Horses4Homes facebook question

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Clare85

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Horses4Homes have posted the following on their facebook page this afternoon:

"Question for you all....If you have a horse in its prime that has a clean bill of health no lameness issues, is good to do on the ground but has learned that if it bucks and bucks big it can get the rider off to the point that even professionals, although they can stay on, have a healthy respect for its capabilities what do you? The owner has come off and is too fearful to ride it so needs to rehome it. Although it can be professionally schooled and may not buck for months it will always have the capability of throwing in a huge buck at any point because it has learned this. If you rehome it has a companion only, finding such homes are like finding needles in hay stacks, there will always be the risk that people ride the horse and then have an accident. When there are so many horses available at such low costs that do not have these problems is it more sensible to have the horse put to sleep or to persevere in the hope that someone comes along who is suitably competent and who is prepared to take the risk knowing the horse has a huge buck and bucks not through pain but simply because it has learned the behaviour and wants to put its rider on the floor. Horses like this are rare and often misunderstood but falling off can cause injuries that can be devastating and life changing or worse. I know we take these risks everyday when we get on a horse but much more so when a horse is known in effect to "dangerous". Please give us your thoughts on this subject....."

There are a couple more comments further down which say that the horse has been investigated by a vet and given a clean bill of health, etc.

There are differing opinions on this - i.e. some for PTS and some for rehoming. My personal reaction was this:

"I would never ever pass a horse like this on because I feel it would be irresponsible to do so - both in terms of the potential risk to human life and the fact that the horse's future welfare could be very uncertain. If I had a horse who was potentially dangerous then I would try keep it myself as a companion and if I was unable to do this for any reason then I would PTS. It sounds as if all options have been exhausted with this animal so far. The buck should stop with the current owner in my opinion. There are hundreds, probably thousands, of unwanted horses and ponies out there, living in terrible situations - it would be a shame for this one to become another statistic. If the current owner cannot keep it for whatever reason, surely it would be kinder to end its days in a nice home where it is loved and cared for."

Just interested in what HHO thinks on this subject?????
 
My personal view is that this horse can be helped, my 3yr old cob, newly started, (not very well) had a huge fright when an inexperienced rider brushed his bum while mounting, triggering a huge bucking fit, took him back to basics, every time our experienced rider went to mount, off he would go bucking, I made george, a pair of trousers weighted with fire ash and straw, tied them to the saddle and lunged the pony, before lunging, our rider would lean across pony and put weight on the stirrup, pony progressed over the summer so george ended up untied on the saddle, pony got so when george "fell off", pony would stand and look, once pony knew he was going to work, at least for a little while, he accepted people mounting, so much so my 3yr old grandson has sat on him, habits can be broken
 
I agree with you OP, passing on an animal with a known problem that could cause serious injury is very high risk. It could end up in very sorry circumstances. My personal view has always been that if I cannot afford to retire an animal I would rather pts than risk it ending up in a sad situation. I accept that not everyone will agree with this view.
 
I would think it could be helped, and I would persevere. But I wouldn't let it out of my hands.

If the option was selling/giving away or pts, I would choose pts, as I couldn't be morally responsible for any injuries it caused, or equally if it ended up being passed pillar to post because of it's behaviour.
 
I don't get the view, that so many people seem to have on here that they are the only home/rider that should try and sort out a problem.....why is better for the horse to die than to go elsewhere, and let someone else try to sort out the bucking problem. I think it's fine to sell a horse with almost any problem as long as you are honest with the issues. Let's face it, most of us are not experts on fixing horses !
 
bonny said:
I don't get the view, that so many people seem to have on here that they are the only home/rider that should try and sort out a problem.....why is better for the horse to die than to go elsewhere, and let someone else try to sort out the bucking problem. I think it's fine to sell a horse with almost any problem as long as you are honest with the issues. Let's face it, most of us are not experts on fixing horses !
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I do not think it is not about who is able to ride the animal, it is about caring what happens to a friend who is part of your family, and once it leaves you there is nothing you can do to protect it from falling into the wrong hands. I have seen too many 'problem' horses and ponies suffer at the hands of people who believe they were the one who will sort this out, to ever risk an animal I care about.
 
