okay to put him anywhere my mom owns the property and she’s never out in the barn anyway so she won’t care.
Your safety is more important than a horse. Keep yourself safe first. If that means your senior is a little neglected for a bit, that’s okay. Do what you can without getting in the pasture with the filly.
Okay I’ll do that. If I get a chance to get him out without her around I will definitely try they are in a big pasture and if she’s far away I can open the gate and just let him walk out and eat grass. I have a gate I can close at the front of the property.
Let me see if I understand the situation from your posts.
Your mom has some hands on experience with horses. She works long hours and isn’t around much. You’re 14 and have suffered with some emotional issues. So to keep you occupied and happy with a project, your mom thought it might be a good idea to get you a BLM feral mustang because they’re cheap. Although your mother promised to help you out, she’s either too busy or not interested or thinks it’ll help you mature and grow to do this on your own. But in the meantime, you’re not having fun and have realized that you’re outmatched by this mustang.
Do I have this right?
I am sorry you are in this mess but admire you for being honest and confronting the situation before you get hurt.
I agree with all the great advice you’re getting. Besides calling the BLM directly, you can ask them for a TIP trainer in your region who might come and take the mustang. You could even Google for mustang TIP trainers in Indiana.
BLM doesn’t send horses to the “kill pen”. If the horse is ineligible to be titled due to failure to train it adequately (most commonly, hoof care is the problem because the feet aren’t handled) and it goes back to BLM, it will either a) be available for adoption again, or b) be sent to a long-term facility if deemed unadoptable. There was a period where horses were being sold outright, and that could lead to them going to a kill pen, but that is not what happens with a horse that is relinquished in this situation.
Also, you can’t give this horse away since your mom adopted it and does not have title.
Yes that’s what’s happening. I will find a tip trainer who will be willing to pick her up. I don’t think there are very many in my area though.
Ohh I think that’s what my mom’s ex friends mustang was going to. I might do what someone else said and have BLM find a tip trainer so they can maybe take the horse away from my mom and let the tip trainer train her.
I have a close friend who adopted a BLM mustang through a TIP trainer about 5 years ago. He’s a fabulous horse and does dressage.
Anyway, I’m having Friendsgiving at her house later so I asked her about the TIP program. Apparently it’s either discontinued entirely or the original partnership with the BLM has been altered. It went at least a year where the program was stopped. A TIP trainer might not be an easy option for you.
So… You have the BLM to contact directly. Or I would suggest visiting the Mustang Heritage Foundation’s website and after Thanksgiving weekend getting advice from them. It’s a great website with all kinds of information and resources, and they can advise you on what you can do next. www.mustangheritagefoundation.org
In the meantime, stay safe!
Okay I’ll do that
Always check what you hear, not all is as told.
As long as a BLM horse doesn’t has release paper, it won’t go to the kill pen.
The BLM has to keep it somewhere and has pastures and pens it hires for the care of the unadaptable ones.
Good luck, seems that you are in a serious situation all around, with more responsibility that you should try to handle physically and financially.
Good luck, getting help is best for you and your horses.
I’d like to let anyone who doesn’t know, know -
Electric fences interfere with shock collars and whatever animal is wearing the collar will be shocked randomly. This happens around high voltage wires as well.
I wouldn’t go this route.
Now that you’ve said you’re only 14, I agree with the posters saying to get rid of this pony ASAP. There are plenty of experienced adults who would probably take her on because this is usually a simple issue to eliminate if they’ve ever fixed a horse who thinks they rule the world.
Please don’t give the pony away—charge a low price above meat value. It keeps people from taking her straight to an auction for 100% profit where the meat buyers will probably end up with her. Plus, having to pay even a little amount for an animal makes the purchaser more committed to taking better care of them. This is a well-known recommendation for puppies and kittens, and applies equally to any animal.
Good luck!
The OP can’t give the mustang away–neither she nor her mother have title to the horse yet from the BLM. The OP is only 14 years old, and the mother is the one who is legally responsible for the horse.
I’d echo what @endlessclimb said above: be careful about trying to have a “Come to Jesus moment” with the horse–this is a feral horse who could easily react by coming right back at you with greater intent to do harm to you.
Enlist your mother in the search for a trainer. Show her this thread if you need to convince her that she needs to step up and be the adult. Your mother is going to have to okay (and pay for) a trainer anyway; alternatively, she’s going to have to have the interaction with the BLM if the horse needs to go back.
She could also help you move the older horse into the next pasture. Your mother–if she doesn’t routinely deal with the horses–may not fully understand the danger here to the other horse and, more importantly, to you.
Good luck and be careful!
OP do you have any other adults in your life you can talk to about any of this? Maybe a guidance counselor at school, or a friend’s parent you trust? There’s way more going on here than the horse issues, it doesn’t sound like you’re in a safe situation at home at all. Your own well-being should come first. The horses will be just fine left to their own devices in the field as long as they have food and water, so don’t feel bad taking a step back for your own safety while you try to find someone to help you.
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