Cant believe what he has done now

I haven't read all the posts as I got a bit fed up reading it all so I apologise if this sounds rubbish but would it be possible to put him in the arena for a bit? Half hour morning and evening? Boot him up and even if the surface is hard and frozen shut your eyes and think 'sod it'?
Or create a pathway down to the field, shovel or even fork the ice to get some grip, again boot him up, rug him up and shut your eyes and leave him out for as long as you can.
Arena and field turnout might not be what we would normally go for but I think now it has gone past that and needs must as they say
 
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Maybe after the horse had eaten all the food, he was on a sugar high and was pushy and pawing the ground to ask the new person for more food. I know horses that would run over you given half the chance for a polo, and to some people that would be dangerous and aggressive, to me it is (an albeit ill mannered) pushy and greedy horse.
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I haven't read other posts on this horse but that from what has been said this time, and the fact we don't know experience/confidence and ability to exagerate of the first person on the yard then you can't really label the horse as a killer.

This forum seems to be fulll of people with 'mental' and 'crazy' horses at the moment, for most of those I have one solution. TURN THEM OUT.
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Whilst I sympathise with the OP for the situation they find themselves in, as others have said, this is not the first time she has posted about the horses' behaviour and the difficulties she has with him.

Some time ago my ex-husband had a horse which was hand-reared and came to us with little or no respect for humans on the ground. As in this case, he was dream to ride but a nightmare to handle. Solid, sensible discipline and setting firm boundaries improved him no end but he was not a horse I would ever have put in the care of others or in a livery yard. On the subject of him being aggressive towards other liveries, were they perhaps trying to take stolen feeds off him?

I do think it is time for the OP to take a good long look at how the horse is kept and whether this is the right place for him and the right horse for her. Keeping an aggressive / difficult horse on a livery yard (even DIY) is fraught with potential problems which, in these increasingly litigious times, could prove costly. Turnout sounds unlikely to solve all his issues but it would at least help de-stress the poor chap but in any event this horse sounds anything but a pleasure to own.

I would say it is time to make some positive changes to his management routine and think seriously about the future.
 
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inThe thing is, I could understand him being agressive if he was the one being cornered either in his stable or in the field, but for him to seek out someone to corner - apparently he went into the barn and did it, that to me just sounds really odd, predatory, something I've never come across before. I don't know if i'm interpreting the OP correctly but that's what it sounded like. But yes you're right, waving your arms and shouting isn't necessarily going to work

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i wasn't cornering this horse, he would corner me! and then if you tried to get out he would attack you with teeth and front feet.

he very nearly killed my farrier once and we were both very shaken.

as i say i think he had a 'kill or be killed' theory- once he had acted, he would leap back with rolled eyes and cower away; but a bit late once he has already had you!

you are right, it is very odd. i just wanted to point out that with some horses it isn't as simple as waving your arms at them.
 
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in theory yes, in real life no.

not all horse will simply back off if you flap your arms.
i had one horse i bought as a 3yro who would see someone flapping and shouting as a threat and would attack you with teeth and front feet!
his whole philosophy was 'kill or be killed' and he made sure he got in first!

it took a while to change that mindset and during that time i would not go in the stable with him loose and would put his headcollar on over the fence rather than go into the field loose with him.

back to the OP, stop making excuses and turn your horse out!

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The thing is, I could understand him being agressive if he was the one being cornered either in his stable or in the field, but for him to seek out someone to corner - apparently he went into the barn and did it, that to me just sounds really odd, predatory, something I've never come across before. I don't know if i'm interpreting the OP correctly but that's what it sounded like. But yes you're right, waving your arms and shouting isn't necessarily going to work

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For what it's worth and I am posting this just out of interest with no reference to what Ritchie may or may not have done, I have come across 2 horses (both mares) who would attack without provocation. They were both very territorial (a behaviour that is exhibited in wild horses, although not over the same territory, but a protective circle around the herd), they would initiate the attack and would drive people out of their fields rearing and striking down or corner them if they could not get away. Very scary! They did this to experienced horse people and the 'stand your ground and wave your arms about' technique had no effect on either.
 
