# Need advice on my tb mare! on the verge of giving up:(



## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Your horse will be thinking about rearing pretty soon, if you don't get this taken care of. She needs to be taught to go forward off the leg, but you'll need to back to a lot of basics, and work with consideration that she may have come off the track recently, or never really been retrained as a riding horse. This is pure speculation on my part, but if true, then you need to look at getting some help teaching this horse, and you , to be good riding partners.


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## Misty'sGirl (Oct 22, 2007)

Might be worth getting a trainer to work with you both. What is your experience like, especially with OTTBs?


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

I think there could be a few things going on here.

Girth is too tight
She doesn't have enough topline is comfortably hold a saddle
You are somehow blocking her forward movement
She got away with balking once so she continues.

I think pictures and trainer is in order.

EDIT: Also if you are trying to get weight on her..and conditioning her.. I'm pretty sure you should wait until she's at a good weight level before you work her.


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## TBforever (Jan 26, 2013)

maybe you could start from the ground up?, horse may not have trust in you, being a rescue horse i doubt carrys any trust in humans

you may need to get her teeth done, and a chiro, before riding


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Or she has plans to not get too far from the barn.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

TB's have a totally different life in training to the sort of life we want to give them as riding horses. On a busy yard there's no time for messing with them, they have to do as they're told 'or else'
A lot of them are never broke in the same way as a normal riding horse, they are likely never ridden out other than in a string tucked behind the 'guvnors horse' and the same goes for on the track
You have a horse that possibly doesn't understand your cues and has never been out on its own
Most OTTB rehabilitation places will tell you to treat them like an unbroken horse and advance as slowly as it takes - some will learn fast others not so much.
If you have no experience of groundwork and lunging then my best advice is to find a trainer who's willing to work with you and the horse together.


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## Salisbury Farms (Jun 22, 2013)

It is wonderful what you have done for this horse already. Sounds like finding a trainer with good credentials and a lot of
experience would be a good next step. Look for someone who has a track record of helping produce good horses and riders, not every trainer can help you teach your mare to think differently about this. In the right hands this shouldn't be too stressful or time consuming. Good Luck!


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## Becca93 (Jan 22, 2009)

I agree with the posts above - I think you should go back a few steps before starting on riding again. Work on groundwork, any trust issues, work on getting her weight and conditioning up to an acceptable level, and possibly bring in a trainer. I wouldn't want either of you to get hurt.


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## Reckyroo (Feb 5, 2013)

_We also have a OTTB mare who's 15. She's never been ridden (as far as we can find out) the "normal" way and doesn't respond to leg commands. However, voice commands, she's perfect with. _
_She's not been ridden since last summer as she's been in foal but I asked at a OTTB rescue and they said that jockeys don't use their legs when riding and she'll be confused if you try to use them. I'm currently taking lessons as i've been out of the saddle for a long time, but when i'm ready to get back on her, we'll be going slowly and starting again from scratch - using both the voice commands and leg at the same time - and also having sessions with a trainer._
_I'm not using her to show etc so time isn't an issue so it doesn't matter if this takes us years lol, but i suspect this is the problem. Again, she's had my son on her (he's 21) and she's fine with him "asking" her what to do (she's an absolute dream to lunge) but the confusion sets in when the legs are used. Another suggestion that was made was to ride her without any leg but i'd rather retrain - no matter how slowly we progress._
_We've always said that if we did dressage, she'd win every time - use your leg and she'll go sideways, backwards, back in a circle lol - anything but go forward............_
_Congrats and I hope you can stick with it - she's got a far better life with you now  xx_


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

She's used to being ponied. Can you get another rider to ride beside you on your left to help your mare under stand a touch of the leg means to move forward.


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