Bomb proof horse goes crazy

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KatherineMCGregor

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Hi Everyone

I have just bought a lovely new ex racehorse gelding. Before I bought him I have ridden him many times and he has been a dream so calm and totally unflapped by anything. I wouldnt have bought him otherwise as really need a horse that would help me regain my confidence.

He moved to his new livery yard last week and settled in very well. I went up to ride him this weekend and from the instance I got there he seemed like a different horse... normally when he is tacked up he barely moves this time he was all over the place. Once he was finally all tacked up I took him in the school for a while. He normally need a lot of encouragement to get him going but his ears were pricked and he was walking very fast round the school.

I went out to take him for a short ride just a walk around the park and everytime I tested my brakes he would pull back and keep going, maybe at this point I should of realised someting was right.

We rode for another 5 mins along a mile long road of tarmac to get into the park and he was just not the same settled boy he was very fast in walk and ocassionaly trotting.

I decided to turn round and return to the yard and that was when all of a sudden he took off and galloped all the way back down the path.

I dont know why he did this as he is normally the most docile horse ive ever bet not your usual ex racer! I cant stress this enough!

Is it because he was in new surroundings? I just had the saddle fitted the week before and that seemed to fit really well, could it be something to do with this or his new bridle?

In his previous yard when he was turned out there was hardly any grass left in the field now he has very lush grass to eat although he is only turned out a few hours at a time. Has this and the combination of his hard feed given him too much energy?

Please can anyone help he was the most gentlle nice spirted horse before and now im not sure if I want to get back on him.
 
how much of an "ex-Racer" is he. If hes just out of racing he probably wont be bombproof!
 
wench said:
how much of an "ex-Racer" is he. If hes just out of racing he probably wont be bombproof!
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Very lazy stereotype there.


OP - he needs time to settle into his surroundings, like you seem to have realised. What he needs is a routine - think military standard, to the minute! If you keep this routine every day and continue to hack him out and remain positive then i think things will improve. Try and find another very reliable horse to hack out with also, as this will boost his confidence in new surroundings. Also, pulling doesn't always work with racehorses (dependent on how re-schooled he is?) Pulling and releasing is how a raceorse is slowed down, rather than a constant pull - racehorses are trained to run into a contact.

I speak as someone who owns several racehorses, in and out of training. Routine is the key with them.
 
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I definately think it is new surroundings. Most horse are a bit on their toes when moving to a new home. He is probably both abit wary of and excited about new things. Also the lush grass no doubt will give him energy. And then standing in for long hours is not ideal. How long had he been at new yard before you rode him (eg, how long did he have of not being exercised?) Not surprised he was like this at all. He should get better once he is settled into his new rouitne and got used to new surroundings. Try not to worry.
 
I think it is the new surroundings, can really upset the balance for them. The grass may have more goodness at this new yard and he may be feeling fresh from that.
I am sure in time he will settle, just take it slow. Also I would cut down on feed or cut it out depending on his age/condition.
 
ditto all the fab advice above.

remember to spend lots of no pressure time with him, getting to know him. you're going to be his constant, and he needs to learn to trust you. he also needs to know where he stands in terms of your 'pack' so ground work can be worth it's weight in gold. plenty of in hand stuff, backing up, leading around etc.

fingers crossed it was one small blip in an otherwise fabby team. good luck with him! xxx
 
And remember testing brakes on a normal horse [ie, pulling reins] isn't the same on a racer, more you pull, faster they'll go generally.

Just a thought! Not sure how much he's done reschooling wise since his racing career.
 
Thanks everyone another thing he on part livery and the yard have suggested I put him on full livery and let them exercise him during the week. I am weary of this as I dont want lots of different people riding him and also I dont want him too fit. I will ride him every weekend until I move to my new house 5 mins from him then I will be able to ride most days a week. At his previous yard sometimes he was ridden everyday sometimes he wasnt ridden for two weeks.
 
KatherineMCGregor said:
Thanks everyone another thing he on part livery and the yard have suggested I put him on full livery and let them exercise him during the week. I am weary of this as I dont want lots of different people riding him and also I dont want him too fit. I will ride him every weekend until I move to my new house 5 mins from him then I will be able to ride most days a week. At his previous yard sometimes he was ridden everyday sometimes he wasnt ridden for two weeks.
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I think you should try work through this first, just you and him, no full livery help. You need to build trust in one another at this new place, well that's my personal opinion, good luck
 
Call me sceptical too, but there wasn't a chance of him being doped or anything either could there?


He just sounds like the proportion of high spirited TB's to be honest. I know not all are like this etc,but generally they're not for a nervous rider [again, I know not all!] and all can have their 'TB' days, specially in a new place,new feed,new tack,new rider, etc.

Do you have an instructor?


[For the record, my own is a generally 99% of the time, laid back ex racer :)]
 
personally i'd stick with part livery. if i were you (and i'm not, so feel free to ignore me completely) i'd want to build up a bond/trust with him myself, so he knows who his rider is. however, if there is someone knowledgable on the yard, book yourself in for a lesson a week instead (with the money you'd save from not being on full livery). you can work in the school, but also get the instructor to come out hacking with you.

xxx
 
KatherineMCGregor said:
Thanks everyone another thing he on part livery and the yard have suggested I put him on full livery and let them exercise him during the week. I am weary of this as I dont want lots of different people riding him and also I dont want him too fit. I will ride him every weekend until I move to my new house 5 mins from him then I will be able to ride most days a week. At his previous yard sometimes he was ridden everyday sometimes he wasnt ridden for two weeks.
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Why do you not want him too fit? Is it because you are worried he will be a handful / you are nervous?? Don't want to sound negative but if you are a nervous rider, and there is nothing wrong with that, then an ex-racer is unlikely to be the horse for you.
Was he fit when you rode him before you bought him? An unfit horse with little or no grass could most likely be a completely different kettle of fish to a horse being ridden most days a week and on plenty of grass.....
Do as everyone else has suggested and cut down hard feed and grass intake and see how it goes....
 