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Please tell this to woman that lost hers just before christmas due to it falling on the ice and breaking its leg resulting in having to be shot and left in field for a week because knacker wagon couldnt get to the farm to pick up

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Sorry, haven't read all the replies but this strung a chord with me. Remember, that horses can fall and break their leg in a field with NO snow or ice too! Sadly it happens. Mine live out 24/7, including in all this snow we've had for over a month now - none of them have fallen over, one canters around in it all the time playing and is perfectly fine. IMO its more risky for your horse to get very very wound up being stabled and THEN let him out!
 


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i wasn't cornering this horse, he would corner me! and then if you tried to get out he would attack you with teeth and front feet.

he very nearly killed my farrier once and we were both very shaken.

as i say i think he had a 'kill or be killed' theory- once he had acted, he would leap back with rolled eyes and cower away; but a bit late once he has already had you!

you are right, it is very odd. i just wanted to point out that with some horses it isn't as simple as waving your arms at them.

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bloody hell, scary! I'm lucky, never been cornered or really had experience dealing with really aggressive horses. Maybe a good thing as my initial reaction in a situation like that would be make as much noise and wave my arms or any other suitable prop to get said horse away from me! But if faced with a kill or be killed horse, I think I know who would be victorious, certainly not me! Just out of interest, do you still have this horse? Sorry can't remember what you said previously, If so, what is it like now?
 
It's so easy for people to cast judgement from behind the anonymity of their PC's. Sometimes things happen. No other explanation for it, they just do.

LOTS of horses are acting out of character at the moment due to the prolonged weather.

OP has come in for a lot of stick on this thread and frankly to me it reads like a witch hunt. It isn't nice and surely people can try to be a little bit more considerate given the circumstances?

Our horses are out 24/7 and I'm relieved. Because even the best behaved, kindest and well mannered horses are likely to be sick to the back teeth of being in just now.

Give the girl a break and wish her and her horse well. None of us are perfect, it's just that unlike OP we maybe don't post all about it.
 
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Quote:
inThe thing is, I could understand him being agressive if he was the one being cornered either in his stable or in the field, but for him to seek out someone to corner - apparently he went into the barn and did it, that to me just sounds really odd, predatory, something I've never come across before. I don't know if i'm interpreting the OP correctly but that's what it sounded like. But yes you're right, waving your arms and shouting isn't necessarily going to work



i wasn't cornering this horse, he would corner me! and then if you tried to get out he would attack you with teeth and front feet.

he very nearly killed my farrier once and we were both very shaken.

as i say i think he had a 'kill or be killed' theory- once he had acted, he would leap back with rolled eyes and cower away; but a bit late once he has already had you!

you are right, it is very odd. i just wanted to point out that with some horses it isn't as simple as waving your arms at them.

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I like militiger have had this from 3 animals, they were all the aggressor not in any way reacting to external stimuli.

1 mare. The mare tried to kill me after it had chucked me off (broken leg, broken ribs, smashed hat and shredded body protector (only had the body protector on as it was new and wanted to try it out!) She deliberately came over me 3 times. She was put down the following day (also the only horse I have never got back onto after a fall).

One was a bargy 14h pony built like a tank but had always been allowed to do what it liked, attacked my mum in the field whilst poo picking and went for me with its front legs, thankfully there was a lunge whip against the fence and it is the one and only time i have ever battered a horse with a whip and managed to get away from him. He was put down as he was a danger to people. regardless of the original reason.

The other a 17h warmblood who belonged to a woman who was completely over horsed in every way, and terrified the yard staff (trampled them) He improved significantly with me and was put up for sale but attacked the vet during the vetting (broken ribs and wrist) and it was decided that it was the right thing to put him down.

None of these horses were awful all the time, but the signs were there, and it took until actual accidents happening for the right thing to be done.

With regards to the original poster, I very much hope your horse does not injure someone else with his rather unsatisfactory behavior, as those who are deemed harsh on here will sadly be able to say "told you so". Einstein had it right: The definition of stupidity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." Something must change with the management of this horse if this behaviour today is more than a one off.
 
Mickey-thats a really kind and generous post i hope op takes it on board!!, can i also add that getting someone more experianced, confident and perhaps stronger to lead him to the field might help as well???
 
