In desperate need of help please....

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adarlinglittlething

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So, as my previous posts speak of the new horse we have purchased regarding hacking etc.

We have now discovered something else whilst trying to trace her history and what may have happened to her since she seems to be pulling a few odd tricks out the wood work. Also to try and work out where all these horrific scars have come from.

I managed to contact the only registered owner in her passport to ever have been recorded, this person is not the breeder, so the horse clearly had no passport at the time. She is from Ireland. So I called the guy, he proceeded to tell me the following:

Told me exactly what she looked liked and it fit spot on her being completely bay no white at all, said her personality was to die for cuddly friendly really soppy mare who chews and sucks any form of soft material (this is all true to a T), then he said he used to hunt and compete xcountry with her and that she was the first horse he ever sold as a dealer (funny as we cant get her near a jump or a pole without her turning into a shaking spooky petrified mess) he also said he purchased her as a 3yr old from the sales (she has not long turned 6) and that she is a thoroughbred (she got sold to us as irish sports horse and on her passport said breeding unknown), he then proceeded to tell me he sold her for £6500 to an english woman who picked her up. From then on there is no history known of her.

If what this person is saying is true then at some point something has happened to her for her to behave this way near a jump/pole and to have the scars she has also the trust issues she has and how sensitive she is with anything, also the fact that if you even attempt to carry a whip or hold one whilst lunging her reaction is unreal, she shakes, looks petrified and trys to run and sweats.

We bought her from a dealer where she was for sale on behalf of a client. We also noticed there were a few pages missing from the passport, well you can see where they have been pulled out, although not noticeable unless you look down the spine.

I got advised to ring the microchip organisation thats in her passport who told me that they have no microchip registered by that number.

I am now at a wits end at where to go and what to do. We only want her history to work out whats happened so i can rectify the problem and issues she has and make her happy, also cheer my mum up who is utterly distraught at the fact the beautiful horse that neighs and comes running to her, might possibly not be the right horse her papers state etc or may have to be sold (which i cant do because of the problem) if we cant help her. (she is currently throwing me off before iv even got my other leg over the saddle whist mounting but then lets me get on once iv been dumped, cant possibly let my mum get on and have this happen to her as her confidence is on a knife edge)

Any help or suggestions please, I am sorry I have rambled on, I am just deeply stuck and everyone i speak to hasnt been any help.
 
I have not read your previous posts, but I will have a stab at "help".....

I would give yourself a break and forget the history. I believe your horse needs treating on a day to day basis for what she is now, on a day to day basis.

It is always difficult to tell without seeing a horse, but I would not even think of trying to mount again until her confidence is up on her ground work, she is relaxed and responsive to requests and understands how to release the "pressure" in whatever situation. I would not wish to mount until she is also good with tack being thrown up, being near the mounting block, having you jump up and down on the block, lean on her, step on and off the stirrup, pat her bottom whilst at the block.....

I guess what I am saying is make sure your basics are re-established, and then tackle every "problem" one by one when it appears rather than looking for a history which may or may not help even if you find it.

Of course I would also check that she is not in pain, teeth, back, saddle, ulcers, overies.......

If you have difficulties then get a Pro in, being thrown off every time you ride will not be doing her confidence any good, not to mention yours.
 
You dont need history to work out problems, see her as a clean slate and deal with each issue taking it slowly, forget the jumping for now until all else is sorted, when the time comes get her just walking over a pole on the ground, you could put a pole inside her stable door that she has to walk over to get in and out.
 
I guess this is my fault for forgetting to mention that she has been fine with riding and perfect until 3 weeks ago when this all started.

Her teeth, back saddle etc all the obvious have been checked and all fine.
 
I am another who says he history is not relevant, people tend to make allowances for what has happened in the past horses do not do that, you need to move forward and work out a way for her to do the same if you want to help her become a mare with a future.

I would speak to the vet again and describe what is happening-maybe ask them to come and see how she behaves. if nothing is found get someone who specialises in ground work before backing to come and spend some time with you once a week or fortnight with you having homework each time with a future goal of getting on without it being stressful for the horse or rider
 
I would be starting with a work up from the vet before I risked my neck again.
I would forget the past and deal with the horse in front of you .
The urgent thing is to find out why having allowed you to ride until three weeks ago she now won't let you get on .
The pole and whip thing you can deal with in time but firstly find out why a horse you where able to ride is now unrideable .
 
Often when people buy a horse with an unknown and possibly dodgy history they let it cloud how they treat the horse on a daily basis. The more 'info/hearsay' they uncover, the more worried they get about what the horse may or may not be capable of. I wonder if this could have happened hear especially as you say that the horse was perfect to begin with.

Never forget the golden rule 'deal with the horse you have in front of you'. Think very carefully about whether you have changed routine/feed/the way you handle and ride her over the time you've had her.

I'm sure she is a lovely horse so try and avoid the temptation to treat her as if she is made of porcelain if you can. :)
 
To tell you the truth, you will never know. I would take what this person says as true if you want and i probably would if it sounds like her and accept somewhere with someone has done something bad. Even if you spoke to every owner on the passport no one would ever tell you they did it. I have a mare with a bad scar on her leg, probably from a barbed wire fence, yet the people we bought her off says she came like that and the people they bought her off say that she never had a scar on her when they sold her. That scar does not even cause a problem it was just curiosity, but yet no one will own up. As others have said you know the problems the cause does not matter, treat the problems not the cause, you may well find the cause in the process or at least have a good idea. Watch her reactions closly and use one another to work through it. If not yourself then find a good trainer who can, sounds like she was once a very nice horse and just keep that goal in mind.
 
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