Horrified by yesterday was I right ?

The_snoopster

The_snoopster

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Ok this might turn into an epic so are we all sitting comfy, my rising 4 year old was due to be transported to the breaking yard yesterday by the trainers themselves. I had sent a friend to check there yard previously as I have been so busy doing my lame mare inbetween 3 p/t jobs, she said they looked ok, but did find them quiet to talk to. I had also asked around if people had heard anything good/bad about them, and I heard no bad but then lots of people had not heard of them.

They arrived and I fetched my pony down to the lorry, now when I rand them on several occasions I had explained that he had not travelled since he was a baby and would proberly be nervous and I did not mind paying them extra for that time, they agreed that that was fine. The pony walked straight up to the ramp and sniffed it and seemed very interested (not frightened at this point), after around two minutes the trainers help (I think it was his mother) then picked up a broom and started to wack him with it, I shouted "hey what are you doing he as only just looked at the ramp give him some time".

This woman then said in a very intimidating way "look we are the proffessionals at this but we will do it the nice way but I,m not messing around all day it,s too hot", I told her not to be so rude, whilst I was having words with this woman the so called (trainer had put on what I believe to be a chifney bit and started yanking at my pony,s mouth obviously the pony shot side ways, at this point he punched my pony in the head and called him an (ignorant little s**t). The woman was still hitting him up the backside while he was trying to pull the pony up the ramp !

Well this is when me and my friend who is a riding instructor flew in and took the pony off them and I,m not ashamed to say i really let rip on them all and told them to get in their lorry and go before I really lost my temper.
This all happened in the matter of 15 minutes, and i,m ashamed that I let it go on for that long.

I am glad they showed their true colours straight away what would of gone on at their yard, if they were happy to do all this whilst the owner was there ! and think I have had a very lucky escape. This is a trainer who on his website states getting it right for your youngsters is so hard thats why we pride our selves in doing the best job for you .

My pony is safe back in his field and seems his usual friendly self but what damage have they done with thier treatment for the next time he see,s a horse box ? I am angry with myself that I let these people intimidate me into letting it happen at all, because at one point the woman walked up to me and I REALLY THOUGHT SHE WAS GOING TO HIT ME, because I said to her "go on make my day I really suggest you get in your lorry and fook off" plus I think a few other choice words that I dregged up from my youth.

Was I in the wrong surely this is not the way to do babies, I am now back to square one and will give him a month and start looking again for a trainer who will listen to what their clients say and put the needs of the horses/ponies first.

Yes in an ideal world I should have done some practice loads and travel, but if you do not own a trailer/box how are you supposed to practice, I am not on a yard I rent a field on my own and don,t really mix with lots of horsey folk. And also what happens to the ponies that do travel well on those trainers yard once the owners have left ?

My point to writing this post is be very careful where you send your youngsters, these people ticked all the boxes when I enquired after them I feel so fooled and duped by them.

Thanks for getting to the end of this post have a jaffa cake on me.
 
Absolutely terrible behaviour on their part, well done you for stepping in and doing the right thing.
I'm sure pony will be fine, just borrow a box and spend some time letting him get comfortable around it. They are remarkably resilient & forgiving.
 
You definitely did the right thing - I cannot stand people who bully horses into a lorry and there would have been no way that I would send my baby off with people like that!
 
My goodness! :mad: That's sounds awful, but at least you found out what they were like before the pony was taken away.
Fingers crossed no damage was done to the poor little mite.:(
I do nt envy you having to try and find another breaking yard now. How will you know who to trust?! A minefield!:confused:
 
No, you did exactly the right thing. I would have been absolutely fuming! They would have been in danger of being smacked with a broom themselves. I may be a fraction too soft I suppose, but those people sound like they haven't got a clue. If they act like that in front of you I can only imagine how little patience they will have with the pony when they are backing it. Well done for not letting the 'professionals' intimidate you.
 
