Any advice for moi?

[TuscanBunnyGirl]

Hey I have a rising 3yr old gelding coloured gelding who I got last October. He has been an absolute darling

However he is quite a handful and can be very very excitable and was a little too much for my parents to watch so I sent him to a yard where he was to 'learn some manners'. I was assured by everyone that his guy was really nice and he worked with the horses without 'breaking their spirit' (bear in mind that I live in the outbacks of Tuscany..and people around here have less respect for their horses than i have for the doo doo under my shoe) anyway this was when he was 2 and a half so about 4 months ago. When I went down to see him..to my horror he was being ridden...oh my. well that doo doo on my shoe i was telling you about hit the fan. Also I found out this guy completely beats his horse into doing things. (btw i completely rely on my parents financially and i also don't speak Italian so it's quite difficult..however, they are so unhorsey you wouldn't believe...they didn't see a problem with what was happening) anyway it was decided after a lot of shouting that he would come home That weekend...he fractured his pedal bone.
Two months later he is ready to come home after box rest

Me and Puzzle have had a great relationship and he's always been fab for me..literally he'd do anything. If i sat on the floor, he'd come and lie next to me...he wouldn't eat when i wasn't there, he would only load with me, he would let me do ANYTHING to him etc etc hope you get the drift

Anyway the other day i think (he had his flymask on) he was sleeping and i touched his side and I was poo picking and he suddenly grabbed hold of my arm! I was completely shocked.. He let go and hasn't really done any damage jsut very swollen and bruised..and then i went to touch him again and he put his ears right back..Ive never in my life seen him like that he wouldn't let me anywhere near him. So i left him for about 10 minutes then popped his head collar on and did a little in hand work with him..he was fine. But these past few days he just hasn't been..happy?

Does anyone have any suggestions as to why he might be behaving like this?...could he be teething? he's never been like this before....im really upset and shocked...could it be that he is nervous still from coming back from a place where as soon as he puts a foot wrong he gets a wallop?

Sorry it's so long!

Thank you

 

[Gilbey]

Hey I have a rising 3yr old gelding coloured gelding who I got last October. He has been an absolute darling

However he is quite a handful and can be very very excitable and was a little too much for my parents to watch so I sent him to a yard where he was to 'learn some manners'. I was assured by everyone that his guy was really nice and he worked with the horses without 'breaking their spirit' (bear in mind that I live in the outbacks of Tuscany..and people around here have less respect for their horses than i have for the doo doo under my shoe) anyway this was when he was 2 and a half so about 4 months ago. When I went down to see him..to my horror he was being ridden...oh my. well that doo doo on my shoe i was telling you about hit the fan. Also I found out this guy completely beats his horse into doing things. (btw i completely rely on my parents financially and i also don't speak Italian so it's quite difficult..however, they are so unhorsey you wouldn't believe...they didn't see a problem with what was happening) anyway it was decided after a lot of shouting that he would come home That weekend...he fractured his pedal bone.
Two months later he is ready to come home after box rest

Me and Puzzle have had a great relationship and he's always been fab for me..literally he'd do anything. If i sat on the floor, he'd come and lie next to me...he wouldn't eat when i wasn't there, he would only load with me, he would let me do ANYTHING to him etc etc hope you get the drift

Anyway the other day i think (he had his flymask on) he was sleeping and i touched his side and I was poo picking and he suddenly grabbed hold of my arm! I was completely shocked.. He let go and hasn't really done any damage jsut very swollen and bruised..and then i went to touch him again and he put his ears right back..Ive never in my life seen him like that he wouldn't let me anywhere near him. So i left him for about 10 minutes then popped his head collar on and did a little in hand work with him..he was fine. But these past few days he just hasn't been..happy?

Does anyone have any suggestions as to why he might be behaving like this?...could he be teething? he's never been like this before....im really upset and shocked...could it be that he is nervous still from coming back from a place where as soon as he puts a foot wrong he gets a wallop?

Sorry it's so long!

Thank you

I think you have answered your own question in the last paragraph. Poor little man, being abused like that at such and early age then in agony in the same stable. I think he will need a LOT of gentling again and try not to chatise him too much if he is nasty to you. Be firm but no sticks or hitting. I feel for both of you as you had a very happy relationship before you thought you had done the right thing.

Good Luck and time is the answer.

 

[TuscanBunnyGirl]

I think you have answered your own question in the last paragraph. Poor little man, being abused like that at such and early age then in agony in the same stable. I think he will need a LOT of gentling again and try not to chatise him too much if he is nasty to you. Be firm but no sticks or hitting. I feel for both of you as you had a very happy relationship before you thought you had done the right thing.

Good Luck and time is the answer.

I felt so sorry for him and no one around here bloooooming understands
I'm just so upset that he did it, Im not angry, just worried about him
Arggh, why cant horses talk

I didn't smack him or anything i was really shocked as it was so out of character!!! I just sat and spoke to him a bit until he let me near him again

Got the vet coming soon just to give him a check over and make sure nothing physical is hurting him.

Thank you so much for your reply
xx

 

[Honey08]

Has he recently come back? I lived in Italy so know what you mean. There are quite a few English run yards around there, so perhaps sent him to one of those if you need to send him anywhere again.

