backing & training

I feel so sad for this horse and for you having to make this decision, but is there anything else you can do? Have you tried a dummy rider (Ardall maybe)? I think that now he's home, I'd get a dummy and stick it on him somewhere safe / enclosed on the lunge and just keep doing it every single day, you'd expect him to get used to it pretty quick - after a week you'd know if it was working? Perhaps this might break the cycle he seems to have got into? If he gets used to the dummy and stops trying to get it off, I'd lunge him in it daily for a month then start long reining him in it for another month etc. Worth a try anyway, especially if the only other option is PTS, personally I'd delay and try this.
 
Terrified of an Ardell. (anyone want to buy a just used one). Back home and looking at options that do not need a second mortgage. Lots of suggestions sadly one size does not fit all. He might get turned away with some pensioners somewhere as a last resort before PTS.
 
If he's terrified of an Ardell, wouldn't that then mean it was quite likely that he'd be terrified of a rider? I'd perservere with it, start from scratch - slowly bring it over to him and have it "leaning" over him to begin with until he's totally bored of it. Then move on to putting it up onto him but you holding onto it, just for a short time and taking it off. Again do this every single day until it gets boring for him. Then try leading him with it on, just a few steps then stop for that session, slowly increasing how long its on his back. The whole situation sounds really hard OP, but I cant think of anything else that I'd try right now if it were me. But I dont think I'd set foot on the horse with his history until it was happy with the dummy first especially having had 2 big falls myself during the very early stages of being onboard the last horse I attempted to back. It can ruin your confidence in seconds which then of course doesn't help the horse after that!
 
Did start slowly stable first. Outside stable and then stationary in lunge pen for a time, then a few steps, but moment person stablising ardel moved away - off in a panic which only stopped as he tired.
 
Win will be returning from Whitheford Equine on Saturday, after a stay of three weeks. Has been ridden from day TWO (not without a protest) looks like and ordinary horse now, hope it continues here at home.
 
Win has been at Witheford Equine for three weeks. Ridden since day TWO after a strong protest! They know their stuff. Will be worth the effort and expense if is a good boy at home, Looked like a normal horse when we saw him last week. Fingers crossed that he may fulfil his destiny as a dressage star in the future?????
 
Great news! How bizarre that after all that someone fixed him in a day. Goes to show it's often about finding the right key for the lock. (And that you can't tell anything from a post on a forum. Your original communications suggested some sort of pain response but clearly not)

Best of luck going forward (literally and figuratively)
 
That is brilliant news!! So pleased to see this I have only just come across this thread. I have had exactly the same problem with my horse! I bred him so even more disappointed.

He is away at the moment being broken for the second time. He had the ardall kept shooting off, broncing etc. This gives me a bit of hope.

Let me know please how you get on.
 
Here's hoping for you. Ardell terrified our boy once he trotted (galloped till exhausted.) this was the third time he has been away and his last chance. Missed the fatal injection by only two days. He was at Witheford for three weeks with daughter staying there a couple of times with him. Worked their magic on him immediately. Glad now. Came home yesterday and was ridden today with fingers crossed. Not taken out as intended as gun club shooting today on route.
 
That's brilliant I hope it all goes well for you. I am waiting for an update on my horse- I am really worried they are going to say no improvement and he is still ejecting the rider.

I have nearly run out of money now- don't really know what to do. I started trying to get him broken in January- it's May and he is still not broken.
 
mellissa said:
That's brilliant I hope it all goes well for you. I am waiting for an update on my horse- I am really worried they are going to say no improvement and he is still ejecting the rider.

I have nearly run out of money now- don't really know what to do. I started trying to get him broken in January- it's May and he is still not broken.
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Oh no, that's a long time :( could you try somewhere else? Seems whatever they are doing isn't working.

Just a thought rather than a suggestion but have you considered giving him a year off to 'forget'? Someone looked after my pair whilst I was in the process of moving house and I said they could ride my mare, who had been backed a year, but were not to get on my (then) stallion as I had only sat on him twice. I was informed by a local that on the very first day she had tried to get on him bareback in the field and he bronked her off. I only found his out after I tried to reback him and he bronked me off spectacular fashion. I tried for 4 weeks going totally back to basics and having his back, teeth etc checked out (I backed him in a on of those saddle pad things with stirrups attached rather than a saddle so). I had professional help too to see if anything I was doing was triggering it. Then in conversation with the local when giving the whole 'woe is me' speech she told me 'Oh he did that to that young girl too!'. I gave him the spring, summer and autumn off and retried at the start of winter - he was fab! It was like nothing had ever been a problem. I did a couple of weeks work and gave him the rest of winter off and I am now building him up to start work properly. He is now 5.
 
You give me hope Jen Gee!

Thanks Fides but no he won't have a break now. The long and sorry story is in a post I put up last week. He went to an international showjumper in jan, was there three weeks he broke her ribs. I tried with a dummy and the have him a break.
Three weeks ago he went to someone else so I am crossing everything. I bred this one and have spent at least £8k so far in his life so really at my wits end.

Not wishing to hi Jack your post Jen Gee, if anyone wants to read the sad tale I posted it last weds c
 
mellissa said:
Thanks Fides but no he won't have a break now. The long and sorry story is in a post I put up last week. He went to an international showjumper in jan, was there three weeks he broke her ribs. I tried with a dummy and the have him a break.
Three weeks ago he went to someone else so I am crossing everything. I bred this one and have spent at least £8k so far in his life so really at my wits end.
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I didn't mean turn away - I meant to try and forget his bad experiences. Sounds like he has had a few.
 
Ongoing - Win seriously dumped all including an "experienced" backer (including us) before going to dressage yard. They did get on him eventually. Ridden by daughters there. Came home, broke ones ribs and injured another "professional" who said he got on anything!. Off to a kind lady with patience and sedatives - asked to take him away. This was when his next appointment was with the vet and the knacker man. If they had been a bit more efficient he would have been gone!!!. Lost so much sleep waiting for it to happen chickened out and fetched him home. Hard as he is still not five. Loath to recommend anyone as not all get the same results. Witheford are near Marlborough. Bit of a trek for us - how far for you? A bit pricy for our budget but rideable in three weeks (and two days after being there by them)
He was hacking through village etc within days (with a Wayne Roony horse as companion) also a couple owned by HM.
Good luck.
 
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