Depressed horse after bad loan?

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Charlie_Boy

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My gelding has just come back after being out on loan for a week and a half as the man said he was an unreliable loader (which he knew) and that he went crazy when he rode him. But he went with absolutely no blemishes whatsoever and has come back with massive cuts all up the back of his legs and all over his face and has dropped a lot of weight very quickly. He also has restraint marks from the martingale under his chest and cuts on his lips and under his chin! His back shoe has taken away some of his hoof wall as they failed to get him shod and now he has to be barefoot for 2 months. He is also now miraculously head shy and doesn't want to be touched, his head is really low. He has already been abused when he was a youngster and quite often becomes aggressive when he is threatened. Has anyone got any ideas to brighten him up? I feel really bad for letting him go to this man but he was meant to know what he was doing although I find that hard to believe! Has anyone else had a problem like this when loaning out their horse? I have has him for 3 years and before this he was apparently beaten into submission for breaking although he never submitted and instead became so aggressive they were going to shoot him :( It took me at least a year and a half to gain his trust and then he was great will he be alright still? I'm so worried about him :(
 
Having read some of the threads on Animal Communicator's, perhaps it would be worth trying one of them. If it works it could help to rebuild his trust in you again.
 
I have been lucky with the loan homes I have found. There are good homes out there, they just seem few and far between.

As for your boy, I'm sure if he learnt to trust you before having been ill treated, he will learn to do it again. I think all you can do is reassure him and get him back into his usual routine so he feel safe and secure.

I also reccomend horse communicators, this may help if you can explain to him that he didnt do anything wrong and that he's safe now etc?

Hope it all turns out ok for you!

Emily
 
After it took all that time for him to trust you, you were his comfort and security. After being ill treated again he will probably feel relieved that hes back with you but is still nervous after what he went through. I think with some TLC, carrots, and hugs im sure he will learn to trust again (prob alot quicker than before) I dont think he should be ridden or worked (not sure if you are or not, but just saying) just so he can settle back down and feel secure and safe without feeling rushed :) Hope it all goes well keep us updated on how he goes x
 
Felt quite sick after reading your post. How on earth has this guy managed to ruin your horse after just a week and a half? Please don't take that the wrong way, I'm honestly not knocking you, you must be beside yourself with worry and I really feel for you. You invest so much time and hard work into getting a previously abused horse right and some total *******twit manages to undo everything.

If I were you I'd go back to square one, loads of time out, masses of TLC, stick to a tried and tested routine. It sounds as though your horse's trust has been absolutely wrecked, but he's back with you now, you need to be the one trustworthy thing in his life, you've done it before and you can do it again. Horses have got over much worse.

There are Bach remedies that you can give him for trauma and depression but I'd have to look them up before recommending them.

Give him a nice hug from me...
 
i'd spend as much time as you can with him, talking to him, stroking him, massaging him if he enjoys it, scratching his favourite places. i'd explain it all to him, it'll make you feel better and imho they understand a lot more than we think, especially tone and emotions.
i second the suggestion of an animal communicator, i realise a lot of people think they're charlatans and that anyone using one is a gullible mug, BUT some of us believe in them, and have been amazed by the results...
good luck with your lad. at least he wasn't with this abusive cretin for long...
 
Yes agree with post above; all this happened within a week and a half????? This is all it takes to spoil a good horse though.

I think probably the best thing is to get him back into your yard routine as soon as poss; things like feeding at the same time each day will give him reassurance, and turning out with a good steady companion. Perhaps hack him out lightly to start with, or work him gently in the school, maybe not even ride him just lunge and do groundwork, anything just to get his confidence back again.

I think he'll come back OK, given time, its just taking him gently for now and being cautious that you don't ask him to cope with a situation he can't deal with and/or brings back bad memories for him.
 
Oh my days, that is terrible - poor you & poor pone.
Lots of TLC - Massage is great, can learn bits and bobs from you tube or get someone in who's trained to give him a good going over. His muscles will deffo be tight and full of nots from all the stress and anxiety. Always start with smooth stroking movements to warm up the muscles before going in and working them deeper and working his kinks out. He'll deffo feel for it and will be a big reassurance too, one big all over hug!
Bless, he'll get back to his usual self x
 
Please don't beat yourself up about this, you honestly can't tell about some people and thank goodness he brought the boy home sooner rather than later.
I have no experience of animal communicators but can recommend Bowen Technique. I am more worried that his head is low as it may suggest some soreness in his poll, especially as he had horrid martingale marks and sore lips.
You don't say he is being awful to you so I agree with all the others oodles of TLC and take your time and if you are able to, promise him you will never loan him again. If what the communicators say is true, he will understand.
Best of luck and give him and you a hug.
Bryndu
 
Yeah, sit down with him and an animal communicator and a nice cup of tea and a bourbon and explain to him the ins and outs of loaning him out again, I'm totally sure he'll understand, I mean my horse is currently doing his English Speaking GCSE so I mean they can totally understand humans.

