I have a mare that is in her mid 20’s that I have had for 6 years.  She was a rescue case that I took in and vowed to make her last years healthy and happy.  She’s healthy and happy, but I am having second (and third/fourth etc.) thoughts about her.  She is a joy to watch and cute as a button.  She would have been an awesome cow pony – her roll backs and turns are a sight to see when she is out playing. Her naturally well- balanced trot is amazing – her head is vertical and breaks perfectly at the poll.  When you ask her to back, she backs up like she is on steroids!  She has never been ridden – she was a broodmare.

The problem is that I simply don’t trust her.  You just never know when she is going to strike out at you – and she is lightening fast!   As a result, I am on my guard with her 100% of the time.  Most of the time she is OK to work with.  She loves getting brushed and doing her ‘tricks’.  However, incidents like yesterday really make me question if I should continue.  I was asking her to swing her rump around  (basically turn on the forehand) which she has done many times before - and she did not respond to my ‘ask’.  So I pushed my finger into her (about the same pressure that you would use to ring a doorbell) and she swung toward me and tried to kick me.  My timing for punishment (I use the 1 – 2 second rule) is now finely honed after years of this.  I ‘asked’ again and she performed just fine.

She needs an experienced handler and I just don’t know if I am up to it anymore.  I’m not getting any younger.  She is a pure pasture ornament and nothing more.  Although she has not hurt me yet (knock on wood) it could happen.  I can’t ignore her – that would be cruel. She has to be handled on a regular basis - her feet need constant attention.  The vet sedates her when he works on her - and he always gives her a heavy dose because she can be pretty feisty.  My farrier is also a trainer, so he works through her issues.

That is a brief background of this little pistol.  The thought of putting her down makes me ill (7 years ago I put down my mare I had for 23 years – I STILL cry over that) and I would not send her to a retirement home - actually, they probably would not take her because of her temperament.  On the other hand, I can’t afford to get seriously injured. Any advice or similar experiences?

I think after 6 years you have more than fulfilled your commitment to her. If she is in her mid 20's, her behavior is most likely not going to change. One thing that never should be tolerated is dangerous behavior. (Not that you tolerate it, but at one point someone did!)You stated she also gives the vet and farrier a hard time- people who handle all types of horses all day long. You gave her 6 great years that she probably would not have had otherwise. No horse is worth getting hurt or possibly killed over! All it takes is one hoof hitting the wrong area of your body!

Would you feel worse knowing she was humanely euthanized or knowing that you passed her on to someone else and she hurt them? Just food for thought!

I am suprised at the people that say put her down. Why can't you just pet her over the fence and let her be alone in the pasture. To me it seems odd that you do some things with her as if she was a riding horse but I am sure it is sporadic.

 I would be carrying a buggy whip any time I was with her and if she turned her rear toward me I would smack her quickly. She is the alpha is the only issue I see.

anybody heard of Carbon Footprint.  #1 who in their right mind would want a mid 20 year old mean streak mare with "no usefulness whatsoever" ok a nice farmer is going to make money off of selling feed I say use it on a weanling or yearling project horse that some day will be usefull...and I agree with the post that questioned why you were asking anything of her?? but I am guessing you like to work with horses, that is wonderfull so find something that is worthy of your time.  If you could find the one in tenhundredmillion person to take her in... if she hurt them how would you feel?  We put people down in this country.... and they aren't given any rehabilitation at all,,,prison is the worst institution they take state money and don't spend any of it on rehab just make it look like it on paper...don't get me started on that subject.

Thanks everyone for your input.   The thought of putting her down is difficult.  Especially since she is the first one to come running to the fence when I come home and she is quite vocal when she sees me approaching her when I am out doing chores.

calamityj – I wish it were that easy.  There aren’t even enough experienced horse people to take in the healthy horses with no issues.  Thousands of sane, healthy, young horses go to slaughter every year already. 

