Too much time on my hands today.
I have recently been trailing my mare more to help with her stuffy-ness inside.
I have noticed on every ride when we go with a buddy, she MUST be in the lead or else she has to walk faster than them to keep ‘watch’. What is with that?
Is this typical boss mare behaviour (herd wise)?
TYIA
I think some of them just naturally have a place they prefer to be in the heard. My friends and I try to get them more adjustable by playing games like leap frog when riding lol.
I assume I’ll have similar feelings soon, the very first trail ride (the only trail ride actually) that I took my mare on I had planned on being ponied and leading her along but she instantly marched to the front and lead the ride. She’s not the boss in the field either, so that’s a no-go rationale for us, but an interesting view point that I’d like to hear more input from other riders on 
Mine likes to lead. I think he wants to be the first one to the food when we finally get there. Seriously, I think that’s why he wants to lead.
The mare is deciding her own pace and spot because you are not. She feels in charge and is not looking to you as the leader.
Ohhhhhh, you are talking about your mare. I thought we must have a certain riding buddy in common. Carry on.
[QUOTE=2enduraceriders;7904693]
The mare is deciding her own pace and spot because you are not. She feels in charge and is not looking to you as the leader.[/QUOTE]
Agree. Can make for problems if you are in a different situation and she has a different outlook on the situation and wants to do something you don’t want her to do.
My horses prefer to be in the lead. I think it is maybe because I also prefer to be in the lead - even on foot, if I’m hiking or something, I want to be in front - I think it is because I’m a fast walker.
I think my horses also prefer to be in the lead because the other horses we trail ride with are pokey and they have to mince along if they are behind. Also I know the trails better than the others I ride with, so I usually am asked to pick the route. We do switch it up on the trails so mine are in the middle or in the back, but invariably we all switch it up again so we’re in front.
Actually, mine are striding out as we head out on the trails, and very pokey on the way back. Don’t know what’s up with that, I think the other scenario is more common!
[QUOTE=2enduraceriders;7904693]
The mare is deciding her own pace and spot because you are not. She feels in charge and is not looking to you as the leader.[/QUOTE]
And look for an argument when/if you try to take over.
I like PP’s view.
Through time, I became troubled with the whole idea about us deciding pace all the time on trails (not in the arena during schooling though- that’s like a ballet class, ha, ha). I think, on trails, horses should be allowed to move in a pace that is the most efficient to them so that they can remain strong and fresh for a long time. That’s why it is sometimes difficult to find matching trail buddies.
I think, everyone has a natural pace that is the most efficient to him/her and deviating from that pace is tiring and can bring up tightness, soreness, and other issues.
For instance, I am a very fast walker with a long, quick stride. I can outwalk almost anyone and not get tired at all. Make me slowly poke around on a hike with a group and I will be ready to die after about one mile- cranky and sore all over my body (because the pace is in complete opposition to my natural set-up).
Our horse is similar. I never knew, how fast he walked until I started to ride with others. So, naturally, he is in the lead most of the time. He is not even in the lead, he is waaay ahead.
As he is marching forward, I can feel his back swinging and he is loose, relaxed, and soft like a butter all over (and very responsive). It is a wonderful feeling.
If I hold him back, he tightens up, his back stiffens, and his whole attitude changes. He does oblige, but I can tell, the slow pace is tiring to him physically as well as mentally.
So, I would first ask, whether her horse buddies are naturally slower.
Even, if not, I would allow her to lead for the most part and just play little leap frog or stay behind exercises here and there, because, if you are trying to get her “unstuffed,” I think, it is best accomplished with low-pressure, fun rides, when a horse gets a lot of free rein.
Of course, I assume, your mare is generally obedient and listening to you, when in lead.
I agree with letting her lead most of the time if she naturally walks out faster, as well as leap-frogging at least part of the time so she gets that she has to “agree” with wherever you put her.
Two things, though: First, when she’s behind someone else is she riding right up their butt? Nobody likes that and it’s not safe in case of a trip, spook, getting into bees, etc. So your horse really needs to keep a horse-length between herself and the one in front of her.
Second, I didn’t see how your trail buddies feel about it: they may be happy to have your horse leading OR they might actually wish they’d get some opportunities for their horses to practice leading. So if you’re usually going with the same group I’d discuss it with them so that everyone feels like they get a chance to work on their own things.
Ahh. I forgot to check back.
This all makes sense. She is boss mare in the field but listens and respects humans very well. She is young and will test the limits but accepts it and moves on.
On trails, her walk is very long strided and she interested in looking around, where at home or in the ring at shows, she is focused but rather less ‘sparkly’, if I will.
We typically start out the trail behind but her walk just seems to outpace. She would be miles apart from the group if I don’t make her stop and wait every now and then.
I do think it would be healthy to make sure wait behind at times and slow her roll.
