Dangerous or Just Scared? Not Convinced I Can Tell...

C

Cheshire Chestnut

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 October 2013
Messages
2,018
Location
Cheshire
Visit site
Friend of mine back in Yorkshire I grew up with 'rescued' a TB X mare from some clueless bloke who bought her for his girlfriend from York Horse Sales and kept her on his building yard on a scrap of grass *sigh*.

Anyway, she asked me next time I'm back visiting my folks if I'd come see said horse as she's been having trouble with her. Vet has already said that she displays scarring from potenially deliberate injury from years ago such as cuts into her ears, scars on her legs etc. Dread to think what her history is. Passport I'm not convinced belongs to her but vet does agree she's only about 7/8. In her stable she was calm and friendly, showed no signs of malice. She was fine to pick out her feet, go round her back end and brush her face.

However, when put on a lunge line she turned evil. My friend has lost all confidence with her and so I lunged her without her tack on. She walked off fine but as soon as I asked her to trot on she turned and ran at me with flat back ears and an open mouth. I had a lunge whip in my hand so I waved it at her (didn't hit her at all) and she backed off but still had her ears back and mouth open. Tried without the whip and the same happened. Turning her out later equally as scary. As soon as I took her headcollar off she walked off, turned round and then ran at me, ears pinned, mouth open and rearer up!

Friend has not even considered riding her yet but I really don't know what to suggest. There's no way I'd be happy doing anything with this mare, especially alone. She's obviously had some awful trauma in her life so I feel sorry for her but she comes across to me as dangerous... Thoughts or suggestions welcome please :)
 
I would say.....BOTH!

It sounds like she needs experienced and professional care. I would say this is not one to go into half-a$$ed.

I have dealt with horses like this in the past and with consistent handling they can come good, but if you are only "visiting" you cannot give this training, and it does not sound as if your friend has the capability at present.

IMHO, the horse needs a lot of time and effort, not to say £, and if no one can be found to put the time, effort and £s into it then PTS.

I appreciate that she was good in the stable, but a horse that attacks when turned out is a liability unless re-trained.

Sorry.
 
Red-1 said:
I would say.....BOTH!

It sounds like she needs experienced and professional care. I would say this is not one to go into half-a$$ed.

I have dealt with horses like this in the past and with consistent handling they can come good, but if you are only "visiting" you cannot give this training, and it does not sound as if your friend has the capability at present.

IMHO, the horse needs a lot of time and effort, not to say £, and if no one can be found to put the time, effort and £s into it then PTS.

I appreciate that she was good in the stable, but a horse that attacks when turned out is a liability unless re-trained.

Sorry.
Click to expand...


I agree. Was thinking that she may be able to just have her as a horse that lives out 24/7 and as a 'pet' but I don't think she'd do well living out. She'd need feed, rugs and grooming. The longer she left her out I'd be afraid she'd become more defensive and dangerous.

A real shame, this is not the horse's fault as she's most probably been subject to crulety but then again there's not much my friend can do to help her :(
 
if i was in that boat i'd either pay to send it to a reputalable natural horsemanship trainer, or else pts. If your friend isn't up to the challenge though then pts is the fairest option. poor horse
 
sounds like she is very frightened in the open...is she out with other horses or on her own...if she had been badly treated surely it would show in the stable as well. could she be an ex racer? maybe she was kept stabled and only exercised with company and feels very anxious if alone and her time at the scrap yard would have made her very insecure.. seems a shame to PTS. if she is friendly and calm in the stable there may be a chance she could come right with the right person...are there any horse whisperer type people near her that could come and assess the chances of a turnaround?
 
She is defensive. I had a young horse who used to come at me when lunged by rearing and using one leg aimed at me! so I put another lunge rein on and he was as good as gold! she is a young horse so might be worth persevering if your friend can get help.
 
She sounds petrified and therefore dangerous in certain situations.

If she were mine, I'd turn her out in a small settled mare herd, bringing her in for a fibre feed everyday along with the others, and build on her good behaviour in the stable from there. I wouldn't push her to do anything else for many months until I had built a trusting relationship with her. I certainly wouldn't be trying to lunge her or waving whips around, at this stage. And when I did try to extend her comfort zone, I'd be moving in teeny, tiny steps.
This presupposes that there is a small settled mare herd available, preferably all with the same owner, or certainly all with the same routine and that your friend has the patience to go at the mare's pace. If this is not the case, then probably pts is the best thing for the mare, unfortunately.
 
Thanks for this. I had no dea ow she'd react to the whip, I had only seen he rin the stable and she didn't let on there and therefore didn't know there was an issue. I've told my firned to lay off the whip and the lunging. I think the suggestions of gaining her trust are right, that's what I've said. She's only been moved to her a yard a few weeks ago so she's probably all out of sorts from being passed from pillar to post.

I think my friend really wants to do all she can to make sure we won't get put down - would be such a shame. It really upsets me to think people have made her like this, poor thing :(
 
Somewhere with grass livery may be able to provide your mare herd. Then she gets to learn the routine, and that not all humans are bad, by proxy from the established mares.

Then get a professional in to restart her as if she was a totally unhandled baby. Sounds like someone has given her a real beating at some point... poor girl :(
 
Think the horse is both dangerous and scared!

It sounds like she has had her 'pan knocked in' along with sadistic and deliberate harm. I really don't feel I could blame this horse for their behaviour at this point in time. I feel so sad for what others have done to her to provoke such threatening/defensive behaviour.

I feel her behaviour when even lunged is very concerning and she needs to realise firm but fair people aren't setting out to hurt/brutally force her but also at the same time the behaviour she displays is not acceptable. Think this is an awful situation OP.

I am not suggesting that you or the owner are incapable of helping/handling this mare but an expert/Pro may be able to assist in the interim.

Please keep safe and truly wish this horse can recover and enjoy life.
 
Sounds like a horse that will always need the "right" sort of handling. Not every NH trainer will be able to help, your friend needs someone who really knows how to read a horse, when to push and when to back off. Those people are few and far between. I agree re letting her settle and building trust, but don't make any allowances. Some horses have been pushed too far, regardless of age. If this horses behaviour escalates anymore your friend really should consider having her PTS. In fact she ought to be considering it already, and have the line clear in her head so when that horse crosses it there are no second chances or what-ifs. No horse is worth a human life, and there are plenty of young horses needing rescuing.
 
littlecoblet said:
Somewhere with grass livery may be able to provide your mare herd. Then she gets to learn the routine, and that not all humans are bad, by proxy from the established mares.

Then get a professional in to restart her as if she was a totally unhandled baby. Sounds like someone has given her a real beating at some point... poor girl :(
Click to expand...

I agree that horsey company would be a good start and then restart - but its a completely unknown quantity in terms of money and time spent or success in the end.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top