I could use some advice. Or a pep talk.
I had a whole long post written out with every little detail...but you all probably don't need to hear it...this is long enough. Basically, I've got three older late beginner teenage girls who share-lease a very dominant/bully-type mare who has had poor training/riding ever since she was started under saddle and thus has no trust in people and very poor work ethic. Whenever I'm near her (not necessarily working with her...I could just hover in the background), she's instantly angelic with no sign of behavior issues. When I'm not and it's just one of the students, she'll pin her ears/be extremely girthy with ugly faces and may even swing her head to bite, be extremely sucked back/balky, may buck, throw her head. If I hop on her, I can give one correction, send her forward NOW (ride through the buck, if necessary and make that clear it's UNACCEPTABLE), and she'll be perfect for the rest of the ride, licking, chewing, on the bit, forward transitions off the seat... everything. If I handle her from start to finish (from pulling her out of pasture to the end of the ride), she'll rarely palpate showing pain or give any behavioral issues. Throw the kid up, even immediately after my ride and it's back to square one. In their weekly lessons, we work over and over and over again on fair, prompt correction with the dressage whip, no blocking in seat/hands, rewards when she's forward and responsive to light aid, no nagging etc. Some days, she's brilliant with nary a problem, and they get magnificent work. Some days (like today, sigh), we just cycle through needing to correct over and over... (in lessons we can usually work through it quickly; it's when the girls are on their own that the problems get worse.) We've done everything I can think of (me giving correction from ground, having the kid get off and do ground work, using treats, working on the trails, patterns, following other horses, breaks, various types of corrections). The thing is, it's just not an issue for me when I ride, so it's about getting these girls to connect with this horse.
Saddle fits with no upper back pain or muscle atrophy. She does have some soreness in her muscles behind her elbows and under her belly. I can't change the girth to see if that will help
. I know a big part of it is her feet--front feet are flat, long toes, underrun heels; she's been that way for forever, apparently. I've done all that I can to emphasize and teach the owner how to fix it...but it's not happening (and can't just call a farrier here). Argh. 
But, no lameness, and she's got three great gaits. She also is sensitive right at the rib heads--maybe some subluxation? I don't know. It's also definitely worse during her cycle, but owner isn't interested in Regumate or other options. I have no vet or chiro in this country to help...I'm frustrated because I would love to give her a full work up.I guess I'm just venting. I feel so bad for the mare--she's highly intelligent, really fun for me to ride (but she's not my horse and I don't have time to add another to train/not sure owner would be interested either), and obviously showing her discomfort. I also feel bad for the three girls--they try really really hard to do everything I say, but they're just learning, their timing and seat is not all there yet, and they get intimidated by her bucks (not big, just a small hop, but it's her making a point). I keep trying to encourage them that she'll really teach them how to ride (because she will) and it takes time and be consistent and they'll get there, but they are frustrated, and I feel their pain (and hers). Gah. I feel like I'm failing as a teacher and horseperson.