This horse has many other issues that I am well qualified and happy to deal with.  I would rate her temperament at around an 8.  She is blind in one eye.  While in the holding area before I got her, she nearly killed a goat (her ‘companion’) and broke a guy’s leg.  Both of these were because they approached her on her blind side without letting her know they were there.  I would not want her to be in a home with kids or dogs as she could easily hurt/kill them if they approach her incorrectly.  She should not be put out to pasture with other horses – for her safety and theirs.  She could kick them and injure them if she does not know they are approaching or they could be going after her on her blind side and hurt her because she would not know to get out of the way. Her blind side had quite a few chunks taken out of it when I got her.   She is at the very bottom of the pecking order and would not get enough to eat unless she was taken in for several hours a day to eat alone.  She needs expensive senior feed to maintain her weight.  She is a VERY slow eater.  I have the facility, the patience, the time, a little extra money and the desire to deal with all of these things.  Everything but her seemingly irrational striking and kicking (I'm sure she knows why).  She was the reject of the bunch when I got her – nobody wanted her then and nobody wants her now – I have tried.

laurie –It would be very irresponsible of me just to ‘pet her over the fence and let her be alone’.  She needs to be wormed, get checked by the vet, have her feet done daily (she has hoof issues), get her eye medication daily and overall general care.  This horse is the farthest thing from an alpha mare that I have ever seen. Carrying a whip around her would not work.  In addition to being severely starved (body score 1) she was severely beaten before I got her and just the sight of a whip sends her into cold sweats – and running away.

GRNMCHNEDAZE – I can relate to your wife – I have the mane/tail hair from my other mare as well and I still have not made the fly swisher out of it because it is just too difficult to look at.    I love messing with project horses.  When this mare is gone, I will get another one.  I have another horse (my daily ride) and I want him to have a companion.  You’re right, there are lots of people looking for companion animals, but they do not want to have to spend the time with her daily feet/eye care. Even the sanctuary that specializes in blind horses does not want a horse with a temperament of 8. And the last thing I would want would be for her final ride to be on a double decker headed to Mexico or Canada.

I’m such a softie. This mare had such a hard life and I wanted to make her last years really good ones.  You’re right rose – it’s my decision in the end.  I was hoping that someone had a suggestion or knew of a place that I wasn’t aware of.  When I put down my other mare, it was after a long and difficult surgery and she let me know it was time to let her go. (OK, I’m crying as I type this).    This little mare, on the other hand, is so full of life and energy – she bounces around the pasture like a 2 yr old.  She's not ready to go anywhere yet!

When I said pet her over the fence I didn't intend for it to sound like with hold vet and farrier care. I got the impression that the vet drugged her and did what needed to be done which does not have anything to do with you messing with her every day. I also thought you said that the farrier was experienced with her and didn't have too much of a problem. She may be far from an alpha mare with the pasture horses but it sounds like she is the alpha mare over you. If you were the alpha she in no way would strike or kick at you. As someone else suggested maybe something like quietex would take the edge off and she would be more managable.

I agree cutter99, I also think she reacts defensively from fear, but from being beaten, not from being blind.  I worked with a couple of other trainers: one who specialized in breaking ‘mature’ mustangs from the BLM and one who specialized in abused horses.  She exhibited the same behavior with them.  It is as if she is having flashbacks from the beatings.  She actually handles her limited vision quite well.  Interestingly, she was part of a huge animal hoarder seizure (50+ horses) and the woman who owned her fought like crazy not to give up her starving horses.  No one wanted to adopt her because, as was pointed out earlier, she was an aged, half blind, barely broke mare.  I had agreed to take her prior to her kicking the goat and the guy.

I have tried herbal and medical remedies.  She does get calmer, but she will still strike out sometimes when I am working with her.  No more and no less then when she is not drugged up.

Yes laurie, I am the ‘alpha’ mare, not her.  She does it with everyone.

Farmbabe makes sense to me.