Does the weather affect your horse's temperament - Sorry long post

[VikkiBP]

Been having some 'problems' with my horse for a fair few months now. When I got him (last winter) he was slightly underweight and very placid, not affectionate and only interested in food. He worked in no outline whatesoever and used to pull at me for more rein. I've done quite a bit of work with him and over the winter I rode and lunged him at night, sometimes he was quiet, others he was mental, just bombing off all the time (lunging this is) so the sole object of the session in those times was to get him listening, relaxed and round, which sometimes took 40 mins or so... but I did not give in!!

After a few blips he came to my way of thinking, he enjoyed his schooling and I rode sun, cold or rain in all types of conditions oh btw he's a baby at 5 and a young 5 if you know what I mean. He was working round, low and deep within 10-15 mins and I was chuffed to bits with him.

About 14 weeks ago I rode him, same area, same tack it started to hail a little, more like big rain and the wind picked up a little, nothing extraordinary, he went bananas after 15 mins of this, bombed off, half reared and constantly bucking, 2 feet off the ground then 4 feet at full pelt in an arena.... as I was working him long round and deep of course i lost control and tried to dismount at full pelt but he bucked as i was leaping off so i fell quite badly..... he's 17hands plus so I fell damn hard and to cut a long story short lost my confidence as well as injured....I tore all my ligaments in my left pelvic area. For the last 3 weeks I've plucked up the courage to get back on.... on the lunge first and now free. Of course he was stiff again.. no one else would ride him... they daren't... all was going well again until last night. It was raining again, but not excessively so and he went mental again. My OH who is not really horsey took over the lunging and he was fine for him, completely calm... he usually wont do anything for him as he takes the proverbial out of him. I'm ashamed to say I was scared to get on him, although I knew thats what he needed. The only pattern it seems is wet weather that makes him extra spooky coupled with slight wind, although sometimes he's ok but the times when he's not he borders on the dangerous.

His temperamnet has changed qute significantly, he's very affectionate, runs to the gate to see me, ususally very well mannered in the stable, sometimes a bit spooky to lead.. he's bolted with other people when leading him.. My fear is he's getting too sensitive for his own good and I don't know why?

Any ideas? Weather? or too much good living?

He's not getting hard feed as he's on good grazing.... I want to be able to trust him completely again.. but unsure whether to peresvere with him.... I'm too old for dramatics thesedays

I'm used to buzzy/sensitive horses but not used to ones that don't listen in that mode at all. I'm firm but fair with him and conscious of his sensitivity so I've had to be a bit creative at times so that we both have a positive outcome. I suspect he;s had a hammering in the past and is sensitive to vocal commands, hates being shouted at and is afraid of a whip. I do ride with a schooling whip but only when necessary now and he accepts that from me. Maybe he needs more work?

 

[VikkiBP]

Just for info

Before and after shots


Before - when i got him

After - 2 weeks ago

 

[seabiscuit]

Fistly I dont think that its the weather, I think it sounds like the horse is really hurting somewhere and also the saddle doesnt fit.

I also hope you don't mind me saying, but he is only 5, and it seems like you have been doing one hell of a lot of schooling with him,along with wanting a very high level of perfection you talk of schooling him for 45 mins plus to get him going 'how you want him to go'. With a 5 year old I would not even contemplate schooling a horse for more than 20 mins 2 times a week, perhaps 3 times a week. It sounds like your horse has had more than enough. With a youngster it is the tiny, little achievements that count, and they must be emphatically rewarded for the slightest thing..then put away....the bucking/going nutty episode that you talk about is very likely a combination of him being fed up and bored, alongside something that is really hurting.

You have to make a young horse feel good about itself, raise its self esteem,and boost its confidence so that he/she learns to enjoy his work and work FOR you not against you....not always telling him 'this is wrong wrong wrong,' and then go on for another 30 mins or so going 'no, no, no. etc. Ideally if you only get the slightest result after only even 10 mins then put him away!

Thirdly he is a big horse, looks like a warmblood/Irish type,and I wouldnt be surprised if he has a lot more growing to do over the next 2 years, a horse like this wont finsh growing until he is 7 or 8, which is even more reason for you to take your time with him, just have fun with him doing loads of fun hacks out rather than constantly demanding a high level of perfection in his way of going in the dressage arena,day in day out.

 

[VikkiBP]

Hi thanks for responding. Perhaps I didn't make myself clear. He's not schooled everyday, 3 - 4 times max a week and he's had a fair few months off. We end our sessions early if he has gone particularly well, even if it has been just 20 mins. We do lot little canter work and have breathers in between. I don't ask for much other than relaxed and round, as straight as poss given his age with correct bend, again given his age and build. He is not forced into anything least of all his outline and is always ridden from the back to the front so that his mouth is not messed with. I do ask for things and on occasion demand them if i know he is capable of doing it ie bad behaviour, but always always within his capabilities for his age.

His work is varied and not just limited to schooling, we have plenty of off road riding and sometimes i just take him for a walk with his bridle on. I read a post earlier about imported continental horses being placid for a while then going 'booloo' once on our grass for a few months and wondered if anyone else had similar problems. His confidence has soared and he now has a personality, i think he has been pushed from pillar to post in his early years and he has now I have bought him he's been in one place the longest.... another thing which makes me think he's 'found his feet'. He is looking very masculine, almost stallion like and during his time off has filled out enormously of which I know looks are deceptive which is why we have taken things slowly. I have worked on his flexibility as he was so stiff when i got him and most of that work was achieved in walk. I can understand why you have posted as you have, but please be assured I am not a slave driver and the horses welfare is always paramount in my mind. He is always praised immediately and not scoldedwhatsoever when we are trying new things, I may just ask again in different ways until he understands. His not a bad chap by any stretch of the imagination but his outbursts when they happen have me scratching my head as they are so 'not him' and for no aparent reason.

 

[seabiscuit]

I'm sorry for posting what I did and assuming the wrong things- huge apologies on my part! So sorry.You sound like you have done a marvellous job with him.

Sounds like he is one of those horses that have had a really tough start to life, and is still 'finding' himself.

Might it be worth getting a reading from an animal communicator to see if he suffers from headaches or something, (which is soo common in horses you wouldnt believe!) or if there is something in particular that is setting him off?

 

[VikkiBP]

Good idea, don't suppose you know any?

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Nothing like a cold wind to get my horses back up. Sparks and her little cobby friend have towed me in from the field the last two mornings.

 

[PapaFrita]

Antifaz certainly DOES get very arsey when the weather changes, particularly if it's cold; much more bucking, prancing, etc. He's 7, but more like a 5-year-old as far as training goes. PF on the other hand is unfazed by the weather... perhaps because she grew up in the uk

 

[sham]

Weather certainly affects my Neddie's! Eldest one rears, broncs and attempts to bolt when leading her when it gets a bit nippy/windy.
Don't get me started on the ridden side of things!

 

[Peanot]

The weather certainly has an affect on my mare. She has been so laid back over the summer months, I have been feeding her propel plus to get her sparkle back but it hasn`t worked. I lunged her this morning in the rain and wind and she was a little monkey, leaping about and trotting round with loads of energy, just like the old Rox, so now I am contemplating knocking off her hard feed a little as its getting windy and cold. It always puts the wind between their legs and sets them off.
Perhaps it is best not to work him when it is really bad and only do it for about 10 mins when its not too bad and work up from there as the weather is only gonna get worse over winter, and perhaps asking for more gradually in those conditions will pay off.