I’m always on mares and most of them hate to be stuck behind stupid lazy geldings when there are places to go and things to do.
I’m also always on green horses with big walks, they inch ahead on wide parts of the trail then realize that the horse in front gets eaten first and they start to crawl until they get passed, then repeat. It’s amusing and annoying.
most of the mares I’ve known were more than happy to let the stupid young geldings go first. Guess who is more likely to get eaten? The mare in the rear dictates the actual route, of course.
Nope, if you are talking about a wild herd, the boss mare leads and the stallion brings up the rear, keeping order
However, when I am riding, I, and not the horse decides who leads, how fast and where we go
I hate idiot horses that have to be in the lead, or they become a management problem. There is a differnce in a horse having confidence to lead, when asked to do so, and a horse that has to be in the lead , or it becomes an idiot!
I forgot to post my update yesterday! This weekend we went on two long trails. Sadly didn’t get our solo trail in BUT Saturday, we worked on stopping and waiting, circling back behind the group etc.
Sunday, she was a different horse, listening completely and willingly following nearly the entire ride. Great suggestions about making them listen. I had always figured, it is a trail, she is behaving, let her be.
Lol, mares! I have a little mare who loves to lead. She also wants to catch up with any horse she sees in front.
She’s competitive! I prefer to ride an endurance event alone.
She will veer across the track to cut off a horse that wants to pass (if I don’t control her). When the horse passes, she will extend her stride to keep up.
This makes her a great little endurance horse, but she is a pain to go out on a casual ride with. For this reason, I have her brother. He LOVES trail rides, is polite, and friendly towards other horses, so a great ride for social outings.
I have a mare as well that must lead or she tends to get antsy, nervous and stiff. We have tried numerous things to correct this behavior, from making her work harder by circling yielding, etc, leaving the group (made things way worse). We are now ponying her on the trail rides. I am still riding her, but have a halter and lead rope on under her bridle and will have a super steady beefcake of a mare pony her. My mare is not allowed to go past the rider’s leg or the pony mare’s shoulder.
My mare is alpha, even over the mare ponying her. In fact there is only one horse at home that is over my mare in the pecking order, so this ponying thing is really making her think. It has gotten to where she has come to terms with her new station in life and is for the most part content at the very back of the group when she is connected to the other mare.
We are weaning her off being ponied. We will start the ride off connected and then we will be turned loose and she has to stay behind the other mare. If she starts to lose her mind we go right back on the lead. Each ride is getting better. As soon as she is attached to the other mare her whole body relaxes. I am beginning to wonder if some of these horses feel like they have to lead but at the same time the responsibility freaks them out, so when they are made to give up the responsibility they begin to realize that life is a lot better.
in my herd of two, the conformation differences between my mare-who-likes-to-lead, and my gelding make it inevitable. She is a TB- like Arab with lots of energy, a sloping shoulder and a long stride. Power walking is her normal speed–plus, she is very curious and loves to see what’s up ahead. My gelding is an older draft-style Canadian who, because of how he is built, physically can’t walk like she does, even if he wanted to. And he doesn’t want to–likes to mosey, and likes his mare up ahead scoping everything out for him! Both are quite willing to change places, but it doesn’t work. Need I add that my husband is on the gelding, daydreaming, while gelding takes good care of him? The solution is for me and my mare to stop every once in awhile to wait. She stands nicely and cranes her neck around to look for him! I so do not want to interfere with her enthusiasm and beautiful free-swinging walk-out. It has nothing to do with obedience, or learning to be flexible, in our special little case.
I have two mares and both will go in any position. My older mare is very been there done that and at 21, I let her pick her pace when we go out with a group. We are usually at the back. However, once she warms up she is ready to roll. She will stay in the back, but will lead if the other horses become sticky about an obstacle. Sometimes though she is all about moving on and has such a long swingy walk that she moves to the front. With my younger mare(OTTB), I try her in different positions to get her used to horses being in front and behind. I also insist that she needs to maintain the pace I am asking for, as well as stopping and waiting while horses move away from us.
My young gelding wants to lead most of the time. As a result, in the past we had issues with another horse who preferred to be the leader. My horse is also hyper vigilant when in the lead, which slows down the whole group.
Because I don’t wish to ingrain in his brain that he is to lead on every trail ride, I make him slow down, put him behind other horses, etc. periodically. He doesn’t like it and sometimes throws a hissy fit; if he does that and refuses to calm down, I will simply tell the others that I will see them back at the barn, turn around and head back the other way. (I will not reward his negative behavior by letting him stay with the group.)
I have spent a lot of time working with him either alone or with one other horse on the trail. It will continue to take time and miles to teach him to be one of the group and not the leader. If we want to go on group trail rides, this is essential.
Good luck with your mare!
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