Advice needed on difficult Welsh Cob

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StarcatcherWilliam

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I was kind of bamboozled into buying a Sec D gelding off a so called friend (very long story) about three months ago. He is rising six but wasn't gelded until last summer. He has not been very well socialised with other horses which makes him extremely nervous in their company. He is great in all other respects, if a little strong but that doesn't bother me.

When riding in company I keep to the back of the ride and keep my Sec D out the way of the others. However, yesterday we had a little accident on the beach when other horses spooked at the waves and got too close to him. He reared up and spun round, I fell off and then when he was loose he attacked my friend's lovely little New Forest mare. It was a complete nightmare. He has never reared before (usually he kicks out with his hinds at other horses). This horse was meant to be an easy horse for me to enjoy in between riding my supposedly difficult warmblood mare (who is an angel in comparison!!). The woman who sold him to me advertised him as a perfect child's pony! Do you think I am within my rights to ask her to take him back and refund my money?? Or... do you think this problem will ever go away - he seems to be getting worse if anything :( I am very sad about the whole thing as he is a lovely little chap and I love him to bits, but refuse to ride him in company EVER again as I don't want to put my friends and their horses at risk.

Sorry this is quite long!
 
doubtful he will ever change- if they are difficult they stay difficult- ask your "friend" for your money back before you get hurt.
 
My welshie is similar and gets wound up to a coil if ridden in company. I have tried him in front but he kicks out at anything behind him that is too close (he has tried to stop and reverse into them before now) and tried him at the back but he gets so wound up and then explodes. I have tried all sorts but gave up in the end and hack on my own...which suits me fine but is not everyones cup of tea.
My lad was cut late also and kept on his own for the majority of his early years, he is terrible with other horses so has his own field and is quite content.
 
Yes things can change, he's not even 6, there is still lots of time for him to learn all sorts of things. Mine wasn't even halter broke at 6! He was also lacking in social graces, he has kicked other horses while I've been riding and suitably reprimanded. I will always keep an eye on things, don't let others get up his bum etc but he knows what is expected of him and lives and rides out happily in company. But it's up to you to decide whether you want to put the time and effort in. Sec D's are 'generally' (I know not all are before I get jumped on) quite sharp and need consistently confident handling. They will reward you with lots of power, personality and fun!

To be honest after 3 months it would be hard to prove a seller should take responsibility for a horse's current behaviour (unless you can prove they were the same in prev home and owner knew this, you asked the question and they lied), although if they are a friend or care about the horse they may take him back out of goodwill. I'm assuming you knew when you bought him he had only recently been cut?
 
There is only one thing that sorts a welsh cob out and that is hard work and then when you think he has had enough give him some more.

Intelligent, brave and willing horses. Mine was as hot as hell from birth to a few days before he was lost.
 
Ditto giving him plenty of work and if he was cut late it may be worth trying him on agnus castus as for some horses it does take away the stallion way of thinking which may help him with other horses. also try riding him in an arena if you can at first with just one other sensible horse and rider so he gets a chance to have one other horse working around him but not on top of him and he should gradually find having another horse close to him less of a challenge
 
WORK WORK WORK.

Have faith that he will change.

My Welsh D gelding was exactly the same. He kicked anything that came within kicking distance (and on one occasion kicked a person who got in the way)

He went into "Stallion mode" and piaffed all the way up the drive if he saw another horse.

He's now as good as gold and hacks out side by side with other horses.
 
FreddiesGal said:
He went into "Stallion mode" and piaffed all the way up the drive if he saw another horse.
Click to expand...

Yep that sounds familiar!! He's not my first Sec D, as a teenager my sister and I had a lovely one who we kept entire until he was about 7, he was good as gold before and after being gelded.

The thing is, this horse was meant to be my "easy" horse for hacking out with my mates as he is totally bombproof in traffic (and my warmblood mare is terrible on the road). The "friend" who sold him to me didn't tell me until she dropped him off at my place that "I should watch his back end as he can be a bit funny sometimes!" Yeah cheers for that love! :mad:

He seems to actively hunt out trouble though and manoeuvres himself close to other horses and then spins round to kick them. Total pain in the a### in all fairness!!
 
I have one that was also gelded late and behaves a bit like this! He is now my best hunter and 99 % of the time is fine, he wears a red ribbon just incase though. So no one can say I didn't warn them. He would do the same, I find that with horses like this best thing you can do is work them in the school with an older non aggressive horse, get them used to riding upsides and at each other. At 6 you will cure him with the right work
 
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