If you have had her vet checked and there are no problems. Than you do have a horse with nasty habits. If you are not experianced to deal with them you might think of selling her and buying a good horse, there are to many good horses out there. If you don't want to sell her, I would carry a big stick.

Thanks for the advice Bobmc. A good whoopin is what we all need to get us in order, right? :) heehee Yes, I agree she needs to know who is boss, and I need to establish that. Aside from this new mare, I had the same horse for 26 years, and she was sweet and kind. Although I had to train her over the years (she was 2 when I got her), she had kind eyes and was very gentle. I guess I am inexperienced when it comes to these rearing/biting behaviors of my new mare as I've never had to deal with it. I told myself I'd never own a horse that tried to bite me, but now I have one! I'm not going to just "throw her away", and feel it's my responsibility to work it out of her. I'll work on some of the advice given to me in this disussion forum, and let you all know how she is doing in a couple of weeks!

She was better 1.5 years ago, which is why I believe I'm a big part of the problem in not spending enough time working with her. She trotted and loaped (although it was uncomfortable for me, and she didn't seem thrilled) when I was trying her out, but she had very little reining abilities. I've recently switched bits and she has improved a lot in her understanding of turning. Now that I've started in working with her again, I've seen these changes of rearing/biting. She loves to be groomed, and I can halter her and bridle her easliy. Her overall demeanor, though, is one I haven't fully trusted. If she's spunky and racing around the pasture, I dare not be in the pasture as she run up and kick right near me. Also, she doesn't respect my space when near me, so will push her body into me if she wants more scratching under stomach, etc. Also in walking near me, she isn't giving me the space I need. I wouldn't say she has a soft eye, but then she has her moments and is kind. She is a very dominant mare (which the other owner told me about) and really pushes her way around the pasture. If she sees my dog, and is feeling cranky or mad, she'll go after my dog with ears flat (especially if I'm on her back - she takes her anger out at my dog). She walks good on the lead, but when I tried to get her to trot next to me, when my 9 year old son was on her, she tried to bite at my hands, with ears back, because she didn't want to trot. I can see her behavior before she is about to bite/rear - all of the body language you described (ears back, tail swishing, and sometimes stomping her feet). So, I'm prepared before it happens, and I try to catch her with a firm "NO". As I set the saddle on her, when she's in the barn, she turns her head very quickly to bite at me. I tell her no, and hold the halter - then she just uses her mouth/teeth and sort of bites out at the air as if she is just frustrated and wants to get it out. She cocks her head and just chews at nothing, like she is dying to bite something. If the wood rail is there, she bite on the rail. This is all before anything has been cinched or any pressure put on her. She is preparing that the saddle will get cinched and I will get on. It's her way of saying she doeesn't like me or the saddle on her. That, of course, makes me feel like a schmuck, because I really want her to enjoy the ride! One of the reasons I bought her is she was related to my mare whom I had for 26 years and had to be put down. This was a big loss for me as I'd had her for so many years, and I was happy that I found my mare's "niece" who happened to be for sale. Her personality is a far cry from my mare, and that's a lesson not to buy a horse based on emotion! But, she's mine now, and I want to work this out of her and create a kindness to her soul.

You have a problem... everyone has a tidbit for a solution.. it is evident that you are not experienced enough to handle this mare... this horse will hurt you... a horse that rears is the most dangerous there is.. you need to find some cowboy that rides every day or a pen rider.. or spend money on a good horse trainer... not a whisper... that will cure the problem.. my experience has been... once you have a horse with this attitude.. whether its her/his problem or a man caused problem.. you can send her to anyone you want for a month or so.. and once you get the horse back home.... it will have the same attitude as it had when it left, with in a day or so... as you have to change your methods and not be so soft.. in other words put the spurs on and some long reins and whup on her when she needs it.. if this is not done... just get rid of her and start with a good one before you have hospital bills to pay.. it sounds like she is very spoiled.. just my opinon.. you might think its a hard opinion, but its the safe one for you..