NOT GETTING ANYWHERE ON HERE APART FROM BEING SLATED BY MOST OF YOU SO CAN WE CALL THIS POST DEAD AND I WONT BE POSTING AGAIN AS YOU ONLY READ THE PARTS YOU WANT TO READ YOU DONT READ THE PARTS THAT SAY HE DOES NOT I REPEAT NOT LIKE BEING OUT FOR MORE THAN HALF AN HOUR AND IF MADE TO HE WILL JUST COME THROUGH FENCE,EVEN IF HE DID LIKE BEING OUT WE ARE ONLY ALLOWED TURNOUT EVERY OTHER DAY DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS AND THIS IS NON NEGOTIABLE,I WORK FULL TIME 8AM TILL 5.15PM AND IT IS DARK BEFORE AND AFTER AND I DID SPEND TIME ON SAT CLEARING A PATH SO HE COULD AT LEAST GET OUT OF THE STABLE AND HAVE KEPT ON TOP OF IT SINCE BUT AS WE HAD A LITTLE MORE SNOW/SLUSH YESTERDAY THAT FROZE PRETTY QUICK I HAD TO LEAVE HIM IN AGAIN LAST NIGHT AND I WILL NOT PASS HIM ON TO SOMEONE ELSE BECAUSE THERE SEEMS TO BE LOADS OF PEOPLE THAT SEEM TO THINK THEY CAN SORT HIM AND IF DONE WRONGLY WILL END UP HURT,YES HE IS AND HAS GOT A REPUTATION FOR BEING A TEARAWAY AND NOBODY ELSE WILL HANDLE HIM ONLY ME.
 
Oh dear OP - its a shame you can't listen to other people. I wonder what this horse would be like with someone else? What you are presently doing is not working. I would personally be ashamed if I had a horse that behaved like that and would be doing everything in my power to sort it out. Particuarly contacing an expert to help me.

I wonder whether this has not all been blown out of proportion and exaggerated a bit, and is more to do with attentino seeking than anything else?
 
Not much to add to a VERY explosive discussion except to offer my experience. When I was 13 I had a pony who displayed very erratic and dangerous behaviour. My parents were so concerned that he went for remedial schooling by a well respected expert, in whose opinion he would always remain a danger to riders and handlers alike. So, having given him every chance, we took the decision that we would never forgive ourselves if someone was hurt so we had him pts.

Yes I loved him, yes I was distraught but we as humans have a responsibility to do the right thing where our animals are concerned and sometimes the right thing hurts most.

None of us here can offer real advice as to the best thing to do as only you know whether this is a one off or if other occurences have given cause for concern. But, I think you need to be honest with yourself about his behaviour and I definately think you should find a professional that you trust, have him assessed, remedial training if necessary and then assessed again. Another reason we had Jerry pts and didn't sell on wasn't just that we would have been selling a dangerous pony but we didn't want to think of him being shipped from pillar to post and possibly enduring cruelty for something which was not his fault.

Be honest with yourself and do the right thing, for him and you and your family whom you also have responsibilities to. Let us know what you decide to do. Hope it works out.
 
richie_is_a_loonie - It is exactly this attitude that is worrying people. I really don't think you understand the severity of your horses behaviour. You have had plenty of good advice, and yes, some difficult to hear, but you have chosen to write an immature response and ignore anything constructive. This only serves to further my belief that you are not the right owner for richie at this time. You could be, with professional help, but it seems you won't accept this. As another poster said, I do think you enjoy his 'wild' behaviour. Your name, the way you talk about him, the fact that you post about his behaviour at all. If my horse had cornered somebody, I would be so ashamed that I wouldn't admit it to my friends, let alone hundreds of people on a horse forum. That day would be spent ringing around professionals asking for advice, not telling complete strangers on a forum that my horse is dangerous!
It seems to me you have several options,
1) Move to a yard where it is just you, thus not endangering anybody else
2) Have him pts
3) Get professional help from somebody to try and sort him out
4) Sell him to somebody who thinks they can sort him out. I know you said you don't want to incase they hurt him, but richie is certainly not a happy horse atm, if something isn't done, you can't make it better
5) Carry on as you are and pray that he doesn't kill/seriously injure somebody, because if something doesn't change, this is a serious possibility.
 
Oh ...whatever....if you dont like what you have been told....over and over again.......then dont post about it.

Every suggestion......not only on this post but other as well....you have shot down in flames saying can't/won't/not possible.

Thing is....your horse is clearly not only a problem for you, but other liveries as well.
 
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If I was on a livery yard where the imposed routine did not fit in with my work hours and made it difficult to care for my horse PROPERLY I should move yards.

