Horse been kicked - I'm somewhat annoyed (long, sorry)

dibbin

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I'm not annoyed that my horse has been kicked. He's a horse, sometimes they fight. It happens. And he's not seriously injured so that's ok. What I'm annoyed about is this:

1) At our yard we have a small turnout paddock, it's used for horses that need to go out in a small area for medical reasons, or if you want to put your horse out for a leg stretch for 15-20 minutes while you muck out. As long as they're non-aggressive, you can put 2 horses in it without any problems. I put Dylan out with horse X, who belongs to A. Dylan and X are in the same group for turnout, have hacked out together, and have been in the small paddock together at least half a dozen times, with NO incidents. Generally they ignore each other. I asked A AND one of the staff if it was ok to put Dylan in with X, they both said it was fine. He pottered about and had a roll, and I went to muck out.

5 minutes later I heard them going at it, grabbed my headcollar and went to get Dylan. Walked round and he was cowering in the corner while X galloped round the paddock in circles and one of the staff was keeping him away from Dylan with a yard brush. When I got Dylan out, I was told he'd definitely been kicked, and at least 4 people said "Oh, I wouldn't have put him in with X, he's been kicking the cr*p out of everything for the last couple of weeks." His owner was apparently aware of this as well.

Well thank you all SO much for telling me that before I turned my horse out with him.

2) I tied him up outside his box to look him over, there was blood running down the inside of his back leg. Hosed it off, 2 little cuts. One just a graze, the other one's about an inch by a centimetre, but it's deep and he's obviously sore on it. He keeps picking his leg up to look at it. A was about 20 yards away across the yard at this point. I called one of the staff over to take a look at Dylan's leg, and ask her to give me a hand cleaning it because he's a total wuss about getting cuts cleaned.

A has not bothered to ask how Dylan is, or apologised for her horse making him lame. I know he's a horse and sometimes even the most mild-mannered and non-aggressive ones WILL fight, but surely if she knew hers had been displaying that sort of behaviour recently she should have said something?!

*and breathe* sorry about the epic, I realise that's a pretty major rant about something pretty minor,but I really needed to vent! As I said, his leg's ok, if a bit sore. I'm just annoyed.
 
Maybe everyone thought you knew?

Anyhow, sorry your hose is injured, hope he recovers quickly. Did it need a vet?
 
theyre probably wetting their pants that you're about to sue them, unfortunately with horses and insurance involved these days its more like car accidents, so people dont say sorry as they should.
I would have more issue with the staff TBH as they are professionally responsible and also see what happens all the time. The owner will always have the rose goggles on.
 
Didn't need the vet, one of the staff just had to do the Hibiscrub and warm water skoosh-and-run-away a couple of times with me holding up one of his front legs. I'll be keeping a close eye on it, it looks deep and I don't want it getting infected because he's SUCH a princess about cuts!

And I'm not planning on suing them, it would just have been nice if she'd apologised, or even asked if he was alright!
 
Sorry about your boy, hope he makes a speedy recovery.

How odd not to say sorry. If a horse of mine kicked someone elses I would be mortified and apologise profusely for about a month! As LaM said, she's probably worried about being sued although it would never get anywhere. Horses will be horses!
 
ummm whilst sorry for you you said both horses been out before? - big big sigh they are horses and things do happen - its always a risk when turning out either in quiet paddock or herd - has other horse been on box rest is he playful - heart with you but they are horses and i know that more than many :)
hugs to you hun xxxx
 
If staff and owner knew the horse was getting aggressive they should have by rights warned you, and let you decide for yourself whether to put Dylan out with him. So no they are definately in the wrong and hope your boy isn't too lame tomorrow.
 
babymare - nope, other horse hasn't been on box rest or anything, and is turned out/ridden most days.

I was just putting mine out to let him stretch his legs because he had to stay stabled today for the farrier coming.
 
well sadly they are horses hun - it happens as has with my big lad - me i bath the wounds and out he goes again - if the naughty horse contiues to be naughty he ( NORMALLY MALE) goes in gelding field to be taught some horse manners from some fiesty fellas lol oh trust me in geldings field they learn respect for horses and owners :)
 
well sadly they are horses hun - it happens as has with my big lad - me i bath the wounds and out he goes again - if the naughty horse contiues to be naughty he ( NORMALLY MALE) goes in gelding field to be taught some horse manners from some fiesty fellas lol oh trust me in geldings field they learn respect for horses and owners :)

I know these things happen, but a heads up would have been nice. When they go out in the field, it's an all-gelding group, and generally they all get on fine. Although saying that, the big "boss" gelding hasn't been out with them for a while, maybe he's just chancing it. Owner doesn't help, his manners with people are appalling.