How was she 1.5 yrs ago? Listen, horses can't talk but they sure can use body language to tell us what they are trying to say. Sounds like your horse is literally screaming at you to get her point across. But horses being horses I suspect she is offering you all kinds of other signs prior to biting AT you and rearing. How is she to groom? Does she stand quietly while you groom her, head low, soft eye, relaxed? Or is she reactive there? How is she to lead? Does she lead up freely? Can you get her to trot beside you on the lead rope? How is she in the Round Pen? Does she listen to YOUR body language, can you get her to walk trot lope easily around you without her resisting? I would get the "GO" cleared up on the ground and then I would look closely at saddle fit. Does your saddle allow for freedom of movement at the shoulders, does it lay nicely across her back without bridging (putting pressure at the front and back of the saddle)? I think the nipping out AT you is probably more about the proximity of the other horse. But as far as nipping goes, she is just trying to get you out of her space. What does one horse do to another one when they want them to move? Well they don't just nip, they do other things first. And that is what I would be looking at with this mare. You need to be aware of what happens before what happens happen as Ray Hunt use to say. You need to block THE THOUGHT of nipping not the nipping. Watch for ear pinning, tension around her nostrils, tail swishing. You can make a loud noise, you can slap your leg, you can stomp your foot and block her thought. When she has that nipping thought interrupted by you, then you can say thank you I just want your attention. I suspect these feelings that cause the nipping are the same feelings that cause her not to go forward. Nothing runs unmingled! Like the others said, you do want to address the physical first but if everything looks good especially saddle fit. Then I would be working to get things cleared up on the ground. Get her calm responsive and listening. Can you walk beside her on the ground right at her side and tap her on the back with the flat of your hand and ask her to go forward next to you, you being in the position near where you would be if you were on her back. Not leading her but sending her? She doesn't feel right on the inside and she is trying to tell you the only way she knows how. It probably worked for her in the past. Best, Kathy

Good suggestions from you both - I didn't train my dog with treats, but just praise, so should apply the same principles to my horse. I have only just started using carrot pieces, so she is far from conditioned. I did stop and let her "rest" after she gave me the trot without the rear, then handed her a treat. I'll elimate the treat and just let her stop and "rest" for a bit as her reward. When it cools down I'll take her out in the arena and try some of the earlier suggestions. Thanks for everyone's input - nice to have some friendly, helpful horse folks out there!!

totally agree with rancher----treats are neat but i have found they fuel agression in a horse already wanting to test the limit. ----i have come to finally understand what a been there done that horseman meant yrs ago-----"reward is rest--the horse and me---the horse gets to rest and i rest-- my eyes, my posture, my activity all ceases so as to give the horse a moment of total rest--rest from pressure. punishment is push--i push the horse here and there; move him until he seeks and earns his reward/rest!!!" after finally taking the time to look and study the methods presented by some of our "current clinicians" i see that same philosophy presented sometimes as if it were a new revelation. when someone credits ray hunt or shorty freeman among others then i know they absorbed it from the masters.

When did the problems start? Do you recall any event preceeding them, either physical or maybe some other activity with you or another horse? Most times this is something related to discomfort but could be an aggresive horse. If you have ruled out pain and you have a round pen or some other way to lung her, do so at the first sign of aggression. Do that rather than the treat. I big reward to a horse is simply letting them stand quietly for a couple of minutes after they do something good. The treat may get the reverse reaction than you are looking for. Most of all, be careful.

Thanks for the sound advice! I did notice that the woman I bought her from was very loud and voicy with her, commands seemed sharp, and used methods that I didn't necessarily agree with. I tend to be on the gentle side, but I am thinking she might need to know who is boss. I've been carrying carrot pieces and giving her one as soon as she responds in the positve way and give he lots of praise (don't want to always do this, but think it can help reinforce what I want). I will try the saddling/unsaddling with no riding. I'll also try working her a little in the arena with the saddle on the lunge line. If I ask for a trot and she trots without rearing... well that will be interesting. I didn't notice these bahaviors when I purchased her (except the nipping over the stall fence). I'm thinking it's because she just hasn't been worked with much since I've owned her. I've spend almost a year working with my other horse nursing him back to health (he got Potomac Horse Fever, then severe laminits, and bone rotation in his feet - he is able to walk now, but it's been a long road). Soooo, during all that time I admittingly spent time in his stall and not in her stall!

horses can sprain or twist just goofing off running and bucking, or even a fall could have happened----so what may have appeared for no reason is the result of something we just did not see happen---ask anyone who has experienced the hit-in-the-gut feeling you get when you go out to the corral and see your 4 legged partner standing on 3 legs..........and looking at you with a goofy "oops" look all over their face!!!!!!!!!! "She will also nip out at me across the stall when I'm with my other horse" if an exam rules out pain----esp. since she tries to dominate you with threats when you are not saddling her---it may be time to reestablish just who is alpha here!!!! was she broke to ride when you purchased her??? she may have been nippy before and her rider's response may have been a straight jerk on her mouth causing her to rear and it became a learned sequence of trying to get her way. i would definitly rule out (with an equine chiropractor---not saying the vet did not do his job but i have seen chiropractors find what others have missed) pain before i leaned on her too much. you just might want to try a good massage and stretch, lots of flexing and submitting to you and making being saddled a really good thing----not always getting on her but perhaps working her under saddle on the lunge and observing her. the very best of luck with her and stay safe!!!!!!!!!!!