Lady is a jealous mare!

I rode Rocky not long ago, and then put him in the crossties to clean his hooves. He's my 9 year old TWH/SSH gelding. And I was loving on him and we were sort of nosing each other, when my husband warned me that Lady was having a jealous fit! Here I was, loving on Rocky right in front of Lady's stall and she was watching. Poor girl! Lady is very loving but also very demanding and very possessive, so my loving on Rocky just didn't set right. Yes, she was visibly upset, so I had to go and pet on her and give her a mint to make things better. Next day, I rode Lady, and she was a perfect angel in every way. At least she usually doesn't hold grudges.

This situation needs a solution!

I've decided that Lady's fear of machinery and big trucks needs to be dealt with rather than ignored. Previously, Cynthia Medina worked with her fears of a four wheeler, and it was a small miracle in my estimation, as I watched Cindy ride her down the driveway beside the four wheeler within 15 minutes! A few days ago, my dear husband took Lady out to eat some grass, while I was talking to a couple friends on the other side of the barn. I saw the big combine go by, and I told my friends I was glad I hadn't gotten her out yet for grass, because it could have been a disaster! I didn't realize that he had already taken her out and they were near the road when it came by, and she spooked and ran! He tried to hold on (big mistake) and got rope burns and a blistered finger. He did let go then, and she ran out to her paddock, dragging her lead rope. Lady is so good in many ways...she is very intelligent and loving, but her alpha nature and her fears can take over in a split second! HOW do you get a strong alpha mare to get over her fears? It's only when some big tractor, or combine or dump truck comes toward her...and I know that would scare almost any horse...but is there some way to get her to not react so suddenly and violently? Once before, when she spooked at a big tractor on the road, I was standing beside her and I held her halter and looked her directly in the eye, talking to her, and she stood still. So I think she might trust me if I could keep her attention on me, but that just doesn't always happen that way! So...people out there...anyone with any ideas...PLEASE SHARE!

Mare wins Breeders' Cup Classic!

Well, I just have to call attention to the winner of this big race on Saturday, November 7, 2009. It was a MARE...the only female in the race! Just another proof for the belief that mares will try harder and give you everything they've got! Her name is Zenyatta, but I heard they are calling her "She-biscuit."

Loved by Mares

OK, you mare owners and lovers....share something about HOW your mare shows her love for YOU! The photo above, of Lady and me shows how she gives me her hug by wrapping her neck around me. She usually does it when I remove her halter to put her bridle on. She doesn't avoid the bridle but has to give me a hug for a minute first! I wonder if she just wants to reaffirm our bond before I ride!

Introducing my Lady

Hello, Betsy here....my first post on my new blog. You can check out my website, and about me at the left of this page. But let's start with Lady, a Tennessee Walking Horse mare. Her registered name is Walker's Velvet Queen, and she is black and beautiful! Her coat actually looks like velvet. She is short and stout, and 14.1 at the withers and more like 14.3 at the rump! She was born in Iowa, in September, just like me! Her birthday is the 13th and mine is the 27th. She had a nice consistent fox trot gait until this spring. For some unknown reason, she started working with a nice slow running walk, and I encouraged it and enjoyed it....and now she only does the running walk almost all the time, no matter how fast she is moving!
My husband purchased her at a horse sale, just because she cuddled her nose into his arm and he fell for it and bought her on the spot! That was before he realized she has a very alpha nature. So I tried to "fix it" and learned you can't fix alpha, just like you can't fix "MARE!"
I'll talk more about Lady...and I'd like to hear about YOUR mares, too! Come on, join in and let's explore this World of Mares!