It sounded as though you suprised him and woke him up, which won't have helped. Get him physically checked over, then let him get used to being at home again and settle down. Oh - and get your italian going!x

 

[TuscanBunnyGirl]

Has he recently come back? I lived in Italy so know what you mean. There are quite a few English run yards around there, so perhaps sent him to one of those if you need to send him anywhere again.

It sounded as though you suprised him and woke him up, which won't have helped. Get him physically checked over, then let him get used to being at home again and settle down. Oh - and get your italian going!x

He came back about a month ago?
He's been fine since..it was just this one off.
I do really love living here but god sometimes I just want to give up *sigh*

Yeah I really hoped that is all it was and i just made him jump..but i kept going to try and touch him about 3 times after and he swung his head at me with his ears back..

Eurgh My poor little multicoloured baby I really hope its not something physical I think he's had enough these past few months! Though I have a fantastic vet thank goodness!

Yeah I think I'll just spen time sitting with him again and talking to him about stuff Im sure he has no interest in

Thank you for your reply!
xx

 

[picolenicole]

I had a Arab that was left in a field with no food no nothing. He came to me in a right mess, I did pay £2000 for him as I thought anyone else would hit him till he did as he was told. It took 3 hours to catch him, he would kick and bite hard. I spent months sitting in his field talking to myself, untill one day he came up to me. I could do anything with him, my friend rode him she'd never ridden before

So I think just spending time with him and just being there will bring your lovely lad back round again. Good luck with him.

 

[Tickles]

If this was a one-off then really I wouldn't worry too much. Just think how you'd be if someone (who you weren't expecting to be there, and with fly mask/closed eyes didn't know who was) touched you when you were sleeping

Probably just a natural reaction to being touched when sleeping... e.g. like when bothered by a fly or something, possibly made worse by the bad experience before.

It sounds like you're really doing your best by this horse. Good luck with him.

 

[TuscanBunnyGirl]

I had a Arab that was left in a field with no food no nothing. He came to me in a right mess, I did pay £2000 for him as I thought anyone else would hit him till he did as he was told. It took 3 hours to catch him, he would kick and bite hard. I spent months sitting in his field talking to myself, untill one day he came up to me. I could do anything with him, my friend rode him she'd never ridden before

So I think just spending time with him and just being there will bring your lovely lad back round again. Good luck with him.

aww poor thing I don't understand how people can behave in such a way It really disgusts me or the infamous quote "but horses are so stupid" it makes me laugh in a way at their ignorance and then it makes me really wonder how people can be so stupid
Well thank goodness for people like you I'm sure your horse appreciates you now
Thank you so much for you reply
xx

If this was a one-off then really I wouldn't worry too much. Just think how you'd be if someone (who you weren't expecting to be there, and with fly mask/closed eyes didn't know who was) touched you when you were sleeping

Probably just a natural reaction to being touched when sleeping... e.g. like when bothered by a fly or something, possibly made worse by the bad experience before.

It sounds like you're really doing your best by this horse. Good luck with him.

Yes I can imagine it being quite a shock! Just really hope that's all it is
Just cried after because I was so upset that he'd done it like I feel that it was my fault that he feels the need to be so defensive (if that makes sense) just feel so bad for him at the moment Just want to make him feel really secure as he was insecure enough as he was before that moron got his hands on him

Thank you so much for your reply You've made me feel a lot less worried
xx

 

[TuscanBunnyGirl]

Hello!!
Just want to say a massive thankyou to everyone who gave advice and helped!

Just a quick update, he's settled back down at home and has been on HorseFirst RelaxMe for about 2months and i took him off it...he is now his old cuddly lovely gorgeous self

 

[muddygreymare]

That's great news He is absolutely beautiful btw, you are very lucky!

 

[TuscanBunnyGirl]

That's great news He is absolutely beautiful btw, you are very lucky!

Thank you!
Yeah I am haha
It's been hard work, but we've (almost) got there
He isn't always that white though
xx

 

[Fairynuff]

where are you in Tuscany? I know exactly what you mean regarding the 'dodo' and Ive heard say that the Tuscans are the worst regarding animal welfare etc. Look at the way the Maremmano horses are broken in...!!!! Lovely looking horse and your place looks veeeeery nice

 

[Ibblebibble]

glad to hear he is getting back to his normal lovely self, and he is indeed very lovely and i don't normally 'do' coloureds!!

 

[TuscanBunnyGirl]

where are you in Tuscany? I know exactly what you mean regarding the 'dodo' and Ive heard say that the Tuscans are the worst regarding animal welfare etc. Look at the way the Maremmano horses are broken in...!!!! Lovely looking horse and your place looks veeeeery nice

My grey is one of these 'maremmano' horses And the way she was broken in and 'ridden' breaks my heart! Told my dad my horses will be put down before they are ever sold to anyone around here!
Thank you I do love him to pieces
xx

glad to hear he is getting back to his normal lovely self, and he is indeed very lovely and i don't normally 'do' coloureds!!

Thankyou
It was my dream to have a coloured before and now I've got one I can't keep him clean! Though I do love him xx