Horse is always swishing her tail!?

Question

So I have recently bought my AQHA mare as a reining prospect. But whenever asking for anything she swishes her tail mad like. Her ears are always happy tho. Everything fits good and nothing hurts as she had a vet check a few weeks ago. But the problem is she does that, which is not good while reining, where the tail should be not moving. Her tail is a little thinned out and about in between her hock and fetlocks. Would she Likely stop with a fake tail weighing it down more? What would you suggest to stop this behaviour? Btw there is no flies here, and If I'm just walking with a loose rein not asking for anything she doesn't do it.

Answer 1

OK, gotta chortle in here, quite a bit of mis-information. Some reining trainers do unscrupulous things as in Alcohol injections in the tail, some even go as far as to have the surgery to cut the tail, but they are very few and far between, those who do these unsavory things and compete in the NRHA at any level DONT win. Its very easy to spot and it is a instant DQ. Reiners need their tails for balance and speed. If you watched the FEI games last weekend on NBC you would have seen all of horses competing in Reining using their tails, flagging them when the stopped and when they switched leads even one who ran the whole pattern with his tail flipped up over his back...so come on, get real..not every Western trainer is abusive. I would love for any of you to go up to Shawn Flarida and accuse him of deadening RC Fancy Steps tail. I have a mare thats been in training now for 3 weeks, she has spent the last 6 months out in a pasture being a horse. She is an aged mare 7 and is just now starting her Reining training for the Aged division of the NRHA. She swishes her tail, really bad at first because she was irritated due to the fact that she had to work, she was lazy and out of shape, but every ride is getting better and better and she now only give me a swish going into the lope departure, but that is slowly stopping too. My best advice is she sounds just mareish. Mare are way different than geldings and you just need to work her through it, and if you are riding in spurs, leave them on!! she has to get used to your inside spur tapping her for her cue to increase speed, if you take them off she wont get used to them and you have to ride in spurs in a show. Be consistent and Good luck!

Answer 2

a million. Tail swishing often skill that the pony is agitated approximately some thing. you have to be careful, because of the fact that is often accompanied by skill of a kick. Tail swishing warns different horses to back off. there is yet another variety of swishing, too. Horses graceful their tails to maintain off flies and different bugs. that's needed understand the clarification for tail swishing. 2. If a horse swishes its tail while there are no flies, the pony is bored or impatient. A horse will snap and twist its tail while it’s offended. This sign is called wringing the tail. each so often a horse clamps down its tail to assert that its back hurts or that somebody has touched a sore spot. desire it facilitates!!! :)

Answer 3

....how exactly does a swishing tail affect a reining horse's performance? Oh right, it doesn't. It just shows that the horse is irritated in the arena, and god forbid they be irritated at some of the ridiculous training methods that those people use, so we're gonna inject their tails so they can't move them at all!



That has nothing to do with your horse or what you're doing--it was just a rant about how stupid AQHA people can be about tails.



What I don't like about what you're doing is sliding stops at 3. That's really hard on her hocks, and she's still growing. That's probably why she's swishing. She's not 100% sure of herself. Honestly, I'd forego the fake tail and see how she goes later on in her training.

Answer 4

At 3, and only under saddle for 4 months, she might have only 60 rides on her, and probably no more than 80. She is still learning how to carry a rider, and what your legs on her sides mean. I have noticed that mares/fillies often have a harder time learning to give (not resist) to leg pressure. I figure it is because of the extra organs in there ;). It is a part of being "marish." Some horses are more marish than others. I suggest giving her time. Are you wearing spurs? I would take them off until she learns to give to the leg pressure, and the swishing may cease. Some riders intentionally bump their legs on the horse's sides to desensitize them, but I want my horse to respond to the leg, so I don't believe in that.

Answer 5

Usually they do it when they are irritadnoyed!!



Not good for reinging. If you have ever watched the national reining contests none of them even flick their tails at a lead change, I think that is because they have had their tails deadened. Supposidly it is illegal but I do believe most of tham are deadened. There are not many horses that could run a r. pattern with out even a flick at the changes.



Good luck.

Answer 6

You're horse being a mare she is probally just crabby! My horse swishes his tail everytime i spur him to move out around the barrel, it's kind of funny

Answer 7

Well I'll be an oyster is a clam shop! the gal just has to take a poop! Try giving her some ex-lax. That should clear up your problems, as well as your horses butt.

Answer 8

she might just be having fun! some horses, particuarly mares like to do that, its just excitement and being cheeky.

Answer 9

wellllllll not to be like i didnt read the question first but FLIES! and she just might be excited... does she stomp?