Do grumpy horses stay grumpy forever?

[Mare Stare]

As in grumpy and uncooperative horses.

Our Welshy, Beau (the grey below) Hehas always been grumpy. Has never been very enthusiastic about work. He has a tendency to protest and argue with everything he is asked to do.

I honestly thought it was us, that me and my daughter were the problem, until I read about Archie in today's H&H where he is described as a "sulky teenager" and is uncooperative with his rider.

So has anyone managed to transform a grumpy horse?

 

[starryeyed]

I think some horses do stay grumpy forever, unfortunately!!
We've had a grumpy horse for getting on 7 years now, we rescued him and he's had a bit of a tough life before us but after so long with us I would have hoped he'd have got a bit happier, he lives a life of luxury! But unfortunately not, he's still as grumpy, unco-operative and unenthusiastic as he was on day 1 (ungrateful little bugger! )
He's not at all nervous, untrusting etc - just grumpy, just as you described! It's sad because after tracing his history he used to be a lovely horse before someone ruined him.

 

[mightymammoth]

I've got one in fact his nickname is the moody mammoth, when you take his tack over to him he looks at you as if your something hes stepped in with a "what! you want me to do something" look on his face. Now were used to each other I don't mind I find it endearing

 

[Honey08]

I've had my mare for nearly seven years. She was grumpy when she came (and for previous owners) and she is still grumpy! Thats just how she is. She works her butt off for me when ridden, so if she doesn't want to be fussed and prefers her space, thats fine by me. Not all of them are going to be the same. My gelding is the softest, mushiest creature in existance, so I get my horsey cuddles there!

 

[HarlequinSeren]

Not quite the same thing but this reminded me of two of the horses at the very first yard I started to learn to ride on. They had 2 old ponies who had been miserable gits their whole lives. Perfectly happy to work, and lovely around people, but just not very friendly with any of the other horses. Then after years of them both basically being loners in the same small herd, they discovered eachother and became best friends, totally inseparable it was lovely to see them interacting and happy when they had been loners for so long. They continued to be grumpy to the few other ponies in the herd, but were totally happy in each others company. It's mad that they'd never paired up sooner!

 

[FanyDuChamp]

Surely it all depends why they are grumpy?!

My lad is the grumpiest old man ever but only when his tummy is playing up. The rest of the time he is a total sweetie, not fond of new people but a love other than that! My mare is a lovely horse who never gets grumpy unless she has a sore leg due to mudfever type of thing, not mud fever.

So firstly I would always look for underlying problems, because they usually exist. But there are people who are grumpy natured so no reason why not horses.

FDC

 

[VoR]

Surely it all depends why they are grumpy?!

Well, I've got two of them, both checked by vet, backs and teeth done, saddles checked, etc, etc, both still grumpy! Wouldn't call either unco-operative though.

I call it character and love 'em both

 

[Wagtail]

Nine times out of ten there is always a reason if a horse is grumpy. Find the reason, and if it is solvable then you will cure the grumpiness. Although horses naturally vary in how affectionate they are and how biddable, frequent grumpiness is not a normal state for a horse.

 

[maggiesmum]

I've generally found most grumpy horses to have an underlying issue that once resolved has made them at the very least a bit less grumpy - the bit thats left being habit.
I saw that article in H&H and it crossed my mind just how many unresolved issues that particular horse has to make him so uncooperative. :-/

 

[VoR]

Nine times out of ten there is always a reason if a horse is grumpy. Find the reason, and if it is solvable then you will cure the grumpiness. Although horses naturally vary in how affectionate they are and how biddable, frequent grumpiness is not a normal state for a horse.

Ears back and looking grumpy can of course be learned behaviour from something that has happened in the past.

 

[Wagtail]

Ears back and looking grumpy can of course be learned behaviour from something that has happened in the past.

The ears back thing is a strange one. I have known three horses that always greeted you ears back but that weren't in the slightest bit grumpy. We have one at our yard now. She is really cuddly and affectionate but always puts her ears back as you approach.

 

[Ibblebibble]

lol my mare is a grumper, she has got better though as apparently when her old owner first had her she was a right biatch and would try and take your face off over a bowl of food!! A lot of it is learnt behaviour, she learnt from a young age that if you're big and make faces at people they will leave you alone! her old owner completely ignored the faces and the threatening behaviour and big mare did learn that it doesn't work on everyone. she still tries it with anyone new though lol
i just accept that she doesn't do cuddles, the closest we get is in the field she will creep up behind you and nudge you with her head, if i let her she will rub her head on my back, if i laugh because she nearly pushes me over she pushes harder! she might act grumpy but i know there is a sense of humour hiding in there as well

 

[Annagain]

My boy is known as Victor Meldrew at our yard. He's generally fairly co-operative as deep down he's quite a sweet thing, but if he could talk there would be constant grumbling coming from him! This is only really in the winter. In the summer when he's out 24/7 and he's not constantly having mud brushed off tricky areas, being washed down, clipped and having his rugs fiddled with, he's much better. He's mellowing with age so maybe they don't stay grumpy forever - either that or I'm just desensitised to it.

 

[Capriole]

I have one that came to me 'a bit thin' shall we say, and grumpy as hell. Bit, kicked, the lot, horrible behaviour.
Some time between a year after I had her to two years she stopped being a bag, but I didnt really notice when that was, until one day I was standing near her head looking back and checking her saddle fit and I felt something in my back and it was her nuzzling me.

I thought Cr*p Im in biting distance then realised she hadnt actually bit me. Now shes actually quite cuddly

Ive got another that doesnt like hugs and cuddles, but shes not grumpy so much as aloof and never had hugs and cuddles for most of her life so never got used to it.

 

[VoR]

The ears back thing is a strange one. I have known three horses that always greeted you ears back but that weren't in the slightest bit grumpy. We have one at our yard now. She is really cuddly and affectionate but always puts her ears back as you approach.

Come try 'cuddling' these two by all means, me they'll allow (just about), others.....hmmm not so keen. As I said pretty sure learned behaviour in one, was kept pretty isolated from other horses (so now not very friendly to them other than with OH's mare), possibly over-worked doing just SJ all the time, quite possibly over-faced in the end and knowing what I know now perhaps not treated very kindly so has become grumpy as a reaction to all that (not as bad as he was when I first got him but definately still grumpy!). The other not had long (4.5 months), certainly hasn't been mistreated, hopefully just settling in to his new home and will improve, but defo 'grumpy'??

 

[FanyDuChamp]

Nine times out of ten there is always a reason if a horse is grumpy. Find the reason, and if it is solvable then you will cure the grumpiness. Although horses naturally vary in how affectionate they are and how biddable, frequent grumpiness is not a normal state for a horse.

Totally agree with this.
My lad was abused and has a bad stomach both of which made him a grumpy gus, now he is as rehabilitated as he will ever be, he is 19 in May, he is completely different.

I think one person's grumpy may just be another person's normal.
FDC