ChestnutHunter
Well-Known Member
So a very long winded post...
I've had my new boy since last July, my horse of a lifetime. 17.2 strapping gelding from Ireland ready to bring on and have lots of fun with. I've posted a couple of times about feeding issues etc linking to behavioral issues and my horse going from incredibly laid back, fed on competition mix etc as he was so laidback, an absolute dream in the stable and under saddle. He regularly has physio, teeth and feet done, and saddle is made to measure with regular check ups. I now only feed fibre cubes, a prebiotic supplement and a mineral supplement. He looks in good condition, has never been lame and is very friendly in the stable.
We clipped him in October and the first time I got on he bronced and had me off twice, obviously I put this down to the sensitivity and shock of having no coat. I am a confident rider so this came as a bit of a shock and actually shook me up abit, but we carried on as normal.
He had been fine ever since and back to his usual submissive self, developing well in his lateral work.
Then things started to change, he ingested something either out in the field and in his haylage and got a skin infection and was covered in lumps all over his body, which was eventually treated with steroids, and two weeks on box rest to ensure his diet was consistent. Before this happened he started to get very sensitive when tacking up, particularly when girthing and when he saw the saddle. As usual though he would stand, let me get on, and that was that. Then he started to get very tense when I was riding him, your usual big fit horse acting like a coiled spring and loosening off throughout the session.
After Christmas, he seems to have developed into a complete lunatic. I can no mount without somebody holding him otherwise he broncs around the school. My instructor and the vet said he was probabl just going through a 'naughty teenager' phase almost, and was trying it on as he is a big strong horse that knows how much power he has.
Now, last weekend, I took him for his first proper hack since around last October as we had moved yards etc for one reason or another. I get that horses are giddy but last year he would plod round on the buckle, and work as asked when needed, go for a good canter and pull up and back on to the buckle kind of horse. This weekend, having pretty much jogged all the way around the ride I asked him to walk down a small grass slope on the moors, and after a few minutes of a slight disagreement, he had had enough, spun and bolted across the moor with me putting in some huge broncs along the way. Luckily after letting him go I managed to pull him up, and had to jump straight off. I walked him home, and put this down to being fresh for his first outing. Yesterday I rode him in the school and he was a total nightmare. He was incredibly forward and unsettled, very tense throughout and for the first time, when asked for canter transition he went absolutely ballistic. I walked him off for a while and dismounted. He has also become incredibly difficult to lunge and will put up a serious fight when I try to work him on the right rein.
Now I know this sounds like whenever something bad happens I dismount, but more often than not I have kicked on, ridden through it and finished the session on a good note. It has got to the point where I cant even get on this horse unaided without the threat of being dumped in the first five seconds, and I don't want to do any damage to him, or me.
I'm absolutely at my wits end - the horse I always dreamed of having has become my worst nightmare and after having lost my last mare to kissing spines I am praying that this issue can be solved.
Has anybody got any advice or had a similar experience?
I've had my new boy since last July, my horse of a lifetime. 17.2 strapping gelding from Ireland ready to bring on and have lots of fun with. I've posted a couple of times about feeding issues etc linking to behavioral issues and my horse going from incredibly laid back, fed on competition mix etc as he was so laidback, an absolute dream in the stable and under saddle. He regularly has physio, teeth and feet done, and saddle is made to measure with regular check ups. I now only feed fibre cubes, a prebiotic supplement and a mineral supplement. He looks in good condition, has never been lame and is very friendly in the stable.
We clipped him in October and the first time I got on he bronced and had me off twice, obviously I put this down to the sensitivity and shock of having no coat. I am a confident rider so this came as a bit of a shock and actually shook me up abit, but we carried on as normal.
He had been fine ever since and back to his usual submissive self, developing well in his lateral work.
Then things started to change, he ingested something either out in the field and in his haylage and got a skin infection and was covered in lumps all over his body, which was eventually treated with steroids, and two weeks on box rest to ensure his diet was consistent. Before this happened he started to get very sensitive when tacking up, particularly when girthing and when he saw the saddle. As usual though he would stand, let me get on, and that was that. Then he started to get very tense when I was riding him, your usual big fit horse acting like a coiled spring and loosening off throughout the session.
After Christmas, he seems to have developed into a complete lunatic. I can no mount without somebody holding him otherwise he broncs around the school. My instructor and the vet said he was probabl just going through a 'naughty teenager' phase almost, and was trying it on as he is a big strong horse that knows how much power he has.
Now, last weekend, I took him for his first proper hack since around last October as we had moved yards etc for one reason or another. I get that horses are giddy but last year he would plod round on the buckle, and work as asked when needed, go for a good canter and pull up and back on to the buckle kind of horse. This weekend, having pretty much jogged all the way around the ride I asked him to walk down a small grass slope on the moors, and after a few minutes of a slight disagreement, he had had enough, spun and bolted across the moor with me putting in some huge broncs along the way. Luckily after letting him go I managed to pull him up, and had to jump straight off. I walked him home, and put this down to being fresh for his first outing. Yesterday I rode him in the school and he was a total nightmare. He was incredibly forward and unsettled, very tense throughout and for the first time, when asked for canter transition he went absolutely ballistic. I walked him off for a while and dismounted. He has also become incredibly difficult to lunge and will put up a serious fight when I try to work him on the right rein.
Now I know this sounds like whenever something bad happens I dismount, but more often than not I have kicked on, ridden through it and finished the session on a good note. It has got to the point where I cant even get on this horse unaided without the threat of being dumped in the first five seconds, and I don't want to do any damage to him, or me.
I'm absolutely at my wits end - the horse I always dreamed of having has become my worst nightmare and after having lost my last mare to kissing spines I am praying that this issue can be solved.
Has anybody got any advice or had a similar experience?
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