Re: RC: mare's defensive/aggressive behavior

[flemmerl@rcbhsc.wvu.edu (Flemmer, Linda)]

Sally Spangler wrote:
> still get the pinned ears and the occasional bucking fit
> whether under saddle or not.  Same thing off lead in a round pen for
> practicing gait transitions; after awhile, things smooth out and she quits
> objecting, starts performing in relaxed form, and we quit while it's sweet.

Misty knows that there can only be one alpha mare, and she's trying to
figure out which one of you is it!  I've only had one mare that was that
bad about challenging, years ago.  I found that my body language always
had to say "I'm alpha, and I know it!"  This didn't mean outright
intimidation or aggressively correcting her, but she had to respect my
space & learn which of my gestures were the equivalent of pinning my
ears or turning my hind end towards her.  My old mare was an opportunist
- if you let your guard down, she'd push you again.  I've seen some
poorly handled stallions exhibit similar behavior, but the alpha mares
always seemed the worst.

Make her respect your space.  If other horses in a field behave
inappropriately, watch how their counterparts "correct" them with
expressions and warnings.  You may be able to use some of this type of
communication (from you) on her, too.  Correction needs to be immediate
and appropriate to the level of infraction on her part.  (ie, she
doesn't get to "get away" with anything, even if it is minor, but she
doesn't get punished for showing a grumpy face, either.)

When she is refusng to move out with you on the lead (as you described),
you did well to keep her out there rather than going home like she
asked.  I might have pushed her a little harder by making large walking
circles that "edged out" in the direction that I wanted to go, but it is
hard to say since I wasn't there.

The other thing that I've found helpful in working with a horse who
might not respect my space is a training cane.  I generally choose a
piece of bamboo pole, about 3' long.  (The lower end of a cane fishing
pole is about right.)  If the horse starts to invade my territory, I can
touch or push them with the cane as a reminder that they have stepped
over the boundaries.  (I NEVER hit them with it.  It usually becomes
more of a visual training aid as time goes by.)  If they fail to move up
along side of me, I can reach behind my back to tap their hind quarters
to "move up".  (BTW, all my horses are trained to step forward from a
tap on the hind.  Very handy when you first start training to load in a
trailer.)

In my experience, the would-be alpha mares tend to be good
trail/endurance horses.  They're just a LOT of work at the onset.  She
should become respectful of her alpha (you) without loosing her
independent attitude.  

Good luck with her!  Let me know if you have questions.

Linda Flemmer


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