That's awful!:mad:

Maybe it would be worth hiring a trailer for the day just to practice getting on and off with him?
 
Of course you did the right thing.

It's so important that you do your homework. So next time, do check people out thoroughly yourself.

Why don't you and your RI friend break him in together at home??
 
sound like professional idiots, people like that make me mad. no need for it AT ALL. good job po didnt go there, probably be a quivering wreck by the time they had 'trained' him...

i would see if you can borrow a box and just take your own time to let him have a nosey at it with all the time in the world to satisfy himself its safe.
 
that is horrendous, glad you stopped it and kept him at home, can you imagine what they would do in privacy if they will behave like that in front of owners! Don't beat yourself up about not stepping in sooner, I think sometimes we are intimidated by those we consider to be professionals and think we are over reacting and will look silly. You stepped in and stopped them and should pat yourself on the back for that because it took some guts! I would see if you can borrow a trailer or box for a day and put it in the field, keep taking small feeds and placing them in the box for him to wander up the ramp and get comfortable with it. Shame we are not nearer, I would happily have parked our box in your field fo a few days. Perhaps if someone on here is close they will offer to help out!
 
I would love to break him in myself but would not have the first idea on how to do it and have always believed that if a pony is started wrong it,s there for life, hence why I wanted it done right !
My friend who is the riding instructor well the pony is intended for her daughter to have on a long term loan, he is not a small pony he is a chunky 14.1 NF and he was the biggest challenge I have taken on. I always wanted a straight off the forest colt to bring on myself, and I have had lots of frustrating days with him as a baby, but we have come out the other side with a lovely friendly pony who just loves being with people.
We are now thinking about sending him to the yard where my friend works and intends to keep him once broken and trained, and have a freelance trainer do him there. I just need to get him there once I have found someone willing to travel to him everyday, I really thought I would of calmed down by now but I am still feeling very stupid indeed.
 
Eesh, and thank god you were there to see him go yourself! Or not should I say! At least you've prevented a lot more damage for certain than has been done. I'd save give him a little time and try to hire/borrow a horse box (does your friend have a box you could borrow for the day/an hour or two even?) and just let him get used to it. So long as you don't let a repeat of that happen he should get over it quite quickly (:

Maybe if you could get him to a yard, you could have someone come to do the initial part of the breaking and show you how to continue with your friends help so you have a better idea of what you're doing?
 
how awful, you did the right thing. I had to take my horse to the vets hes not keen on travelling, the transporter i got refused to take the box down our narrow drive as it would get scratched! instead he insisted we load him on the 40mph! blind hill , shoved a chifney on him and spent 30 minutes trying to load him, He then proceeded to break really hard so the horse fell into the partition front which had no padding just bare metal!


He was then sedated 3 times! by the vets on the way home, hes not travelled since but I expect that experience has made him far worse. Hopefully a one off for your youngster wont do too much harm.
 
Friend as been in touch and she is going to ask her yard owner to bring his trailer down with a quiet pony already in there for company and he has patience and understanding. He has gone on holiday for a while to america, so in the meanwhile I am going to try and get another friend with a trailer who is big on natural horsemanship to come and give him some confidance about loading.
Just got to find a freelance trainer now although I believe getting him to the yard will be the biggest part now, also it may take a while to do the practise as the NH man is going on holiday soon as well. I am also going away for a week with my mother-in-law soon, as she is seriously ill and as requested a holiday before she is too ill to travel, thats why I was pleased he was going away this month oh well best layed plans have all gone to pot again. lol
 
You did completely the right thing, I cant stand people who try to bully horses onto boxes, trailers etc. It should always be gentle, sensible co ercion, it takes time but who doesn't have time to get a lesson right - first time?

I'd have taken the broom and rammed it up her...... :)
 
You definitely did the right thing. Well done for standing up to them, hopefully they might think twice in future about treating a horse that way now.

Since you're local to me, I'm tempted to ask who it was...
 
