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[RC] Herd boundness - Equus WolfI have a TB mare that I've had for 6yrs. She was so herd bound when I started working with her that it required using the end of the lead rope as a move along cue to get her from the pasture to the barn and a chain over her nose to get her back out to the pasture without getting dragged. How I've handled it - Slowly and surely I made her handle it. With just being in regular work, she slowly got better (didn't need the lead rope cue or chain very long). She realized she'd go back to her friends. This mare worried about everything and still does about a few things occasionally. But over the past 6 years, I added controlled stresses. Riding in groups of horses, she doesn't like being "left". She did not handle stall life. I slowly started putting her in a stall(she didn't do anything to hurt herself, just freaked out mentally, but she respected her containment area) I slowly added time. Now she handles stall
life when necessary as long as it's not totally closed in (she's out 24/7 unless it's icy). She didn't handle being in a paddock by herself, but I worked on that, a little bit of time each time, so she wouldn't over stress. In her case, carefully applying stress has made her tolerate it better. Funny thing is, the herd boundness was not in effect when we went off the farm. She always ended up being the babysitter, not the needy one. Shelby doesn't like leaving the "barn" or walking away from other horses, and doesn't like me holding her back from the group when they walk off (if we've been riding together for a bit already) but she *does* listen even if it is with a little bit of sassy attitude! To prevent having the same issue as with my TB mare, when we're out riding with others, I make a point to ride off from the group, sometimes going back to the group, sometimes not. I ride out into the pastures by
myself (of course, we end up doing a serpentine - Shelby tries to turn around right, i correct her left - she thinks ohhhh you want to turn around by going LEFT, then have to correct her right etc *laugh*) She listens and gets better each time. When I first got her, she was pretty barn/gate sour. She hasn't tried to make a bee-line for the barn or gate since the first month I had her. A lot of her getting better is being consistent and riding her regularly. Another part is bonding with her. She's beginning to like the praise and attention more than arguing to be with her horsey friends or at the barn. :) That's a nice feeling! Jen
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