Reading the OPs post about turnout in daylight hours only leads me to suspect that this horse is normally kept in 24/7, regardless of the weather.
 
whats that saying......if you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got......

you clearly need to change something about the way this horse is managed as his mental health appears to be suffering.

few horses are born bad, most are made that way by how people have managed them.he is trying to tell you he isnt happy.
 
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NOT GETTING ANYWHERE ON HERE APART FROM BEING SLATED BY MOST OF YOU SO CAN WE CALL THIS POST DEAD AND I WONT BE POSTING AGAIN AS YOU ONLY READ THE PARTS YOU WANT TO READ YOU DONT READ THE PARTS THAT SAY HE DOES NOT I REPEAT NOT LIKE BEING OUT FOR MORE THAN HALF AN HOUR AND IF MADE TO HE WILL JUST COME THROUGH FENCE,EVEN IF HE DID LIKE BEING OUT WE ARE ONLY ALLOWED TURNOUT EVERY OTHER DAY DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS AND THIS IS NON NEGOTIABLE,I WORK FULL TIME 8AM TILL 5.15PM AND IT IS DARK BEFORE AND AFTER AND I DID SPEND TIME ON SAT CLEARING A PATH SO HE COULD AT LEAST GET OUT OF THE STABLE AND HAVE KEPT ON TOP OF IT SINCE BUT AS WE HAD A LITTLE MORE SNOW/SLUSH YESTERDAY THAT FROZE PRETTY QUICK I HAD TO LEAVE HIM IN AGAIN LAST NIGHT AND I WILL NOT PASS HIM ON TO SOMEONE ELSE BECAUSE THERE SEEMS TO BE LOADS OF PEOPLE THAT SEEM TO THINK THEY CAN SORT HIM AND IF DONE WRONGLY WILL END UP HURT,YES HE IS AND HAS GOT A REPUTATION FOR BEING A TEARAWAY AND NOBODY ELSE WILL HANDLE HIM ONLY ME.

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People are trying to help you
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If your yard won't allow turnout outside of daylight hours (can horses not see in the dark?!) then simples, move yards. Rent a field, do grass livery. Trust me, your horse will get used to being out 24/7, they all do.

And if you don't want your horse to have this reputation, then stop giving it to him! Ditto others above, if my horse displayed any behaviour like this, I would be on the phone to every kind of professional to help sort it, not half boasting about how 'wild' my horse is on an internet forum.
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So if I read rightly this horse, even under normal weather circumstances doesn't get turned out during the week at all as it is dark when you get back (I assume you then ride etc but not the same). If he really doesnt like being turned out that much I think he has never really learnt to be a horse.
 
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To be honest that's merely an accident and can happen whatever the conditions. It's a sad reality of horse ownership.

Your horse sounds to be a bit of a bugger but to be perfectly honest I am one of those who tends to feel most people like to exaggerate stories somewhat! He 'cornered' someone? How? He's a horse for gods sake and surely people on the yard know how to handle horses - why didn't someone just bloody well get a headcollar on him and put him back in the stable. Peopl overreact and panic far too much!

Surely, it's not hard is it - he's not a killer horse? My horse has escaped before back in the day when i used to forget to put the kickover on, he could undo the bolt and also any clip used to stop him doing it! Thankfully we have our own stables so don't have to put up with other numpties who have no clue and who panic in any given situation!

Ours have also broken IN to the yard and I've gone down and found them doing stuff they shouldn't! You just sort them out, without flapping about it

It's horses isn't it? Jesus people!

I would just poor this poor bugger out in the field though - bet he had the time of his life on the yard with all that food and hay all for him!!!! Lol
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That's another thing - why isn't the feed shut away anyway? I would never leave mixed feed out, it's locked in a separate room so horses cannot get in!

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I couldn't agree more! none of this is the horse's fault! It's an accident. horses escape all the time and if people ar too lazy to pop into the feed room for their horse's breakie every morning they run the risk of overnight escapees eating it!! I've lost count of the numer of accsions I've had horses (not mine) escape from fields and stables - it happens!!

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can i just point out it was my husband he cornered as he was feeding our 2 horses this morning it wasnt a slight exaggeration he was trapped against a wall in a small alleyway with no safe way to get past with teeth and front legs coming at him, this horse is 16.1hh and am not suprised he [****] himself i wouln't call my husband a numptie and even i wouldnt have attempted to get past him and i have had horses for 20 years.there were no headcollars to hand as mine were too small and even if they weren't would like to see you try and get a headcollar on him there is only janet who can handle him.my husband only deals with sedate cobs and only goes to feed in a morning he aint monty friggin roberts! we leave the feeds out as a matter of convenience not through laziness and this really isnt the issue here.
 
