Horse attacks rider having just bucked them off

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Henry-etta

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A friends recently broken youngster bucked her off, ran off broncing, then returned to bounce on her off all 4's.:eek: Has anyone else had or heard of an experience like this? My friend got off lightly with bruises. The worse bit was having to get back on!! :rolleyes:
 
I remember seeing something similar on you tube, but the horse just kicked the fallen rider in the head as it galloped off. But the kick was definitely intentional.
 
I remember seeing a video a couple years ago (think there was a big debate about it on here) poss the same as wagtail mentions. Was it after a jump and think rider may of been hatless and bareback showing off. Some say it was deliberate others will argue accident but horse did seem to look back before kicking out at fallen rider! Very scary stuff! Well done to your friend for being brave enough to get back on!
 
He came down on on her several times, not agressive more panicky! Not a kick, proper jumping / broncking off all 4 feet. Unfortunately, no video..
 
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Horses are programed to flee not fight, IMO if the horse has run off and returned to attack then something is serious amiss with this horse! But as horse is a youngster maybe he was playing tho?
 
Looked like he wanted her to get up and comfort him, although he'd forgotten he was bucking! That's what it looked like, I was curious if anyone else has had a similar experience.
 
rowan666 said:
Horses are programed to flee not fight, IMO if the horse has run off and returned to attack then something is serious amiss with this horse! But as horse is a youngster maybe he was playing tho?
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They do flee from things they fear, that is true. Maybe this horse wasn't afraid of the rider?
 
Young horse still learning.
Bucked scarey thing off the got brave and decided to make sure he killed it!

I wouldn't say this was an evil horse, just a scared one.

I'm glad your friend is ok.
 
My usually saintly pony bucked my friend off (bucked, reared vertical, twisted - you name it, she did it!) and then for good measure, tried to kick her teeth down her throat whilst she was still on the ground. She then did 2 laps of the field like Red Rum, eventually stopping at me, at which point she went vertical and boxed at me. She has never done anything like it before or since. My friend had got on her in a very brusque no-nonsense manner and pony decided she was having none of it!
 
This is an interesting subject, maybe horse was concerned for rider and was trying to get her up? i collapsed in my field once and thank god my friend got to me just as my very inquisitive anglo was about to start pawing at me! Obv that wasnt aggressive hes a major mummys boy and just wanted to see what i was doing on the floor/was i hiding any treats! So maybe the horse in question was jst playing/curious/concerned for rider? Do we have any behaviour experts on here? Ide be very intrested to hear others opinions on this subject
 
The comment about horse not being scared of rider was on the button! It took 6 months to catch him when first bought as a 2 year old. He is now 6, and only just making a riding horse. Very fearful horse, with a wierd set of responses to fear. It can be attack or flight, generally a mixed combo. In order to befriend this horse my friend has spent ages giving him cuddles, now he is a scary combination of disrespect and fright.
 
I had a very messed up pony when I was 15, one day I fell off he turned on me with his teeth and front legs and chased me out the arena. He was put down shortly after.
 
I have only seen this once....A horse bucked a rider off ran to other end of arena...turned to face rider & "hooved"?? at the ground....then charged at the rider. Luckily they got out of the arena in time. This mare was thought to have been physically abused and was "saved" from the meat man. Could have also had neuro problems who knows.

OP perhaps the youngster was scared and just took off and didn't realise where the rider was? Sometimes horses (especially young and not had a rider fall off before) may get really freak out by falling rider/flappy stirrups etc and bronced about without avoiding the rider on the floor?
 
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If he has been thoroughly checked out for pain issues, then I'm afraid I wouldn't question having him put down, same as Kokopelli's experience. Four years is a long time to work with a horse who is, at the end of this time, still frightened and aggressive - I wouldn't describe returning to attack the rider on the ground as "disrespectful" -it is quite extreme behaviour.
 
It is extreme behaviour for a horse .
Not a horse ever to be trusted .
OP your friend needs to take this very seriously and seek experienced help on the ground at once .
TBH I am all for giving horses time and persisting in difficult situations but I would not be keeping such a horse about the place .
 
Maybe I should start a new thread with the title "when do you call it a day?"
Yes to pain issues thoroughly investigated, saddle fitted etc. (checked by Annette Penny, Barrie Swain saddle)
My friend's daughter was certainly very upset about the prospect of her mum getting seriously hurt.
I think what Ozpoz is saying, correct me if I'm wrong, is that some things once you weigh them up aren't worth the risk. Question, if this horse was sent away to a trainer, who would probably use harsher methods, what would be the likelihood of an improvement in behaviour? The issue being that the horse needs someone to rely on, but is an enormous and dangerous baby!
 
My sisters pony used to beat the crap out of you if you fell off, he would come and buck around you and then kick at you.

his was because the dealer used to beat them when they chucked the kids off. Or didn't listen, kicking in the belly when horse stops at a jump and kicking it again when horse throws rider off in fright was a favorite of hers.
 
Don't assume that a good pro would take a harsh approach .
If the owner wanted to spend money trying to sort this horse Richard Maxwell would an excellent person to advise .
However the time comes IMO when it's not wrong to say I have spent enough time money and emotional energy .
People safety has to be the priority always .
 
I think if harsh methods were used, it would not be a productive outcome.

