Advice Needed Urgently

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CaspersMum

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I have a 15.1hh Connemara gelding, Casper, who I've owned for almost four years. In the time I've had him he's been in the same field with a similar group of horses, some have left over time and a number have come but he's always been fine. Basically, I moved him on Saturday as I'm at University now and I've always wanted him here, the girl who was loaning him wasn't great so I figured I had the money and the time to have him at Uni with me.

Long story short, he went out into the field for the first time on Monday, he met one of the horses he was sharing a field with, they had a bit of a squeal but he looked like he was being submissive as he ran away from the other horse. I have a part-loaner and she went down yesterday, told me he seemed fine, rode and went home. Today I get a text saying that Casper has been bullying the other two horses in the field and kicked one of the girls who was bringing her horse in, its believed (I'm hearing this second hand) that he went for her horse and missed. I don't know the full story but the whole thing has shaken me up pretty badly, he has never kicked in the entire time I've owned him and I've no idea what to do.

No one will have him in a field with their horse and they're labelling him 'dangerous'. Now maybe I'm being too harsh but I've always thought that horses have to sort out their own pecking order and as he's only been in the field with that one horse less than 24 hours, I wouldn't imagine that'd be established yet. I know I've been kicked in the field by a horse going for mine but I'd never brand the horse dangerous, it was just wrong place wrong time and it never happened again.

Apparently, again I'm hearing this second hand so it may not be totally true, I'm now allowed in the school alone only and my part-loaner who wanted to use him in group lessons can't just in case he kicks out. Basically I only have two options, to have him stabled 24/7 or to have him in a field by himself, neither of which I really want to do as he's always been in that herd situation.

I'm pretty nervous around most horses myself and one thing I've always said is I'd never own a kicker, I'm just hoping that he isn't becoming something due to the stress of moving. I just think him being stabled/alone may make him more stressed. And I really can't deal with a horse that makes me nervous, my confidence is pretty low as it is and just hearing about it has shaken me up pretty badly.

Any advice? Am I being ridiculous?
 
I've been in a similar situation in the past (not with present horse). It's really difficult when people lack understanding and brand your horse as "dangerous".

I think I could have saved myself a load of hassle by moving yards faster than I did but I can understand why you might be reluctant to do this so quickly.

You have my sympathy. Good luck in sorting it out.
 
I think the only thing I can do is speak to the people involved. I've never owned a horse that has kicked another before, Casper was actually kicked as a four year old and fractured his leg but he continued to be turned out with the same horse once he was all healed and there was never any problems.

Do you think a horse living on its own will worsen the situation or should I move ASAP? He's a really good horse, he's the softest thing ever with me, I couldn't believe it when I heard and literally broke down in tears at the thought of everyone hating him.
 
To be honest this could have been avoided by turning him out on his own in the field next to his new herd for a week or so. Or by sectioning a bit off so he could meet his new friends without the need for anyone to show their heels.

Can you arrange for this to happen now so that everyone meets each other over a fence before going in together again?

As his owner I would apologise profusely to everyone involved and then go on to explain that he's actually not aggressive or a kicker, but that he needs to be introduced more slowly (as does any horse) to avoid any arguments.

I would never just turn a new horse out into an established group and keep my fingers crossed that no-one would get hurt.........?
 
TBH I have had a similar situation but its where new horses have come... We used to field the horses that we wanted to put together next door to each other for a couple of weeks so they could get to know each other over the fence then turn them out together. My boy went in with three others a couple of weeks ago and because they were next to each other a for quite a while (I had um'd and ah' about whether to turn him out with others because of recent events that had upset him an awful lot and he had only just settled) and we have had no problems. The beauty of this situation is because there is four together when we bring one or two in at a time the others are not bothered.... Glad I have sorted my boy some new friends as he does seem so much happier now so I can understand why you are upset about him being on his own :(
 
IF what you have said has actually ocurred, I wouldn't want my horse in a field wth yours. And if I was a YO I wouldn't have the risk of turning someone elses horse out with yours for fear of injury to client of their horse. The reason I say this is for a new horse to act this way coming into a new field and a new heard and throw his weight about in this manner suggest he is a dangerous mannerless a**e. However, I do think its a little OTT to ban him from group lessons with no reason unless he has demonstrated he is dangerous in a group lesson (and if he is going to kick out at other horses whilst he is under saddle then he is dangerous). However, this could well all have been blown out of proportion. If he has had a personality change then maybe its just not going to be a yard that suits him. Individual turnout with other horses over the fence is a much better option than stabling 24/7 if you decide to stay at this yard.
 
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I actually suggested this. There's an area next to his field that I thought was there for this purpose. I got told that as there were only the two horses in the field at the time, there was no real need to separate them. I have had horses for a while (six years) but I'm a pretty nervous owner and have always had the direct advice of the yard manager where he last was. So I assumed, in this case wrongly, that as an established yard, the owner would know best, rather than me who's never been in the process of introducing horses.
 
That's good then - you suggested a certain course of action with your horse and they chose to do something different. That makes it in no way your fault and you can now go back and suggest again more forcefully your initial suggestion.

Don't assume people know what they're doing - it's often really not the case, as has been proved here.
 
TBH this attitude is why so many people have problems with their horses these days and it drives me mad! Horses take time to settle, it's not nice when a new one goes in the field and they all 'go mad' until things settle down - which can take days or even weeks!! When the kick word is used just think about when your horses are playing in the field, or having a silly 5 minutes, how often do you see them bucking as part of that play, yes, if you were on the receiving end it would be a kick in your eyes but not meant like that by the horse. The YO should be ashamed of themselves, encouraging this attitude, they should be playing the whole thing down to give time for it all to settle (and probably should have had horse alongside for a while although that is a pretty new thing really too). I hope you manage to make them see sense but I really wouldn't worry about your horse being a kicker, if he wasn't before he won't be now - he was just being a horse in a field with new horses!
 
Thanks for your support guys. I've just had my sharer text me who's too worried to go up to the stables because of what people have been saying. He's the first horse she's loaned and the reason I got a sharer was because I cannot physically do every single day. I'm stuck in no man's land as we speak as she is refusing to go down because she's scared of him and I don't finish work until 6 when the buses to the stables have stopped running.

I've been at the stables four days and am already regretting ever moving him.
 
CaspersMum said:
Thanks for your support guys. I've just had my sharer text me who's too worried to go up to the stables because of what people have been saying. He's the first horse she's loaned and the reason I got a sharer was because I cannot physically do every single day. I'm stuck in no man's land as we speak as she is refusing to go down because she's scared of him and I don't finish work until 6 when the buses to the stables have stopped running.

I've been at the stables four days and am already regretting ever moving him.
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Are there any other yards in the area? I only ask because both of you are so un happy that I think you might be better considering moving him.... Perhaps inform your new YO of what has happened but dont forget to mention that you had suggested the meeting over the fence technique... before this incident had occurred..... I dont know what else to suggest unless you can find another owner on the yard who is wise enough to realise what has happened and is willing to give you a second chance using the over the fence method..... It must be really tough for you and I really feel for you xxx :(
 
Oh you poor pet, I feel so sorry for you. As previously said, horses will be horses, and YO really should have listened to you and introduced him over the fence. Bullying, settleing in etc is all part of it, and as much as it upsets people to see their horse being chased etc, thats what happens in the herd. My own horse was ruthlessly bullied by my sisters horse last year, he used to latch on to his bum with his teeth and wouldn't let go. It used to drive me mad, but Mac was higher up the pecking order than Spirit, and he got used to it. All settled down. I would move yards asap if they are not going to help you re-introduce your horse to "the herd".
 
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