Leading my horse.

[SarahAndLola]

Hi, When I go to bring my horse out of the field she stops and will not move no matter how hard I pull her. I have to change direction with her every few steps to keep her moving. Sometimes she won't even move when I change direction. She also does this when I am gonna bring her into the arena or into a stall. I was wondering why she does this and how I can fix it?

[Expert_LizPitman]

Hi SarahandLola,

Sorry to jump into a question for John but I think your problem here may be related to the question you asked me. If your horse is unhappy in her work, it is highly likely that she's starting to associate coming in with something she doesn't like or that causes her discomfort. Remember, she has no way of knowing whether she is being brought in for work or just to be put in her stable. In her mind, being brought in equals the possibility of that work that upsets her so to avoid the one she's trying not to do the other.

To my mind, then, you have to address the reason she's reluctant to come in first. Unless you address the cause of a problem, the problem itself cannot ever fully go away. You may be able to get a reluctant agreement to cooperate, but never a willing one.

I appreciate that all these things cost money, but I'd first of all get a physio out to have her fully checked over, and her tack checked, and I'd then get someone like John or myself to assess her, see how you are working together, identify the areas that need work, and come up with a plan to get you on track. You can find a list of the IH Recommended Associates on the Intelligent Horsemanship website under Horse Help. The alternative, as far as I can see, is that you will continue to struggle with an unhappy horse, and that's no fun for either of you.

Liz

[SarahAndLola]

Thanks that is what I thought it might be especially since she does it while going to the arena. The vet should be coming to see her in the next few days and I just hope he checks her over properly. He is a very laid back vet and would probably not check over her right but I will try and make sure he does. But he is our vet we use for the dogs and he is a lot cheaper than most vets as he is retired but will still make calls to people he already works with.

[Expert_LizPitman]

Hi Sarah,

I'm glad you're getting a vet out. I would, though, urge you to go straight for a good equine vet or equine physio. Even they miss things so I'm not sure how confident I'd be with a non-equine vet. I know you're trying to keep this from spiralling financially but in my experience this is a corner not worth cutting. It's a bit like buying a pair of flip flops instead of wellies at this time of year. They're both footwear and the flip flops will be cheaper. However, if you need something to keep your feet dry and warm, you might as well have saved your money. Maybe don't tell your vet he's been compared to a flip flop on a winter's day...

Liz