Am I expecting to much of my new horse at a new barn

[2018serafini]

I just purchased a horse, 15 years old, she seemed pretty solid at her barn. She was in a pasture with other mares, at the back of a huge flat property, her name is Bella.

She is at my farm now. We having vaulting, bicycles, big huge and small tractors, atvs, porta john trucks, 1/2 tons. They all drive to fast. We have several mixed arenas for lunging and turn out. The farm is very hilly so lot times areas are above the horse with foot traffic. There are around 200 horses on the farm. Private and public

I hadn’t realized how crazy busy the farm had become. My previous horse was with me for 18 years we had become desensitized to the going ons.

It has been 6 weeks and still spooking at hand walking the farm… she tries to run, and gets to the end of the lead line and we keep walking the best we can.

How long does it take to get use to the place? Any suggestions would help. Now I am working on her being more interested in me then her surroundings.

Haven’t ridden her yet, I don’t trust her to not run away. She was sold as half morgan half quarter horse

[Posting_Trot]

That sounds like a lot of activity; and after 6 weeks has her behavior not changed at all, or is she just slightly calmer?

It might be time to look for a quieter barn, at least if you’re committed to this horse. Not every horse can adjust to that much activity. It’s also possible that she’d become somewhat calmer, but you’d never be 100% sure she’d be okay on any given day.

I’ll also ask what I’m sure others will ask: do you have a trainer? If so, what does he/she say? If not, it might be worth a try to bring in a more experienced horse person to work with the horse for a while.

Good luck.

[trubandloki]

What else has changed in her transition to your farm? Is her feed different? Does she get a different amount of turn out?

There are lots of factors that go into a horse’s attitude about things.

[SharonA]

It also sounds like she has no work to do… if you’re just hand-walking her, that may not be enough to get her into a routine that helps her understand what is expected of her. If you are not comfortable riding her, perhaps there is a good, well-informed, understanding trainer or other conscientious rider at your barn who could give her some focus.

[Scribbler]

Going from pasture life to a stall will usually increase a horses energy level and that increases spooking. Does she get turnout here? If not can you give her a free longe run and buck session every day in a round pen or arena first thing?

Also it sounds like you need a tune-up on ground work. You need to do some basic bombproofing and get your handling skills better.

I would also suggest arriving when the place is less busy.

If you still can’t work with her after 6 weeks this seems like a basic level of trust and cooperation between you two has broken down or failed to establish. I’m not sure what’s going to change.

I agree you need to get a trainer involved as well as see what you can switch up as far as management and routine. Make sure she gets a good run in every day. Reduce her grain.

[meupatdoes]

Tell that she has to listen to you rather than spook at everything she can look at at the new farm. If she tries to spook during a hand walk, firmly tell her to cut it out and keep doing what you were doing. If she runs forward and gets to the end of the line, back her up sharply to where she ran off from and then tey again, politely.

She’s not allowed to just rip your arm off and run off, period.

Expect her to go to work instead of waiting for her to eventually decide to calm down on her own.

[TMares]

How did you try her out before buying her?

Does she have a show record or any sort of backstory that indicates she’s ever done anything except be ridden at home or in similarly quiet situations?

[clanter]

There are around 200 horses on the farm. Private and public

well I would expect it to could take this mare a few Years to adjust form a calm pasture to a circus , it can be done but 200 head on a single property really is just like being at a horse show Every Day

[2018serafini]

Wow, so much information and questions. Working with a trainer. We are working on a lot of ground work. Tried her under saddle she was really calm and solid. The person we bought her from declared she knew nothing about the horse, dealer. We assume she’s been backyard horse. I work in round pen/turn out everyday hour out. She has calmed quite a bit since getting to the farm in specific locations on the farm. As soon as we go to another area the anxiety amps up =( So I backed off on the whole farm. No grain. Grass hay only now(her manure has softened up quite a bit now concerned about that that’s another story). She is on a diet vet said lose 75 lbs. To be fair I did try to back her up when we tried her she couldn’t do it. I do not understand and I have asked several people. How can a horse feel and move mostly solid(she didn’t understand the bit) under saddle and not understand most of the basic ground work. When we rode her we pushed her pretty hard to see what she would do if pushed her forward… she is really sweet horse.

