Horse advice
I’m looking for some honest advice about my mare. She’s an Ariaban QH, 8 yrs old. I’m still fairly new to owning/riding and I’m trying to better understand her behavior and figure out the best way to work with her.
She has a hard time standing still while being saddled. She paces back and forth & seems very anxious and sensitive to movement. Under saddle, she can be very sensitive to my cues. She’ll sometimes get jumpy, speed up, or try to turn in the opposite direction from where I’m asking her to go. She eventually does what I ask, but I feel like I’m having to work pretty hard with her.
She also has a very fast walk and seems to have a hard time slowing down. She sweats quite a bit even when we aren’t doing much, and she seems generally anxious/sensitive.
On the ground, I’ve noticed some ear pinning as well, especially around certain situations. I’m trying not to assume she’s just being difficult because I know there could be a reason behind the behavior.
For those of you with more experience, what would you look into first? Could this be a training issue, pain/discomfort, saddle fit, anxiety, or something else? What would you recommend I work on with her?
I’m open to hearing anything—even if it’s something I may not want to hear. I really want to understand her better and make sure I’m handling her correctly and keeping both of us safe.
I know ground work is better to start with but I don’t know the right exercises to do. I’ve tried lunging but she doesn’t react well under pressure.
Thank you!