Franklin Levinson's
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Horse nickering??
Hello, I hope you can help me with this one
I bought an eight year old paint mare eight months ago. She has been very
unpredictable. She has squealed at the farrier, kicked and reared for shots from the
vet (not directed at us but trying to get the needle off of her). She was owned
prviously by people who let her get away with a lot of behaviors and didn't ask much
from her, they had her for 3 years.
I am doing some Parelli natural horse training with her and her manners are
improving. Because she has been so explosive on occasion, I am a little weary of her
reactions. When I am working with her on the ground, she talks to me constantly. It
is a very nice (hello, are we done, do you have breakfast) kind of nicker. But
because of her actions on occasion, it makes me a bit nervous. When she first did it
to me, I was standing near her side and was pulling her head back to me, stretching.
She does this very well on one side. I was on her good side when she reached way back
to me and gave me a very nice nicker. I have not raised horses but it sounded like a
nicker to a pony. I love the sound because it is always just a hello from my other
horses, but with her, I don't want her to think I am another horse because she is
just talking way to much! Any ideas?
Thank you! Nancy
Hi Nancy,
Please give me a few more details. You say she is "explosive on occasion". Is this
just when the ferrier or vet is there? Also, most horses guard their right or 'off'
side as they have not been trained to be handled on that side. Their 'good' side is
generally the left or 'near' side. The way to balance them out is to begin to handle
them mainly on the right side for a while. This includes leading and saddling from
that side and mounting and dismounting from that right side as well. It shouldn't
take more than a few weeks for the horse to get much better on the off side. If she
is 'explosive' about the ferrier or the vet only, that can be fairly easily fixed. If
she is generally nervous and explosive, that is different and may require a bit more
in the way of bombproofing. Please let me know and thanks for your
question.
Sincerely, Franklin