In the nicest possible way, why on earth are you posting about your Horse's 'issues' when you do not want to listen to any constructive advice? I replied to your previous post, so many people had offered so much advice, and all you did was disregard it all.

As others have said, it sounds like you need to urgently change something in the way this horse is managed, before he, you or someone else gets seriously hurt.

What is going to happen if you are ever ill, or god forbid, he does injure you? Who is going to look after him for you then? From what you have said no one is prepared to go near him....its all very well you saying that only you will handle him, but there is going to come a time when you cant for one reason or another.

I have to say, if he was mine, and I had exhausted all other possible avenues to sort his behaviour out, I would PTS. Its not practical to keep such an animal alive, for its own sake more than anything else.
 
I understand you don't like what pople are posting but with respect after your last few posts on the subject I think you probably knew what was coming.
I sympathise - i haven't been able to get Hovis off the yard and out of his stable properly for weeks. He is becoming bad tempered and grumpy - however I know the answer is to get him out.
I therefore won't post whinging about him being an arse when i know full well whats going to be said and what the solution is. As soon as i can get him out he'll be out and my equine angel will be back. Simples.
 
He goes out through summer sometimes in if he is getting to standing at gate and trying to get out and in all winter i know you dont believe me but he is actually much happier in than out as long as he is in there alone.I would love to be able to turn him out 24/7 it would make my life so much easier
 
I think the poster has been given plenty of advice and I do wonder why it appears non of it has been taken on board. From your report dixieandfinn this horse comes across as very similar to a spoilt dog. If indeed this horse was hand reared then has it been mollycoddled too much and never learnt it's 'place'?

If so then this is very sad especially as I believe the poster has been the only person handling this horse from the outset. Therefore like it or not the behaviour of this horse has been down to the owner's upbringing and, in all seriousness a proper professional (ie Richard Maxwell) may be needed.

As for "The horse does not like being out". I find this hard to believe. If the horse seriously is not happy being out then this would appear an agrophobic type of reaction and again something that can only have occurred, in my opinion by this horse having been wrapped in cotton wool and stabled from an early age and not having been socialised properly.

The horse needs turnout in a field it cannot get out of - preferably a large field that'll keep it entertained and provide stimulus. It is very sad when a horse doesn't know how to be a horse and this one sounds very confused to me.
 
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Jeeeeeeeeezus.
The OP admits the horse is mental and locks it up 24/7 then expects sympathy because it lashes out?
Clear a path to the field. Chuck a decent rug (s) on him and throw him in the field... then leave him there. If he comes through the fence put electric on it, put 3 seperate layers of electric fencing around the field before the post and rail fencing if needs be. And make sure he knows it is on (Make him touch it and get a scare).
Horses need turnout / exercise. NO horse only wants to be outside for 30 mins a day!

Honestly these posts make my blood boil. Put it out and leave it out, he clearly needs to burn off steam and is far less of a danger to others in a field somewhere than roaming round a yard attacking people.
 
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Trust me, your horse will get used to being out 24/7, they all do.

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^^^^^ This!

I'm sorry but I can't stand it when people mollycoddle their horses to the point of ridiculousness!
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Especially when it is quite clearly doing so much damage to the animal.

Richie does not know what's best for him. YOU do (if you didn't before then the replies to your recent posts will have pointed you in the right direction).

Yes he will probably stress initially since he has been conditioned to be agrophobic.......but if you don't change his lifestyle his behaviour will continue. If you can't turn him out at your current yard, move.....simples!

When I moved Monty he ran up and down the fence for 2 weeks. It was heartbreaking
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But I persevered since he needed to be moved to somewhere where he would be happy. And he is!!

My friend wouldn't muzzle her horse since he 'doesn't like it'. She now has a horse with a rotated pedal bone due to laminitis that will most probably be PTS.
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We have all probably done something that has been detrimental to our horses inadvertedly. When I was still sharing Monty I moved him to a livery yard with a school where he had to be stabled overnight. Cue very depressed pony!
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But the important thing is we learn from our mistakes.

Please learn from yours......for the benefit of both of you.
 
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