In a quandary about one of my horses .. HELP

HumidClimate

HumidClimate

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Hello all,

I am not sure what to do about one of my horses, because I don't know if he is right for me. I have a 15.1, 8 year old TB gelding who is really easy to do and as I am not the worlds most confident rider he has been fantastic for me.

My other horse is a 16.1, 10 year old TB gelding and I am not bonding with him as well as my other horse. I bought him in April at the Ascot sales and bid against the meat man to get him. He has a wonderful calm temperament but he is a little livelier than my other horse.

He has also had health problems since I bought him like having to be rushed to hospital for emergency surgery with Guttural Pouch Mycosis, this was awful and the insurance bill is up to £4000 for this, he has a large sarcoid which may need treating at some time as it's on his windpipe, and he recently got choke both times I gave him 2010 hay.

I feel I am avoiding riding him as he doesn't make me feel as confident as my other horse. I am only 5' 2" but he doesn't feel huge when I am on him. The thing is, is that I keep feeling there's never going to be an end to his sickliness and will I forever feel nervous about riding him?

So do I sell him and hope he is okay with someone else or do I persevere and improve my riding with my other horse and hope he is just going through a bad patch ... help I don't know what to do, I love him as does my other horse and I feel terrible even contemplating selling him ......
 
I'd get some lessons on him and take your time. He's just a different horse, and its still relatively early days.. As for selling him now, its not good news for him really right before winter, and after all his illness problems.. See if you can let it sit over the winter, and start afresh with some help..xx
 
Thanks Honey, that's just what my yard owner said. He has done nothing wrong and I would hate to think of where he might end up, at least with me he has a lovely life and is very well cared for and loved. Plus he's only 10 so I have many, many years to bond with him, there's no rush :-)
 
I agree with honey about giving it time and having a few lessons on him. It's only been 6 months and with all his health issues the poor lad is probably wondering which way is up.
Another option may be to get a sharer for him. Someone confident and expereanced who can bring him on for you (and also help contribute twords his keep ;):p:D)
 
Thanks Laura, I think I will give him the winter off so he can regain his strength and keep riding my other boy then in the spring bring him back to work slowly with my new confidence and riding ability. Sharing is a lovely idea but I would always be looking to see what they were doing with him :-/
 
HumidClimate said:
Thanks Laura, I think I will give him the winter off so he can regain his strength and keep riding my other boy then in the spring bring him back to work slowly with my new confidence and riding ability. Sharing is a lovely idea but I would always be looking to see what they were doing with him :-/
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I couldn't share either (not that anyone would want to share the horrid one :pLOL) I would interfear to much with what they where doing. ;) :o
Giving him the winter off sounds like a fab idea. That way when the time comes to ride him again you will be so much more confidant. You can still groom him and stuff while he is off work. that way you can build up a bond with him and that will help you feel happyer about riding him. :)
 
Thanks Laura, that really helps actually. Now It feels like not riding him for a few months is okay as it's in his interest and I can still take him out for small road hacks and work with him in hand, plus he will be coming in for the winter at nights soon too so there will be more opportunity to spend quality time with him.

I have to say I'm glad about this really because even though my horses are out with 6 other geldings at the moment if either one of them leaves the field, on their return the other one makes a HUGE fuss of them. They have been together ever since they both arrived Max in April and Duke in June and they are stabled next to each other in American barn stabling so can see each other through the bars all the time. They are very close and it would break my heart to split them up. I just hope we are out of the woods now with his health (fingers crossed) :-)
 
If you don't like him-sell him. At the end of the day this is meant to be fun. He won't be worth much though with his history but as you don't NEEd to sell him you can take your time and find a nice home.
 
If you are unable to afford him as a field ornament then hopefully someone will take him on and have a lot of fun with him. Confidence is a very fragile thing and it doesn't help the rider OR the horse. Believe me I know it only too well from personal experience.
 
Persevere! He may just be going through a nasty patch healthwise. He's done nothing bad that has scared you, and 6 months is not a long time to bond with a horse. Do you remember a recent thread when people were asked how long it had taken them to bond with their current horse? Several, including me, said 4 years, and I'm SO SO glad I stuck with it - and yes, I was scared of her. But for goodness sake keep your insurance going!
I agree too that now would be a wretched time to try to sell him. It might be straight back to the meat man. If you really have huge doubts about his health you should have him PTS. Give him his winter off, make good friends with him on the ground and go from there.
 
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