Sounds terrible though and I'm sure with gentle handling and lots of TLC he'll be alright again in no time :)
 
Sounds like you picked a real dozy for him, but that's not your fault, as people act differently when first met. But your boy I think is not going to be so forgiving, as basically he's been taken back to when he was badly abused, and you have to start all over again and take things very slowly as we all know once trust is lost either animal or people, it takes a hell of along time to regain it if ever.
 
Gosh....how awful for your horse and you! Loaning can be so risky but you did your best. I've had some very good loanees and some pretty bad loanees so you never really know. Just be thankful he came back when he did....could have been two months and twice as bad! No-one knows what goes on behind closed doors.
I would be tempted to make his life as enjoyable as possible a) nature's best - turn him out as much as possible with his mates so that he can have the security of the herd b) get him checked over by a vet/physio if you think there's perhaps a structural problem c) if he's been in a fear state and under stress then some of his bodily systems will have been on alert - so he's probably recovering from that. When in stressful situations horses can actually become quite passive and appear disengaged and depressed! I would be temped to only give him light in-hand walking work and turn him out with his mates until he begins to perk up to allow recovery! d) then when he's perking up take him back to basics (stop/go/turn, etc) so he knows what's expected of him in his work - all horses gain security from this. d) make sure all his tack is not restrictive (snaffle bit, no martingale, etc.)
Hope he manages to pick up. This post, though, has reminded me to go and check on my loan horse tomorrow....as you never know. Thanks
 
The trust will come back without any techniques or communicators. He just needs lots of TLC, love, and time. If he got through his first "bad time" and trusted you he will do it again.

If you ever loan him again, make them keep him at home for goodness sake.

Hugs to you both.xx
 
kerilli said:
i'd spend as much time as you can with him, talking to him, stroking him, massaging him if he enjoys it, scratching his favourite places. i'd explain it all to him, it'll make you feel better and imho they understand a lot more than we think, especially tone and emotions.
i second the suggestion of an animal communicator, i realise a lot of people think they're charlatans and that anyone using one is a gullible mug, BUT some of us believe in them, and have been amazed by the results...
good luck with your lad. at least he wasn't with this abusive cretin for long...
Click to expand...

Agree with this. At least he wasn't there long and you managed to get him back. Hope everything works out in the end for you and good luck :)
 
hi

when i sold my pony he wasnt subjected to anywhere near as bad as what you described but the girl who bought him lost interest & he was ignored a lot & just left in the field whereas he had been used to being busy with me. i would have described it more as emotional neglect (can this term apply to horses as welll as people) not physical abuse but it went on for a period of time. i definately think he got depressed as he lost his normal alertness & curiosity, was no longer playing his cheeky tricks & just seemed down to me. eventually the girl's parents decided that if she was really so uninterested then they should sell him (finally!). now a lovely young girl has him & she loves him & gives him the attention that i did. now when i see him he is back to his normal cheeky self & seems happier. i still want him back but i can see he is happy where he is. i think what i am trying to say is give yours some love & attention & he will get back to his normal self.
 
thanks everyone really helpful comments! :) I have gone to uni at the moment so just trying to get back at the weekends to give him love:) Am hopefully going to take him for a very gentle hack on saturday as he is much easier to ride than work in hand as he is very big, but literally going to plod around very quiet roads. I would definitely warn anyone to triple check who they are loaning too, this person was meant to know what he was doing:confused: He is being looked after by a paid groom now and he is at home so hopefully he will be safe there at least until he can come to uni with me :)
 
Poor you and pony!!!!

Hope all works out for you, think my elderly mare is depressed at the moment, so just trying to spend one on one time with her, and she seems to be enjoying this, scratching her itchy spots, grooming, giving her treats etc.

Also have friend who managed to ruin 2 completely lovely horses in about 2-3 weeks... :mad: so have seen it happen total shame though, this was through ignorance and lack of confidence.

Becky x
 
Lots of TLC for the poor boy.

Really I'm replying to say that not all loan homes are bad.

I've had William my boy on loan since he was 6 and hes now 13 near 14, I love him so much, he has me wrapped around his hoofs.

Hes gone from not being able to do anything when I got him to doing BE and BD we have 38 points.

Hes due to go back to his owner when his 15, its going to be like giving away my baby, I dread the day :-(


Jane x
 
and my mare has come back to me after being very happily loaned out for years as a happy hacker, so it can work (gray horse is most put out though!)

Hope your boy comes back to his normal self quickly though.
 
A friend had a welsh cob boy who was a darling she didn't loan away from the yard but a girl used to ride him always with us, she was very nervous, he needed a confident rider when we cantered she let him go then stopped him he didn't know what to do in the end she was asked to stop riding him in effect he had a nervous breakdown, it was only after weeks of his owner riding him and letting him go forward that he recovered. Not quite the same scenario as your case but patience will work and lots of TLC.
 
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