Oh well, no permanent damage done :)
 
Update on peg-leg ...

He's a bit better this morning, still not too keen on getting it cleaned out though, but I persevered with the Hibiscrub and put his tail in a nice big plait so he wouldn't flap dirt into his cut. Turns out, though, that getting walloped with a fully plaited tail hurts EVEN MORE than getting hit with a normal one lol.

I took him for a little walk and he ate some grass, and A has actually spoken to me, it went like this:

A - Do you want to put him in the paddock?
Me - No, I'm going to take him for a walk.
A - Why ... ? Oh, you mean for a hack?
Me - No, I mean for a *walk*.
A - Oh, is he lame?
Me - Yes, he's all stiff and has a hole in his leg!

:mad: She KNOWS he's lame, the staff told her that!

Gah. He is being very cute and snuggly at the moment - except when you're chasing him with the hose, then he grows extra legs and tries to squish you.
 
god, i would be pretty pee-ed off that noone thought to say, ''oh by the way X is trying to be the big man at the moment'', but i would be fuming that A didnt apologise, and to be honest if i were you when she talked to you today i would have had to say something.

if it were me, i would have also been first to apologise.
 
Sorry to hear your horse got kicked, hope he's back to normal very soon.

If they normally get turned out together, hack out together and have been in the small paddock together before then I can't really see how there should be any blame involved on anyone's part to be honest, it's risk people take if they choose to turn out horses in a small area, perhaps the YO should not let people do this from now on so it doesn't happen again.

I agree though, owner should of twigged on and mentioned that he's been a grumpy so and so lately if he's been kicking off with most horses.

As for the poster who mentioned about suing...honestly :rolleyes:
 
As for the poster who mentioned about suing...honestly :rolleyes:

Unfortunately it happens and someone has tried it on with me. She also wrote a pack of lies down about what happened so I did dispute it and she got nothing.

Turned out she has a habit of doing this so I made sure everyone else in the yard knew what she was like.
 
We all know horses can be horses and they do kick each other. BUT, a heads up should have been given. I would be fuming if I wasn't told and my horse was kicked and lame because of it.

It sounds like the horse has been acting a bit out of character and it would have been nice if the OP had been warned.

Hope he heals well OP and will be back to normal asap.
 
Latest peg-leg update!

He's still a bit lame, nothing major though. I think it's because the kick was so close to his hock, it's making his hock swell, which is making him stiff - if that makes sense. I'm still walking him out in hand, cold-hosing and cleaning with Hibiscrub. He actually let me get a good look at the cut this morning, it looks nice and pink and healthy, with no sign of any infection.

I'm going to get my sister to pop him out in the field tomorrow while I'm at work, and we'll see how he is after the weekend. It's a pain because my best friend was meant to be coming down to ride him next week, and I don't know if he's going to be sound or not! Hopefully he will be though :)

Thanks everyone, I will keep you updated with Princess Dylan's progress :p
 
Poor Dylan, hope he makes a speedy recovery.

It is annoying, I know how you feel. This horse kicked B last year and caused a hairline fracture, 6 weeks of box rest and quite a large bill.

The owner of the horse just said "oh I'm amazed, he's never kicked anything before". not one peep of apology or anything.

I can only imagine the owners feel too guilty to apologise or something.
 
I can only imagine the owners feel too guilty to apologise or something.

I wish it was that, but knowing this woman (she's been at our yard a year) it's just sheer bl**dy ignorance. Her horse is a mannerless little sod, and it's easy to see where he gets it! I'd never seen him aggressive with another horse before this though.
 
Glad your horse is ok.
Once had a little horse that took to kicking the biggest horse on the yard, nothing major just small scratches. Sad story is, we sold him after many years and within a week of being at his new home is was kicked in the leg, it broke and he was put down.
Sometimes the worst does happen, and it's up to the owner to care for your horse's safety. Ever since that accident i've never put 2 horses in a field together.
 
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