Broncing mare. I really need advice

[albytb]

It sounds like she may be MUCH greener than you thought??

I’ve noticed with my filly, she has displayed some undesirable behaviors (half-hearted rearing) during parts of the learning process where she doesn’t understand what’s being asked of her and is frustrated. This was EXTREMELY worrying to me at first, but those behaviors go away the instant she understands what is being asked and then she’s back to her dopey baby self.

From what you’ve described, I highly doubt this is entirely what’s been going on in this case. I definitely suspect there’s something pain related. But I wonder how much she truly “knows”? From the timeline of her life, I don’t think it’s much…

All of that being said, your safety is of utmost priority.

[Marla_000]

Regarding Rideability/Work Ethic-
There’s good reasons why a horse/lineage is known as a "
"Professional Ride Vs an Amateur Ride
The amateur safe horse is typically much, much easier
to start/train…

[Bays4days]

Thank you!

[FjordBCRF]

Someone asked up thread and I don’t think it was answered. What are your trainers thoughts on everything?

[phantomhorse]

What time of year did you purchase her? I keep going back to can it be related to her cycling… was she well-behaved to start with because it was winter and she wasn’t cycling? Then things started going sideways when she was?

[Pico_Banana]

I don’t know if you covered this before, but what’s her lifestyle like relative to what it was before? I bought my mare when she was 4.5 direct from her breeder. She was the quietest young horse in the barn.

Then I moved her to our first barn. It was not a good fit for her. She stressed. She definitely developed ulcers. Ulcers so bad we healed them and then they came back even worse (and moved from stomach to pylorus). She went from very quiet under saddle to balky/spooky.

It sounds like you’ve ruled out ulcers, but she could still be stressed from the move. I’d suggest scaling way back with her and giving her a new start.

[luvmyhackney]

@Bays4days

-BUT after doing the lameness exam she was lame in both fronts so it was worth injecting with steroids to help her out. That vet and my vet, were not convinced the two problems were related. But they could be wrong! Who knows

She’s green as grass, her feet hurt and she doesn’t have a work ethic.

She escalates until you listen.

Once her feet aren’t sore send her to a good trainer to get their thoughts. If she’s still dangerous, euthanasia is not the worst option. I wouldn’t turn her into a broodmare.

[RedHorses]

I have seen cystic ovaries cause problems in two horses. Both diagnosed with a simple rectal exam. I wouldn’t wait weeks to check.

I have heard that breeding can interrupt or reset the mare’s reproductive system if they keep getting cystic ovaries.

[Bays4days]

Yeah I’m listening!
I am
Treating her discomfort.
Like i said I acknowledge she’s green. Greenness doesn’t bother me per se

Her repro exam is on July 7. Wish it could be sooner too. My vet is slammed

[Jackie_Cochran]

@trubandloki

For some animals, some feeds really can make them a totally different beast.

I had a Paso Fino mare. She was not a quiet, easy horse by any means but I did not have any problems training her to saddle, handling her or riding her (never in a ring) UNTIL–

One day I fed her a carrot.

Enter the fire breathing dragon.

I tried a carrot the next day and she was worse.

I never fed her a carrot again.

She went back to her snorty spirited self but she never turned into a fire breathing dragon again.

[FjordBCRF]

@Bays4days

BUT after doing the lameness exam she was lame in both fronts

What does this mean exactly? Was she lame on both after she was flexed? Was she NOT lame until the vet visit, or was it subtle and you and your trainer didn’t notice it from the get go?

@Bays4days

EDM Was actually brought up. But the vet at the hospital said they cannot do the exam while she’s on sound in both front feet.

@Bays4days

Recheck in 5 weeks. Still lame, consider MRI to look at soft tissues.

Is she sound or not sound? This is not clear from your timeline/posts.

[Bays4days]

Sorry about that

[Christa_P]

If she is equally sore on both feet it will be harder to see or feel.

[Bays4days]

Yes
Exactly

[FjordBCRF]

Thanks for the clarification.

So, Ive been dealing with mystery subtle and not so subtle lameness issues with my 8YO fjord. I got him as a green 3 year old and thankfully (or not) he is very stoic. First big flare was the first spring I had him and was misdiagnosed as laminitis. Long story short, 4 years later to almost the date, we have a diagnosis of chronic Lyme. He’s had everything from barely being able to tell he off, but he is, to knee buckling and being dead lame during the acute flares.

When you do bloodwork, which I would encourage you to do, pulling titers for Lyme and EPM would be good to know. It sounds like the green-ness is probably a pretty big factor here, but it wouldn’t hurt to rule those two out if nothing else. They are both doozy’s.

[IPEsq]

I would bet based on that timing that hormones have something to do with it. Sore front feet, crazy hormones (and possible transient associated back pain), and very green horse can for sure = rodeo. The hormonal component seems to explain more the times she was nice to ride (short period before being bred, short period after baby, and in late summer of prior purchase and ?? this winter ?? for your purchase). But crazy in early fall and this spring.

[Night_Flight]

I feel like you mentioned some herdbound behaviour early on; I rode one greenie whose reaction to either turning past the out gate (or arena door, if inside), or hearing/seeing his friends having dinner, was to go into a bucking fit. It could also be replicated on the lunge in the same locations.

While it sounds like there is some soreness to be worked out, is it possible that any of your mare’s broncing fits have been in situations where she was being asked to go away from the other horses, or hearing them involved in other activities without her?

[Bays4days]

God bless

[Moss]

Give me a moment and I’m going to message you. I hope that you feel okay. Sometimes comments online can be a lot to take in. Take care of yourself right now.

[NaturallyHappy]

Could you donate her to a university for some sort of research? Then you could write her off as a tax donation. I don’t mean to sound heartless but you mention money a fair bit….and I’m not sure how else you can safely recoup any of your investment in this mare.