New 2 year old filly - agressive or scared?

[epignosisjs]

Received a filly from my husband Saturday. The first couple of days she was fine. She enjoyed attention, allowed me to comb her mane and tail, and she allowed me to clean her hooves. She followed well when led.
Yesterday during her breakfast, my pup was sniffing around on the ground near her feed bucket. She charged right through the bucket and tried to trample him, nearly kicking me in the head in the process (I was reaching down to grab the pup's collar to take him away). They had met each other the day before and touched noses sniffing at each other. He was not moving about quickly or barking at her, he wasn't even looking at her.
Since then she has gotten more aggressive with me - ears pinned back, avoiding being petted, pawing at the ground and crowding me when I get near her. This morning she even tried to kick me. I went back to her after a bit. She charged at me and then bucked when she realized that she couldn't reach me.
I haven't hit her. The only time I have even raised my voice around her was when I was yelling for the pup to get away from her while she was trying to trample him.
The rescue org told me that the previous owner was unable to handle her. The final straw was when the horse kicked the owner when she went into the stall.
I realize she's getting used to her new home. Her past behavior would indicate aggression issues. How can I obtain dominance in this relationship if I can't get close to her without getting kicked? I don't have a great deal of experience with horses.
Please help!

 

[secuono]

Can you round pen her? Work her each time she freaks until she gets it that there's no peace w/o her being peaceful.

 

[epignosisjs]

That would be great, but not possible just yet. Hubby just got back to work and we are building a house. As soon as I can get the materials I could put one up.

 

[secuono]

What about long lunging?
Does she go after you when leading her?

 

[goodhors]

Please be VERY CAREFUL with this horse. She seems to think that she has moved
to Alpha horse and YOU need to be put in your place!! She is dangerous at this point,
you have no real control and she is willing to fight to stay Alpha.

How much horse experience do you have? Have you ever "brought up" a young horse,
going thru the stages of development with them? It can be VERY DIFFICULT with even
a nice horse that gets "delusions of self-importance" as it grows. Trying to be the
dominant animal in a herd is part of instinct, because dominant gets the best food and
survives best. Humans are not made to be playmates with equines, too squishy.

And sorry to say this, but horse may need a couple thumps, to SHOW her that you
MEAN BUSINESS. Horses in a herd kick and bite to enforce their dominance. One
kick from the head horse is a LOT LESS severe than what you can do to the young mare.

Sounds like she is more obnoxious than scared from stuff in her past. You need to do
something pretty quick, to regain control of this horse. The longer it goes on, the harder
it will be to get her under control again. You will probably need professional help, because
it doesn't sound like you have any experience with this kind of behaviour.

If you can't get this issue taken care of very soon, I would call the Rescue folks and return
this horse for another that you can manage. Better to get rid of her than get yourself
SERIOUSLY hurt. Horse is playing for keeps, WILL HURT YOU. Her issues should not
be a burden to you, and dealing with them is going to take some firm handling. This is NOT
a fiction story, horse PROBABLY won't come around without special handling, and may
NEVER be suitable for anyone below the professional level owner. Some animals need to
be owned by skilled riders and handlers, so they don't hurt people.

Sorry, she sounds like way too much for you at this point. Call the Rescue folks and talk
to them about the problems now showing. I REALLY would not advise keeping her if you
are not a skilled horse handler, which does not seem to be the case from your description
of events as they escalated.

 

[epignosisjs]

Please be VERY CAREFUL with this horse. She seems to think that she has moved
to Alpha horse and YOU need to be put in your place!! She is dangerous at this point,
you have no real control and she is willing to fight to stay Alpha.

How much horse experience do you have? Have you ever "brought up" a young horse,
going thru the stages of development with them? It can be VERY DIFFICULT with even
a nice horse that gets "delusions of self-importance" as it grows. Trying to be the
dominant animal in a herd is part of instinct, because dominant gets the best food and
survives best. Humans are not made to be playmates with equines, too squishy.

And sorry to say this, but horse may need a couple thumps, to SHOW her that you
MEAN BUSINESS. Horses in a herd kick and bite to enforce their dominance. One
kick from the head horse is a LOT LESS severe than what you can do to the young mare.

Sounds like she is more obnoxious than scared from stuff in her past. You need to do
something pretty quick, to regain control of this horse. The longer it goes on, the harder
it will be to get her under control again. You will probably need professional help, because
it doesn't sound like you have any experience with this kind of behaviour.

