Issues caused by pro breaking methods with sensitive horses

[horsemad32]

Just watched a video on youtube of a horse at a pro yard, in its first few weeks of being ridden away. Being sent forward forward, chased all the time with a lunge whip, rider kicking on. Horse doesn't look reluctant to go, but is a little spooky at things and is just sent forward forcefully every time it looks at anything.

Now - this got me thinking. My friend's youngster went away to be broken in and had a lovely, calm attitude, sweetest creature going but sensitive and looked to the handler for reassurance in strange situations. Came back going everywhere at speed, terrified of being asked to stand still, much spookier than before and now under saddle not looking to the rider to reassure at all, not really listening. Also wouldn't let you on with a whip without a fight, and was quite nervy around them. Now obv you do what you can with what you've got. Friend kicked herself for sending the horse away (she'd done so because she wanted things done properly), then spent over a year turning it back into a sweet, calm creature who listened to the rider and just wanted to please - the horse she sent away in the first place.

We never worked out what exactly had happened, but watching this video, I KNOW that treatment would have caused it. Friend's horse would be fine given a chance to look, a pat and to walk on - if forced to go on anyway, would just get upset, and then I guess would have thrown in more resistance and you get that cycle.

Is what I saw on the video common?

 

[Littlelegs]

Not seen the you tube vid but in my experience no. I'm sure there are rough breakers out there but its not the norm. Like any group of people, there will be a minority giving a false reputation to the majority.

 

[Kaylum]

Well my friend sent hers away and he came back after three weeks a real wreck. Scared of people and had gone over a wall. Anyway my friend decided she would do it herself and after a big learning curve and a very good instructor she managed to pick up the pieces from the mess they

 

[maggiesmum]

This is exactly why no one will be breaking my filly but me, if I get it wrong then I have to fix it but i'd be pretty damn pi$$ed off if I had to fix a problem that i'd paid someone to create!
There are decent people out there but finding them is the hard part and i've seen plenty of people choose carefully only for the 'professional' to be not what they seemed.