hi all. I'm new here, I am desperate for help and hiring a trainer right now is out of my financial ability. I am embarassed to be in this predicament but it NEEDS to be remedied. here's the scoop:

I'm no green horsewoman. I've been around horses daily since I was a small child. I trained a bit in high school and then went full time into it during and after college, up until 4 years ago, I've just been messing with just my own horses since. I have started a LOT of colts and dealt with problem horses, showed, you name it. a year and a half ago, I had a baby and I've been kinda spineless since then with goofy horses... not really sure why. luckily, my husband is also an experienced horseman but he tends to be a little tougher on them and hasn't really got the patience for colts.

I have this 2 year old who was injured young and I bought her to be a broodmare (she'll never be sound). she was a doll to deal with and the sweetest horse in the pasture. mid summer she was tangled in some wire and laid her hock open, so I brought her down and doctored her every day--hydrotherapy and penicillin shots. She got to the point with the shots that she would rear up when we got close with that needle--can't blame her, really. so anyways, I put a shank on her nose and when she did it again and I jerked on her, like I've always done. but instead of backing off, she came foreward and started to strike out. She scared the poop out of me so I handed the rope off to my hubby. she did it to him and knocked him down. we went rounds that day but I still think she "won." we quit the shots then and decided to turn her out a few days later since we couldn't do anything with her (she was in a paddock with another mare, so she wasn't all goofy from being in a stall for weeks). we couldn't even lead her to the pasture without her trying to get us. she figured out she can win. not good. we never should have let her out but at the time, we had no choice (we were leaving town for a few days) so I put a catch rope on her and kicked her out with the mares and she's been out ever since. I can walk up and catch her but she's completely different than she was before the injury. now she kinda sucks back and doesn't want to be messed with much.

I need to fix this. ASAP. she's really well bred, gorgeous, with no stupid QH genes, and would make someone a nice broodmare if she can get over this. but I can't keep her OR sell her the way she is in good faith. I'm not even sure I can get her to the roundpen in one piece. I'm thinking of ace-ing her and trying to get her in the trailer so I can get her TO the roundpen... still not sure what to do with her when I get her there. I'm scared of her, and I've NEVER been scared of a horse, especially one on the ground. I'm not above doing anything with this mare that I have to to be dominant again. I appreciate your time and help!!!

sorry this probably isnt the answer you want to hear but as long as you are scared of her, YOU shouldn't be the one to mess with her at all, she will hurt you or make you hurt yourself. If your husband can control his temper and maintain his patience have him start out by getting her up and doing something with her at least every other day. She has lost her trust in humans and needs to be reminded that we are not evil. Grooming, leading, lunging and de-sensatizing excercises are all good. have him always keep her on a lunge line instead of a lead rope (more room). NEVER use a shank on her or a whip. If she rears gently start lunging her untill she associates rearing not with release from pain but with extra work.

If your husband does not have the patience for her, consider giving her to someone who has the time and patience to do so. At least that way her life wont be wasted.

thank you, I TOTALLY agree that I shouldn't handle this mare. It bothers me that I'm so freaked out about her, like I said, I've never been "scared" of a horse before her. I think I need to get over this, with this mare, but someone else needs to tell her what-for first. I think if my hubby can get her to the pen for me, then I can get the upper hand. like you said, slow, quiet, and if she tries something stupid, she gets wore out. I don't care it I'm in there with her all day. just get back to basics. the mare wasn't handled a whole lot before the accident and I think that's half the problem. she was just broke enough to lead around but never really lost a fight and knew to respect people. Will let you know what kind of wreck we have this weekend, when we try to get her in.

One thing you might want to pay more attention to when your working her is body language. Horses always give some type of cue before they do any thing like this. It could be as suttle as them sending a slight "shiver" down the lead line (like my quarter horse does) to pinning you with their eye (like a stallion would to a rival) I have found that when you pay attention to those "little" cues you can usually avoid mishaps. If you do decide to keep her, I suggest starting back at ground zero and have her respect your space.

I do agree with circlekinstructor - if your husband can help with her it would make a world of difference. My Haflinger, Punk, I'll admit it - I wasn't sure if I was going to keep him or send him back to the lady I bought him from. I didn't have the strength or the cunning to handle him at first. My other half took the lead from me and gave him a quick course in respect (walk with me - not eat the grass!) with nothing other than a rope halter and lead line. This did break the ice for all of us. Over time you might possibly be able to handle her but this has to be what you decide. I managed to get over my fear of Punk and he has turned out to be quite the gentleman and loverboy to anyone who will pay attention to him.

Don't despair but the decision of what happens next is yours. Be safe and keep us posted.

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I would suggest a pro trainer just to help you through this before it gets worse and you get hurt or she learns some bad habits that might stick. Hope it all works out!