[poltroon]

6 weeks is a long time to go without being ridden.

She came from a quiet pasture, and now everything is busy and scary, and if she’s in a stall besides, this would make most people pretty tense too.

So I’d do a couple of things.

Can she be turned out in a place where she can see all the crazy stuff and just get a chance to see it all and prance about and chill on her own? That can help.

Even though the barn is busy, it’s likely not busy like that all the time. Come early in the morning, or at lunch, or at some time that things are less busy.

It may help to use a different halter. A rope halter may give you a bit more control - you need to make sure that you bump her with it and then release. If you are just keeping a strong tension on the lead rope all the time, that will just make the horse more tense.

I’d lunge her, if both of you know how, and I’d do it not the ‘play at the end’ style but very focused with lots of transitions. Adding side reins can help with making this a work session rather than play. However, your horse may not know how to work on the lunge, and don’t do this if you aren’t experienced with it.

She’s been out of work so be aware of her fitness level; don’t let her do too much all of a sudden. That’s how you get injuries.

After a short lunge session where you can see her relaxing, on the quiet day, have an experienced, confident rider get on her and ride her around. Get her attention, build her confidence. If she is relaxed and okay, you should hop on after one of these rides even if it’s just to walk her around.

Once you have some parameters of success, and some of her fitness back, I’d make a point of intentionally lunging her on a busy, crazy day. Let her see the things. Do a transition at least every circle. Practice getting her attention back on you.

Good luck! I really think that within a week or two of intentional and expert handling that she should be manageable even if not the perfectly quiet horse you were hoping for. If you can get to manageable you can work to the quiet been-there-done-that you need.

[Bluey]

@2018serafini

Wow, so much information and questions. Working with a trainer. We are working on a lot of ground work. Tried her under saddle she was really calm and solid. The person we bought her from declared she knew nothing about the horse, dealer. We assume she’s been backyard horse. I work in round pen/turn out everyday hour out. She has calmed quite a bit since getting to the farm in specific locations on the farm. As soon as we go to another area the anxiety amps up =( So I backed off on the whole farm. No grain. Grass hay only now(her manure has softened up quite a bit now concerned about that that’s another story). She is on a diet vet said lose 75 lbs. To be fair I did try to back her up when we tried her she couldn’t do it. I do not understand and I have asked several people. How can a horse feel and move mostly solid(she didn’t understand the bit) under saddle and not understand most of the basic ground work. When we rode her we pushed her pretty hard to see what she would do if pushed her forward… she is really sweet horse.

She may just be one of those green 15 year olds, that were ridden very little and not taught anything much?

If so, your trainer could start her under saddle properly and have her learning and going better in no time, since she is already partly there?

She may have just been mostly a sweet, loved pasture ornament, why she is sweet, but overfaced now being asked to be a riding horse with riding horse skills she doesn’t has and needs to learn.

Doesn’t sound like she is the horse you thought you were buying, or the horse you need for the riding you want to do?

[findeight]

#1 6 weeks is a very short period of time for such a drastic change of environment and it sounds like a quieter barn might be a better choice.

#2 the seller was a dealer who knew nothing or chose not to share anything about the horses background???

#1 can be worked through with some help from a Pro and getting more physical activity into her then hand walking.

#2…are you kidding? You might have bought a (at least, with no papers and proof of foaling date, who knows)) 15 year old the dealer picked up at an auction and there might be a good reason it was at the auction and dealer claimed ignorance. Hate to see this happen but it happens all the time.

The “ We assume she was a backyard horse” mean you and your trainer, right? Did trainer help you find and evaluate the horse? It’s probably a better assumption that the mare is 20, is an auction veteran and has never been in regular work for assorted reasons.

Just odd buying a horse of completely unknown background from a dealer and assuming the way it behaved at the dealer was it’s normal behavior.