So using your reasoning, it's better to shoot your friend than let him go and try and have a better life elsewhere ?
 
bonny said:
So using your reasoning, it's better to shoot your friend than let him go and try and have a better life elsewhere ?
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This is about an animal who could cause serious injury to someone, so my answer is Yes, because I have provided a home too many animals that others have treated badly, I have always been a home for life for our animals, they are buried in our field, if I was no longer able to keep them, they would not leave here. However in the situation where I am looking after two young cobs, they will go back to the charity to continue their eduction when old enough because they will only ever go to approved homes.
 
It's a horse than can buck, as can alot of young horses and as the owner is scared that he'll do it again one day, he needs to go elsewhere. I fail to see why that means he must die, as long as the new owner knows what he's done in the past, why shouldn't someone else try ? The new owner might not be worried about the bucking, maybe the horse just needs more work, turnout, better rider ? Who knows, but he doesn't sound dangerous to me or not worth trying with.....
 
bonny said:
It's a horse than can buck, as can alot of young horses and as the owner is scared that he'll do it again one day, he needs to go elsewhere. I fail to see why that means he must die, as long as the new owner knows what he's done in the past, why shouldn't someone else try ? The new owner might not be worried about the bucking, maybe the horse just needs more work, turnout, better rider ? Who knows, but he doesn't sound dangerous to me or not worth trying with.....
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I agree with the last sentence, I wouldn't give up quite yet. The one thing to bear in mind is all horses have the capacity to buck and rear, he's not unique in that respect. But if he was sold honestly, and then sold again dishonestly, and some poor soul got chucked off and obtained a life-altering injury, I would feel responsible. That's what worries me, the safety side of it. And also, with a horse that broncs violently for no apparent reason, even if the vet checks came up clear I would have my suspicions. Pts would be a last resort for me, but losing ownership would be no resort at all.
 
Thank you for your responses. I completely agree that maybe this horse needs more work, but as I've said, if it was mine, I would keep hold of it - not because I think I could be the only person to deal with the horses issues, but because:

a) a horse that is labelled a 'problem' horse has the potential to be treated very badly, passed around from pillar to post. There is so much uncertainty when selling a good horse, there would be even more so with a horse that had a known problem. I sold my lovely youngster 7/8 years ago due to a change in circumstances to a nice lady who promised to keep in touch - she never did and I have only just managed to track him down, and am relieved to know he is getting on really well, is safe and loved. I would worry that an owner would take on a "problem" horse and then not be able to cope and pass it on again, it could easily end up in the wrong hands. You hear so many horror stories.

b) nowadays you can get much more horse for your money, there are an awful lots of nice horses for sale, for very cheap. Why would someone choose to load themselves with "someone else's problem" when the option for a horse without these issues is pretty easy in today's market IMO;

c) I would hate for a new owner to come off and really hurt themselves. There is the potential for this with any horse, but especially with a horse with a behavioural issue. As the Facebook comment says, it has been checked by a vet, ridden by professionals, etc. It sounded to me as if they have looked at many possibilities with this horse. Obviously the current owner is frightened of the animal, which is probably perpetuating the issue, but the horse has also been ridden by more experienced people, the issue still occurs with them - and it seems that no one who has ridden it has offered it a home, so why pass it to a stranger?
 
Someone on here once said something that I have quoted quite a lot since: 'You don't send a horse like that out into the world without someone to watch his back'.

This is the type of horse who could quite easily fall on hard times or seriously hurt someone. It doesn't mean that there aren't suitable homes out there, and if you can find one then great, it's just that they are very very very few and far between and finding them in a sea of liars and well meaning incompetents is very difficult.
 
If it were a green horse with a bit of a buck in him then I wouldn't think re homing is bad. But this sounds like a serious problem which is unpredictable, as has been said the problem has occurred with professionals. And since it doesn't sound like the horse has the talent to make top level competition horse, where it's "quirks" may be over looked in view of talent, I would say pts is better than an uncertain future for the horse
 
Pts over just passing on anyday, but it totally depends on the individual situation! I took on a mare free to a good home on the understanding that although there is nothing to physically stop her being ridden. Mentally shes a liability (was in a riding school enviroment, shes a million times better now 4 years later out of there and in the right place for her) we have a contract stating that shes not to be ridden or bred from (i wouldnt have anyway but old owners were sensible!!) and if i am ever unable to care for her anymore they get first refusal :)
Meaning both sides knew where they stand and Mysti has a secure future!
 
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