If you can't get this issue taken care of very soon, I would call the Rescue folks and return
this horse for another that you can manage. Better to get rid of her than get yourself
SERIOUSLY hurt. Horse is playing for keeps, WILL HURT YOU. Her issues should not
be a burden to you, and dealing with them is going to take some firm handling. This is NOT
a fiction story, horse PROBABLY won't come around without special handling, and may
NEVER be suitable for anyone below the professional level owner. Some animals need to
be owned by skilled riders and handlers, so they don't hurt people.

Sorry, she sounds like way too much for you at this point. Call the Rescue folks and talk
to them about the problems now showing. I REALLY would not advise keeping her if you
are not a skilled horse handler, which does not seem to be the case from your description
of events as they escalated.

goodhors:
Thank you very much. I appreciate your brutal honesty. It is exactly how I see the situation.
She is defintely not what I wanted. I wanted a ready to ride, dull, calm, easy horse to enjoy.
Not a lifelong project. By the time I learned what I would need to know in order to handle her,
I'd be too old to ride, and so will she, lol.
Everyone around here just keeps telling me that I need to spend more
time with her, that I have shown fear to her and I just need to suck it up and quit being an
ungrateful wimp.
No, I don't have much time in the saddle. I know my husband meant well, but I needed to participate
in choosing the right horse for me (he had considered getting me a 3 year old Paso Fino stud a year ago).
I told him that I needed something older and not a stud. My last horse was a 12 year old gelding and
sometimes he was a pill, but he was never agressive. My first horse was an old mare that I rode with
just a pad with stirrups. Both of them were boarded, so I've never "lived" with the daily dealings of
horse care.
No, I have never brought up a young horse. I have never wanted to. I do not have the necessary
skill set to handle this horse. Unfortunately my husband doesn't want to return the horse. He will be home in
2 weeks and says that he will get her straightened out. But even if he were able to do it in the week
that he has off, that won't do anything to change the relationship between her and me.
She seems to do fine with men. She has been with a professional horse trainer for the last 9
months (male). She behaved fine for our pastor, and for a male friend of ours, but she did fine with me,
too, the first two days. They both seem to think that I am exaggerating her behavior.
Thank you all for taking time to respond. And thank you very much goodhors

 

[daisychick]

I have had horses all my life and any horse that kicks or goes after you is really dangerous. I highly suggest you either get her to a very experienced trainer that can work with her or find a better horse that is more safe for you. A horse can do a lot of damage with one bite or just one kick. Please be careful. I have had way too many friends kicked and seriously hurt.

 

[epignosisjs]

I have had horses all my life and any horse that kicks or goes after you is really dangerous. I highly suggest you either get her to a very experienced trainer that can work with her or find a better horse that is more safe for you. A horse can do a lot of damage with one bite or just one kick. Please be careful. I have had way too many friends kicked and seriously hurt.

Thank you daisychick. You and goodhors are the only ones that have confirmed my assessment of the seriousness of her aggression. It is very disappointing. The first two days were fine.

SECUONO: Thank you very much for your suggestions. Unfortunately she hasn't allowed me close enough to safely hook a lead rope to her halter since yesterday morning. I do appreciate your help!

 

[Bunnylady]

When my 10-hand pony turned 2, she suddenly decided she wanted to be boss mare. She got a crash course in just who is the boss here, and that's what this filly needs, too. But it's a lot easier to to impress a 400 lb brat than one that weighs 1000 lbs and towers over you. It's not a job for the faint of heart, I know I wouldn't want to try it!

There's no shame in admitting that an animal is too much horse for you. Too many horse people exaggerate their skill level, and wind up either getting themselves hurt, or teach really regrettable things to a horse that another more skilled trainer then has to correct. There's an expression, "green plus green equals black and blue;" meaning that either the horse or the handler needs to be experienced, or somebody will get hurt!

I agree with the others. This girl needs to go back to the rescue. It's too bad this hasn't worked out for you, but young horses need old hands. I don't think this horse is dedicately evil, or anything like that; she's just a bit more than you can handle.

 

[epignosisjs]

Thank you all very much! The rescue org is coming to pick her up around noon. I wish it had worked out, too. I know my husband meant well. Even if I had the experience to handle her I don't have the time necessary to dedicate to her right now. She deserves better.