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Original poster

What to do when horse plants hooves and refuses to move out of her field - please help!

13 replies

Volume121 · 09/12/2013 19:58

Hi there
My loan horse is normally lovely but every now and again (especially when in season) will plant her hooves and refuse to move out of her field. She is really easy to catch and will let me lead her to the gate, but then she will refuse to leave the field. Today it took me an hour to get her out the field, and I just don't have the time for this as I work full time.

I have tried taking a schooling whip with me and giving her a tap. She also knows she will get fed when she comes in to the yard, but nothing works. She will always eventually move, but sometimes it does take an hour, which then means I don't have time to groom and ride her.

Any tips much appreciated.

OP posts:

Pixel · 09/12/2013 21:10

Is she refusing to leave another horse? If so and you are pushed for time could you get both of them out together and then put the other one back when yours is safely in the yard?

Does she do this with other people? If not perhaps you could ask what they do that is different?

Lovesswimming · 09/12/2013 21:11

Hi volume121. I suggest. Something like an intelligent. Horsemanship Dually head collar. Lots of ground work so she understands it and how. It works when not coming out of the field. Then use it to leave the field and you should get results. Time will be needed to get to that point. It's. Like having a horse who won't load.
I hope you sort it .

Pixel · 09/12/2013 21:20

Ha! I was just going to say that, I was looking for the ! There's a bit at about 3 mins where he teaches a young horse not to plant.

Floralnomad · 09/12/2013 21:25

Our old thoroughbred used to do this to my sister , and we always said it was because she knew that she was scared of her ( with reason) . We found it helped to either turn her in small circles or push her backwards ,no amount of carrying whips or control headcollars worked . As it was there was no way my sister would have attempted to flick her with a stick as she was very likely to have gone berserk ( she was mentally unstable) .It was definitely a case of her knowing she was the boss as she never did it to me but I approached her with a lot more confidence .

Littlebigbum · 09/12/2013 22:30

Yeap I'm with Floral turn her to left small circles just keep her moving. Carrying a whip will turn it in to a battle and you not going to win.

LoveSewingBee · 09/12/2013 22:55

There are a number of natural horsemanship techniques.

How big is the field? If not too big, let her run round for a while (use whip to encourage her to keep cantering, obviously don't hit her). Let her go round both ways. After a little while, turn away from her and walk away (no eye contact), if she has joined up, she will just follow you. If not, keep going for a bit longer. If the field is very big you may need a lunge rein and try the same, but this may take a bit longer. Ideally she is totally free to accept you as her leader.

Lovesswimming · 10/12/2013 00:02

I've done lovesewingbee's method with a pony that was hard to catch. If she wouldn't come I chased her away. It was easy even in a couple of acres to get her to run and to change her direction (though I would have got the others in 1st) after less than 2 mins she would come straight to me when I turned to walk away. But the dually worked better when my lad after 3 years of loading perfectly decided he wasn't going to anymore. Took a couple of weeks of daily loading with it after some work in the school (I've used it with him before when he was younger as well). He was putting his front feet on and then planting badly. Getting him to move his feet, sideways and back and then forward he probably got fed up of the dance!

Mirage · 10/12/2013 20:59

Oh dpony was an old hand at this trick.It once took me 40 minutes to get her out of the field,if I used a lunge whip to encourage her she'd rear.I had a thread on here about it.I found that moving her sideways or circling her did the trick,they can't keep their balance sideways so have no choice but to move their feet and we once circled up a whole field on one of her bad days.She hasn't tried to plant for years now,she knows that if she messes with me she won't win and we have an understanding.

Pixel · 10/12/2013 21:09

I've just thought OP, you aren't facing her and trying to pull her towards you are you? Because they hate that and will just plant more.

Stinkyminkymoo · 11/12/2013 08:02

I recommend Kelly Marks Perfect Manners. Teach her to move her feet, it's easier to control a horse if you can control her feet.

Poke her in the side to get her to move round and as soon as she does, stop, stoke her and start again. I've found this helps with bighorse when he's stubborn. Good luck! :)

Eve · 17/12/2013 22:35

Dually, some training for you on how to use it effectively to apply pressure & release and some stroppy mare for her hormones & to help her seasons.

SlowlorisIncognito · 18/12/2013 18:30

I agree with trying to make her move in any direction, even if it's not forwards, turn her away from you or ask her to back up. Try to anticipate her planting, and turn her or make her back up before hand, so that she learns that walking straight in is the easiest thing to do.

Also, lots of praise when she is being good. Is she generally good to lead otherwise?

Did she do this with her old owners? If so, then ask how they dealt with it.

If it matches up with her seasons, do be aware mares can have hormonal problems, and if you notice other odd behaviour around her seasons, a vet visit may be needed. There are some suplements available which may help with this too.

dopeysheep · 21/12/2013 11:36

No advice just sympathy. I used to have a mare that did this in the summertime, except every now and.then as well as planting her feet she would rear up and strike at my head with a front hoof. Very scary.
Apart from this one issue she was a sweetheart!

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