I've only owned her for the past 7 weeks. However, I have spent time with her over the past year at the horse rescue (only grooming). I like the idea of just whistling to her, but there are 15 other horses there and it's a pasture that's over 12 acres big. She is often all the way out, at the bottom of a huge hill so it actually takes me a few minutes to walk down there before I can even see her.
I agree, I don't think she sees me as leader yet. I have been trying to stop by there almost every day and yesterday when I went I purposely left the halter and lead rope behind. She'll let me approach her and pet her, but she'll turn and walk away if she thinks I'm trying to catch her. I'm afraid she's becoming pasture sour (not wanting to leave the herd) or that she doesn't feel secure enough with me yet to leave the safety she feels from the herd.
She's not aggressive, just resistant at times. However, I know I need to rectify these little issues before they become big issues.
Any insite is appreciated. Thank you!
On the right track by: Melinda
You mentioned that you walked up to her, without the halter and lead rope and she let you catch her. That is probably the key. You should do this for at least 3 days in a row. Go out and just spend time with her and don't try to catch her. Just let her enjoy being with you. You also mentioned in your original question that she had been kept in a stall for quite sometime. I'm sure that has a lot to do with it also. She is probably so happy to be out of that stall, she is afraid she may have to go back. She probably is also getting a little to attached to the herd situation also. If she has been kept alone in a stall for some time, she is happy to be in a herd now and she doesn't want to leave the safety of the herd.
Let me know how it goes.
Thank You! by: Dee
Hi Melinda,
Thank you for your feedback. I think you nailed it.....regarding your statement on her being afraid of going back into a stall. I feel so dumb that I did not even think of that. It makes a lot of sense though because I bring her out from the pasture and walk her across to the main barn where I groom her and tack her up. The reason I go there is because I use that barn's cross ties, as we don't have them set up in the pasture barn area. That barn is full of stalled horses, whom nicker back and forth to her.
The past week I have been focusing on just hanging out with her and not riding. I visited her yesterday and she was good about me walking over to her, but I still need to work with her a lot on basic groundwork.
I will take your advice and not try and catch her over the next few days. Instead I will focus on just being with her. I notice that things seem better if I pet her for a minute or so and then retreat, going off and petting one of the other pasture horses, and then going back to her again. I want her to know that I care, but that I also respect her space.
