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Posted on Saturday, Apr 20, 2002 - 1:47 am:

I have a mare that is wonderful to work with when under halter or saddle, but when she is lose with the rest of the horses or when tied and other horses get near her she is one "kicking fool." What advice to get her to stop this and be a plesant horse. She kicks so hard she will hurt the other horses. She is with a number of other horses and they are all afraid of her.

Posted on Saturday, Apr 20, 2002 - 2:17 pm:

Hello Harvey,
I don't know anything you can do to stop this and this type behavior is common when the population in a horse herd is disturbed. They usually work it out shortly and you hope no one is seriously hurt while this goes on. You might try pulling her out and placing her is an adjacent pasture for a period and perhaps after she has become use to others she may settle down but remember with horses it usually takes two to make a fight. If the others were afraid she would probably not feel the need to kick anyone.

If she really is in there chasing them down just to kick them, she may not be suitable to be pastured with other horses.
DrO

Posted on Saturday, Apr 20, 2002 - 7:13 pm:

I am afraid that you are right and that there is nothing that can be done to her. I have kept her alone, and tied up around them, over the fence and together, but if any horse gets near her, wham. She starts it. She is the king, or queen of the herd. Unfortunately she does hurt the other horses, they are very calm and socially getting along and here she comes. I brought her from quite a ways away and she was separate there, so evidently I didn't know the problem and this is her unplesant nature. If she was a lone horse by herself, she would be okay but with other horses she is just not acceptable, unless I guess if someone had one that could put her in her place. I had thought about putting 4 way hobbles on her so she can't kick but that doesn't seem the answer. She needs to learn, in my opinion, that not every animal is going to kick her. I am sure she is defensive about something in the past, making her wanting to show that she can't be hurt and if so, she will fight back. I really don't want to sell her to someone else cause their horse would come out hurt. It is a tough problem. Harvey

Posted on Sunday, Apr 21, 2002 - 9:43 am:

Harvey,
Interesting you should bring this up. I wrote this for another list a while back for some one who was having the same problem. We adress herd issues here often as there are constant herd changes at our ranch.
This is a tried and true method but one you should not undertake unless you are confident in your abilities.
I also suggest that if the mare is shod, you remove her shoes for the safety of the other horses. You also may have to replay this scenario several times in the following weeks to see results that last.
Grouchy Mare, herd etiquette...(long)
I have multiple horses (6 to 10 at a time) in pasture and there are always "herd" issues.
I have a 17-year-old alpha herd mare who kicks with the accuracy of a first string socker player along with a 13-yr. old "top" gelding(morgan). This causes major problems when introducing new members into the herd. I think many times we forget that horses "herd" for protection and companionship. We have a tendency to treat them as individuals and not as a group.
When the pasture hierarchy is changed at my place we put the herd together into a "light stress" situation to get them to bond as a group and to respect me, or my husband as the "alpha".
This is best done in a round pen or smaller corral. Take 2 to 4 of the horses at a time into the pen (what ever you are comfortable with). You must be in control and assertive and at times aggressive. Start them moving immediately, do not allow for milling, snorting or posturing. Once the group is circling watch them as they jockey for position. They will establish this as to their standing in the herd. Do not allow them to stop until YOU want them to. The minute you see aggressive action on the part of your alpha mare or other horse, use your body english to remove the focus of your mare from the other horses and put the focus on yourself....
Step forward, wave your arms, growl, be noisy, be loud, what ever it takes... Make sure that she knows your displeasure at her actions.
YOU are alpha horse.(I generaly pack a rope to reach out and keep them moving). Make them watch you, they will develop interdependency on each other and become a herd. Usually after a few minutes of working them, some turns and allowing for some stops as a group you will find that the group will stop and face you looking for direction. Most of the kicking, biting and snorting will cease. I never work like this for more than five to ten minutes at the most and then only once a month or so, just as a reminder to them that they can work together.
Always exercise extreme caution however when using this exercise. Once you become part of the herd you place yourself in the position of having to defend your alpha status. Be tough but forgiving. Remember you are not requesting that they fear you, only that they respect you and each other.
I have yet to see this fail as a corrective measure for "herd" problems as it is natural for horses to depend on each other, but sometimes we forget to allow them to do so.
Your mare is searching for her place in the herd... her behavior is normal, she just needs to be challenged for dominance and you are the only one who can put her in her place.
Hope this might be of help. And as always... this is just my .02 cents worth and humble opinion etc....
Kate Howe
246 Ranch
California

Posted on Monday, Apr 22, 2002 - 12:43 am:

Thanks Kate, I have facilities that I can do this. I certainly will try it. It is worth the try and just might work. When I am with her and she starts to act agressive if I speak sharply she will generally back off. She knows I am boss. She has been round penned and when we first got her was very hard to catch etc. Now she is easy, comes to you etc. Will let you know how it works. Harvey

Posted on Monday, Apr 22, 2002 - 6:26 am:

Please let us all know how this works this is a fascinatating idea.
DrO
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