Hope this is a result of #1 and not yet another example of the ugly side of horse dealers.

[SharonA]

So, to add on, there are some red flags here, sure, but, since you have the horse and believe that she is inherently very sweet, let’s think positive. I would encourage you to look at more experienced/more professional/higher-caliber trainers, or have your trainer take you more seriously. I say this because with a sweet, willing horse, I would have thought a good trainer could have Bella knowing the basics of her job and being pleased to do it, and you feeling confident enough to ride, after six weeks.

It also sounds like Bella might have ulcers, from the stress of adjusting to changes in feed, changes in environment, changes in turnout, etc.

Now, don’t be discouraged. Every single one of us goes through an adjustment period with a new horse, wondering if we did the right thing, if the horse is going to work out, missing our old familiar horse, realizing the new horse has some holes in training or veterinary care that we weren’t expecting, etc. For most of us, it takes a good trainer to get us on the right track, but then the magic kicks in. I’m sure Bella will be a wonderful horse. Just change up your training plan so that she can learn, from patient, knowledgeable professionals, what is expected of her in her new home.

[Bluey]

@SharonA

So, to add on, there are some red flags here, sure, but, since you have the horse and believe that she is inherently very sweet, let’s think positive. I would encourage you to look at more experienced/more professional/higher-caliber trainers, or have your trainer take you more seriously. I say this because with a sweet, willing horse, I would have thought a good trainer could have Bella knowing the basics of her job and being pleased to do it, and you feeling confident enough to ride, after six weeks.

It also sounds like Bella might have ulcers, from the stress of adjusting to changes in feed, changes in environment, changes in turnout, etc.

Now, don’t be discouraged. Every single one of us goes through an adjustment period with a new horse, wondering if we did the right thing, if the horse is going to work out, missing our old familiar horse, realizing the new horse has some holes in training or veterinary care that we weren’t expecting, etc. For most of us, it takes a good trainer to get us on the right track, but then the magic kicks in. I’m sure Bella will be a wonderful horse. Just change up your training plan so that she can learn, from patient, knowledgeable professionals, what is expected of her in her new home.

Right, make plans for her then follow them wherever they take you.
Disposition, a sweet horse, is so, so much to be worth working with one, as long as she is safe, something your trainer should be able to tell in a couple rides.

[furlong47]

@2018serafini

I work in round pen/turn out everyday hour out.

Am I reading this correctly that she gets turned out daily for only 1 hour?

If she was previously living out in a pasture, and before that who knows, but used to significantly more turnout… this may be a big part of your issue in addition to the much crazier environment.

[ladyj79]

I’d probably just ride one of the 200 other horses on the property. Probably no one will notice.

[alibi_18]

@2018serafini

… her manure has softened up quite a bit now concerned about that that’s another story). She is on a diet vet said lose 75 lbs.

Ulcers.

With the stress, the inactivity from being stalled, the increase of work/lunge, the diet, etc. Ulcers.

I wouldn’t be so radical with starting the diet so soon.

Calm things out. Then, diet.

Your horse needs some medecine, a better training routine and some understanding.

How can a horse feel and move mostly solid(she didn’t understand the bit) under saddle and not understand most of the basic ground work. When we rode her we pushed her pretty hard to see what she would do if pushed her forward… she is really sweet horse.

In-hand, lunging, liberty, and activities under saddle are different things that do not necessarily transfer from one another.

Each activity needs to be trained and practiced on a regular basis.

[Bluey]

Have you or your trainer ponied her from a nice, quiet horse, to show her the sights?

[mmeqcenter]

She went from 24/7 turnout to one hour out per day? Jeeze I’d be a big ball of anxiety, too.
This farm does not sound like a good fit for this horse at this time (if ever).

[TMares]

Are you pulling our leg?

What trainer would say yeah, let’s buy an unknown variable after a poor trial ride in a bit the mare didn’t understand at some dealer’s places then the boarding barn has a veritable freeway of heavy equipment and 200 horses?