A few horses I've bumped into in my life with a similar disposition, I couldn't help but feel at the time and still now, even after having the hard graft put into them, that the best thing for them, would have been a bullet sadly. Yes, they improved 95% with the right handler and consistant correct handling, working 'around' them and their issues however, could still not be trusted as they weren't of a trusting nature to themselves - the damage had already been done albeit mentally/neurologically or through severe trauma. That 5% of distrust that was instilled to them still could be triggered by any unpredicted event or factor in their life, and the behaviour characteristics they chose to react with, was not worth the risk - to the handler, the horse or those around. I rather felt sorry for the horse living such a life with that much doubt, tension, agression and worry.
When you have a horse that just chooses to fight, when having a easily free choice of flight, isn't normal to me and never will be.

Obviously I am not condemning someone elses horse to death, I am only commenting on previous incidents I can relate to. It's one of them you'd really need a qualified behaviourist to come out and meet and watch said horse and have seen said incident....as how one may perceiveit, could be completely different to what is causing it/happening etc.
 
my friends mare would internally do something like this! if she doesn't get her own way, she will bolt forward, then return and kick her before going off again! has also trampled on her in the field before too!
 
I had 1 in a long time ago that was quite frankly a nasty individual around people and other equines. Hence why his owner sent him to us.
Only 2 weeks down the road, I would not let anyone else handle him and had to have frank discussion with owner, ended up taking pony to Potters Bar so vets could PTS & do a PM.
Pony was found to have had a vile tumour to the top LH side of his brain. If we'd shot him, then it would never have been found.
Originally the bad temper was put down to him being entire and only 4............

OP, please make sure you or anyone else never handles this fuzzy on your own till you have proven beyond all doubt that there is no medical reason for the percieved aggression.
 
ChristmasSparkles said:
I think if harsh methods were used, it would not be a productive outcome.

A few horses I've bumped into in my life with a similar disposition, I couldn't help but feel at the time and still now, even after having the hard graft put into them, that the best thing for them, would have been a bullet sadly. Yes, they improved 95% with the right handler and consistant correct handling, working 'around' them and their issues however, could still not be trusted as they weren't of a trusting nature to themselves - the damage had already been done albeit mentally/neurologically or through severe trauma. That 5% of distrust that was instilled to them still could be triggered by any unpredicted event or factor in their life, and the behaviour characteristics they chose to react with, was not worth the risk - to the handler, the horse or those around. I rather felt sorry for the horse living such a life with that much doubt, tension, agression and worry.
When you have a horse that just chooses to fight, when having a easily free choice of flight, isn't normal to me and never will be.

Obviously I am not condemning someone elses horse to death, I am only commenting on previous incidents I can relate to. It's one of them you'd really need a qualified behaviourist to come out and meet and watch said horse and have seen said incident....as how one may perceiveit, could be completely different to what is causing it/happening etc.
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This 100%. I would honestly have the horse put to sleep though. None of us can guarantee our futures, so the idea that something may happen to me and the horse go on to harm someone else, as well as having to live with the life sentence of the issues that make it that way would make my decision for me. I just can't stand the idea of horses being so deeply unhappy :(
 
Pale Rider said:
Fairly common response from horses who don't know where the barriers are. Owner /riders responsibility to get things in place, or get someone who can.
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But it would be foolish for anyone to make that assumption when safety of horse and human is at risk. Get professional help and take it from there, but don't just assume it's owner/rider error in the training of the horse.
 
The Buck Brannaman one was absolutely horrifying - that was in a different league to anything I've ever seen - as a couple of people have mentioned, it had very specific neurological problems and was a very sad case - coupled with an extremely irresponsible owner! (Everyone should watch that film - it'll make people think twice about "bits" in terms of control/brakes - we could all learn a lot from it!)

I had one of mine do this (like OP's situation) to me, I'd only owned him a week and he went for me in the field. I got some professional help in and never turned my back on him ever again. He was actually OK with other people, but took a real dislike to me - I *think* because I was the one who finally separated him from his mum - aged 10! He did move on to another home where boundaries were very clear from day 1 and for the next couple of years (until I lost touch) there had been no further problems at all - pussycat behaviour in fact. But not to me!
 
Pale Rider said:
Fairly common response from horses who don't know where the barriers are. Owner /riders responsibility to get things in place, or get someone who can.
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Surely not, PR? In decades of horse ownership in yards with up to sixty horses on them I have never seen a horse drop its rider and then attack them, never mind move away a considerable distance and then return to attack them. In my experience it's not common behaviour at all.
 
cptrayes said:
Surely not, PR? In decades of horse ownership in yards with up to sixty horses on them I have never seen a horse drop its rider and then attack them, never mind move away a considerable distance and then return to attack them. In my experience it's not common behaviour at all.
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Agreed. The only similar thing I've seen was a Brumby who'd been injured several times by men attempting to break him the 'Outback' way, and had learned attack as the best form of defence.

However, I have seen horses come in at something backwards when they're startled or afraid. In a young horse, the event could have triggered the behavior normally seen when a horse kills a rat or snake. My money would be on horse reacting from surprise, confusion and fear, but worth looking for a physical cause too.
 
Please try to persuade your friend not to get back on this horse! She has children, she cannot risk her life with a horse like this, its not fair on her family, apart from anything else.
I would send horse to a good trainer, then depending on what they say, PTS or retrain and sell on with full disclosure. Your friend will probably never be able to trust this horse again (I know I wouldn't!) and the horse will sense the trepidation and react to it, so although he may become safe for someone else, he may never be reliable with your friend, as WindyStacks found. Its just not worth the risk IMO.....
 
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