Goodness - yes, you have to be careful sending your pony away. I made some BAD decisions a few years ago (mainly based on the financial aspect and distance of the training yard), and am still regretting it. I had picked out a really nice training yard for my mare, but it was more than an hour's drive away that OH didn't think I should go for that one due to rising cost of petrol. There was a local place, but with only one person to tend to my horse. I wasn't really sure whether that person and my horse would get along (my horse is stubborn!), but against all the mixed feelings, I went for it. As I already thought, horse and trainer didn't get along and my horse became excitable and just plain moody - I don't know why. Then my horse injured herself, and may now be unrideable. It was a waste of money - nothing had been achieved... and it has ruined my horse forever. Even OH is now regretting having suggested I go for the one closest to us.
 
I have just thought if anyone is thinking of sending their babies away shropshire and they are not sure where to send them, I,m happy to pm them where not to send them. Shame that we cannot name and shame bad horse people on here there would be a lot less people feeling like me today if we could.
But on the flip side I,m sure there are people out there that think these people have done wonderful jobs on their horses, and have never known what happened during the breaking process.
I am feeling a bit better about it all now, and the farrier said he would of paid good money to watch me go off on one with them. lol :eek:
 
That is horrendous!

Is there any way you can put word out about them locally?? So many horses are going to get soooo ruined in their hands. Despicable.
 
Its a good thing at least that you knew what they'd be like before your horse went there coz you could have so easily sent him there and then he'd come back a nervous wreck and you'd wonder what had happened.

Yes, know what its like to be "bullied" by people who are supposed to be "equine professionals". But if your horse is telling you something you have to listen, they have a very good idea and can read people like a book (mine can, crafty little monkey).

Well done you for standing up for your horse; what a lovely owner you are and how your horse will reward you in the long-term for recognising his needs and sensitivities. You deserve success and I hope you do well with him.
 
A lot of my friends are asking why my facebook status is a bit raw, as I said I do not have lots of horsey friends but I sure do know lots of people that are aquaintences with horses that do have contacts.
And the lady that witnessed it with me works at the biggest equestrian center in my area so I,m sure she is doing her bit, I have also emailed them telling them exactly what I think of their methods but I am still waiting for an explanation.
I do believe that these people think I was in the wrong and they were stopped from doing their job, what I did forget to mention in my original post was just before he punched the pony for shying away from the snatching of the chifney bit the clatch on the lead rope actually gave way so how hard did he snatch it ! I am just releived he did not break my pony,s jaw the stupid man
 
Yes you were right. Never send a horse for backing to a place you have your doubts about! Well done for standing up to them.
 
My mates horse always gets the broom up the bottom to get him in the lorry, but he's been in the lorry so so many times he's just being awkward.

But after 15mins of not really being travelled, that behaviour is disgusting! I think you have really done the right thing, if they behave like that, wonder what goes on behind closed doors! :s
 
Sadly, I was witness to exactly the same some years ago when so-called professionals tried to load a 3 year old arab filly to take her for breaking. Well they broke her alright - she had so many injuries to her legs she had to have 2 weeks box rest. While I am absolutely in the camp of sometimes you have to be a bit firm, there is no need to beat an animal and try to chase it up the ramp with a whip, amongst other things. Luckily her owner was able to spend a few nights on her own quietly teaching her to load into a friends lorry, and eventually she was successfully broken in a while later with no ill effects. If I were you, I'd take every opportunity to comment to everyone you possibly can about this shower. The horsey world loves a good gossip and it would spread like wildfire. There is nothing like a bit of non-recommendation...
 
It sickens me to know that there are people out there that abuse horses in this way. Thankfully your horse was only subjected to 15 minutes of it.

A lesson to everyone to do a no stone unturned check before allowing someone near their horse.
 
I am still waiting for a reply to my email asking them to explain their methods of loading a youngster, proberly wont get one as I did tell them they were the worst show of so called horse trainers I have ever met.
 
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