I've found from personalexperience TBs thrive on work and are better when in full work TBH. If you can work through the fittening stages, they generally quieten when in a fullwork regime.


Again. Please don't jump on me with the 'stereotyping them all band wagon'. It's only a general[not generalised!] comment :)
 
I think it may be his new surroundings but it could well be the saddle as that seems to coincide with his recent behaviour as well.
My lovely 'confidence giving horse' who I have had since Christmas bronked me off twice in two weeks. I was mortified as he previously hadn't even given a tiny buck before. I put it down to the spring grass but have since found out he had a sore back due to a newly fitted saddle. I've had the vet, physio and saddler out to him in the last few days and I'm getting it sorted.

As for his new surroundings. He's only been there a week. I read recently that when a horse moves away from his familiar environment amongst strange horses and people they can go into shock for a week. They appear to be settled but after a week they can start to react to things. Some horses can take months to settle into a new home.

I felt just like you about my horse. He was perfect and then turned a bit bonkers and I wasn't keen to get back on him. Now that I've found out that there was a reason for his behaviour I'm ok about it.

I'm sure there's a reason why your horse has had a change of character. Just because he's an ex-racer doesn't mean that he's quirky and prone to fits of madness! I've had 2 who have been laid back kick-on types.
I hope you get sorted soon, I know how dispiriting it can be. Good luck!
 
My sympathies to you, I know how it feels to have a normally bombproof horse suddenly change.

My lad was always very good in always until earlier this year when his behaviour changed I had let someone else ride him and they let him get away with things I would not. Then when the spring grass came through he was testing me again, I have now cut out any hard food and only feed him chaff. He is also on rich grass which does make a difference, but so far he is now manageable (Fingers crossed!)

Good luck!
 
Where did you have this horse from exactly? I don't want to sound mean but your post does ring some alarm bells with me, is he the first horse you have owned or at least your first TB?

TBH I'd expect any horse to act up a little in new surroundings but especially a TB/Arab or any horse with a fair proportion of 'blood' in his make-up and it could carry on for several weeks.

Menawhile you need to address his feed. If he is having good grass then he will probably be fine on just that and hay when he's in at night. He's not doing enough work to need hard feed so would cut that nothing over a few days and don't even worry about a vitamin supplement at this stage.

If you can turn him out more then do so but build it up over a couple of weeks, even TB's can get rampant laminits this time of year.

Finally enlist the help of the yard. If you don't want them to ride him during the week perhaps they could lunge him until you can ride him yourself.
 
Gosh, there could be so much happening for him. If he's a lovely boy, and bombproof, I would definitely suspect something is hurting him somewhere. Perhaps his teeth? Perhaps he's got himself cast in his box and has hurt himself somewhere? As has been said, change of routine will unsettle any horse.

Personally I'd be inclined to let him chill out a tad more in his new surroundings and use the time to get all the checks done: i.e. physio, teeth, etc etc.

The other thing that could have set him off was maybe a bumblebee or something? They're about, and I know a kiddies pony that went mega ape-sh*t when a bee went under its belly, so it might just be that?

Its so good that you're looking at what might have done it rather than blame the horse which is what so many people do. He's trying to tell you summats wrong, but doesn't know how to, bless him.

Hope you manage to get to the bottom of it.
 
custard said:
Where did you have this horse from exactly? I don't want to sound mean but your post does ring some alarm bells with me, is he the first horse you have owned or at least your first TB?

TBH I'd expect any horse to act up a little in new surroundings but especially a TB/Arab or any horse with a fair proportion of 'blood' in his make-up and it could carry on for several weeks.

Menawhile you need to address his feed. If he is having good grass then he will probably be fine on just that and hay when he's in at night. He's not doing enough work to need hard feed so would cut that nothing over a few days and don't even worry about a vitamin supplement at this stage.

If you can turn him out more then do so but build it up over a couple of weeks, even TB's can get rampant laminits this time of year.

Finally enlist the help of the yard. If you don't want them to ride him during the week perhaps they could lunge him until you can ride him yourself.
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I bought him from his trainer and yes his is the frst TB I have owned. He is pure TB no arab.
 
brighteyes said:
When you say you have ridden him lots - what were the circumstances? Was it when you went to try before buying? Or have you had him on loan and just moved him to a new yard?
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I rode him lotsn before I bought him. In all different circumstances in the school, on the road and off road and I didnt get a squeak out of him. He was so calm.
 
No horse is bombproof in my opinion.

As above - it will be his new surroundings that has changed his behaviour and personally I would want to be spending as much time as possible with him so he starts to see you as mum. Definately would keep him on part livery.

I know how you feel though - I bought my boy 3 months ago and he was an angel every time I seen him with previous owner. He wasn't ridden much with previous owner so I've been building his fitness to discover that he's alot stronger and stubborn than I though he was! Oh well - onwards and upwards!
 
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