Rearing

[Kris & Dorothy Beebe <circlebranch@thegrid.net>]

Melody--

Just my $.02 here, but have you had her back and teeth checked by a good
equine dentist/chiropractic?

Okay, here's why...before you think I've totally lost it!  I have a just
turned 2 Arab that was gelded in December, but he never lost his stallion
attitude.  He's the low guy on the totem pole (we have 4 other horses) and
I always assumed that his rearing and attitude were due, at least in part,
to his wanting to be "bigger" than someone.

However, just last month, I put on a little "clinic" up here for an equine
vet/chiro/dentist/acupuncturist.  I live in a very rural area and we only
have the traditional "country" vets locally.  I thought that out of our 5
horses, he and our young QH would be the best--they were the worst.  Their
backs were so painful that that struck out at the vet, and Andy (my little
guy) needed some mild dental work for sharp points, too.

Okay, all that said and done, I got him out of the corral a couple days
later, handwalking him with a crop to bonk him in the chest if he got too
close.  He got too close twice, got bonked twice--and amazingly backed up
WITH his ears forward!  No attitude.  Third time I stopped, he
automatically took a step backwards.  This has continued for over a month
now and he's getting better about everything!  Today the farrier was here
and for the first time, he let him hold his feet without a fight!

My moral to the story is to have your mare checked out.  Andy's pain was
obviously significant--maybe that's her problem too.  And if you've never
seen a good equine chiro at work--its amazing.  However, make sure before
you let them touch your horse, that they don't do "long-lever"
adjustments--those are way too dangerous!

We've done round pen with Andy for several months now--we just don't over
do it and try to keep to basics.  He is still a baby with a short attention
span.

Good luck!

dorothy, elly & andy
taylorsville, ca