Absolutely furious :(

[Spring Feather]

Genuine question, would you think it safer to trot or to fight a big horse on a strange road?

Why would I 'fight a big strong horse'? I'd ride it in walk. And as to being on a strange road, I'd have to be very far from home to be on a strange road and I'd have to be totally blind or oblivious to not know how to get back.

 

[PolarSkye]

Why would I 'fight a big strong horse'? I'd ride it in walk. And as to being on a strange road, I'd have to be very far from home to be on a strange road and I'd have to be totally blind or oblivious to not know how to get back.

I have sat on my hands . . . but I'm afraid I have to respond this . . . have you ever ridden my horse? No? I'd like to see you try to ride him in walk when he's been left behind . . . his default when stressed or worried (and he's an insecure boy who is naturally nappy) is to rear and then spin . . . not ideal on a road where they may be traffic . . . and certainly not ideal with arthritis, navicular, just recovering from a suspensory injury, etc. He's a big boy - 16.3hh - but he can drop his shoulder and spin like a 12 hand pony. N did the right thing. I happened to speak to Z, his former jockey, this afternoon and told her what had happened. She was horrified by livery's actions and completely supported what N did (as do I). The only thing she would have done differently is to have given livery a mouthful when she caught up with her, but then she's a gobby so-and-so (love her dearly - she's like a daughter to me - but she's not backward in coming forward) . . . N is much quieter.

I simply won't have N held to account here . . . she's a lovely person, a quiet and sympathetic rider, she loves my boy and I trust her with him. End of.

P

 

[Spring Feather]

I simply won't have N held to account here . . .
P

I have no issue in the slightest with what you choose to do; it's your horse, your rider. However you posted, giving details of what happened and we all posted responses on how we would handle the situation should it have happened to us and our own horses. *I* would not continue allowing such a rider to work for me but we all make different choices in life for the best of our horses and you and I simply do not agree on what tack we'd both take in the same circumstance; that happens when you speak to lots of different people with lots of different opinions. It's no big deal; we can't all agree all the time.

 

[PolarSkye]

Just to update those who asked how he is doing . . . he is sore - gave him bute yesterday afternoon and this morning lunged him to see how he was moving. He wasn't too bad . . . he won't have had any bute in his system because he had the bute at about 3.00 p.m. on Wednesday and I didn't lunge him until gone nine this morning . . . but he is still sore in his pectorals and mid-line . . . better behind though. N will hack him (alone) tomorrow morning and then he has the physio on Saturday. I can only imagine that he held himself to guard against the pain/concussion in his feet from trotting on the road and is now feeling it throughout his body - bless him . I also think being held up behind the mare hasn't done him any favours . . . he has a naturally long stride and normally when he hacks he marches/strides on - having to back off will have caused him to bunch up/tense (he knows she kicks/is wary of her back end, not to mention his jockey).

Anywho . . . I'm pretty sure he'll be fine with appropriate management . . . but thanks (again) to those of you who asked . . . onwards and upwards as they say .

P